So you finally have the ultimate lawn mower. It cuts the grass with precision. It mows evenly at faster speeds with a wide deck covering vast swaths of turf with each pass. When you first bought it, it was a well-lubricated machine that stood like a trophy in your garage.
But recently, it just hasn’t been running the way it had been when you first bought it. How can you solve this issue? Better yet, how do you change oil in a lawn mower?
A lawn mower is an investment that will provide huge rates of return if you take the time to maintain it properly. Regular maintenance and care of this piece of machinery will extend its life and help it perform just as it did the first time you used it.
Keep reading to learn all the things you need to know about how to change oil in a lawn mower as well as proper upkeep to ensure that it continues to sculpt your lawn into something that you are proud of.
What Kind of Engine Do You Have?
To know what kind of maintenance is necessary for keeping your motor running, you have to know what type of engine is driving the machine.
Most mowers nowadays have four-stroke engines. These engines are capable of burning regular gasoline straight from the pump. They also require oil to be added to the motor’s crankcase to lubricate the moving parts inside. This lubrication prevents corrosion and friction. Over time, oil in these engines will break down and lose their viscosity and must be changed.
Two-stroke engines have a different internal process than four-stroke engines. Part of these differences is how the pieces of the engine are lubricated. The crankcase on a four-stroke engine is closed and, as such, requires the oil to be added externally. In a two-stroke engine, the crankcase is used as part of the induction tract. As such, it requires that oil be mixed with the gasoline instead of being added separately.
So, in a two-stroke engine, you are essentially changing the lubricant every time you have to put fuel in to run it.
Conversely, a four-stroke engine uses the same lubricant for the engine over an extended period of time and requires that you change the it when it has broken down far enough.
When Should You Change the Oil
Several factors come into play regarding how often the oil should be changed in your machine.
At a bare minimum, you should change the lubricant at the end of every mowing season. To keep your mower in top condition, experts recommend that the oil is changed between 20 and 50 hours of use.
That is a pretty big window of time, though. So you can consider some other factors when determining where your lawn mower falls in that time spectrum.
The first consideration is how often you are mowing the yard. If you are in an exorbitant growing season and you find it necessary to mow every four days, the lubricant will have to be changed a bit more frequently than if you are mowing every ten days or so.
It also depends on the conditions of your yard. If your property has rougher terrain, bits of debris, or small rocks, then you will probably fall closer to the 20-hour end of that scale. If your lawn is pristine and flat, then you won’t find more frequent changes necessary.
Another factor that determines changing frequency is your specific geographic region and its climate. Hotter weather can be rougher on equipment and will require less time between maintenance sessions.
When new lubricant is put into the crankcase, it is golden or amber in color. Over time it burns up and breaks down and turns deep brown or black. It is good practice to check your lawn mower’s dipstick before each use. If the dipstick is black or brown you know that the lubricant in your lawn mower needs to be changed.
For lawn mowers that are brand new off the showroom floor, the oil should be changed immediately following the fifth hour of use. This is because the movement of the new pieces of the motor will leave metal filings in the oil. If you leave these shavings, then you run the risk of excessive and unnecessary wear and tear on your engine.
What Kind of Oil Should You Use
There are generally three different types of oil that are suitable for use in your lawn mower.
SAE 30 is the most common type used in small engines like the one on your lawn mower. It is also ideal if you experience warmer temperatures in your area.
SAE 10W-30 can be used in areas with varying ranges of temperature. This type will improve your ability to start in colder weather. One drawback of SAE 10W-30 is that it can increase your engine’s overall oil consumption.
SAE 5W-30 is a synthetic lubricant that offers your engine the best protection at all temperatures. It improves starting capability in colder weather and will not be consumed by your engine as fast as the others.
Steps to Changing the Oil
Below you will find details of how to change oil in law mowers. Follow these guidelines to so you can do it safely and effectively.
Preparations
You should make sure you gather everything you need beforehand. This will make it easier for you while you are carrying out the procedure. List of what you will need:
- Owner’s Manual
- Shop rags
- The recommended new oil for your mower
- Oil pan
- Funnel
- Cardboard or old newspaper
- Proper container for safe disposal of the old oil
- Socket wrench
- Pipe wrench or filter wrench
- Jack or automotive ramps for riding mowers
Once you have collected everything you need, you should start your mower up and allow the engine to run for a few minutes before you begin.
Allowing your engine to warm up and circulate before you change oil will remove debris from the engine.
You should always make sure to disconnect the spark plug wire before the oil change. When you disconnect the spark plug wire, you ensure that your mower will not accidentally start while you are working on it.
You can remove the spark plug entirely if it makes you feel more comfortable. This is a sure-fire way to make sure your engine doesn’t fire up.
Drain the Engine
If you have a push mower, you should prop the mower up, so the exposed spark plug faces upwards. For riding mowers, use a jack or automotive ramp to give you access to the area of the engine where the drain plug is located.
Spread the newspaper or cardboard underneath the mower and place the oil pan directly underneath the drain plug.
Using a socket wrench, loosen the drain plug (it is not necessary to remove it entirely) until it begins to drain the oil from the engine into the oil pan. Keep draining until it slows to a single drip that falls at least 4 or 5 seconds apart.
Transfer the old oil from the oil pan into a proper container. Set it aside so that you can take it to your local oil recycling facility to be disposed of properly.
Once you’re done, tighten the drain plug on your engine.
Change the Oil Filter
Oil filters keep the lubricant from being infiltrated by larger pieces of dirt and debris. If debris is allowed through the filter, it will cause excessive engine wear to your mower.
While the filter may not require changing every time you perform a change, it does warrant checking it every time.
A good rule of thumb is that you should change the filter at least once a year, but this is a basic guideline. Refer to your owner’s manual for information about the frequency at which you should change the filter specific to your piece of equipment.
Once you have located the filter, use your hands or the pipe/filter wrench to remove the filter from the engine.
After you have removed the filter, you should clean the area where the filter attaches to the mower (called the adaptor) as well as the seal on the new oil filter.
Wipe some new engine lubricant onto a shop rag and lubricate the seal on the new filter. Place the new filter onto the adaptor and tighten into pace using the pipe/filter wrench or your hands.
Refill the Engine With New Oil
Locate the oil fill plug on your engine and remove it. Clean the area around the plug so that you avoid the infiltration of your engine.
Place the funnel into the engine where you have removed the fill plug and pour the oil into the crankcase. Be careful not to overfill as this can cause the motor to stop running.
After you have filled the crankcase with the recommended amount, you need to replace the fill plug. Take the clean dipstick and place it down into the dipstick shaft and remove it to ensure that it is at the correct level.
Lastly, replace the dipstick in the shaft and clean up anything that may have spilled on or around the lawnmower.
Clean Up
Once you’re done, you should clean up the area where you worked on your equipment.
Replace the spark plug and reconnect the spark plug lead wire to the engine. To ensure that you have reconnected the spark plug and its lead wire correctly, fire the engine up. This will also circulate the oil in your engine.
Additional Steps For Complete Maintenance of Your Machine
There are some other things that you can do to extend the life and efficiency of your equipment. Keep your law mower well maintained and you will make the process of lawn care so much easier!
- Clean the deck each time you mow
- Clean and replace the air filter as needed
- Replace the spark plug as needed
- Clean out the carburetor
- Maintain correct tire pressure
- Winterize your machine
- Drain the gas from the tank
- Disconnect the spark plug wire
- Remove the blades for sharpening