You may know that a typical lawnmower’s oil needs to be changed for every start of the mowing season or 40-50 hours of mowing. This is to ensure the optimal condition of the engine. The engine oil reduces the friction, heat, and harmful acids that might cause damages to the engine which can cause engine failure.But do you know how much oil does a lawn mower take? Yes, you should not overfill or underfill oil in the engine. There is a certain limit for different kinds of engine oil. We are going to see how much oil should you fill in the crankcase.
How Much Oil Should You Fill?
You can choose the oil that your manufacturer recommends for your lawnmower. Also, you have to use different types of oils for different climates. We will see that in the latter part.
If you have a small lawnmower like a push lawnmower, you will probably have a smaller engine. For small engines, you should fill up to 1 – 1.5 lbs of oil in the crankcase.
If you are using a large lawnmower like a craftsman lawnmower, it will have a larger engine. In that case, you have to fill the crankcase with 2.5 – 3.5 lbs of engine oil.
There are even larger engines that are used for riding lawnmowers which would require around 3 – 4 lbs of engine oil.
What Not To Do?
Now you know how much oil you should use to lubricate the engine. Now it’s time to know what not to do.
Don’t overfill the crankcase. It can result in blockage in the carburetor, mixing of fuel and oil, affecting engine’s performance, producing smoke, etc. It is absolutely crucial to maintain the limit. Sometimes, it can result in excessive white smoke which is an indication of the oil is burnt along with the fuel in the engine.
You have to also know that the same engine oil can’t be used for all purposes. There are specific types of engine oil made for different temperatures. For example, you can’t use engine oil that is made to lubricate the engine in hot temperatures in the winter season. This is because the viscosity of the engine oil changes.
We should use high viscosity oil in summer and less viscosity oil in winter. By doing so, we can maintain the engine’s optimal performance. Here is the list of types of oils and when can they be used.
- SAE 30 – Warm Temperatures (Summer or Spring season)
- SAE 10W-30 – Compatible for multiple temperature ranges (Best suited for cold seasons)
- Synthetic SAE 5W-30 – Best for all seasons (Decreases Oil Consumption)
- SAE 5W-30 – Made for cold temperatures (Best choice for winter seasons)
- Vanguard 15W-50 – Best for cold temperatures but can be used on any temperature
These are the five types of oil that are available for lawnmowers. They each have unique characteristics and perform well under different temperatures.
FAQs
1. How many Litres of oil does a lawnmower take?
A typical lawnmower takes only 600ml of oil in its crankcase. This is sufficient for the mower to run for 50 hours without any problem. After that, you have to replace the old oil with a new one.
2. Can you overfill oil in a lawnmower?
No, you shouldn’t overfill oil in a lawnmower. This might cause problems like increased fuel consumption, production of smoke, and blockage in the carburetor. So, one should neither underfill nor overfill the engine oil in a lawnmower.