The Operator's Manual for your specific engine will tell you the amount and the grade (viscosity) of oil your engine needs. It will also provide instructions for how to change the oil. Use only the recommended grade for your engine or damage to your engine may result.
General Oil Grade Recommendations for Most Outdoor Power Equipment:
• Summer – SAE30 (32? to 104?F.)
• Winter – 5W30 (-22? to 50?F.)
Oil Grades for Specific Engine Applications:
For Kohler Courage® and Kohler Command®, Honda®, and engines identified solely as Cub Cadet®, Troy-Bilt® or Powermore®, use the oil grades below.
• Summer – 10W30 (0? to 100?F.)
• Winter – 5W30 (-22? to 50?F.)
Oil Grade Identification Information:
Always use quality motor oil as indicated by the donut-shaped American Petroleum Institute (API) service symbol on its container.
The API symbol assures quality, and indicates the grade (e.g., SAE30, 10W30, etc.) and service rating of the oil.
The “service rating” is the age range of engines for which that oil is appropriate. The rating is at the top of the “donut” and is indicated
by a two-letter combination (e.g., SN, SM, SL, SJ). The further down the alphabet the second character is (S_), the more current the
rating. SN is the most up-to-date rating.
• SN – For 2011 and older engines
• SM – For 2010 and older engines
• SL – For 2004 and older engines
• SJ – For 2001 and older engines
(Ratings SH through SA are now obsolete.)
API Service Symbol
