Synthetic oil in a lawnmower, is it worth it?

[91stranger]

If it's a Briggs & Stratton L-Head, some models are known to have a carbon build up issue on the piston. I had that problem at one time. After I scrapped the carbon off and cleaned the head for good measure, the problem went away.

There's the problem... its a Briggs and Stratton lol jk.... they aren't what they used to be IMHO. I have a few things with a Briggs on it and they are good as long as you run the gas out of them when you put them up for winter. My log splitter has an old Tecumseh and it sits outside under a tarp and it pull starts every time after the second pull in 20 degree weather.... not bad for a 20+year old engine. My lawnmower is a Honda and it is reliable as hell. You can guarantee that thing will start up with ease. Honestly to me, its all in the owner and what that owner does as far as care, maintenance and how they use it (or abuse it in some cases). I always tell people that if two people buy the same thing and one of them takes care of it and treats it like they are supposed to then 5 years down the road, one will look almost new while the other will look 5 years older than what it really is.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Assuming it you checked the air filter it sounds like a carb problem to me.

New carbs are pretty cheap.

 

[adsm08]

Assuming it you checked the air filter it sounds like a carb problem to me.

New carbs are pretty cheap.

Replaced the air filter when it started doing this because it was nasty.

I'm sure its in the carb, or the ring. Lots of smoke. Sometimes black, sometimes blue.

I know carbs are cheap, but I'm hesitant to put any money into it at all because the only place it will get that the riding mower won't is under the trampoline, and I can just pick that up and move it.

 

[sgtsandman]

There's the problem... its a Briggs and Stratton lol jk.... they aren't what they used to be IMHO. I have a few things with a Briggs on it and they are good as long as you run the gas out of them when you put them up for winter. My log splitter has an old Tecumseh and it sits outside under a tarp and it pull starts every time after the second pull in 20 degree weather.... not bad for a 20+year old engine. My lawnmower is a Honda and it is reliable as hell. You can guarantee that thing will start up with ease. Honestly to me, its all in the owner and what that owner does as far as care, maintenance and how they use it (or abuse it in some cases). I always tell people that if two people buy the same thing and one of them takes care of it and treats it like they are supposed to then 5 years down the road, one will look almost new while the other will look 5 years older than what it really is.

Other than the one engine with the carbon, I haven’t had a problem with them. I’ve had Honda engine fail once too.

That being said, I’ve found them all to be fairly reliable as long as you keep up with them. One snow blower has a 2-stroke Techumsa another a Briggs. My pressure washer has a Honda and my mower has a Briggs. I’m not sure if my Stihl equipment has house made engines or not. All I know is they work.

All of them get run dry and drained, oil is changed (where applicable), spark plug changed, filter changed (where applicable), and a shot of oil put into the cylinder at the end of their respective season.

The exception would be the chain saw and the generators, which get run for a while every 3-4 months to keep the fuel fresh and all my fuel has stabilizer.

Rarely do I have a problem. This regimen isn’t for everyone and don’t think less of those who don’t do it. It isn’t my money or equipment, so makes no difference to me.

That being said, I do recommend people read the manual and follow it. Why throw good money away just because it’s inconvenient to take some time to read and so the maintenance when recommended? The money and minimized frustration is well worth it to me.


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[sgtsandman]

Replaced the air filter when it started doing this because it was nasty.



I'm sure its in the carb, or the ring. Lots of smoke. Sometimes black, sometimes blue.



I know carbs are cheap, but I'm hesitant to put any money into it at all because the only place it will get that the riding mower won't is under the trampoline, and I can just pick that up and move it.

If it does end up being an engine issue, maybe a Harbor Freight engine might be worth consideration. From what I’ve seen, they seem to hold up ok and are usually a lot cheaper than the factory engines.


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[85_Ranger4x4]

Not sure if a push mower is worth repowering.

 

[sgtsandman]

Not sure if a push mower is worth repowering.

I took the same tact but I don’t need an expensive mower. He might and the engine swap might be worth it, maybe.


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[Dirtman]

15 years - zero oil changes...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

15 years - zero oil changes...

I hate fencing more than I hate mowing.

I would use a tractor and shredder before I resorted to goats/sheep.

 

[8thTon]

Our goats would eat anything but what you wanted them to. Somehow they knew that....

I run synthetic in my generator. It's an aluminum OHV B&S and it called for 0W-20, so that's what it get. It sometimes sits for long periods, and sometimes runs for days on end with barely a stop (First Energy, otherwise known as Worst Energy).

The riding mower is a Kohler M12, which gets 30W and it gets changed reasonably often.

There is oil in push mowers? Who knew?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Replaced the air filter when it started doing this because it was nasty.

I'm sure its in the carb, or the ring. Lots of smoke. Sometimes black, sometimes blue.

I know carbs are cheap, but I'm hesitant to put any money into it at all because the only place it will get that the riding mower won't is under the trampoline, and I can just pick that up and move it.

Sounds like internal engine to me. Like you said, rings.

Ive never, ever, had an issue with an flathead briggs. What i like about them is you can leave them sit in a field 10 years, dump gas in it and hook a battery up and 9/10 times theyll fire.

Much less finnicky then kohlers/onans/wisconsins.

Tecumsehs though always treated me very well.

Stick your finger over the plug hole and see how hard it blows back on your finger when someone yanks it over. If it doesnt give a good solid blast its worn out.

 

[91stranger]

That being said, I do recommend people read the manual and follow it. Why throw good money away just because it’s inconvenient to take some time to read and so the maintenance when recommended? The money and minimized frustration is well worth it to me.


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I highly agree with this. Whenever I buy something used, anything as big as a riding mower to as small as a router, I try to find the manual online if it didn't come with one. 9 times out of 10 you will learn something about the product you didn't know. I know "real men" don't read instructions and I think that is straight foolish/ignorant.... if you want to try to assemble a grill with no instructions and just look a picture then be my guest. I will follow the instructions and be done without having to disassemble half the build b/c you used the wrong size bolts lol. Yup, I'm a firm believer in owners manuals and doing what it says. I actually just got excited the other day when I scored a Haynes manual for my truck for $5. That will pay for itself in no time.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Its a freakin lawnmower just keep it topped off with 30W and change it every other year the key is check the oil before you start it. They run bad with no oil.

 

[gw33gp]

I never change the oil in my lawn mower. Oh wait, it doesn't have oil. About 10 years ago AQMD in SoCal had a deal that if you brought in your old gasoline powered lawn mower they would give you a new electric lawn mower for $100. Mine was about to give out being about 25 years old, so I went for it. It was a good decision. All I have to do to it is plug it in after I use it, sharpen the blade about every five years or so and clean it up occasionally. I thought I would eventually have to replace the battery but so far it has held up well.
My other small engine powered equipment get non-detergent oil as recommended by the manufacturer with the exception of the 2 cycle engines.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I never change the oil in my lawn mower. Oh wait, it doesn't have oil. About 10 years ago AQMD in SoCal had a deal that if you brought in your old gasoline powered lawn mower they would give you a new electric lawn mower for $100. Mine was about to give out being about 25 years old, so I went for it. It was a good decision. All I have to do to it is plug it in after I use it, sharpen the blade about every five years or so and clean it up occasionally. I thought I would eventually have to replace the battery but so far it has held up well.
My other small engine powered equipment get non-detergent oil as recommended by the manufacturer with the exception of the 2 cycle engines.

It would be awesome to never fuss over a mower but I have about 2hrs of mowing with a 46" deck and sometimes it needs mowed more than once a week (the best dirt on my acreage is in my yard )

So my 1996 Murray gets a quart and a half of conventional Valvoline 10W-30 once a year.