I just bought a murray 11/36 riding mower with a briggs and stratton engine, mind you I am a city boy from northern California, and I don't know a thing about riding mowers. What type of gas do I use and what kind of oil do I use? I do know in a regular mower I use unleaded gas and 2 cycle oil.

Let's loose the notion of a "regular mower". My definition and your definition could be different. There are 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines. The 2-cycle engine uses a gas/oil mix, the 4-cycle engine has a crankcase and you use straight gas. The 2 cycle engine has reeds where the 4-cycle engine is the same type as your car and has intake and exhaust valves.

Just to mess up the terms, there are few 2-cycle engines that have separate resovours and mix the gas and oil on the fly.

The BIG difference between a car and a small engine is that a non-detergent engine oil is used. It's best to use a 2-cycle engine oil when you mix with gas and best to use a 4-cycle small engine oil for small engines. Standard 30 W-ND will do in a pinch. There is even special formulations of oils for snowblowers.

Don't use 87 octane. Use at least 89.

Your answer is then use 89 octane gas and a 30 W-ND engine oil formulated for 4 cycle engines for your small engines that don't use a mixture of oil and gas. 30 is the viscosity and the ND is non-detergent.

Use 2-Cycle oil ONLY for those engines that use a mixture. These engines are seen on gas trimmers, chain saws etc.

2-cycle engines are not position sensitive, but 4 cycle engines are. You could turn your chain saw upside down with no ill effects, but don't do it with your rider or your car.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by holypractice102

I just bought a murray 11/36 riding mower with a briggs and stratton engine, mind you I am a city boy from northern California, and I don't know a thing about riding mowers. What type of gas do I use and what kind of oil do I use? I do know in a regular mower I use unleaded gas and 2 cycle oil.

---

Regular unleaded , regular engine oil

Thanks

I prefer to use the highest octane fuel for all my outdoor power equipment. For the briggs and stratton use sae 30 motor oil IN THE CRANKCASE. You do not mix oil with the fuel for a four cycle engine. The oil goes in the crankcase, and put the regular highest octane fuel you can stand to pay for in the fuel tank.

Hi
I live in Thailand which has a hot climate throughout the year. I have recently purchased a Briggs & stratton lawnmower from the local store however they do not sell the oil. Having read the instructions and recommended oils I decided to purchase castrol 5W 30 castrol oil I had to go to over 30 shops before I found it unfortunately when I got home it states in small print on the label full synthetic for diesel engines could I use this in a 4 stroke gasoline engine I have found it impooible to find any sae30 the only one is sae 40 would I be better using that.

According to all the small engine schools I've been at,They say ,
DO NOT use high octane ,it burns to hot for a air cooled engine and will burn the valves or make them stick and cause other problems,
And I see it at least twice a week at my shop.Thats my opinion and what see.
As far as oil OHV 10 w 30
Not OHV 30 w.
LUCK

Oswald,
The synthetic oil should be just fine. See Wikipedia for definition of synthetic oil.
However, synthetic oil and regular oil (mineral oil) cannot be mixed. If you ever need to add oil be sure to use synthetic oil.