Choosing the right engine oil for your lawnmower is very important, if you don’t you could risk damaging your mower’s engine. Most commonly, SAE-30 is used in a lawnmowers engine, however, you can use the 10W30 motor oil too.
10w30 car oil will have no issues working in your lawnmower as long as it has a modern engine, SAE-30 is more suitable for mowers that have an older engine inside. This oil is also great for working at variable temperatures, ensuring your engine will work no matter the weather.
We have put together a short article below that will explain to you the difference between 10w30 oil and SAE-30 oil, as well as how to use motor oil in the best way possible in your mower.
10w30 oil is a multi-grade oil that is slightly more expensive because of its viscosity, the 10W rating allows this mower to work in more variable winter temperatures than just warm temperatures like SAE-30.
This oil is also known to be very stable and does not lose its film under stress, allowing it to keep your mower running at optimal performance.
Since 10w30 motor oil and SAE-30 oil are both highly recommended for your lawnmower, you might be wondering which one is better.
To help you decide which oil you want to use in the engine of your mower, we have compared them both below.
10w30 oil has a viscosity rating of 10 and 30 which gives it a great range of variable temperatures, it is mainly used for cars but works great in mowers too. The oil is also quite affordable now compared to how it used to be.
The drawbacks of this oil are that it is not suitable for smaller and older engines and it is quite thick. It is also said to have a higher consumption rate.
SAE-30 oil on the other hand can be used in old and new mowers, this oil is the best to be used in high temperatures thanks to its 30 ratings and has a stable oil consumption.
The downfalls of this oil are that unlike 10w30 oil it is not the best for being used in cold temperatures.
We recommend not using 10w30 oil in a two-stroke motor, as two-stroke mowers need to have oil that is designed specifically to be mixed with fuel, using this oil could potentially damage the engine and lead to smoking as it is not meant for this use.
10w40 motor oil is similar to 10w30 oil and can be used in a lawnmower with no issues, this type of oil works best in variable temperatures just like 10w30 and will work in modern engines rather than older ones.
Having dirty oil in your mower’s engine can lead to start-up issues and other problems, letting the oil reach a low level could also result in the mower overheating. This means both checking and changing the oil in your mower is vital for it to be working efficently.
We have put together some short steps below that will explain how you can check and change the oil in your mower.
Can I use 10w40 oil in my lawnmower?
Yes, there is no issue using 10w40 oil in your lawn mower but it is mainly used for engines that have to be used in cold temperatures.
What happens if I put too much oil in my mower?
If you overfill your mower with oil you will need to drain the excess, this can be done with the same steps above as changing the oil.
Does every mower require you to change the oil?
No, there are some new modern Briggs & Stratton mowers that do not require you to change the oil, they only need you to check and add oil instead, saving you from doing the messy part.
Overall, there is no reason why you cannot use 10w30 oil in your lawnmower as long as it is a modern four-stroke petrol model, as a matter of fact, 10w30 oil is great due to that it works in variable temperatures not just warm temperatures like SAE-30.
Always ensure that you never let your oil level get too low on a mower and change it when it becomes dirty too, which is typically after 20-50 hours of use or annually.
