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So, how hot does a lawn mower engine get? The short answer is, it depends.

Your mowing machine can get very hot during operation. The overall heat of your lawn mower’s engine varies, and it depends on several factors.

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The temperature can rise to 400 degrees F and even more but it is based on several variables. These include:

The temperature of the day
How you use the mowing machine (do you put it under excessive load?).
The manufacturer and lawn mower model.
The type of engine your mower uses (whether it is liquid-cooled or air-cooled).
The condition of the lawn mower’s engine.

The aforementioned points are factors that can affect the temperature of the mower’s engine.

For instance, lawn mower engines are air-cooled, they can reach higher temperatures compared to car engines which feature liquid coolant systems.

The similarity between them is that they get hot around the exhaust manifold.

Sometimes, the engine of your lawn mower might get hotter because most air-cooled engines have poor airflow. The intake might read closer to 300 degrees Fahrenheit than 250 degrees F.

Another variable to look out for is the engine parts. For instance, the exhaust valve area is the hottest part of the engine.

It gets hotter around this area, with 400 degrees F when idling and up to 600 degrees F when it is under full load.

How Hot Does a Muffler Get?

The muffler is one of the hottest components of the lawn mower when used. On a smaller machine, 350 degrees F is a fair temperature for your muffler when it is under operation. For a zero turn mower, it can increase to 450 degrees F.

The muffler gets very hot because it is located at the end of the exhaust pipe. This is where the exhaust fumes go through before leaving the mowing machine.

The function of the muffler is to reduce the amount of noise generated from the engine combustion process.

What Can Happen If Your Lawn Mower Engine Overheats?

Engine overheating might cause problems for your lawn mower. If you notice that your mower is operating at a higher temperature than those that we have stated in this article, it’s best to inspect your lawn mower.

Any of the following issues can occur :

Blown gaskets
The lawn mower can catch fire.
Engine parts can melt
Your machine may lose power when mowing.
The engine suddenly locks up and shuts off.

Lawn Mowers And Overheating: What to Do

Overheating may cause several damages to your engine. That is why it is important to know the temperature range and the signs of overheating engines.

If your lawn mower engine goes beyond 600 degrees F, it is advisable to take action and cool the engine down quickly.

Here are a few tips on how to do so:

Let the engine run on idle for a while.
Replace the coolant and/or the engine oil.
Make sure that you keep the engine clean, most especially parts like air cleaners that are prone to clogging are worth maintaining.
Follow the mower’s guidelines based on the manufacturer’s manual.
It is best to mow during a colder day.
Mow the grass regularly to prevent heavy loads.
Cut away the mower casing and clean the debris.
Ensure that you add a little more oil before starting the mower
It is advisable to mow your lawn when the grass is dry. Mowing wet and thick grass will take double the time.
If you observe that there is a change in the machine’s power and temperature, then, it may have a low output. Turn it off and shut the engine down and inspect it to know why it is overheating.
As we have stated before, overheated engines can shut down or lock up. To solve this, you need to switch it off to fix it rather than trying to start it up again.

Do Air-Cooled Engines Overheat?

The temperature in air-cooled engines can rise very quickly. The majority of these engines have proper airflow, emitting hot air to make it seem hotter.

What Causes An Air-Cooled Engine to Run Hot?

Your air-cooled engine might get hot because of inefficient air/fuel mixture, abnormal ignition timing, excessive load on the engine, and missing or lose cooling cowl.

How Hot Does A Riding Lawn Mower Exhaust Get?

Most times, the heat in the exhaust pipe and muffler is usually very high.

With a mowing machine that runs at 100 percent and its exhaust pipe at 60 degrees F, the temperature of the exhaust pipe can reach 900F at idle.

How Hot Does a Lawn Mower Exhaust Get?

The engine may reach 60 degrees from the exhaust pipe temperature.

How Do I Cool Down My Lawn Mower?

To cool down your lawn mower, you need to store it in a cool and safe place.

It should be far away from places that have flammable materials such as sheets of paper, brush etc.

Conclusion

It is important to take care of your lawn mower engine because it is prone to overheating.

By knowing the ideal temperature range of the engine while operating, you will know whether the engine is getting too hot and the perfect time to stop mowing with it.

If the engine overheats, we have made recommendations on how to cool it down and prevent it from going above the recommended temperature range.

We hope that you have found more insight into the temperature range of your machine and possible tips to guide you in case of overheating. Lastly, we advise that you monitor your lawn mower to avoid safety issues.