Change your new mower oil after 5 hours! TRUST ME!

[Cujet]

Ahhhh, that metal in the oil is there to ensure long mower engine life:) Chris

 

[BlazerLT]

There is always heavier grit in the bottom that will leave when you allow it to drain out the bottom plug. Just the same as it would happen if you sucked the oil out a vehicle engine through the diptstick hole.

 

[Jim]

I have a strong magnet on the drain plug of my Ford tractor. Even after 1500 hours of run time there is a small amount of metal on the magnet each 100 hours of running.

 

[ccdhowell]

LarryL, don't feel too lonely; I, too, am running Redline 5w30 in my lawn mowers. I had 6 quarts of mixed 5w30 and 5w40, that I didn't want to mix in a vehicle and didn't want to order more of either type so it go relegated to lawn mower duty. My 9hp Briggs may possibly be sort-of running quieter with the Redline. Who know? But I'm not waisting the RL either.

 

[RTexasF]

My first change of a new Honda powered Craftsman 5.5 HP push mower was a surprise. I had never seen a mower without an oil drain plug before......thought I'd gone blind! There ain't one there folks! Such a finely engineered engine that requires you to pour the oil out of it is mind boggling to me.

 

[JTK]

quote:

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Originally posted by RTexasF: My first change of a new Honda powered Craftsman 5.5 HP push mower was a surprise. I had never seen a mower without an oil drain plug before

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Yep. The GX series OHC engines have been that way since day 1, 1997+. Joel

 

[GarrettSocling]

I changed the oil out on a new Craftsman 6.75HP B&S engine today, and was so shocked that I felt like coming on here and asking if it was normal. Silver metallic paint is right!!! I had a quart of walmart 5W30, used a bit to flush the engine for a minute, then the rest of the 20oz to fill it up. I'm going to run that for another couple hours and drain it again, see what it looks like. I love this site! Thanks all for helping set my mind at ease that it was normal!

 

[GrtArtiste]

My Troy-Bilt/Honda GCV 160 has now had it's third oil change. This time the oil came out very clean. It now has a new fill of Phillips Trop Artic 10w30 and am planning to run that for the remainder of the season. Am intentionally underfilling it by about 1 ounce and then monitoring it carefully, adding if needed. So far the previous oil seepage from the governor linkage has not recurred. GrtArtiste

 

[JR]

I just got a three-five horse briggs for a water pump I use on my garden. It was only use like twenty fiveish horse and the pump it was on up an died on a guy I know. I got it from him for free if I use it to water his garden to. He ran nd 30 in it till it had five hours on it. And told me it was soiled bad when he changed it and that it was still breaking in. So he of little knoledge dumped in nd 30 again since it what he has used for years with out a problem. I have used it about fifteen hours so far with the same nd still in it. I was thinkin since it was free to me and my pump don't have to many more hours left in it I would leave that fill of nd thirty in it for life. I am just curious to see how long it will run. Probably be goin strong in ten years. lol

 

[Chimay]

I changed the oil in just 5 hours of use in my Deere LX280 18 hp Kawasaki, I did not notice any metal but was not really looking for anything. I just changed it yesterday with only 20.5 hours on the clock with M1 10W-30. My owners manual says it should take 1.9 quarts but both times I have changed it 1.75 quarts fill it up.

 

[frequency]

Chimay, I also have an LX280 and just got 5.5 hrs on the clock. What oil weight/brand did you use during your first 20 hrs? I just changed the oil and put in the JD Turf-Gard 10w30, but from some of the posts I've read on this forum some folks have had problems using 10w30 oil. Just wanted to get your experiences.

 

[BlazerLT]

I just swapped in straight 30 weight again.

 

[Chimay]

quote:

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Originally posted by frequency: Chimay, I also have an LX280 and just got 5.5 hrs on the clock. What oil weight/brand did you use during your first 20 hrs? I just changed the oil and put in the JD Turf-Gard 10w30, but from some of the posts I've read on this forum some folks have had problems using 10w30 oil. Just wanted to get your experiences.

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After the first five hours I put in the JD 10W-30 Turf-Guard without a problem then at 20.5 hours I put in M1 10W-30 no problems. Did your LX 280 take the 1.9 quarts as stated in the manual..

 

[frequency]

Chimay, No it didn't take the 1.9 qts. It was more like 1.8 qts. So your engine didn't burn any of the JD 10w30 oil?

 

[Chimay]

Frequency, it has not burned any oil at all.. So far so good. I just wonder why it is only taking 1.75 quarts instead of 1.9? Enjoy your LX 280

 

[frequency]

Chimay, the Kawasaki tech manuals says 1.8 qts with oil change.

 

[Chimay]

Frequency, on page 68 of the owners manual it says 1.9 quarts (1.8L). Maybe yours is different?

 

[frequency]

Chimay, My manual says the same thing (1.9 qts), but what I'm saying is I have a copy of the Kawasaki manual (not provided by John Deere) and it states 1.8 qts.

 

[UncleS2]

I finally did the first oil change on the new Honda-powered Troy-Bilt today. Due to the drought here, haven't used it at all the past month or so, until today. Total run time, maybe 2 hours or a bit more. Wow- the oil on the dipstick looked almost clear, just left a *very* pale gray stain on a clean white paper towel. But when I tilted the mower & drained hot, that same oil looked like thin liquid graphite, with a reasonably healthy crop of silver sparklies in it. Went back with a real cocktail of oil, containing ~2.5 oz of the factory included "Arnold" 10w30 SJ, ~2.5 oz Shell Rotella 15w40, ~11 oz of Havoline 10w30 SM, and ~2.5-3 oz of Valvoline Racing oil SAE 40 (SH or SJ- it's pretty old). Started the mower with the new oil in it, ran till the fuel bowl ran dry, & parked it to wait until next time. Reason I ran the push mower almost 1 hour today- the riding mower's drive belt came off, gotta replace it tomorrow. I dunno how long its been on there, but several years at least. I'll keep doin' stuff like this for a few more years, so long as it runs & cuts well. Edit: Come to think of it, that oil in the lawn mower is doing quite a trick- it looks so *clean* on the dipstick, but so *Filthy* when it's drained. If we put it in a glass jar, would it stratify & look much cleaner at the top than at the bottom?