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lawnmower engine, never change oil?

I'd assume that the engine is designed with a working life in the 500 hour range. So the oil actually has a longer service life than the engine it's in.
 
I've never changed the oil in my push mower.
I already use the "just check and add" method. 🙂
 
I change mine once a year. For the $4 it's cheap insurance. It's been going strong for 10 years now over .5 acre.
 
I could see theoretically, that if the engine is designed with enough tight seals and running at a cool temperature, engine oil should last a long time without fouling from combustion.

The only glaring hole I see in Briggs&Strattons logic is that oil clearly degrades over time, especially if left in an engine that is not in a climate controlled environment.

I foresee another small engine lawsuit coming 🙂 Why even claim that you should NEVER change the oil?
 
I'm wondering if anyone actually read what B&S had to say about this engine? They gave a lot of common sense reasons to justify an engine that did not require oil changes. It's their reputation on the line and they've been in business for over 100 years so I'd think they will be very willing to stand behind this product.

There may be lawsuits from some of the idiot lawyers but they will go nowhere. They say in plain English that no oil changes are required for the life of the engine. The ball joints on my car are lubed for the life of the ball joint. When either this engine or my ball joints fail, their life is over and they lasted right up to that point.

Tighter tolerances, the adoption of emission controls, modern fuels and lubricants have greatly extended the requirements for oil changes in the automotive realm. There is no reason to think that would not be the case when applying all of these and more to a lawn mower engine.

And I'll bet it's entirely possible to change the oil in this little ah heck too if you're so inclined.

Much ado about nothing.
 
If you talk to lawn mower sales, service and resale shops (yes, and which I have as I was just shopping for a mower), they have told me that new mowers basically are junk. One shop wont work on them anymore and just sells parts. Another shop vehemently warned me that since 2012 the new B&S engines are made in China & if you dont change the oil after like 10 hours, then they seize or throw rods.

Look online at user reviews for new mowers & you will see that the reliability ratings are bad with many reports of engines not being able to start after just a few mowing sessions. (And yes, there are reports too of thrown rods.) In addition, the mower decks are so thin that the attached wheels are reported already crooked (due to bent deck) new right out of the delivery box.

I have an old Toro (B&S 4.5hp) from the 1970s that still runs well. I also just picked up (at a church sale) a sweet circa 1998 B&S 4hp Murray 20" rear bagger push that is in outstanding condition which should last me for my remaining life.

Otherwise, good luck !
 
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C1 said:
If you talk to lawn mower sales, service and resale shops (yes, and which I have as I was just shopping for a mower), they have told me that new mowers basically are junk. One shop wont work on them anymore and just sells parts. Another shop vehemently warned me that since 2012 the new B&S engines are made in China & if you dont change the oil after like 10 hours, then they seize or throw rods.

Look online at user reviews for new mowers & you will see that the reliability ratings are bad with many reports of engines not being able to start after just a few mowing sessions. (And yes, there are reports too of thrown rods.) In addition, the mower decks are so thin that the attached wheels are reported already crooked (due to bent deck) new right out of the delivery box.

I have an old Toro (B&S 4.5hp) from the 1970s that still runs well. I also just picked up (at a church sale) a sweet circa 1998 B&S 4hp Murray 20" rear bagger push that is in outstanding condition which should last me for my remaining life.

Otherwise, good luck !
Click to expand...

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/eu/en/support/faqs/are-briggs-and-stratton-engines-made-in-the-us

Lawnmower engines:

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/engines/push-mower-engines

Might be a handy cross reference for people looking to buy a new mower.
 
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Trouble is lots of lawn equipment these days is made by MTD. They slap different badges on them and the may have slightly different engine choices but they're largely the same. It's literally badge engineering at its worst and it even effects some of the high-end brands as they are trying to penetrate the "consumer" market with cheaper offerings.
 
DaveStall said:
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/eu/en/support/faqs/are-briggs-and-stratton-engines-made-in-the-us

Lawnmower engines:

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/engines/push-mower-engines

Might be a handy cross reference for people looking to buy a new mower.
Click to expand...

Too much Cool Aide

Re: Briggs & Stratton in trouble?

It's a terrible state of affairs when you can buy all the parts overseas( made by people that aren't even paid a living wage) then ship it all over here and assemble it (which does not take as much skill and call it American made.. Most companies do it.
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Re: Briggs & Stratton in trouble?
So what I'm reading here is that if our currently young children were to visit this site (or one like it) in their adulthood they'd be discussing engines made by Chongqing Bien Technology Co., Ltd., or NINGBO WELLY MACHINERY & TOOLS Co., Ltd, or Zhejiang Ousen Machinery Co., Ltd., or Changzhou Beiante Power Machinery Co., Ltd., or Fuzhou Kapur Power Equipment Co., Ltd., or Taizhou Genour Power Machinery Co., Ltd., or Yongkang Sayes Industry & Trade Co., Ltd., or.....should I go on? We're OK with this? (By the way, I didn't make up any of those names. They're Chinese manufacturers of small engines.) Heaven help us. All to save a buck. That's that many more Americans out of work.
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Re: Briggs & Stratton in trouble?
Briggs has shot themselves in the foot, as far as I'm concerned. They sat around and waited till the last minute to get on the knockoff band wagon. The knock off is a simple, superior design to the old flat head. It's cheap to make, durable and cost effective and fills a big void dollar wise. A previous poster was right. They have there own knock off. AND, recently, much of there motors, changed to metric bolts, etc. Bet they are buying short block overseas, bringing them here and addig the finishing touches and calling them American made. In go-karting, the 5 hp clone motor has taken over. Briggs effectively did away with most of the 5 hp flathead parts that people gobbled up for that purpose. They came out with the "Animal" there OHV engine. The clones have far outstriped sales in that department. You can buy one, for $150.00, go race vs the 600.00+ Animal motor.
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Bob
So by the end of the article, we see that most of these engines are in fact Chinese one way or another.
 
mizzou said:
i got a briggs 725exi that says "Never change the oil"

wtf?

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/innovations/push-mowers/exi

That CANT be true. I mean, how is that even reasonable?

Anyway, it looked like a solid engine and I got a good deal on it 🙂
Click to expand...

I bought a craftman 22" lawnmower 10yrs ago.
never changed the oil. still runs great!

then again, I only have to mow 20' x 20' every other week.
hell, I dont even have an idea on how to check the oil?!
 
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Well maybe it burns oil and adding new oil is why it doesn't ever need to be changed. Cause you know the oil has to be broken down due to the heat of the motor while in use. What is their theory on the break down of the oil?
 
I changed mine every 2 years, but I also don't use fertlizer and cut my grass every 2-3 weeks (keep it high).......maybe 5-10 times a year (small yard too).
 
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