It the usefulness of the machine not its price. Neglect is neglect. That can be costly if it fails.
I can't believe what I am reading on BITOG.
How many small engines ever get oil changed?
- Thread starter Highlander 1459
- Start date
I can't believe what I am reading on BITOG.
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- Jul 5, 2024
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- 179
it could be anything, snowblower, pressure washer etc... realistically most of them break something else besides the engine..
I have a Briggs Pressure washer,,, had it more than 20 years.. I have probably changed the oil in it twice.. it runs about 1 or 2 hours a year..
repaired the recoil system three times now though.
Yeah I change the oil in my push mowers.
They even get some 2 stroke gas in them as well.
They even get some 2 stroke gas in them as well.
It gets changed every couple of years, and is checked regularly.
It is far from abused.
However a $20. push mower from CL is far down my lexicon of priorities than the Deere that I dropped significant coin on.
That is why I like 2 cycle engines. No oil to change.
My point was that in my own experience servicing machines, the more someone spends on something and the more of an impact it going down would have on their daily life, the more likely they are to service it.
A $20 forgotten push mower in a vacation home likely won't be serviced as long as it keeps doing what it is supposed to when needed. A $5000 commercial mower is an investment, and more likely to be looked after as it is more difficult and expensive to replace.
Something of a tangential reply here, but I recall coming home from college mid summer around 1979 and my mother asking me to check the oil in her car because the oil light was on. This was a '69 Camaro with the indestructible 250 CID inline six. My mother had a habit of letting oil run low but in this case I found the level to be okay. I then asked when was the last time she had the oil changed and she looked at me puzzled and replied "change the oil?" At that point I went out and bought a case of Quaker State 10w-30 and an oil filter, changed the oil, and the idiot light went out.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.
Apparently she had managed to shear the oil down so far that it wasn't registering adequate oil pressure. An intelligent guess would be that she had put 6 to 9 thousand miles on a conventional oil with nothing but top ups. After that experience I just started changing her oil every time I was home and changing mine. Those were the days of conventional oil and 3000 mile OCI.
Back to the original question: I've never seen any of my neighbors work on a piece of OPE whereas I have been called upon to fix theirs. My guess would be that a plurality of minimally engaged homeowners never change the oil on their OPE but a smaller number are at least intelligent enough to check the level now and then.
99.9%....
Change mower oil? Average person doesn't even check or change the oil in their vehicles properly never mind OPE.
I repowered my 2007 Toro Super Recycler SR4 I rescued from the landfill over the winter in 2022-'23 with a Briggs 7.25 that had a sticker on the motor just check and add; don't need to change oil. I change it every year with Briggs 30 grade oil because I have that mindset as an aircraft mechanic in the service that maintenance is important. It's really the life of a motor.
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I frankly don't give a care less if someone doesn't want to take care of their stuff. I change it usually around the Fall.
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- Jun 10, 2024
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Yes, every 50 hours or yearly, using RL 5w30 or 15w40.
My 10 year old el cheapo Troy built mower has no drain. Nothing in the manual says to change the oil. I change it every year - I turn it sideways and let it drain out the filler tube. Then I let it sit a day or so to make sure all the oil leaks back from anywhere it maybe wasn't supposed to go.
I assume I am the only one ever to change oil in that model. Runs perfect still - this is season 11 I guess, and our season is very long - like 8 months. I think it was like $150 bucks new back then, or something like that.
I assume I am the only one ever to change oil in that model. Runs perfect still - this is season 11 I guess, and our season is very long - like 8 months. I think it was like $150 bucks new back then, or something like that.
I have been noticing more people requesting to have the oil changed and maintenance done on "cheap" power equipment, since replacing it isn't so cheap these days, and many box stores are trying to push the battery stuff more, so less gas options available.
Bingo. That’s it exactly.
Fuel filter,Oil, oil filter, air filter, plugs-every year
Belts and blades- every two years
Blades are sharpened as needed, probably every 3 months or so.
2015 Grasshopper 226v with the 26 hp Briggs.
Great mower.
Belts and blades- every two years
Blades are sharpened as needed, probably every 3 months or so.
2015 Grasshopper 226v with the 26 hp Briggs.
Great mower.
I say 50/50
50% doesn’t change, 25% does at random intervals and 25% when they should or before
50% doesn’t change, 25% does at random intervals and 25% when they should or before
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