Some lawn owners come to my office to inquire when they should change their machines’ oil. I tell them to pay attention to engine oil in the running of the lawnmower. Be it a push mower or a riding mower, there is every need for you to change the engine oil regularly.
What if you have a new mower? When should I change the oil in my brand new zero-turn mower?
New Lawn Mowers
Most brand-New lawn mower comes with oil. This means you can start mowing with it immediately after you buy it. Many models of lawnmowers come with a bottle of oil you will pour into the oil tank.
To use the right type of oil, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Oil’s functions in the engine are to cool, lubricate, and protect the engine.
In this article, I will tell you why new lawnmowers come with oil. Whether your brand-new mower is supposed to come with oil or not, the way you choose the right engine oil that is best for your lawn mower, and the benefits of lubricating your engine.
Quick Suggestion: I will teach you why oil is very important to lawnmowers, weed eaters, and other lawn care equipment.
If you have this information already, it means you know the importance of choosing a high-quality engine oil for your lawnmower. You can visit Amazon to know the best oil for your lawnmower in your leisure time.
Will Your Mower Arrive Pre-Oiled?
A brand new lawnmower does not have oil in its engine. However, some manufacturers put a bottle of oil in the carton of the lawnmower for the buyer to start with. Your engine will spoil beyond repair if you should run the engine without oil in it.
Some lawnmowers have a low-level indicator, making it difficult to start. The lawnmowers will not start if the oil level is low. Go to your operation manual to know if your engine is a four-stroke engine.
It is easy to check the oil level. Before you start the lawnmowers, use the dipstick to check the oil level. Add more oil if the oil level is low until the oil tank is full. You mix oil and fuel in 2-stroke engine mowers.
Before you fuel the tank of a 2-stroke engine, make sure the fuel and oil are mixed in the right proportion. Go to the operation manual to know the kind of oil you should use, the quantity, and the approved mix ratio.
Lawn Mowers Oil Functions
For your lawnmower’s engine to run well, you have to use clean oil, the right type, and the right quantity in it. Engines run at high speeds and temperatures, so the engine oil lubricants and cool it. Below, I will list for you what engine oil does in lawnmowers.
Lubrication
As a lubricant, engine oil provides a thin, slippery layer between the engine’s moving parts. This reduces friction between these parts. The lifespan of the lawnmower is increased by reducing friction in the engine, heat generation, and depreciation. Read my guide if you want to lubricate your lawnmower wheels.
Cooling
The engine losses energy during combustion, and when there is friction between the parts. The temperature increases as the oil flows over the hot engine parts.
The oil carries the heat away to cool places like the sump and crankcase, from there, the heat will go out. The cylinder of lawnmower engines usually has fins that help in the cooling process. The engine will overheat if a weed eater does not have enough oil in it.
Form a Seal
Another function of engine oil is the provision of a seal between the cylinder walls and piston rings. Leakage of the air-fuel mixture or combustion gasses between the cylinder oil and piston rings is prevented by this seal.
The engine oil will form a protective layer of oil between all the parts of the engine to protect them against any clearance that may appear.
It Prevents Engine Corrosion.
During combustion, the engine produces a corrosive acid dangerous enough to damage the engine’s metal parts. It is the function of the additives contained in the engine oils to reduce the rate of corrosion.
However, sometimes the engine oil will oxidize and will no more be able to protect the engine. This is the reason you have to change the engine oil regularly.
Cleaning
Another function of engine oil is keeping the engine parts clean. Engine oil suspends contaminants like metal particles, dust, and carbon within itself, stopping them from getting to the engine components. This is the way it maintains an internal cleaning system inside the engine.
As you mow, contaminants break away from the engine parts to the outside. Additives are the detergents in engine oil. The substance ensures that these contaminants do not cling to the engine components, such as pistons and piston rings.
Dampen the Shock
Engine oil cautions against the blow of mechanical shock. The oil has a strong lubricant film that absorbs and disperses the energy spike over a broad contact area thereby resisting rapture. It reduces the effect of the forces that damage the engine. These forces give a mechanical shock to the engine components parts.
FAQs
When should I change the oil in my brand new zero-turn mower?
If you are using your new lawn mower for the first time, change the oil after it has run for 5 hours. Subsequently, change the oil anytime the number of hours it ran cumulatively gets to 25 hours. You can find this on Briggs and Stratton’s website.
When you buy a new lawn mower do you have to put oil in it?
A brand new lawnmower does not have oil in its engine, but some of them come with a bottle of oil with which you run it for the first time. If you start your lawnmower without oil in its engine, it will spoil beyond repair. Some lawnmowers have a low-level indicator that prevents them from starting.
How do you know if your lawn mower needs an oil change?
Dipstick- Let the engine run for some minutes. Use the dipstick to check the oil level. Use a white towel to clean the dipstick. If the oil looks dirty, know it is time to change it.
Hour Meter- Some lawn tractors and riding mowers come with an hour meter.
How often should you change the oil in a 4-stroke mower?
Some types of mower engines need their engine oil changed after every 20 to 50 hours of operation. If you go through the manual, you will find out the number of hours the engine is supposed to run before you change the oil. You must overhaul your lawnmower and change the oil at least once a year.