How many small engines ever get oil changed?

[Highlander 1459]

OK Bitoger's...what percentage of lawnmowers and other small yard equipment go their useful life with the factory installed oil versus the percentage
that gets any type of service from BITOG types who think about oil selection for air cooled motor..?

70 /30 would be my guess.

 

[burbguy82]

OK Bitoger's...what percentage of lawnmowers and other small yard equipment go their useful life with the factory installed oil versus the percentage
that gets any type of service from BITOG types who think about oil selection for air cooled motor..?

70 /30 would be my guess.

I think that many have some other need of repair that comes before destruction to the engine due to lube.......something that makes it economically unviable to fix. A assume you are talking pushmowers.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Uh, none?

Man this is in the running for "Thread title of the month" Award.

Sombody shut this down before we waste any more server Drive space

 

[CharBaby]

I change the oil in every small engine that I own including others who I help as well.

 

[nomas]

This is in no way a scientific poll .

 

[demarpaint]

OP- In answer to your question, I have no clue. I can say with 100% certainty 100% of my 4 cycle OPE gets serviced. I'd be willing to bet those who don't service theirs see the "useful life" greatly reduced.

 

[jeepman3071]

It really depends. If you are talking about cheap throw-away mowers, most don't get the oil changed ever. If we are talking about more expensive lawn tractors and commercial mowers, most are maintained. It really follows the mindset of the owner.

 

[zzyzzx]

I only changed the oil in the riding mower because I wanted to switch from regular 30W to synthetic 5w30 when I went to mulching leaves.

 

[TheOilWizard]

I think that many have some other need of repair that comes before destruction to the engine due to lube.......something that makes it economically unviable to fix. A assume you are talking pushmowers.

Exactly right.. like a gummed up carburetor. Throw the whole mower out and buy new.

Not saying it's right, but just how it works.

 

[wavinwayne]

Probably 80/20 at best, but nobody will ever know. When I had my old John Deere LA110, I only changed the oil once in 10 years. The mower couldn't have cared less. My FIL has that mower now, it still runs fine and he hasn't changed the oil since I gave it to him 5 years ago.

On my current mower, a JD Z535M, I change the oil yearly.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Here we have Proof that people will yammer about any silly thing. I am aghast!

 

[cptbarkey]

OK Bitoger's...what percentage of lawnmowers and other small yard equipment go their useful life with the factory installed oil versus the percentage
that gets any type of service from BITOG types who think about oil selection for air cooled motor..?

70 /30 would be my guess.

Explain your anecdotes would be more of a contribution and encourage others to share their stories.

 

[carviewsonic]

Every couple of years in both the Honda and Tecumseh powered mowers. Takes little time to do and costs only 1 litre (quart) of oil for both.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I never changed the oil in my refrigerator - that is sill running 27 years on. But that sees no combustion byproducts, no moisture, it is hermetically sealed compressing R-134a and its is lubed by ISO 68 or 100 Polyol Ester.

I you spend good money on a 4-stroke gasoline powered mower and don't change the oil - that is absolutely moronic. All the science and data we see show that oil is deteriorating. It is just a matter of hours then ... JAm!

 

[fantastic]

Some of these latest small engines were claiming "Just Add Oil". Perhaps they'll last long enough until everything else starts wearing out. That's how these manufacturers design things. They have a price point & target market. The mowers claiming that are not going to be the best on the market. OEM's have data but they're not going to share that stuff with you or I. Why, "Your not supposed to change it anymore, just add oil".

 

[Tdbo]

Clarification is necessary.
If we are talking about my X series Deere, which was almost 3K new, and would be about $4400 to replace now, it gets changed religiously every single year.
If we are talking about my Troy Bilt pushmower, which was $20. on CL about 8 years ago, it gets changed when I am bored or get around to it (Whichever comes last.)

 

[anderson]

personally , usually never on ope. just top up.

only time i change is if the float sticks and the oil gets filled with gas

(i should add that i get most of my ope for free as its broken and needs repair , usually its 10 years old plus by the time i get it)

 

[DriveHard]

Hummm...let's see. Here in Iowa you get maybe 5-6 months where you have to mow. Maybe only three of those months are good growing where you have to mow weekly...so guessing 20-30 mows per year TOPS. It only takes me about 45 minutes to mow my lawn. So...25 hours total MAX.

Nope...not changing oil with less than 25 hours on it. When it is brand new I will change it once after 5 mows or so to Mobil 1 15w-50 that is leftover from my motorcycles, then I change it about every 4-5 years when it starts to get dark...or I am bored. I check it every time and top up if needed...almost never is. Never killed a mower engine from oil related issues. Either the deck rusts out and breaks, or I bend the shaft after hitting something hidden in the grass. I see ZERO need to change it even yearly.

 

[jeepman3071]

Some of these latest small engines were claiming "Just Add Oil". Perhaps they'll last long enough until everything else starts wearing out. That's how these manufacturers design things. They have a price point & target market. The mowers claiming that are not going to be the best on the market. OEM's have data but they're not going to share that stuff with you or I. Why, "Your not supposed to change it anymore, just add oil".

As much as I really dislike where many of the small engine manufacturers are going, I don't think the "check and add" thing is designed to make the engine life shorter. I think it is purely marketing, just like car manufacturers advertising longer maintenance intervals.

My dad had a Murray push mower he bought before I was born. It was the cheapest mower the store sold. Bare bones with a Tecumseh engine. He ran it for 15+ years without changing the oil. I changed it once, and it was sold about 8 years after that still running fine. Small single cylinder splash lubed engines on mowers and power equipment are very resilient. As long as the oil is full they are usually fine.

Clarification is necessary.
If we are talking about my X series Deere, which was almost 3K new, and would be about $4400 to replace now, it gets changed religiously every single year.
If we are talking about my Troy Bilt pushmower, which was $20. on CL about 8 years ago, it gets changed when I am bored or get around to it (Whichever comes last.)

Exactly. A $20 push mower bought to mow the lawn at a vacation home a few times a year? That mower is never even having the oil checked, never mind changed. A $5000 mower? It will at least receive service for the first few years of its life.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Hummm...let's see. Here in Iowa you get maybe 5-6 months where you have to mow. Maybe only three of those months are good growing where you have to mow weekly...so guessing 20-30 mows per year TOPS. It only takes me about 45 minutes to mow my lawn. So...25 hours total MAX.

Nope...not changing oil with less than 25 hours on it. When it is brand new I will change it once after 5 mows or so to Mobil 1 15w-50 that is leftover from my motorcycles, then I change it about every 4-5 years when it starts to get dark...or I am bored. I check it every time and top up if needed...almost never is. Never killed a mower engine from oil related issues. Either the deck rusts out and breaks, or I bend the shaft after hitting something hidden in the grass. I see ZERO need to change it even yearly.

True, you really must use the "guesstimate" hour meter if you are not into being wasteful of time or resources.

I push mow maybe twice a year and that about 2-3 hours use. So the machine get's an oil change and the foam filter rinsed and reoiled every 3 years or so. It's the first mower I bought when I moved to this house in 1990.

The fact is you ARE changing the oil.