I've heard that synthetic oil won't burn like conventional, not sure if it's true or not.

My experience is it makes it worse.....

It actually makes it worse. I put Royal Purple in my 127 and I could smell burning oil the whole time it was running. Changed it with standard Pennzoil and it went away.

I use Kohler engine oil.

CaseIH Low Ash oil for all our Cadets. I've heard folks at the parts counter swear that their K series burned much less oil using it as opposed to regular
30W. Besides, if that extra $2 is gonna break me.......

Now of course dad had a Deere with an 8hp Kohler in it once that would drop a 1/2 qt every two hours. No mosquitos when you mowed the yard with that one. I don't think Low Ash oil would have helped it:biggrin2:

I am living proof of this advice and really appreciate it being said here! I agree totally...with help from people here I can do some of the jobs on my 129 (and actually enjoy it most of the time) but it takes SOOOOO LONG compared to the time that an experienced mechanic like yourself would be able to do it in.

I also have a K-301 that burns a good deal of oil and so am looking at options. From talking to my brother, who is an excellent mechanic, he pretty much concurs with what you're saying - that attempting an overhaul would probably be a bit of a reach for me to take on. I think you told me the same thing! I think they call it being "brutally honest". Just kidding..lol

Let's look on the "glass is half full" viewpoint with regards to the K301 burning oil.....I figure that after every few mowings I probably have a half-crankcase or so of basically new oil from constantly adding more. The oil on the dipstick hardly ever looks dark since the engine started taking so much oil. (I still change the oil every spring anyway). I'm ok with adding oil, but lately there seem to be issues with loss of power as I reported in one of my threads. So I think the moment of truth is coming...either rebuild or replace.

That's what I call it. Don't kid.... it's true. :biggrin2:

100% Dale.:beerchug:
When I bought my 1330 lawn tractor new in 1992, I started out with Pennzoil, and it would use oil, mind you, this tractor was brand new. So I tried Castriol, same thing, was always low.
Talked with my dealer "buddy" and he said, "here, try this, and let me know". He GAVE me two quarts of Kohler, never added oil in between oil changes again. Made a believer out of me. Nothing but Kohler oil from that day on, and it goes in every air cooled engine I have...:beerchug:

Im not quite sure whats going on here I checked my oil level today and it was full after mowing 3 acres of grass last week.
Before I mowed I topped the oil off with Shell 30 weight Rotella.
While mowing the engine had a bad misfire & was puffing black smoke out of the exhaust.
I tuned the low & high speed carburetor needle adjustments & everything smoothed out.
No Lucas engine stop leak has been added but its no telling how long this used 12hp engine has been setting.

So... you switched oil and ran it some more and it came out of it. I'm not surprised. Could be the oil, could have been a stuck ring that broke free. I'd like the think the Shell oil helped break loose a stuck ring... so that way I'm right either way. :biggrin2: