Zinc & phosphorus in oil
 

Should Kohler engines be run with oil containing zinc & phosphorus? If so, which brand 30W oil can be used, or should a zinc/phosphorus additive (like ZDDP) be used?

Valvoline VR1 racing oil has zinc (zddp) and phosphorous additives. It says "Not Street Legal" or words to that effect on the container. The additives are hard on catalytic converters. I used it in my air-cooled racing engines. There may be other brands on the shelf also.

Thanks, Gary. Do you use the Valvoline VR1 in your Kohler engines?

I haven't used it in Kohlers but only because I don't have it on the shelf anymore. I wouldn't be afraid to use it at all. NAPA carries it or can get it. The air-cooled Porsche guys used it when I raced and even my engine builder recommended it.

It looks like the VR1 is street legal, not that it matters, and available in 30W. I used the 'Not Street Legal" 20W50 in the car.

http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/vr1_racing.pdf

I have been using that in all my old air cooled small engines for many years, no
issues at all...My .02 Dan

Mobile Delvac diesel engine oil. other diesel oils are good to. I tested the Delvac. several years ago Harley Davidson did an oil study comparing various types of engines, gas, air cooled vs diesel vs gasoline car engines and said diesel engine oils meet the requirements needed for air cooled gas engines better than any of the other oils out there and recomened using Diesel engine oils in case the genuine HD brand oil was not available. I've run Delvac in some very expensive Kohler pulling motors for 3 or 4 years now. We see no excessive wear vs what we used to run amsoil 20-50 race oil which was very good. We did go to less runs on oil changes. 4 - 5 vs 8-10 for the amsoil. I have used it in an old K series I have in one tractor I use allot for at least 3 years. in the end oil's oil and if you change it regularly and keep the level full they all do good jobs.

Bingo, we have a winner! I run Delvac or Rotella T in my stuff including my HD Night Rod. Also used to use it in my race car. I used to run my Cats & Cummins on Delvac and never opened one up for an over haul with less than 20,000 hours on them.

and its pretty cheap

I run this in my air cooled engines. I can't find 30WT Kohler oil anywhere. Rotella is good too.

I run rotella in mine, but that's mainly because I get it for free... For the most part these engines aren't picky just keep clean oil in them and your good..

I am just a dumb hillbilly but I use Rotella Diesel oil in all my air cooled engines.
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I would NOT use the Valvoline Racing oil in anything that I didn't intend to change the oil in very frequently. Do some research and check out the additives that are not in that oil for extended use.

What additives are missing from the Valvoline racing oil that would make it unsuitable for extended use?

I was looking Tuesday at oils- there are some now with VERY high ZDDP (2500 ppm). I think with the latest Diesel oils are now CJ+ rated ZDDP has been reduced ~1100-1300 ppm level.
Has anyone used Amsoil's lawn and garden oil?


Michael

Im running the amsoil in all my machines have been for awhile now (trucks and tractors) and I have no complaints at all working fine for me

Me 2. 10/30-30w for small engines

NIK,

I was reading bobistheoilguy and looks like Delvac formulas have changed with C-J+. I think M1 is also now mainly a type III base stock oil w Type VII additives. The old days it was Type IV (PAO) which lasted.

Seeing this with oil consumption increasing when using these in car ~ 5,000 miles. Rotella and Castrol products too. No good true synthetic PAO/Ester base for less than $11-15/quart.

Michael