# SAE 30 Lawn Mower Oil for a small piston air compressor?



## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

Usually they require non detergent SAE 30. Can't comment if a detergent oil will cause harm.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Yes, yes, yes, yes. 

There is a special oil made for compressors, use it.

The business that we bought 2 years ago was owned and ran by an older man who thought if Rotella oil was good for a diesel engine, it was good for everything. The first thing to go was the air compressor.

I just put in a new Shulz and the oil that they sent to replace the "break in" oil is nearly clear and low viscosity.


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

Use the oil recommended by the manufacturer lol :thumbsup:


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Get a good synthetic compressor oil. You can get Dewalt off of eBay. Most parts houses also stock compressor oil.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

My compressor calls for SAE 30 non-detergent. SAE 10 for extreme winter conditions.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

>> Use the oil recommended by the manufacturer lol 

Ding! Ding! Ding!  We have a winner.

Some compressors certainly do use 30 wt oil. For instance here is _Campbell Hausfeld_ 30 wt non-detergent compressor oil sold by Tractor Supply (sorry, OP, its unlikely there are TSC stores in Germany):

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/campbell-hausfeldreg;-air-compressor-oil-1-gal


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Mine is a small Craftsman that I use in the basement when my wood shop is too cold to fire one up. The info I gave came right from the owners manual.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Any oil is better than no oil. The right oil is better than "any oil".


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

For small air compressors: 
they should only get a dedicated compressor oil. The combustion engine oils are not appropriate for small compressors. 

For a proper break-in one should take a mineral oil. Preferably 40 weight. (Run the compressor for about twenty (20)minutes in the no-load condition.)


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

I'm not sure but I think the non-detergent part is more important that the viscocity.
The detergent in oil will cause the compressor valves to stick is what I just read.
I'd go to the hardware store and write down what compressor you have and let them tell you what to buy.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Rarus 427 is a common compressor oil...


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## MT204 (May 12, 2011)

As a rule of thumb any piece of equipment that does not have an oil filter uses non-detergent oil.
No-detergent oil allows the solids to drop to the bottom of the crankcase, and stay there.
That would be why older VW engines and model a's etc. used non detergent oils. They had no oil filters.


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## sjj (Jan 2, 2007)

How do you cope with: 

- low temperature oil sludge? 
- deposit on high temperature parts (hard, durable)?


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## ordy28 (Sep 10, 2013)

With a quality synthetic oil made for that machine.

The comment above about detergent being more important that viscosity....Not so....


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