5 Hour Oil Change (cont'd)

[92saturnsl2]

You guys were right about the necessity of the 5 hour oil change-- I pulled this oil out of my new Honda GCV160 after about 6 hours.

When I would pull the dipstick (which is white) out, the oil looked amber, but the color in the jar tells a different story. There was a silvery mess that came out which was hard to tell if it was aeration, or actual metal. Probably a combination of both.

I quickly changed it out with the SJ oil that came with the mower, mowed one time, and then changed back to Havoline Deposit Shield 10w30. Should I be good for the season?

 

[Pete591]

Originally Posted By: 92saturnsl2
You guys were right about the necessity of the 5 hour oil change-- I pulled this oil out of my new Honda GCV160 after about 6 hours.

When I would pull the dipstick (which is white) out, the oil looked amber, but the color in the jar tells a different story. There was a silvery mess that came out which was hard to tell if it was aeration, or actual metal. Probably a combination of both.

I quickly changed it out with the SJ oil that came with the mower, mowed one time, and then changed back to Havoline Deposit Shield 10w30. Should I be good for the season?


My Edger with the same engine is now deciding to surge on me. Always have been good with care and oil changes. Doing a Gumout treatment before a carb rebuild.

My Honda never had the metal in it.

 

[SuperDave456]

Put a strong magnet to one side and see what you can pull up the side of the glass jar.
Im just curious.

 

[sicko]

Wow, I've *never* changed the oil in my lawn mower and I've had it for probably 10-15 years. I'll change it out and see what happens, maybe it'll break or maybe it'll run better, we'll see

 

[dsmith41]

Originally Posted By: sicko
Wow, I've *never* changed the oil in my lawn mower and I've had it for probably 10-15 years. I'll change it out and see what happens, maybe it'll break or maybe it'll run better, we'll see


Are you serious? Jeez!

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: sicko
Wow, I've *never* changed the oil in my lawn mower and I've had it for probably 10-15 years. I'll change it out and see what happens, maybe it'll break or maybe it'll run better, we'll see
Yeah, you and over ninety percent of the rest of the lawnmower-owning population.

 

[RWEST]

Originally Posted By: sicko
Wow, I've *never* changed the oil in my lawn mower and I've had it for probably 10-15 years. I'll change it out and see what happens, maybe it'll break or maybe it'll run better, we'll see

Blasphemy!!
And you're at BITOG!!
You've gotta be joking!!

OTOH - My neighbor routinely never changes his oil - it's factory fill from Day 1 till DoomsDay...

 

[Robenstein]

Heck I have seen the metallic gleen in several moto engines that I broke in.

 

[BovineScapegoat]

Our Toro mower went a solid 17 years without an oil change.
Now I change it every year. Starts first pull every time.

 

[odie]

didn't drain the oil from the SEARS Eager 1 with the TECUMSEH 4.H.P. engine for about 5 years . Used it for lawn , mowing high thick grass ( trailblazing ) , and mulching leaves in the fall . Burns very little oil and have used 10w30 conventional , 5w30 syn-blend , mix of leftover 5w30 amd 10w30 conventional and synthetics . Have been using 5w30 SHELL synthetic for past year or so . Amazing engine . Run 93 octane gas figuring it'll help keep carb cleaner . So far , so good . Plan to use 10w30 PLATINUM for next round .

 

[aznboi24]

Our family bought a used mower about 10 years ago. Just did the first oil change on it so its at least 10 years old. Same for the filter. Plug was changed out last year after I flooded the engine after I added too much fuel system cleaner.

Oil was thick and black. It was also at the add level. I wouldnt have changed it if it didnt start running badly, still does. Filled it with straight 30W, 4 cycle oil from home depot. $ bucks for 20 oz.

 

[bigmike]

I told the story once of my neighbor with his 12 year old push mower that never saw oil changes. He always came outside to shake his head when I was outside changing the oil in my Toro. He was a pretty funny old man and liked to give me a hard time about it because he thought it was the dumbest thing to bother with.

 

[Mr_Joe]

I go early on the 1st change & about once a year after that.

 

[Bror Jace]

Wasn't the old-time recommendation of non-detergent motor oil for OPE (without filters) so the worst of the yuck in the oil would stay at the bottom of the crankcase as opposed to being suspended by the dispersants in the oil?

This would help explain how some engines could survive a decade or more without failure despite a complete lack of basic maintenance.

Although, for every store of one of these 'miraculous' survivor engines, I have seen 2 or 3 that were next-to-impossible to start and once running, doubled as mosquito foggers.

I think the glitter (iron/aluminum) settles quite quickly ... and so rarely shows on a dipstick.

I remember changing the hydrostatic transmission fluid in Dad's Honda tractor. The oil on the dipstick looked very clean ... but once heated up it looked amber and when drained it was a medium-to-dark brown color (fresh HST fluid is crystal clear).

My conclusion? The worst of the ick in OPE oil:

A) Settles quickly
B) Resides in the very bottom of the sump

So, I change oil early and often in new OPE.

 

[Pete591]

Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Wasn't the old-time recommendation of non-detergent motor oil for OPE (without filters) so the worst of the yuck in the oil would stay at the bottom of the crankcase as opposed to being suspended by the dispersants in the oil?

This would help explain how some engines could survive a decade or more without failure despite a complete lack of basic maintenance.

Although, for every store of one of these 'miraculous' survivor engines, I have seen 2 or 3 that were next-to-impossible to start and once running, doubled as mosquito foggers.

I think the glitter (iron/aluminum) settles quite quickly ... and so rarely shows on a dipstick.

I remember changing the hydrostatic transmission fluid in Dad's Honda tractor. The oil on the dipstick looked very clean ... but once heated up it looked amber and when drained it was a medium-to-dark brown color (fresh HST fluid is crystal clear).

My conclusion? The worst of the ick in OPE oil:

A) Settles quickly
B) Resides in the very bottom of the sump

So, I change oil early and often in new OPE.



I took your advice with breaking in my Briggs 20 HP V-Twin...and now it has settled in and smoothed out...oil is clean after 50 hours. Engine runs great.

 

[countryboy9799]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
Put a strong magnet to one side and see what you can pull up the side of the glass jar.
Im just curious.


I doubt a magnet would do much, I bet most of the glitter is aluminum.

 

[Bror Jace]

"I took your advice with breaking-in my Briggs 20 HP V-Twin ... and now it has settled in and smoothed out ... oil is clean after 50 hours. Engine runs great."

Thanks Pete591. I like to think that my break-in tips and procedures produce tight, powerful, and long-wearing engines. A tight motor (good ring seating with low wear) should give you more compression (and power) and lower fuel dilution ... which should allow whichever oil you choose to last longer and protect better.