JD XT300 winter oil

[workeatsleep]

I use my XT300 for snow blowing during the Kentucky winters, and it's starting to get properly chilly here.
I currently run 10W30 engine oil in the summer and switch to 5W30 for the cold months,
but I'm curious about what the absolute lowest viscosity engine oil you'd trust in your mower?
Do you stick to 5W30, or do any of you brave souls go even thinner to make those super cold morning starts easier?
any thoughts?

 

[deere_doc]

I usually stick to 5W30 in my John Deere during the winter. One time, after a crazy cold snap here in Ohio, I tried 0W30. It did make the engine crank easier, but I saw that the oil pressure took a bit longer to get steady. So, I went back to 5W30 since it seems like a safer bet for older engines like mine.

 

[deerestjohn]

I used 0W40 in my XT during some really cold mornings in Kentucky when the 5W30 felt kinda slow. It did help the engine start up smoother, but I only used it for a little bit. I didn’t want to risk the oil getting too thin when things warmed up. So, for me, 5W30 is the go-to unless it gets super cold.

 

[myBarnside]

5W30 is just right for winters in Kentucky, you really don’t need anything thinner than that. Switching to 0W30 or 0W20 isn’t going to provide significant advantages and might even lower your oil pressure when it's hot. So, keep using what you have, but just ensure your battery is in good condition for those chilly starts.