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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

oil

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Hi Chaps i am at a bit of a quandary. On my Suffolk Super Punch it says a 20-50 oil is this strictly necessary, seems a bit heavy Would a straight 30 grade be okay?  Also what would the capacity be for 94 engine.

Forums

villiers98 Fri, 28/05/2021

I think so  - older Suffolk engine plates said use Shell x100  30 I recall.

Reckon the reason they put 20w 50 was by the seventies when that was new, all cars used 20w 50 and it would be easily available?

I work on the principle clean oil changed regularly is better than dirty oil of any grade

wristpin Fri, 28/05/2021

I work on the principle clean oil changed regularly is better than dirty oil of any grade

Another way of saying, “ some oil of any grade is better than no oil at all”.

Wiltshireworm Sat, 29/05/2021

This little Suffolk engine was 75cc. Later 98cc

It only carries half a pint of oil so it is very important to keep it changed at about every 20 hours work & make sure it is at the top mark on the little dipstick. the oil recommended in the 1960s was a straight SAE 30 usually Castrol. With modern multi-grade oils 20-50 will be OK & possibly even better for it.

It will run OK with the piston floating about like a Pea in a Barrel, so it is a resilient little engine.

A little known fact for you;                                                                                                                                          Suffolk always made their own engine castings & whenever they had cast them with a poor tolerance in the bore, these rejects were re-bored to oversize, fitted with new components & sold then as replacement, short service engines, through the Dealers Parts Departments & Atco Service Branches. (Not service exchange, there was no exchange program).  

Enjoy this little mower, they made them in their millions.