Sae with Detergent Additive would Probably be ok , just check and see if you have any foaming issues . Otherwise just go with Straight Sae-30 and add a Top End Lube Cleaner (Lucas or Durlube ..etc.) on the Ole Girl !

Note: Bar & Chain Oils in a Small Engine ? Would Refrain from that Scenerio Bro !

The detergent oil is best for use in an engine, it breaks down the combustion by products and keeps them in suspension. Non detergents are for use in air compressors, power washer pumps and the like, the detergents would foam and also damage o rings and seals.

"The detergent oil is best for use in an engine, it breaks down the combustion by products and keeps them in suspension."

Agree and you can go to the B&S site and see what their recommendations are for yourself.

Walt Conner

For what it is worth; about ten years ago i bought a new car and channged the oil at 3300 miles with full synthetic 5-w-30 motor oil. I began to use the oil drained from the car in an old B&S push mower engine. This went on for several years untill the car accumulated enough mile to make the used oil somewhat questionable. I had a supply of new automobile type full synthetic Quaker state 5-W-50 oil on hand ( with nothing to put it in) and began using that in two 5.5 HP B&S quantium engines. This has been going on for several years. One engine has outlived it's original deck running on this stuff. These were quite used engines when I got them and I figgured it was worth a try. I know ten years is not a long time, but I am still using the two mowers. Untill moving recently, they shared light duty on a 1/2 acre lawn. This summer they got a real work out. I mowed about 3/4 acre. The grass was up to my knees on the first cut and we had more than the usual amount of rain, the grass never turned brown in July, and grew like crazy. Most days I had to run them at full throttle. Both engines are doing fine, I have become the weak link in the process. I will not do this with a new mower. Take the tale for what it is worth.

Just as aside. Two things have gotten my attention. One is my ability to edit a post. I am doing something wrong as my posts do not reflect my editing in the preview message window. I will try again to determine the rules. The other thing is that I do not recieve an e-mail when a follow up is submitted on one of my posts. Again, I am likely at fault.

Best thing to do is follow the recommendations as to what type and SAE number as put forth in the booklet that comes with every mower. In case you can't find it---just install straight 30W oil. My machines all run on 30W. None of them have blown up yet! (well, the one that didn't have the fuel shut-off valve puked, but i had only got it about a week before, a curb find.)
Only time i might use 10W-30, is in a snow-blower! I don't have one of them that runs. Not my fault--i got them because they didn't run. Way i figger, why go out, get all cold and snow coverred, just to place some snow ten feet away from where it fell, all the while getting yer death of p-newmonia, and filling yer clothes full of snow! Not my idee of fun!

This forum is way behind the eight ball when it comes to features. You can't edit a post, but you can add a comment by responding to your own post. In the subject line, change the wording or add an extra colon after RE.

Under the reply box is a line that you can "check" to receive email replies of your post. This is only available to the original poster.

Thanks for the information. I will look more closely for the editing features and the e-mail feature.

I use Synthetic 10W-30 Amsoil in Lawn Mower and 25W-50 Amsoil in Gen Set routinely . Would question 5W-30 Syn. Recycling long term , I like a little Heavier Film Strength on start up also , but both my examples are New Units . Let me know how it goes Ski in a few yrs. I also have Quantum Engine .

Hello ewalk; I agree about the 5-w-30 film strength seeming to be very light. The first mower I tried this in was given to me in pieces in a box. I put it back together. My new car had a warranty requirement for oil change at 3300 miles. I figured that synthetic was good for more miles than that and it looked so good when it came out of the engine. For consideration; Some autos use 5-W-20 and even more exterme, others use 0-W-20. I guess they are going for reduced friction and less energy to push the lower viscosity stuff around. The second mower engine is one that I had around for a while and decided to put the 5-W-30 in it as well. It has a full ten years on it. The last six or seven years on full synthetic 5-W-50. I wound up with a few gallons of the stuff. I change the oil in a mower two or three times a season. Air cooled engines seem to run hot. I also figure they are set to run as lean as possible from the factory. The second Quantium is part of a project i did a few years ago. A friend had several broken B&S quantium mowers and I had a rusted out deck. I built up as many functioning mowers from all the parts as I could and kept one and a deck for my trouble. He got three working mowers back. My second quantium has about six years of 5-W-50 in it. So good, so far.

Ski: Thanks for the Follow up note of info in regards to the 5w-30 Syn usage . I might check out the 5w-50 weight availablity within Amsoil for my Gen Set . It has electric start but having to start it with the pull cord in an emergency situation might pose a problem within this falls colder temps . Thanks again for the insightful info E .

Briggs & Stratton specifically recommends the use of 5W-30 synthetic oil in their engines. Clearly, it is the best for small air cooled engines.

Here is a link that might be useful: Best Oil