Oil Change on a Briggs & Stratton E-Series Lawn Mower

Is it time to change your lawn mower oil? 

Most manufacturers recommend changing your oil every year. That's a good idea, but maybe overkill unless your yard is acres and acres, or you mow lawns for fun and profit. Probably every two years is a good interval for an oil change for the average home owner. But it's more imperative that you check your oil level at the beginning of your mowing season and a least few times during the season. Top it off if you are low, but learn how to determine the proper amount.

Someone much wiser than me once said: "The right amount of the wrong oil is better than the wrong amount of the right oil." I took that to heart, and have never forgotten that.  Most small engines on lawn mowers take 18-20oz (540-580ml) of some SAE30 or 10w30 weight oil. Depending on how cold it gets in your neck of the woods, you might want to use a thinner oil. Your owner's manual is a treasure trove of helpful tips and information. Here's the genuine Briggs & Stratton SAE30 oil: https://amzn.to/3pDn613

Your owner's manual will also tell you how to determine the proper oil level. Most Briggs & Stratton small engines require you to insert the dip stick and screw it in to measure the oil level. Typically your dipstick will have hash marks or a shaded area near the end to show you the range of safe oil levels. 

Don't be tempted to add more oil that is required. The engine while running creates pressure inside the crankcase and too much oil can increase that pressure.  It can spill over into the combustion chamber and foul your spark plug, causing your mower to belch blue billowing clouds of smoke when that excess oil passes into your muffler. 

Another problem arises when the excess oil escapes the crankcase breather tube. Engines must have some sort of pathway to atmospheric pressure otherwise they would just blow under the ever increasing pressure with every stroke of the crank shaft. Since I don't know when, small engine manufacturers have routed that breather tube back through the air filter box to burn off any excess fumes and gasses left over from the combustion cycle. 

I guess it could go without saying that too little oil can cause your small engine to overheat and possibly seize the engine. That's a no bueno.

I hope these tips and tricks can empower you with oracle like skills to make your small engines run smoothly and consistently.

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Mow Happy!

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Wear your safety glasses, or you'll put your eye out. Try on some gloves. Take off that spark plug boot. Clean your room. Open the windows, those fumes are nasty. Just 'cause I do it, don't think it's the end all, be all solution. There's plenty more ideas out there, I can't take responsibility if you slice off a few fingers after watching my videos. And don't just pour that toxic stuff down the sewer or in the ditch, dispose of waste responsibly. Just be safe, OK?