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wertach2

Rotella oil in a Briggs good or bad?

Long story short, I changed the oil in my old, but new to me, Ford diesel tractor a few weeks ago. I don't have a manual, so I didn't know how much I needed, so I have 2 extra gallons. 10W 40.

I'm about change the oil in all of my small B&S engines for the end of the season. Mower, leaf vac, tiller, generators, ETC.

I'm thinking it should be OK, maybe even better? They all list 10W 40 as suitable oil for them.

Comments (10)

  • bill_kapaun
    9 years ago

    Rotella & Delo 400 are excellent oils IMO, since they contain phosphorus and zinc, which are GREAT for flat tappet cams such as found in these engines. (I use Delo 400)

    The only thing is I'm not crazy about a 10W-40. I'd use 10W-30 since it has a negligible amount of Viscosity Index Improvers.

    However, today's 10W-40 probably have fewer VII's than 10W-30 from 10-15 years ago.

  • bus_driver
    9 years ago

    Certainly that oil will not harm your engine. It probably is the best multi-weight oil for your engine. I use single viscosity 30 weight in all my 4 cycle air cooled engines to minimize oil consumption.

  • wheely_boy
    9 years ago

    How do you get these down the filler tube?

  • mownie
    9 years ago

    WB, use a Waring blender set to Puree first. Then a spoon and funnel.

  • tomplum
    9 years ago

    I've not heard of 10W40 as a motor oil spec. for Briggs or any OPE manufacture's other than larger equipment, with the exception of the BIG Vangaurds. I know some have used it. Possibly as Bill was eluding to, that 40W they used to say would foam and not lube well in a small engine. I recently resealed an opposed twin that had 1/4 inch of sludge in the bottom and he regularly used a heavy oil. No filter on his , but made me wonder. What engines do you have that carry that spec?

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I meant 10w30.

  • starhust
    9 years ago

    You should never use 10W-40 oil in any B&S air cooled engine. There are too many viscosity index improvers and they will break down in short order. The best oil for B&S engines is 10W-30 synthetic such as Mobil 1.

  • a-c_homesteader
    9 years ago

    The 1976 Briggs service manual I have says that 10W-40 can used if SAE 30 or 10W-30 aren't available. The owners manual for the Briggs opposed twin in my 1990 Sears GT6000 says the same also

  • a-c_homesteader
    9 years ago

    Here's right from the owners manual

  • tomplum
    9 years ago

    I think the things that I remember were the small frame Tecumsehs that would foam up and not lube w/ the 10W40 spec'd oil- which was later changed to SAE 30 or 10W30 as a substitute. I would think that Briggs did too as their reps said to stick with the 30 weights. It would be interesting if they did not. The only Briggs that I know of that call for 10W40 or 15W40 for that matter are the monster Vanguards. For giggles I checked the Briggs site. they seem to tout 5W30 synthetic as a bettr oil. (TSB736)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Briggs

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