Just how hot do lawn mowers get?!

I think the oil temp is highly variable depending on ambient temperatures.

I can mow 2/3 of a hilly acre of tall grass with my Briggs powered rider and when it's around 60f and the outside of the crankcase is barely over 150f. I've never mowed with it in 90 plus degree temps as that's too dang hot for that kind of foolishness.
 
I think the oil temp is highly variable depending on ambient temperatures.

I can mow 2/3 of a hilly acre of tall grass with my Briggs powered rider and when it's around 60f and the outside of the crankcase is barely over 150f. I've never mowed with it in 90 plus degree temps as that's too dang hot for that kind of foolishness.

I've got a retired electrician that lives next to me. He will be outside in the 90s mowing his yard, with the highest of UV index ratings. He's got an obsession with cutting grass every week no matter what 😅
 
I have a 3.5 HP Briggs flathead push mower. One day I mowed an hour at 80 degree air temp and checked the oil temp by removing the dipstick and putting a digital temp probe into the oil. 230 degrees ! I understand why some folks use 15W40 or straight 30 weight oil in mowers. Small engines never cease to amaze me. I get about 15 years out of a mower until the deck disintegrates from rust. The engine is still running great.
 
For those with both dipstick thermometers and IR temp guns, how much difference between the exterior of the case or oil filter and actual oil temps is there? If I zap the case or filter with an IR temp gun and see say 180 degrees, can I expect to add x number to get to the actual oil temp?
 
For those with both dipstick thermometers and IR temp guns, how much difference between the exterior of the case or oil filter and actual oil temps is there? If I zap the case or filter with an IR temp gun and see say 180 degrees, can I expect to add x number to get to the actual oil temp?
I am thinking about 30 degrees, because a member here had a dipstick thermometer and an IR Temp gun. I am going to get a Dipstick thermometer, there was 1 on Amazon for like $8.00 or so. I still have the Link if anyone is interested, I need to get around to buying it.
 
I am thinking about 30 degrees, because a member here had a dipstick thermometer and an IR Temp gun. I am going to get a Dipstick thermometer, there was 1 on Amazon for like $8.00 or so. I still have the Link if anyone is interested, I need to get around to buying it.
Post the link as I cannot find any except for Harley.
 
Air cooled engines are mostly very tough, simple designs engineered to handle higher running temperatures. The most important thing is keeping their cooling fins, air ducts around the cooling fins clear/clean and the oil full. Thermal shock isn't great for them. Better to idle them a couple of minutes before going full throttle, high load and idling a minute before shutdown to limit soaring temperatures due to heat soak after shut down. Doing that and keeping the air filter in good condition is ideal.
I have some older ones that actually have speed control. Newer ones don’t so the best you can do is idle unloaded before and after mowing.

Are you saying to idle it on slow (rabbit) after start? I know one manual I read said that if hot restarting, to do it on full speed.
 
I use a digital probe I use in the oil fill tube just after mowing on my JD320M zt with 21hp v twin Kawasaki and it will run at 230F at the end of a 1.5 hr mow. If hot out as in the 90Fs it may run a little hotter by 5F. I now have a oil temp gauge installed. it gets up to temp pretty fast any temp above 60F. Suppose to be good and hot this week so if I mow I'll see how it does. Had an oil cooler on it but nothing was optimal so I took it off. Got a smaller one and maybe I'll put that on but need a good mounting place and some flared fittings and oil line. 85psi is the peak oil pressure.
 
Kawasaki powered Snapper commercial mower. The oil temp would always hit 250+ when mowing. The engine was replaced by a Honda GC190. Which runs considerably lower RPM and cooler.
RtqUiBXt.jpg
That's a nice engine. Did it wear out or did you just want a different powerplant? I have an aluminum deck Snapper that was repowered with an FC-150V.
 
These are not mutually exclusive ;)

I'm waiting for him to cut the lawn this week. It's been in the 90s not including the high heat index. 🤣

Myself, I'm not planning on mowing maybe for the rest of the month looking at how hot it's forecasted.
 
I just cut my 2 acres a couple of days ago with heat index of around 100 in Louisiana. Kawasaki didn't care. 94 hours in 14 months. Let it rip as fins cool it down so I just bring it back to idle while parking then after idles I shut off. Never let it idle for more than a couple of seconds.
 
I've got a retired electrician that lives next to me. He will be outside in the 90s mowing his yard, with the highest of UV index ratings. He's got an obsession with cutting grass every week no matter what 😅
My neighbor probably thinks that about me too. However we all have different priorities and things that we actually like doing despite them being work.
 
Back
Top Bottom