You Risk Engine Damage By Ignoring Mower Oil Changes

Your lawn mower’s engine oil has to be changed, but you neglected. You now want to discover what harm your engine may sustain. As a manager of an outdoor power equipment service department, I have seen a lot of lawn mower engines fail because of using unclean oil.

Many consumers mistakenly believe that their lawn mower’s engine oil doesn’t need to be changed. This clearly isn’t the case. Contrary to popular belief, engine oil has additional functions.

Your lawn mower’s oil gets quite dirty and degrades if you don’t change it. The oil loses its detergents and cooling ingredients, which can seriously harm your engine.

Most people don’t consider investing in their lawnmowers until they stop starting or experience other engine issues. If you give your lawnmower a little care once or twice a year, you’ll be astonished at how long it can endure.

What Functions Does Engine Oil Serve In A Lawnmower?

The little engine of the typical lawn mower can only contain roughly 3/4 to 1 quart of oil. Typically, this engine oil is SAE30 weight. In such a little area, that tiny quantity of oil has a lot of tasks to accomplish.

Just keep in mind that the air rotating around the engine is the sole thing cooling it. That implies that your oil will already be that warm if the outside temperature is 80 degrees.

Oil will eventually degrade. The crude oil prices cooling agents and cleansers will all eventually degrade or disappear. The components in our oils have a variety of functions:

• Keeps your engine’s internal components cold while it generates heat from friction by acting as a cooling agent.
• Serves as a divider between moving components. The engine heats up as a result of these moving parts.
• Cleans things. It prevents carbon and oil that has been broken down from plugging oil passageways inside the engine. If these passageways are blocked, oil cannot pass, which may harm the engine.

What Happens If I Don’t Follow The Oil Change Instructions From The Producer?

The majority of small engine manufacturers recommend changing the engine oil every 25 to 50 hours of use. The engine’s capacity and how hard it is operated determine the hourly interval.

The engine temperature can rise significantly when you operate the mower longer and harder than usual. Weak oil has a propensity to fail when heated over standard engine operating temperatures.

Your engine’s oil turns dark and thick in texture as it overheats. This dark, thick oil bakes onto the engine’s interior components. These areas are no longer conveniently accessible for oil to pass over and around as intended.

Regular oil changes will ensure that your engine lasts for longer than a couple of years. A quart of oil costs about $20, making it a rather affordable insurance plan. Consider all it does to safeguard the engine and its parts.

Should You Buy A New Lawn Mower Or Should You Replace The Engine?

Keep in mind that if you don’t change your engine oil, you might have to pay to have the engine replaced. The major part of your lawn mower is the engine. If it breaks, you have a few options to think about before investing more money on your mower.

Which should you replace, the lawnmower or the engine? When considering whether to make a large engine purchase, you should consider the cost of a new engine as well as the lifespan of the mower.

A lawn mower’s installation makes it relatively simple to replace an engine. The main aspect you should think about most carefully before investing in a new engine is the price.

Depending on the brand and horsepower, a replacement engine might cost anywhere from $200 to $2,700.00.

You can buy replacement motors internet or from a nearby engine dealer. When purchasing online, engines can resemble one another, but it might not be the engine you need. To buy a suitable engine, make absolutely sure you have your model and specification number.

These same numbers are required if you want to purchase engine parts. You might want to buy from an engine dealer if you are unclear whether the engine you are choosing online is the proper one.

You can get help from the dealership’s expert personnel in locating a compatible engine. Along with price, another factor to take into account is the state of your mower.

Will you soon need to invest a lot of money in the lawn mower’s frame, shell, or deck? Instead of investing more money in an old mower, it might be more cost-effective to buy a new one.

Why Do I Always Need To Add Engine Oil To My Lawnmower Before I Mow?

Always make sure your motor oil is at the proper level before mowing. If you frequently add fuel to your engine before mowing the lawn, it’s not always a terrible thing, it’s also not a good thing. You need to ascertain why you must always add oil to your engine.

If your engine is utilizing oil, burning oil, or has an oil leak, you may need to add oil to it every time you mow the lawn. You must decide which of the following situations best describes your engine oil loss.

• Oil Leak: Search the engine area for indications of an oil leak. Replace the gaskets that are causing the oil to leak once you’ve discovered the source of the leak. If your mower has a filter, you should also check it. Ensure that the oil filter is correctly sealed.
• Check for a clogged air filter if there is burning oil. The engine will have to work harder as a result of oil burning from a clogged air filter. If the air filter is really dusty and cannot be cleaned, you can either clean it or replace it.
• Using Oil – An engine may be consuming oil as a result of operating-related overheating. It could also be a sign of a valve or ring issue. For an engine diagnosis, you must bring your lawn mower to a repair shop.

Requisites For Changing The Engine Oil

Choosing The Proper Engine Oil

Before performing an oil change, double-check the engine oil you choose. Except for Kohler engines, the majority of small gas engines utilize SAE30 oil.

A 10W-30 is required for Kohler engines because of the mechanical lifter within the engine. Most engines require 3/4 of a quart, while larger engines may require up to 2 quarts.

Container For Collecting Oil

Find a container to store the oil in. The ideal is a drain pan. Find a container with a big enough capacity to accommodate the wasted oil if you do not have a drainage pan and one that won’t leak across the floor.

Additionally, make absolutely sure you have such a closed receptacle to transport spent oil to a recycling plant.

Useless oil containers are an option. Useless containers for milk or soda are those. Never pour motor oil down the drain, into the trash, or anywhere else on your property.

Tools

To replace the oil plug, you’ll need the appropriate size socket or wrench. Some plugs are square, while others come in different sizes of hex. Adding fresh oil will be much simpler using a funnel. If your engine has a filter, a filter spanner is also necessary.

Filter

An oil filter will be mounted on your engine if it is a superior model. Find a filter that works with your engine. OEM filters are described in your owner’s handbook.

The OEM filter component can be compared to an alternative part number on a variety of sites if you decide to use an aftermarket filter. On the engine of my lawn mower, I use an OEM filter.

If you decide to utilize an alternative filter, my clients have had success with this particular brand.

Other Useful Items

Oil can be prevented from getting on your worktop by using board or newspaper. Additionally, having rags and gloves on available is a smart idea.

Instructions For Changing The Engine Oil On A Lawn Mower

Refer to any of the following data topics for further details on replacing the engine oil in a lawn mower:

8 Simple Steps for Changing the Oil in a Push Mower

Walk Instructions for Servicing a Riding Lawn Mower

Oil Service Procedure for a Zero Turn Mower

My go-to tools for servicing and troubleshooting your lawn mower