Oil changes not required?

[leeaspell]

Picked up a new Husqvarna mower today with the Briggs&Stratton EXi engine and the manual says no oil changes required, just add more when its low.

I dont think I have ever had to add to my old mowers, also B&S, so do these things burn oil? Or is it just marketing to lazy people.

 

[PowerSurge]

Marketing, plain and simple. Makes it easy to sell to people who don't want to maintain it and also ‘cheaper' to own.

 

[4WD]

Does it have a drain plug or use the fill tube ?

 

[gathermewool]

My Craftsman pressure washer is the same. I'll be turning that bad boy upside down before it's next use this upcoming spring/summer and adding new oil.

 

[CharlieJ]

Yes, it's marketing to lazy people, and to sell more engines when they wear out because people won't change it and forget to add oil. They will then shout and complain that "their mower blowed up" and say they never needed to change it "cuz the instructions said so".

Change the oil as normal, drain it through the filler tube by tipping it on its side into a pan.

 

[leeaspell]

The thing only holds 0.5L. An oil change is literally a couple dollars. Came with 500ml of straight 30 Husqvarna brand oil. Use it for the first few mows then I'll probably switch to 15w40. My old mower is still going strong at about 15 years old and 15w40. Just moved to a new house with lots more lawnn so got a self propelled unit.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I think they're just marketing on something that people have been doing forever anyway; never changing the oil and running the thing until it blows.

 

[Warlord]

Won't affect the lifespan in 99 percent of cases. Most people don't take pride in having a well maintained older mower.

 

[passgas55]

I have 2 of these engines. I still do it the old fashion way. Drain it after 5 hours, use a 10/30 syn oil and then change once a year.
I do like the 15/40 delo and will use it again once I use up all the 10/30 syn.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I agree with lots of the comments above but there is another aspect as well. Battery electric mowers are cutting into sales of gas mowers. To compete they need to make the gas mowers seem low maintenance.

Also, Bitoggers change their lawnmower's oil on a regular basis. Most people don't. Their mowers are still running for many years and then they put them out to the curb because some part vibrated off or the carb got plugged etc.

 

[4WD]

Hey Snag … those boys in the TV series up there … can they leave an electric mower in front of the trailer house with a plastic swimming pool over it like a briggs powered mower ?

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by 4WD
Hey Snag … those boys in the TV series up there … can they leave an electric mower in front of the trailer house with a plastic swimming pool over it like a briggs powered mower ?



The Trailer Park Boys?

Maybe not but they know how to mow with a dark rum and coke in one hand!

 

[4WD]

Does it still air ?

 

[pbm]

Unfortunately...we've become a 'throw away' society....I was in Florida recently and the garbage cans everywhere were loaded with aluminum cans, plastic bottles etc...I'm not suggesting can and bottle 'deposits' like NY (and many other states)...but a little more attention to the issue (maybe some TV ads by the state) might help...

 

[Snagglefoot]

Originally Posted by 4WD
Does it still air ?


It ended last year after 12 seasons. In the last episode the guys morphed into cartoon characters. Netflix bought the series so it might be available there.

At the end of this month the cartoon series is supposed to start up.

 

[4WD]

Ok, well that's amazing the PC types let it run that long, funny show right there !

 

[nicholas]

Parts of Florida can be really bad for this......

 

[Hall]

Nine out of ten people never change the oil in their mowers. I think it's a smart move by Husqvarna to make this into a "benefit" of owning their equipment.

 

[Olas]

you dont change the oil, oy ujust buy a new machine. gotta keep the ecoonomy going by whatever means possible.

 

[jeepman3071]

Ironically this may actually convince people to check the oil and add some when it is low. Most people do not change the oil in their mowers, and most of the new customers' mowers I get in have low oil.

My dad had a Murray push mower he bought new and sold 16 years later in good running shape. It even had the dreaded Tecumseh engine and he never changed the oil, just checked it occasionally and added some when it needed it.