Motor Oil types and designations

[hhfarang]

Can someone please explain the motor oil designations here. My lawn mower says to use 4 cycle motor oil.... of course in Thailand nothing says 4 cycle. I'm assuming 4T is 4 cycle and 2T is two cycle that is mixed with gas in engines that need that... am I correct? I've never seen this "T" designation anywhere else in the world and can find no definition of it on the internet.

[barrys]

I presume it means that you should use normal 4-stroke engine oil and not 2-stroke.

This is the case with my petrol lawn mower

[pharvey]

4T is an oil intended for 4-Stroke/4-Cylcle engines as a lubricant only.

Mostly used for 4-Stroke motorcycle engines. Sold in the States also - see Castrol 4T for example.

[chelsea]

HHF, what you need is Castrol 4T mower oil SAE 30 grade. I have a 4 stroke mower overhere in Australia and use an SAE30 grade oil made by Penrite that is suitable for mowers and all sorts of small 4 Stroke engines, but not sure if that is sold over in LOS.
http://media.supercheapauto.com.au/sca/images/10232.jpg

Do not confuse with Castrol Active 4T which is a 4 stroke motorcycle engine oil as is not suitable to use.
If you cannot get Castrol, let me know makes are available and will advise what you can use

Also if you are using anything two stroke like mower, edge clearer, chain saw etc, use Castrol T Self Mix not the Castrol Active 2T. Again is a 2 stroke engine oil not something you mix petrol with.
http://www.hondahamilton.co.nz/store/im ... %20MIX.JPG

[Nereus]

I think that you will find that "T" is a Japanese Automotive Standards Organization.

(This service is available on JSAE On-demand Library.) (if you pay!)

B - Car bodies

C - Chassis and Brake

D - Electrical equipment

E - Motors and engines

F - Machinery elements

M - Material and surface treatment

T - Motorcycle

Z - General and others

Also, most motor cycles require an oil that is suitable for both the engine, clutch and gearbox.
Most straight SAE designation oils will not meet this standard.
Some motor cycles, (Ducati, Harley etc) have "dry clutches" and therefore are different again.

[hhfarang]

Thanks for all the responses. If I understand it correctly my lawnmower (requiring 4 cycle oil according to the book should use 4T which I have in 10w40 SAE. Now the other response I really didn't understand was the one about 2T. I have a gasoline edger/trimmer that uses a gas oil mixture... 2T is not the oil to use?

[chelsea]

Thanks for all the responses. If I understand it correctly my lawnmower (requiring 4 cycle oil according to the book should use 4T which I have in 10w40 SAE. Now the other response I really didn't understand was the one about 2T. I have a gasoline edger/trimmer that uses a gas oil mixture... 2T is not the oil to use?

If your edger/trimmer is 2 stroke the 2T self mix is the one to use at the ratio of mix (oil to petrol) it shows in your handbook.

What you have in your mower is a 4 stroke (4 cycle as you call it) engine and they normally suggest that a 30 grade 4 stroke small engine oil is used and is normally 10w30 or 40 grade.
Your 4 stroke mower should just use normal unleaded petrol as fuel and the oil just used for engine lubrication.

Bear in mind that the manuals printed are for world use and some of the oil thicknesses change dependent on location and outside temperature. Colder temperature means normally thinner the oil