# Oil changes synthetic vs regular



## SNOWJOB1125 (Apr 4, 2015)

how often do u guys change ur oil in ur Ariens? i know the manual says after first 5 hrs...how often after? do u guys use synthetic? does it lengthen the times in between oil changes?


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I change once a season unless its like last winter. I use regular oil.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

Once a season should be adequate for most of us, especially if using a syn oil.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Once a season and I use Mobil1, 0-40 that I get at Walmart.


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## Loco-diablo (Feb 12, 2015)

nt40lanman said:


> I change once a season unless its like last winter. I use regular oil.


+ 1


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

AMSOIL synthetic is what I use. Had the best luck using AMSOIL synthetic I currently have a 2003 Hyundai Elantra with 395000 miles on it. It still has the original engine and transmission it's never been replaced. Runs great and back a few years ago I had the valve cover gasket replaced. Mechanic who replaced the gasket said the inside of the engine was immaculate with no sludge deposits whatsoever. People complain that synthetic oil is way too expensive. I change my oil in my snow blower once the season Too. Couple extra dollars is pretty cheap insurance the way I look at it it's only going to cost a few dollars more for your snow blower each season at most.


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## SnowG (Dec 5, 2014)

Once a year at end of season. Synthetic is preferred.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

Once a year at the beginning of the season. You'll tend to get a lot of condensation sitting over the summer so I just leave it and change it in the fall.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I moved over to a Syn 5-30 w years ago on all my small engines, new and old, as you can see, Briggs & Stratton suggest it also for the widest coverage. Change it once a year. The biggest downfall on the lifespan of small engines is lack of maintenance. 

FAQ: Lawn Mower Oil Type & Capacity | Briggs & Stratton


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

As the previous posters mentioned change it once a year and no difference if at end of season or beginning since if any condensation would occur, just running the engine for 15 minutes will dissipate any condensation.
As for oil type syn. vs reg., I use synthetic in all my engines whether car or small engines for the simple fact that the synthetic molecules are much smaller therefore filling microscopic voids which results in a better sealed components ei; piston rings, valve guides, crankcase etc. resulting in a much longer cleaner oil.
Conventional oil are ok too but it gets dirty faster since the bigger molecules allows the carbon to soil the oil black over time. 
So my preference is Mobil Synt. 5w-30


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Once every 2 years on my church machines, unless they get a very heavy workout with more than average snow, then I will go every year. I use 5W30 Mobil-1 full synthetic in everything from a late 70s JD 526 to the newest of the new, an 2014 Ariens Pro-32. No problems at all. Although the Pro-32 hasn't quite made it to 5 full hours of use, so once we get it up there to near 5-10 hours, I'll have them trailer it over to the building shed where I do the work at and will give her a nice TLC oil change and check the rest of her over. She's a beaut I tell ya..


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## cansnow1 (Jan 6, 2016)

Once a season . I use 5w 30 synthetic (Mobile 1).I will do it at end of season.
My dad's 1999 10/28 Columbia got its first oil change this summer . It runs better than mine.
I'm expecting some problems in the future but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. That thing is a bad-ass beast .


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## Terrance (Dec 28, 2015)

I am a *diehard *Valvoline kind of guy, but... the store I was at was out of it so I bought a couple quarts of Castrol Edge 5W-30 synthetic. It took me many, many years to start using synthetics.


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## Padraig (Nov 23, 2015)

Mobil One 5w30. 

My high performance boat engine builder instructed me to change oil , in the boat, at the end of the season because the used oil has fuel, contaminants and acids in the oil and he didn't want that sitting in the engine during the off season.

So if it is good enough for the boat. ...It is good enough for the snowblower, lawnmower etc.

Padraig


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## Thomas789 (Mar 7, 2021)

Anyone use SuperTech (wallyworld) synthetic GL5 75-140 wt gear oil in the newer Ariens snowblower gear box? Both Ariens L3 (pn 68800) and SuperTech oil bottles say for "high pressure loads" etc.

I've run the SuperTech gear oil in my toyota differential for 330,000 miles (100,000 mi changes, mostly) with no problems, but thought I'd ask the forum.... 

For that matter, anyone use the SuperTech engine oils? I've used the S-Tech conventional "High Mileage" oil in the same SUV for the same 330,000 miles, pulled a valve cover to check valve lash, didn't need adjustment so put cover back on. Clean as a whistle in there, for what it's worth...

I've read that the S-Tech oil is name brand, without the name brand price. Anyone have a different experience with SuperTech?


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Too answer the original question, I'm in Central NJ, it snows 0-5x/yr. I may use it 20 minutes to 5 hours a year so it gets changed before I have 20 hours on it. This translates to every 5-7 yrs with synthetic.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

JLawrence08648 said:


> Too answer the original question, I'm in Central NJ, it snows 0-5x/yr. I may use it 20 minutes to 5 hours a year so it gets changed before I have 20 hours on it. This translates to every 5-7 yrs with synthetic.


No, it doesn't.
Synthetic tolerates moisture better than conventional oil but you still need to be changing it once a year.

Moisture and fuel dilution are the biggest issues a snow blower is going to have with oil and synthetic doesn't fix either.

I run Mobil 1 in all of my small engines and change it once a year in all of them.

Changing it ever 5-7 years is how you get a rod sticking out of the side of the block.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Agreed. Change it every year.


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## SNOWJOE (Nov 18, 2018)

Every season unless its a nothing winter, and always with full syn.


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## 2badknees (Jan 28, 2017)

I use supertec synthetic exclusively in 2 cars, 1 pickup, 3 snowblowers, log splitter, power generator and 2 motorcycles. I use the GL5 75-140 in the transmission and differential of my BMW mcycle. Going on 15 yrs now. When I first began buying it, the plastic container was identical to Mobil syn. 


I've read that the S-Tech oil is name brand, without the name brand price. Anyone have a different experience with SuperTech?
[/QUOTE]


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## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

supertec is bottled by the warren oil company maker of the hd trucker oil Lubrigard and a few others.


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## nbwinter (Jan 18, 2021)

I do mine once a year with synthetic oil right before the season is about to start. Works well for me.


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

SNOWJOE said:


> Every season unless its a nothing winter, and always with full syn.


Yep. If I had to guess, owning 3 machines that I use fairly equally, no single machine gets more than probably 12 full hours per season total. So I change them every 2 years.

Been using B&S's winter full synthetic 5w30 4 seasons now, zero issues. Easy pull starting no matter how cold, doesn't smoke nor leak, engines running fine and don't eat oil at all.


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## Preacherman (Dec 20, 2020)

My plan is yearly also, but there could be years I don’t use it at all. So in that case it will be every year it’s used.
My Lawn tractor gets three /four a year, only because it used hard. I help few elderly neighbors out , and I can’t let the abandon lots just grow in our neighborhood. Probably about 3.5 hours of cutting every two weeks once summer hits and double that during spring wet months. I too use synthetic in all power equip.


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## peterk (Apr 30, 2014)

Since I am here. Use whatever you have. just don't run it low. I use Amazon 10x30 in the big bottles. If I don't use the blower it I don't change it. 40 years as an auto mechanic. Oil is your coolant. Keep it full! But not overfull. Then you will be back here asking about leaks! Peterk


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## LouC (Dec 5, 2016)

I change oil every time I mix up a new batch of 50:1 two stroke fuel for my Toro! I do use syn 2 stroke oil burns very clean.


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