Should I start the engine after Oil change before winter storage?

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Jun 6, 2015
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Winnipeg,MB, Canada
Hello,
I have a Cub Cadet Z Force SX54 Zero turn mower with Kawasaki FR730V engine. I like to change my oil before storing it for approx 6 month of Manitoba winter. I dont like to leave dirty oil in the engine sump for such long time.
When I changed the oil yesterday, I took off the Oil filter and drained it of the old oil and put it back. I will change oil filter every other oil change.
My question is that do I need to start the engine after putting the new oil in and let the mower run for some time before final storage to make the new oil circle through the system or just leave the engine as is after adding new oil. Will starting the engine not make the new oil bit dirty ( just some running though) ? But if I dont run the engine, the oil filter will stay empty whole winter.

Thanks
 
It doesn't make much difference, unless you waited far too long to change the oil and there is now sludge coating everything, in which case it would be good to run the engine up to temp (and then some) with the new oil to wash that sludge off before it sits all winter and hardens... and in that case, the new contaminated oil should also be changed out before long storage.
 
I have put some Truefuel in it for winter storage purposes.
After burning all my regular ethanol mixed fuel , I put 1 litre true fuel in it and ran for a while for truefuel to circulate through the fuel system . This should ensure proper functioning of the Carburettor etc. Then I stopped and changed oil.
If I continue running engine with the new oil now, I might burn more of that expensive Truefuel. That is why asking if running engine is necessary after oil change. I changed oil twice this year once after 8 hours of the new engine and once now after 35 hours so no chance of sludge
OEM Kawasaki oil filter is not cheap here in Canada ( around 20 dollars) hence using same filter for 2 years
 
Why not replace oil filter every oil change, they are cheap ?
I’ve never understood the logic behind that. Oils have progressed so much these days. We’ve gone from 3000 mile oil changes, to 5000, to 7500, to 10,000.

The filter technology has come along just as much as the oil technology, so why can’t a filter be run for multiple oci’s?
 
Filter is loaded with dirty oil and junk. Yeah, you can drain it out, but it's still loaded up with old oil plus you can't really see what is trapped in there without destroying it. It's not a see-through fuel filter that can be examined.
True filter tech is better today, they trap finer particles that we want out of the engine.
 
I’ve used oil filters for 2-3 oil changes for 20+ years. On cars, trucks, small engines. With zero negative effects. The only recommendation I would have is to not break the seal. There is no need to drain 2 ounces of oil out of the filter just to screw it back on.

You’re not leaving “old dirty oil” in your engine. All you are doing by leaving the oil in the filter is lowering your TBN from a 10 to a 9.9. No difference.
 
I have the same engine. The manual recommends replacing the oil filter every other oil change, so you are good to go! (I do the same thing, oil filters are expensive, and the longer they are in service, the better they work, up to a point of course.) and just FYI, Kohler also recommends replacing the oil filter every other oil change too.

Even Honda recommends replacing the oil filter every other change (V6 Odessy).

Oh, and to answer your question, yes I would run the engine up to operating temp to circulate the new oil.
 
Why not replace oil filter every oil change, they are cheap ?
Looking at my manuals, it is stated change oil every 50 hours and filter every 100. That's every other oil change.

I would run it a couple minutes after the oil change and store it away.
 
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I’ve never understood the logic behind that. Oils have progressed so much these days. We’ve gone from 3000 mile oil changes, to 5000, to 7500, to 10,000.

The filter technology has come along just as much as the oil technology, so why can’t a filter be run for multiple oci’s?
I do filter once a year - oil twice …
 
Since you have a filter, and, presumably, a pump, you should run it so the pump doesn't lose its prime.
 
OMG , it's just a mower engine . Change the oil , and the filter ( Or not ) and crank it up to check for leaks . Then sleep well .
 
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