I put a new engine on my mower this summer. I changed the oil after two hours. It’s cheap insurance.
Whatever works for you . Your mower won't know the difference .If you do a once per year oil change and use the equipment for intervals such as six months of use, then six months of storage, when do you do the oil change? Before storage or when bringing it out of storage?
Kohler 5400 (19.5 HP) ? Looked at one today …My mom bought a new Cub Cadet riding mower and the salesman said change the oil after 3 hours.
5W-40, which I've used for several years in my Honda engine.What's the "E" oil ?
There’s a big difference between a non-filtered, splash-style sump that holds fractions of a quart and that of a car engine that holds 450% or more oil with full filtration.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:
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Briggs:
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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
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Doesn't matter, but there will always be those who obsess about this and have "facts" or point to be made either way for either argument. Just do what is convenient for you.If you do a once per year oil change and use the equipment for intervals such as six months of use, then six months of storage, when do you do the oil change? Before storage or when bringing it out of storage?
It never hurts to change early and often on splash lubed engines without a filter. I have customers with push mowers that are 15+ years old and have never had an oil change, they just add some when it is low and their engines do run fine but burn excessive amounts of oil. Oil is cheap, and engines are becoming increasingly expensive.It’s hardly a testimony, but I’ve had my Honda powered log splitter and my chonda powered pressure washer since new. Changed the oil early on both and it was definitely metallic. I just do early now even though I doubt they see 50 hrs a season.
Shame on me, but I like OPE changes in the spring. They are good for when the weather starts getting warm, but it’s still too early or muddy to do any yard work.
Not only expensive, but hard to find in a plentiful quality form. This day and age, it is a little wasteful to abuse “vintage” OPE engines.It never hurts to change early and often on splash lubed engines without a filter. I have customers with push mowers that are 15+ years old and have never had an oil change, they just add some when it is low and their engines do run fine but burn excessive amounts of oil. Oil is cheap, and engines are becoming increasingly expensive.
I just priced out a replacement Kawasaki for a customer's zero turn, and it was over $3000. Sounds like a lot, but to replace the entire mower would be over $12,000. All because his crew couldn't keep oil in the thing.
Agree but I only put a couple heat cycles on a new one, an hour of run time, change it then, change again at 10 hours, then once a year on most of them or if I get 50 hours on it.I put a new engine on my mower this summer. I changed the oil after two hours. It’s cheap insurance.
I changed out the provided 5w30 I put in my brand new champion generator at about 2 hours of run time. Now it's at 7 hours. I'll probably change it at like 10 and then once every couple of years if it doesn't get used much or at all. It's just a backup for power outages.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:
View attachment 134533View attachment 134532
Briggs:
View attachment 134534View attachment 134535
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
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Bought this one and it’s at 4 hours … calls for 10W30 …Kohler 5400 (19.5 HP) ? Looked at one today …
Well my 1999 Toro would not likely be running today without oil changes. I bought it used several years ago, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap when new.According to the article from 2015 linked below, the "no oil change" engines will last the lifetime of the equipment they power, which the article says could be 12 years. Briggs & Stratton research revealed consumers understand oil changes can lengthen the life of an engine, but still do not perform them. Home Depot had a self-propelled Toro push mower on display with a no oil change engine. The price is $500. I guess when you divide by 12, it doesn't seem like a lot of money. But that initial purchase price would make me want to keep that mower running longer than 12 years.
Engine never needs an oil change