Change oil only after 5 hours on new Honda & Briggs small engines?

[1 SX]

Looking over honda and briggs manuals I think this "confirms" it is a good idea to do the first oil change on ANY new engine let it be small 4 cycle on a lawn mower or power washer or a Honda 3.5L early.

Here are a couple screen shots from the briggs and honda service manual: as you can see Honda small engine team "stresses" the importance of an early oil change at 5 hours on new engine then not once but twice a year or every 50 hours.. Since I don't use it for 50 hours a year, I change the oil once a year no matter the hours.

Briggs also recommends a initial five hour oil change, followed by every 50 hours or once a year...

Honda:

Briggs:

And it appears they even recommend a Synthetic "D" 5W30 for basically all temp conditions.

What do you think? Are the manufactures just being cautious with oil changes, so they can deny warranty service in hours because no one I actually changes the oil on small engines lol?

OR is there maybe legality or something like that then just "change initially at 5 hours"? maybe for warranty / emissions. Something like that.?

Personally... on the Honda GVC190 power washer I just change the oil once every spring with synthetic and use it for the year.

On a new engine such as the briggs CR950 power washer... I changed the oil once at 5 hours, then I will do it again at 15, then I will follow the manufacturer maintenance of once a year or 50 hours from then out

 

[Racer4]

I personally follow the same oil change schedule as you. Change all my OPE machines once a year. New equipment get early oil changes.

 

[Chris142]

What's the "E" oil ?

 

[Greasymechtech]

Same here..... about 50hrs a year so yearly change works just fine. And, for a new mower, after the 1st lawn cut which could be 1-2hrs, simply to remove the conventional for a fancy full synthetic. An early break-in oil change.... oh the humanity

Vanguard 15w-50 gives the "best protection". Maybe it should be used in those 1.5t/2.0t diluters

A, B, C, D...... could one assume "E" is the 15w50????

For those of you using 5w40 or 15w40 for your small engines, you're all doing just fine.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Here you go.

 

[Lubener]

I think your change intervals are very reasonable.

 

[eljefino]

5 hour change on Briggs-- lots of glitter in the oil.

5 hour change on Chonda-- no, not really.

After the 5 hour change, I change when it gets dark, on all brands of OPE. Carb problems and humidity related rust do mine in. Stuff is stored under cover, but not climate controlled.

 

[UncleDave]

Nope on the 3.5 early.

Honda recommends the break in sump be run until the MM tells you to change it.

The break in oil is loaded with moly from the assembly lube.

 

[joekingcorvette]

My mom bought a new Cub Cadet riding mower and the salesman said change the oil after 3 hours.

 

[gathermewool]

Here you go.

View attachment 134548

I have a pressure washer like that. It was upside-down after the first use and all of the oil “accidentally” fell out. Whoops.

I don’t really feel the need to change the oil early in my vehicles unless there’s a specific reason to (eg, one of my last Subies had a manufacturing concern and the solution was to drain the oil asap and look for sparklies; mine was clean).

For new OPE, I change the oil very early. Even if the oil appears to drain clear, I typically drain into a clear plastic container and there are usually particulates/sparklies. I used to be alarmed by this.

I actually do several short, but progressively longer, OCI initially. None of my OPE had a filter.

 

[tmorris1]

What's the "E" oil ?

I would guess the 15W50 that they spoke about in the instructions

 

[bullwinkle]

I don’t think I would go 5 hours initially, I wouldn’t go over 1 or 2 hours, you’ll get a lot of debris out. Surprised by the failure to recommend 10W30, I’ve never had a consumption issue with it (usually Rotella T5).

 

[jeepman3071]

Nope on the 3.5 early.

Honda recommends the break in sump be run until the MM tells you to change it.

The break in oil is loaded with moly from the assembly lube.

+1

Totally different on a car with an oil filter. A small splash lubed engine it is a good idea to change after the first 5 hours.

 

[UncleDave]

+1

Totally different on a car with an oil filter. A small splash lubed engine it is a good idea to change after the first 5 hours.

Yup.
The OP quoted the splash engine manual, but then threw a 3.5 in the mix. (?)

 

[LouC]

Agreed I would change the oil in any small engine without an oil filter within a few hours of initial run time. With mine I usually do a yearly change depending on hrs. If we lose power & I have to run the Gen set I will change it after approx 50 hrs. I use 5w/30 Mobil 1 in the newer ones (pressure washer & Gen set) and whatever left over oil I have in the old (1987) vintage Briggs 3.5 hp mower.

 

[wpod]

With the Honda mower I have using a 5W-40 oil seems to produce less glitter than using a 5W-30 oil.

 

[Sayjac]

JD ride on with Briggs calls for 50 hours or one year whichever comes first. No break in. After seeing the oil and EZ change filter cut open at 40hours ~1 year, I lean towards 50 hours as priority. Just me. Fyi, I'm removing the EZ change system at next oil change and retro fitting with standard oil filter and drain system.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

I've posted this once before, but these are the solids that settled out of the 5 hr break in oil from a Briggs lawn mower engine that theoretically never needed an oil change

.

 

[oldcodger]

I definitely believe in an early change for any small engine without an oil filter. Anybody who has done it and looked closely at the drained oil will see the debris. I personally do 2 drains at 5 hour intervals. After that every 50 hours or once per year. Never had any engine oil burner or fail from oil related failure. I have seen some neighbors with serious oil burners because they did no break in and just went with a 50 hour change policy.

 

[Rygrego]

Here you go.

View attachment 134548

My newest mower has the same instructions as this one. Will not be following them, but it does say this.