“Do push mowers have oil filters?” is a common dilemma among gardeners-but, we’re here to help out!
Most push mowers today don’t have this filter; however, certain models do have them in their design, and replacing it regularly is important.
This is necessary to keep the engine working optimally. By replacing the old filter with a new one, as well as maintaining your other equipment, you also help prolong the lifespan of your machines.
In case your mower comes with an oil filter, it’s recommendable to replace it with a new one every three months. This is because the air filter prevents dust and other particles from damaging the engine.
In case of no filter, a more frequent oil replacement is necessary. This article explores how to switch from an old to a new filter and how to replace your machine’s oil step by step if it doesn’t have a filter.
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How to Replace the Oil Filter on a Push Mower?
To ensure optimal engine protection, you need to replace the mower’s oil filter if it has one. It’s recommendable to do it at least once per season and more frequently if it’s used heavily.
Replacing the oil filter is easy to learn.
After locating it, you need to twist it counter-clockwise with your hand or a wrench, either a pipe or a filter one. Oil the filter’s gasket a bit using clean oil for engines and wipe any excess oil where the old filter was.
Now, screw in the new filter.
You can do this by hand and turn clockwise until the engine and gasket come in contact. Make sure you tighten the filter by an extra ½ to ¾ turn, but not excessively.
How Does an Oil Filter Protect the Lawn Mower’s Engine?
The lawn mower’s oil filter and the oil filter in other small engines serve a similar purpose as the ones in cars. The three properties of oil filters are the container, the sealing gasket, and the synthetic fiber which is the actual filter.
Oil is necessary for combustion engines to work and the oil filters avert engine damage as well as damage to other components of the machine.
This filter is screwed into the engine where oil goes into the can of the filter.
Then it seeps through the filter, leaving behind dirt and other contaminants. The new and clean oil goes back into the engine and does lubrication and other functions.
How to Change Oil on a Push Mower?
If your lawnmower is without a filter, it’s pivotal to change the oil more frequently, that is, between 25 and 50 hours of use. This will keep the engine in top form. In most cases, you can easily do this by following the instructions from the manual for the lawnmower.
Oil changes are also recommendable along with other maintenance actions every season. Within five minutes, you can remove old oil and boost your engine with a new one.
To begin the process, seal the gas tank. You do this by removing the cap and covering it with a plastic bag. You then screw the cap back over the bag.
To pour out the old oil, take out the dipstick from the oil filler and tip the mower over so that the oil drains out. It’s best to collect it into a plastic container and recycle it. Once all old oil is removed, you move to refill the engine with new oil.
In most cases, the engine will need around 20 ounces. You put the dipstick back inside to check the level of the oil. If needed, add more, but never overfill it. There’s also another way you could drain out the old oil.
You unscrew the plug that you’ll find on the engine’s bottom and leave the oil to drain out into a pan. You then replace the plug and put the mower on a level surface and pour new oil through the hole you’ll find near the engine’s base.
When Should You Replace the Oil of Lawn Mowers?
This depends on the lawnmower model. Generally speaking, here are some recommendations to follow:
- A new lawnmower
In this case, replace the old oil with a new one after the first several hours of use.
- Existing push-behind lawn mower
Replace the oil at least once every season or every 25 to 50 hours of operation.
- Riding mower
Refresh the engine with new oil every season or every 100 hours of operation.
What Kind of Lawn Mower Oil Should You Choose?
Motor oils are available in various grades and this depends on their viscosity and behavior at different temperatures.
Usually, lawnmowers have four-stroke engines or engines that burn straight gasoline from the pump, but they also need motor oil added separately to their crankcase.
The 10W30 is a common motor oil that’s suitable for different types of lawnmowers. The best way to know the oil for your lawnmower is to check the manual or to contact the manufacturer.
You can also use any oil brand that you would use in cars and trucks. Quality oil will also have a service rating, in addition to the rating one. Choose oils that have designations SF, SG, SH, or SJ.
Synthetic oil may help prolong the lawn mower’s lifespan. This is an artificial lubricant made of chemical compounds and designed to optimize the performance and protection of the engine.
Other lawnmowers have two-stroke engines. They need oil differently than the four-stroke ones. They burn gasoline and oil simultaneously. For this engine, the oil is mixed with gasoline prior to being poured into the tank.
The ratios for the mix vary but usually are in the range of 30:1 to 50:1. It’s best to look this up in the manual of the lawnmower.
Final Thoughts
“Do push mowers have oil filters?” is a common concern among gardeners because there are models that have it and models without it.
The oil filter serves to filter out the oil and thus protect the engine. Considering the amount of dust and other particles that go through it, it’s pivotal to replace it regularly to ensure maximum protection of the engine and the whole machine.
In case of no oil filter, oil replacements are recommended to be done more frequently. Replacing the filter with a new one is easy to learn and takes only several minutes of your day, as well as the oil change.
With proper and timely maintenance, you prolong your lawn mower’s lifespan and boost its performance!