Small engine oil -- dumb question
 

My new MTD Snowblower with Techumsh 10 hp engine calls for A.P.I. Service "SL/SJ" engine oil.

The Mobil 1 in my garage is marked "A.P.I. Service SJ/CF"

OK to use the Mobil 1?

PS it says on the Mobil 1 container that the oil "exceeds SJ,SH/CF" but it says nothing about "SL" If I had a clue what those things mean, I probably would not have to ask this dumb question.

The grade matters more than the kind of oil here. The Mobil 1 should be fine for it. Air-cooled engines use more oil, particularly synthetic, so just keep an eye on it. 5W-30 should be good.

Not a Techumseh engine here, but I've been running Mobil 1 in my small engine stuff for years. Never a problem..

The SJ, SL, CF initials are API service ratings. They are one method of telling what a particular oil is good for.

I'm not a real fan of Advance Auto Parts, but they have a website that does a good job of explaining API service ratings. HERE

This PDF is from Amsoil - another company that offers a pure synthetic oil. They also have some synthetic oils that are specifically formulated for lawn and garden type equipment. I don't think Mobil does. (?)

Thanks. From the AAP site:

SL — Current — For all automotive engines presently in use.

SJ — Current — For 2001 and older automotive engines.

Looks like the Mobil 1 5W/30 will do the trick. The manual says to change it after 2 hours of running time, so maybe I'll look for a small engine specific Amsoil for the 1st change.