Seriously. How often do you change your lawn mower oil?

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Posted: 7/18/2013 7:47:57 PM EDT

I bought a lawn mower 8 years ago, and have yet to change the oil.

It's starting to bug me, so I think I finally will.

But how often do YOU change your lawn mower oil? (mine is a push mower)

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:50:05 PM EDT

[#1]

My push mower, never in 6 years. I just top it off if needed.

Starts on the first pull every time.

My snow blowers and generators are done religiously.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:50:49 PM EDT

[#2]

Every year or 2 (riding mower).

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:51:30 PM EDT

[#3]

Only if it looks like tar.......the shitty gas is going to do them before foul oil will.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:52:28 PM EDT

[#4]

Every 15 running hours

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:52:31 PM EDT

[#5]

Every year.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:52:32 PM EDT

[#6]

They have oil

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:53:51 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I bought a lawn mower 8 years ago, and have yet to change the oil.

View Quote

Do your PMCS you lazy git!

I change mine every season. Going on 7 years on the same mower with zero problems.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:54:05 PM EDT

[#8]

Takes all of 10 minutes every spring, every year. 10 years old and going strong. Had to replace the handle bars 3 times, and a couple of spark plugs but thats it.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:54:31 PM EDT

[#9]

Never.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:54:42 PM EDT

[#10]

Every year for a mower (more if heavily used)

Quads get changed 1-3x per year depending on use.

Oil is cheap so why not change it to make an investment last. Even if you use wally world supertech oil it is better to have fresh oil than old "high quality" oil.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:55:01 PM EDT

[#11]

Oil? I just add more gas.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:55:02 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
They have oil

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+1

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:57:53 PM EDT

[#13]

Once every year for anything that doesn't go more than 3,000 miles in a year. Usually when it starts getting warmer and I start getting stir crazy I'll change everything: mowers, tractor, generator, land-cruiser...

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:59:36 PM EDT

[#14]

Push mower, never in 8 years.

Riding mower, every 25-50 hours.

Posted: 7/18/2013 7:59:52 PM EDT

[#15]

Twice a year; before first use in the spring and once mid July.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:00:36 PM EDT

[#16]

Twice a year, about every 50 hours on the rider.

Cheaper than throwing the rods out of it.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:00:45 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

Do your PMCS you lazy git!

I change mine every season. Going on 7 years on the same mower with zero problems.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
I bought a lawn mower 8 years ago, and have yet to change the oil.

Do your PMCS you lazy git!

I change mine every season. Going on 7 years on the same mower with zero problems.

I've never changed mine, nor have I changed the air filter or spark plug or anything else. I put gas in it, and if the oil seems low (when I check it every other year), I pour a little more in.

Going on 14 years on the same mower with zero problems.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:00:52 PM EDT

[#18]

Every 3,000 miles. So at the rate I mow, probably never.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:02:27 PM EDT

[#19]

Every season

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:02:32 PM EDT

[#20]

Mine is self draining. When it doesn't start, time to top off the oil.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:02:51 PM EDT

[#21]

every other year

1 acre of grass, once a week, 6-7 months a year

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:03:29 PM EDT

[#22]

I have a Honda push mower that is circa 1994? and the only thing I have done is sharpen the blade ever 3 or so years.

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Posted: 7/18/2013 8:04:26 PM EDT

[#23]

Change it to what?

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:04:35 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:

I've never changed mine, nor have I changed the air filter or spark plug or anything else. I put gas in it, and if the oil seems low (when I check it every other year), I pour a little more in.

Going on 14 years on the same mower with zero problems.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I bought a lawn mower 8 years ago, and have yet to change the oil.

Do your PMCS you lazy git!

I change mine every season. Going on 7 years on the same mower with zero problems.

I've never changed mine, nor have I changed the air filter or spark plug or anything else. I put gas in it, and if the oil seems low (when I check it every other year), I pour a little more in.

Going on 14 years on the same mower with zero problems.

I know a guy with a mower that is at least 12 yrs old that gets used motor oil. These motors are not a car motor, you can easily waste time/$ and still have it fail before us less concerned types.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:04:54 PM EDT

[#25]

Gone electric battery

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:06:09 PM EDT

[#26]

Once a year on the rider = ~30 hours...owner's manual calls for 50 hours.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:06:45 PM EDT

[#27]

Never, 2006 riding mower. Mows over three acres on each use.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:07:16 PM EDT

[#28]

Every spring when I ran a gas mower.

Electric for the past few years and this will be the last of that bullshit.
Going back to a gas mower when the sales start in the fall.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:09:22 PM EDT

[#29]

My 15 year old Craftman edger has never had an oil change.

I've thought about it....and when I added up all the time it's spent running,

it's not enough total running hours to justify it.

15 minutes 20 times a year is 5 running hours a year. Times 15 is 75 running hours.

I'll change it at 100 running hours.

I just rebuilt the carburetor and the old warhorse still starts on the first pull.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:10:30 PM EDT

[#30]

At the end of every mowing season, new oil, new oil filter, new air filters

Grease everything at the beginning of every season and a couple times during the season

ETA. I mow 3 acres.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:10:40 PM EDT

[#31]

Every other year for my riding mower...

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:11:17 PM EDT

[#32]

there is oil in there?

I have changed mine once in teh last 5 years

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:11:31 PM EDT

[#33]

Every year. I mow a pretty big yard with lots of dust blowing around so I change the oil, replace or clean the air filter every year and grease the zerks every time I use it. Having blade shaft bearings go out is no fun.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:12:14 PM EDT

[#34]

as it leaks out, i pour more in. no need to change it.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:12:14 PM EDT

[#35]

Every year my mower (small lawn tractor) gets an oil change and a new set of blades.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:12:30 PM EDT

[#36]

I have an electric mower so I guess never

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:13:09 PM EDT

[#37]

once every year

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:14:21 PM EDT

[#38]

Once a year.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:21:15 PM EDT

[#39]

You can change it?

I just thought you were supposed to buy a new one when the old one stopped working....

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:21:19 PM EDT

[#40]

My mower has a 2-cycle engine on it. Every time I put more gas in it gets fresh oil...

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:23:17 PM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
I bought a lawn mower 8 years ago, and have yet to change the oil.

View Quote

Not to worry.

At this point, the oil probably gets burned faster than you could change it anyway.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:24:01 PM EDT

[#42]

You are supposed to change it?

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:24:55 PM EDT

[#43]

Quote History

Quoted:

Not to worry.

At this point, the oil probably gets burned faster than you could change it anyway.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
I bought a lawn mower 8 years ago, and have yet to change the oil.

Not to worry.

At this point, the oil probably gets burned faster than you could change it anyway.

I've never even topped it off.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:28:17 PM EDT

[#44]

Every 35 hours in my John Deere 2305.

But its a lot more then a lawn mower. Its also my front end loader, wood splitter, snow plow, brush hog and roto tiller.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:28:41 PM EDT

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:
You can change it?

I just thought you were supposed to buy a new one when the old one stopped working....

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You're not the only one. I bought a cheapo Murry push mower 2 yrs. ago, and when I went to change oil...no drain plug. WTF?

I guess they're so cheap that you just run em till they don't. It runs like a top btw.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:28:45 PM EDT

[#46]

Every year at the end of the season. It takes 20 or 22 ounces and I want to make sure my mower continues to run like it did when new.

Posted: 7/18/2013 8:37:48 PM EDT

[#47]

I change it every year or two (pushmower) with whatever extra synthetic, Rotella, etc. I have laying around, but have gone longer. They don't get too hard of a work out, but with the air cooled design, sometimes dusty conditions, and carburetor, probably not a bad idea to change it every once in a while.