Went past break in period on new push mower

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actionstan

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Hello All,

I had a slight oversight on a new push mower I had just bought.. It is a briggs and stratton 625e series.

The manual calls for the first oil change at 5 hours... I believe i most likely may have went double that.. maybe more 10+ hours...

Is there any chance that ive already done some major damage to the engine? I feel terrible about this oversight because I have never owned anything new like this before, and it just kinda went over my head. The oil I dumped out was greyish(small metal particles from break-in i assume). I put new oil in this past weekend(mobil super 5000 10w30) and the engine is still running strong.


Let me know your thoughts, on a side note, are these very hard to rebuild if it ever came down to it?

Thanks!
 
Some of these mowers never get a oilchange period. And go for years.

You'll be just fine.
 
I don't think you're looking at a rebuild any time soon! You might want to do another change after 5 more hours just as a precaution.
I picked up a Toro self-propelled someone had dropped off at the county landfill and it appears the oil may never have been changed!! It was at half- capacity, black and super thick. Cleaned the carb, changed the oil, and although it smokes just a little it is still going strong six years later. They are tougher than you think.
 
Your engine will surely explode. Best send that push mower to me so I can properly dispose of it ; )





j/k. Your mower will be fine. Change once a year from now on, and you're good.
 
Thanks all, that really puts my fear at ease.. I am a little OCD, but like mentioned above, I am willing to bet most of these small push mowers never get oil changes, and last forever! Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: actionstan
Thanks all, that really puts my fear at ease.. I am a little OCD, but like mentioned above, I am willing to bet most of these small push mowers never get oil changes, and last forever! Thanks!


No worries! If it wasn't for OCD, BITOG would not exist!
 
Wait a minute. Are we really supposed to change oil in our small engines? I thought we just run them til they quit and buy another at the store. Just kidding. Change my oil 1 time a year and it is 12 years old and no problems.
 
When I run my shop I was amazed how many push mowers come in for service with little oil left in them and what was left was like tar . Air filters were totally plugged , blade as sharp as a stick and the pull cord broke from them pulling on it a million times !! Serviced them and away they ran just like new (usually) , ready to see another 5 years or so of abuse !!

You'll be fine , change in the fall just before you put it away to get any oil with acids out and not sitting in it .
 
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Originally Posted By: actionstan

Let me know your thoughts, on a side note, are these very hard to rebuild if it ever came down to it?

Thanks!


Go get some Rotella T5 10w30 and change it 2 times and it will be fine. I always change a new engine several times to clean out any debris. Then once annually after that.
 
Originally Posted By: 123Saab
Some of these mowers never get a oilchange period. And go for years.


I would say 80% of mowers never get an oil change. People put oil in it when they buy it and then keep it topped off at most, and they gets years and years out of em. You'll be more than fine.
 
Greetings,

I bought a new B&S engine for my old mower, I changed the oil after 5 hours and it came out silver colored.
I said "I'll never do that to a new engine again".

Years later I bought a new lawn-mower with a B&S engine.
This time, I changed the oil after every one hour.
Oil drains 1-6 came out dirty.
Then the oil cleared right up and I may only change every 10 hours.

I know thats probably over-kill, but it only 20 Oz.
It also gets me into P.M. mode to check over rest of mower.

One thing to know about these 'small' B&S engines,
The cam shaft consists of a plastic cam & gear on it.
I'll do anything that makes me feel I'm prolonging the engines life.
 
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Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork
Greetings,

I bought a new B&S engine for my old mower, I changed the oil after 5 hours and it came out silver colored.
I said "I'll never do that to a new engine again".

Years later I bought a new lawn-mower with a B&S engine.
This time, I changed the oil after every one hour.
Oil drains 1-6 came out dirty.
Then the oil cleared right up and I may only change every 10 hours.

I know thats probably over-kill, but it only 20 Oz.
It also gets me into P.M. mode to check over rest of mower.

One thing to know about these 'small' B&S engines,
The cam shaft consists of a plastic cam & gear on it.
I'll do anything that makes me feel I'm prolonging the engines life.


Theres no prolonging the life of the plastic camshaft. They take a dump on the bed at 400-600 hours and then need replaced.
 
80%?? What do you base that on? Everyone I know in my neighborhood changes the oil in their small engines, whether it is a lawn mower, garden tractor, snowthrower or generator.

And "gets"?

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I would say 80% of mowers never get an oil change. People put oil in it when they buy it and then keep it topped off at most, and they gets years and years out of em. You'll be more than fine.
 
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork
Greetings,

I bought a new B&S engine for my old mower, I changed the oil after 5 hours and it came out silver colored.
I said "I'll never do that to a new engine again".

Years later I bought a new lawn-mower with a B&S engine.
This time, I changed the oil after every one hour.
Oil drains 1-6 came out dirty.
Then the oil cleared right up and I may only change every 10 hours.

I know thats probably over-kill, but it only 20 Oz.
It also gets me into P.M. mode to check over rest of mower.



I noticed in my Poulan with the 190cc B&S engine the dipstick says to use 20 0z. or 591 mL.

I have found that anything over 575 mL causes it to smoke.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
80%?? What do you base that on? Everyone I know in my neighborhood changes the oil in their small engines, whether it is a lawn mower, garden tractor, snowthrower or generator.

And "gets"?

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I would say 80% of mowers never get an oil change. People put oil in it when they buy it and then keep it topped off at most, and they gets years and years out of em. You'll be more than fine.




1359613086_grammar_police_xlarge.png
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
80%?? What do you base that on? Everyone I know in my neighborhood changes the oil in their small engines, whether it is a lawn mower, garden tractor, snowthrower or generator.


Majority of people in my Hood tosses them out when they finally die from being run dry.

I've seen some fairly expensive mowers on the roadside where I live.
 
Which ones use the plastic cam??

I don't know exactly.
Note: When I say 'plastic', I am refering to a non-metallic material.
B&S Patient Application said the 'steel' cams were over-kill for small engines on lawn mowers.
Patient also said the (non-metalic) are expected to last 1,000 - 3,000 hours.
For the new engine I put on my Snow-Thrower:
40 hours per year (divided) by 1,000 hours of life = 25 years.
I assume 'plastic' unless proven otherwise.

Do a internet search for B&S 'plastic' Cams
 
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