Always change mine when done for the season. A quart of oil is cheap insurance when compared to the cost of my Honda Snowblower. Don't know why anyone would recommend that an engine, run at full throttle for most of it's life, not have an oil change. Gotta be planned obsolescence.
2014 F6B Deluxe
Iron Butt Association #23995
SSgt USMC 1967-1974
University of Vietnam 68/69
I bought a 21" self-propelled Honda in 1989, still runs like a champ.
Try that with a Briggs & Stratton.
These days; the mower deck and associated parts usually go tits up; before the engine. Cheap metal and fasteners. I am VERY surprised that my MTD Yard Machine 2 stage snow thrower has lasted almost 10 years now... use the crap out of it during some bad winters up here... but it has a nice Tecumseh engine
21 years Army (retired)
...been everywhere, seen everything, done almost everything.
IBA 80537
My neighbor has an old mower with a Briggs & Stratton engine that is over 15 years old and he claims that he has NEVER changed the oil since new....Just added a little when needed!!..Go figure...I have a newer riding mower and I change the oil every season, but with my old MTD push mower that I now use just to trim the edges, etc., I just add a little oil when it becomes necessary...Bought a Homelite power washer two years ago with a Honda engine and now it won't run or start....Just saying!!!...Honda engine was made in China...
A Chinese copy? Honda is a Jap company.Originally Posted by opas ride
21 years Army (retired)
...been everywhere, seen everything, done almost everything.
IBA 80537
I know, but as said above in this thread, most small engines these days are made in China and the one on my power washer is clearly stated "Made in China"...Who knows these days??
I've run mowers for years without changing the oil. I know better now but as others have pointed out usually the deck or something else goes out before the motor. I've never had one seize and would haphazard a guess that the vast majority of people never change the oil and only add anyway...that's if they bother to check the oil at all...Honestly I'm fairly anal about changing the oil in my vehicles, however the mower oil doesn't concern me as they are nearly disposable these days. Now that I have a touch over 2 acres to mow vs under 3000 sq ft I may feel different...I've seen some pretty nasty oil in mowers and other small motors that kept right on going.
For home use I can see them making that statement. If the mowers being used commercially I wouldn't trust it. In my home area yards are generally getting smaller if they have one at all...So you could probably get ten years easily enough on one oil change. Chances are something else would go wrong first or you'd have forgotten when you purchased the mower and just replace it anyway. You as a small business owner would know better, especially being into small engine repair, however IMHO the average American has little to no mechanical inclination if they're under the age of 30. Their rumba lawnmower doesn't require oil changes...
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