is it better to change oil at the beginning or end of the season?
- Thread starter BrianApp
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Because I have been doing it that way for 50 years ? Best thing I can come up with . No reason to change what's been working for me .
The truth is, it’s another Bitog hand wringing episode. No one will notice any difference in the life of the engine regardless of which technique they use. However, let everyone express an opinion and openly discuss. How about those Montreal Canadiens?
I change oil in the mower in the late fall. My theory is that it gets all the particles and contaminates out so they don't settle and create a sludge at the bottom of the engine. In practice, the oil is rather clean coming out, so the particle argument is probably moot (for my mower anyway).
I gotta go with changing the dirty oil before letting it sit for the idle season.
I don't believe fresh oil sitting during said idle season will go bad.
ALSO (big one here) Seriously people, why do the Stabilizer route? EMPTY THE DARN FUEL TANK.
I'll tip and spill out excess fuel if need be but I leave enough to run down so it empties the tank and carb.
I'll add a drop or two of oil for obvious reasons.
Come Spring I add fresh fuel and pull the string....works!
At the risk of sounding rude.....Emptying the gas tank works so well. Why bother with stabilizers which cost money?
If I had a boat which had some difficult tank arrangement, maybe I could see "just pouring something in".
Take the smelly feet out of the shoes then put the shoes away.
You don't powder your filthy feet and put 'em back into the shoes for 6 months, do you?
I don't believe fresh oil sitting during said idle season will go bad.
ALSO (big one here) Seriously people, why do the Stabilizer route? EMPTY THE DARN FUEL TANK.
I'll tip and spill out excess fuel if need be but I leave enough to run down so it empties the tank and carb.
I'll add a drop or two of oil for obvious reasons.
Come Spring I add fresh fuel and pull the string....works!
At the risk of sounding rude.....Emptying the gas tank works so well. Why bother with stabilizers which cost money?
If I had a boat which had some difficult tank arrangement, maybe I could see "just pouring something in".
Take the smelly feet out of the shoes then put the shoes away.
You don't powder your filthy feet and put 'em back into the shoes for 6 months, do you?
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- Oct 6, 2020
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It is said that the carburetor gaskets can dry out and become brittle.
I bought my Craftsman mower in June 1997. It's gone thru a few seasons with the same oil in it. I changed it when I thought about it, still to this day ,aside from needing a new blade it runs perfect. Doesn't leak ,smoke or use any oil. All this talk about longevity makes me laugh. Most guys will replace the unit before anything is wrong with it, just because it's old. I can't tell you how many mowers I've picked off the curb just because the carb needed some cleaning. Oil looked clean enough so I left it in. I usually will give it to someone who needs one. At the rate I'm having engine failures, I may only get 50 years out of a mower. These motors are about as simple as it can get, They will live a long life even with dirty oil in them. The key is to keep oil in them.,,
I've always read that the combustion by-products form acid in the oil that isn't great for bearings, and that letting it sit that way for months isn't good. But, I did get this info from people who store their exotic cars, not lawn equipment. I always change the oil before it gets parked for the winter. Oil doesn't 'go bad' sitting in the engine, un-used.
I also run all the pump gas out and fill the tank all the way to the lip with TruFuel, sharpen the blade, and replace the air filter so it's just pull & go when spring arrives.
I've never had a mechanical issue in the 17 years I've had that mower. In-season, it starts on the first pull. First start in the spring, it's 2 pulls.
I also run all the pump gas out and fill the tank all the way to the lip with TruFuel, sharpen the blade, and replace the air filter so it's just pull & go when spring arrives.
I've never had a mechanical issue in the 17 years I've had that mower. In-season, it starts on the first pull. First start in the spring, it's 2 pulls.
Personally I am in the end of season camp. I don't like having dirty and possibly more acidic oil sitting in the sump over winter. From a more practical perspective, I just like to fire up the equipment and run with it in the Spring without having to worry about oil or other maintenance issues. I seriously doubt that it makes any difference in terms of chemistry.
I add 1oz of TCW-3 2-cycle oil to a 5 gal can of gas. This thin mix (640:1) is run in all my small engines. When I run the carb dry, it leaves a thin film of oil inside to prevent corrosion and helps keep gaskets from drying out.
Always the end of the year for the reasons MRC01 has mentioned. Standard required maintain stuff from engine manufacturers too on ANY stored combustion engine ex. marine engines too.
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Make sure to run it for 10 min so it gets through the carburetor. I put Startron and Seafoam in the gas can right after filling it, so the gas I use always is treated.
For when to change the oil, it doesn't matter.
My problem here is I don't know when it's the end of the mowing season. I'm usually still mowing in November, maybe even early December. And I usually get a first mow in before the end of January.
I don't think I'm doing any harm by letting the old oil sit "over the winter" as it's only a couple of months. I generally change it before the first mow of the year.
When I lived in a cold winter area it was pretty clear that when snow flew that the mowing season was over, and it was time to run the mower out of gas and change the oil. It's not so easy here.
I like to have fresh gas for the generator over the "winter" in case we have a storm induced power failure, so I generally empty the mower's gas can into the Honda and get fresh gas about the end of mowing season. And as it only sits a few months I don't put anything in it.
I don't think I'm doing any harm by letting the old oil sit "over the winter" as it's only a couple of months. I generally change it before the first mow of the year.
When I lived in a cold winter area it was pretty clear that when snow flew that the mowing season was over, and it was time to run the mower out of gas and change the oil. It's not so easy here.
I like to have fresh gas for the generator over the "winter" in case we have a storm induced power failure, so I generally empty the mower's gas can into the Honda and get fresh gas about the end of mowing season. And as it only sits a few months I don't put anything in it.
I stopped changing my B&S about 3 years ago. It gets maybe 3 hours per year.
I change the oil late in the season. sometimes I have a few mows after I change it. I figure storing with fresh oil with a couple of mows on it is better than old oil with a whole season on it.
My mower has been neglected, sometime only getting an OC every 3 years.
Its 27 years old and the deck is starting to go.
I would say it doesn't matter.
But in general, the professional advice has always been too have fresh lubricant in an engine if it over-winters,
NOTHING will happen top the oil sitting in there. And no need to change in the Summer.
It is not Milk. It's a stable paraffin with a good DP.
Its 27 years old and the deck is starting to go.
I would say it doesn't matter.
But in general, the professional advice has always been too have fresh lubricant in an engine if it over-winters,
NOTHING will happen top the oil sitting in there. And no need to change in the Summer.
It is not Milk. It's a stable paraffin with a good DP.
I think it would be hard to verify much difference in engines that are serviced annually with quality oil.
If you could find two engines stored away for years, one with used oil and one with fresh oil, you may see a difference.
My opinion is that the oil is formulated to keep contaminates in suspension so they can be drained out. Leaving dirty oil sit for 4 months over the winter allows these contaminates to settle out and stick to the bottom. Sure, starting the engine in the spring should bring all these contaminates back into suspension to allow them to drain out. Not letting them settle in the first place, by draining them out at the end of the season, seems like a better option to me.
^This is my approach (or, at least it was, prior to moving to my current home where I use the mower to mulch leaves/needles/sticks all year - GD pine and sweetgums!)
Just run it dry. Then add a drop or two of oil through the spark plug hole and pull the rope once or twice to distribute it through the cylinder, as the owner's manual says. Change the oil and check the spark plug condition, oil the underside of the deck if you so desire, and park it for the season.