A lawnmower is an expensive piece of equipment that needs maintenance to keep it in good shape all the time. Make sure the engine oil is at the right level, as well as the parts. Always keep the oil level at the recommended minimum for the best performance and longer engine life.
Everyone dreads the day when they will have to buy a new lawnmower. Keeping the oil at the right level is important for keeping the engine healthy and lasting longer.
The size and power of a lawnmower’s engine are not always the same. Each type of engine needs a different kind of oil.
Not every engine for a lawn mower needs the same amount of oil. Depending on how much oil the mower can hold, it could need anywhere from 15 to 70 oz.
If you don’t keep the oil at the right level, the engine can overheat, wear out faster because of friction, and even start to smoke. We’ll detail why and how it’s important always to keep the right amount of oil in your lawnmower’s engine and how much oil a lawnmower needs.
When to Change Your Mower’s Oil?
Here are some ideas for when to change the oil in your lawnmower or put in new oil, depending on what kind it is.
Most manufacturers say that the oil in a brand-new mower’s engine should get drained and refilled after the first five hours of use.
Existing push mowers, like the one in the video below, should have their oil changed and replaced at least once a season or after 50 hours of use, whichever comes first.
You should change the oil in your riding mower at least once a season or after 100 hours of use.
Before every use, you should check the oil because it can break down quickly in harsh conditions like extreme heat or cold, dampness, dust, or hard use.
Some people want to swap out their lawnmowers at the end of the season to get them ready for the winter.
Why is Maintaining the Correct Level of Oil Important?
Engine oil helps keep things running smoothly in many ways. This keeps the engine from getting too hot and working at its best. The oil also keeps the engine from getting damaged by making it smooth.
If the parts of the engine get too hot, they might twist, bulge, or break. The engine will get destroyed if the metal becomes too hot and the piston welds into the cylinder. If the lawnmower’s engine doesn’t have enough oil, it will overheat and do damage that can’t get fixed.
When an engine doesn’t have enough oil to lubricate the parts, the friction between them increases. This causes wear and tear, which makes the engine work less well and last less long. Without the right amount of oil, the engine could fail in a very bad way.
Not having enough oil is a big problem that needs to be stressed. Also bad is having too much oil. If too much oil is in the engine, it will be hard to start. Since oil exposed to air loses its ability to lubricate and cool, putting too much oil in the engine is almost as bad as not putting any in.
Also Read:- How to Change Oil in Lawn Mower? – 7 Simple Steps
The Oil Capacity of a Lawnmower
| Engine Series | Mower Type | Engine Size | Oil (oz) | Engine Variations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E Series | Push | 125 - 140 cc | 15 | 2 |
| E Series | Riding | 344 - 500 cc | 48 | 5 |
| XE Series | Push | 140 - 150 cc | 15 | 2 |
| XE Series | Riding | 344 - 500 cc | 48 | 6 |
| XEi Series | Push | 150 - 190 cc | 15 | 3 |
| XEi Series | Riding | 656 - 724 cc | 64 | 2 |
| PXi Series | Push | 190 - 223 cc | 18 | 2 |
| PXi Series | Riding | 656 - 724 cc | 64 - 67 | 4 |
| CXi Series | Riding | 656 - 810 cc | 64 - 67 | 6 |
How much oil can the motor of a lawnmower hold?
This question defies a simple response. Since not all lawnmower engines are the same, they need different amounts of lubricant.
To find out exactly how much oil your lawnmower engine needs, you should talk to the company that made it. If you know the make and model of your engine, you can use that information to find a good estimate on the web.
It’s not important to know the exact amount. Here’s a rough idea of how much oil the motor of your lawnmower needs.
The two main types of lawnmowers have different amounts of engine oil. A lawn mower can be pushed by hand or powered by an engine. Most walk-behind mowers can hold between 15 and 18 ounces of oil. It’s important to know that most walk-behind lawnmowers can hold between 16 and 32 ounces of oil.
Generally, riding lawnmowers have more oil capacity than push lawnmowers. Most riding lawnmowers can hold between 48 and 64 ounces of oil.
How Much Oil Does a Lawnmower Need?
Even though it’s helpful to have a general idea of volume, it’s not as important to know the exact amount. All that needs to be done for the engine to work well is to keep it at the right level.
It’s important to examine how much oil is already in the lawnmower’s engine before adding more. This rule gets broken when you put oil in a brand-new engine for the first time. With a dipstick, you can check how much oil is in the engine.
After removing the cover and cleaning the area around it to keep dust from getting into the oil, pull out the dipstick to check the oil level. After cleaning, wipe the dipstick and put it back in place. The teeth on the cap should fit into the grooves on the tube.
Just put it back in the drawer and take it out again. The dipstick can be used to check the oil level. On the dipstick, a “Low” or “L” means the level is low, and a “High” or “H” means the level is high. The oil in your lawn mower should be between these two marks. However, it’s important to keep the oil level above the minimum and above the maximum. Before checking the oil level, you should always give it time to settle.
After figuring out what’s going on, you can decide what to do. It’s fine if the oil is almost at its fullest level. If it’s slightly below, just add oil until it’s about where it should be. Add the oil slowly while using the dipstick as before to keep an eye on it.
How to Check the Oil Level in Your Lawnmower (Step By Step)
Depending on the circumstance, you should either top up the oil in your lawn mower or give it a full fill after you learn how much oil it takes.
The oil quality in your lawn mower will decrease as you continue to use it. During this time, the oil will be used and must get replenished. You must replace the oil at regular intervals. Several factors, like the number of hours the mower has been used and how hard it has been working, can affect how often the oil should get changed.
As with oil changes, it’s important to keep the oil at a constant level by topping it up periodically. Follow these directions carefully to ensure that the correct amount of oil is present in the engine.
1. Preparing Your Lawn Mower for Oiling Properly
The procedure is the same whether adding a little more or starting from scratch. Gather the following, and we’ll get started right away.
What You’ll Need to Change the Oil in Your Lawn Mower:
- Engine Oil
- Shop Rag
- Oil Funnel
2. Track Down the Dipstick
When inspecting your oil, always start with the oil level. No matter how low or empty the level, the same procedure helps to verify its status. There is, therefore, an oil dipstick on the engine. Lawnmowers can either come with a separate dipstick or have one integrated into the gas cap. If the oil dipstick is missing, check inside the oil filling cap.
3. Take Out and Clean the Dipstick
You should take the dipstick out of the engine and clean it when you’ve located it. When checking the oil level, clean the dipstick’s end with a shop towel.
4. Change the Dipstick
Reinstall the cleaned dipstick into the engine. Depending on the engine, you may need to reinstall the dipstick all the way or only until you feel some resistance. Consult the owner’s handbook to see what maintenance your engine calls for.
5. Check the Oil Level After Removing the Dipstick
Taking out the dipstick is the next step. Carefully remove the dipstick from the engine and check the fluid level, but avoid touching the end of the stick.
Look at the end of the dipstick, and you’ll find some notations. You are constantly filled and at a low volume. The oil level should be between these two markings when topping up. If you’re starting with an empty engine, you may ignore the dipstick for now.
6. Add Oil to the Engine
Filling or topping up the oil in your mower’s engine requires knowing how much oil your particular mower requires. Now, using the funnel, fill the oil reservoir with the oil.
If you start with an empty tank, fill only 75% of the way. The rule of thumb is to fill it halfway, then measure. If your engine calls for 20 ounces, fill it halfway. Just add water one ounce at a time if you’re topping off. When it comes to oil, it’s far simpler to add than to drain. Therefore, go slowly and methodically.
7. Check the Oil Level and Top it off if Needed
Assuming you have gotten about 75% of the way through filling the engine, double-check the oil level using the dipstick as you did before. Now, fill up the oil containers to the 1-ounce mark. Taking this approach will prevent any accidental overfilling. Do this repeatedly until the dipstick reading is in the middle of the “low” and “full” range. It would help if you shot for a spot somewhat below the maximum level but not over it.
8. Start the Engine
It will help if you let the lawn mower a couple of minutes of run time before putting it away. Because of this, oil is distributed throughout the engine and reaches all its moving parts. This procedure might assist in replenishing the oil filter once it has been replaced.
Please turn off the mower and let it cool down after use. This way, the oil can return to the engine’s base and get checked more precisely.
9. Check the Oil Level Again
It’s best to double-check the oil level when the engine has cooled down. You’ll likely discover that the oil level has dropped and your engine needs topping off. This happened because oil sloshed around after you started the engine and found its way into every nook and cranny. To add extra oil, repeat the previous steps.
Recommendations
- You might be proud that your walk-behind lawnmower can hold between 15 and 18 ounces of oil. The oil should be between 20 and 24 ounces for the other kinds. The oil should change every 50 hours or once a year, whichever comes first.
- But riding mowers can hold anywhere from 48 to 64 ounces of oil. The oil must be changed every 100 hours or once a year. You can also check the owner’s manual for the engine for more information.
- The manufacturer tells you how much engine oil you should use. You can also use a certain engine’s manufacturer and model number to find out how much oil it can hold online.
Also Read:- What Kind of Oil Goes in a Lawn Mower?
FAQ’s
Be careful not to pour all the contents of the container into the oil reservoir of the lawn mower. Instead, add oil slowly while keeping an eye on the level with the dipstick. This will keep the oil pan from getting too full.
It’s not smart to fill too much. If you put too much oil in the engine, it could cause a lot of trouble. Not only do engines that are too full make a lot of smoke, but they are also hard to start. When too much oil is in the container, its strength also decreases.
Yes. Oil breaks down at different rates depending on how the mower is used. Oil’s viscosity and other properties can change in several ways, such as when it gets dustier or the temperature increases.
If the oil level on the mower’s engine dipstick is below where it says “low oil,” you need to add more oil. A dipstick has two marks that show how much oil is in the engine: one for full oil and one for low oil. Put in enough oil to get the dipstick to the full mark.
The short answer is “yes,” you can sometimes use the same oil in your lawn mower that you use in your car.
Final Remarks
The lawnmower’s engine needs to keep the oil at the right level and change it regularly. Don’t worry too much about how much oil is in the car. Instead, find a value between the maximum and minimum, preferably the lower one. Once a year, or after 100 hours of use for riding mowers and 50 hours for walk-behind mowers, the oil should get changed.