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When it comes to the maintenance of your lawn mower, one of the most important aspects to pay attention to is the frequency of the oil changes.

If you are using a new mower, it is important to change the mower oil after the first five hours of mowing operation.

Changing the mower oil after 5 hours will help to remove asperities that have broken from the bearings of the engine components and cylinder wall.

Furthermore, changing the mower oil after five hours cleans the engine and ensures optimal engine performance.

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How To Change Lawn Mower Oil

Several homeowners change the oil in their mowers by themselves. It is not a difficult task at all! The whole process might take up to five minutes. Here are some steps on how to change lawn mower oil:

Step 1: Getting Started

Ensure that you have the right supplies before you start the process. Homeowners will need the following:

Owner’s manual for your mowing machine.
Funnel
Old newspapers or cardboard
Shop towels or rags
Oil drain pan
SAE 30 motor oil

After getting these supplies, it is important to follow these procedures before removing the old oil from the unit of your lawn mower:

Start the engine of the mower and warm it up for about sixty seconds. This will allow the oil to flow freely and speed up the procedure of its changing.
Turn off the engine of your lawn mower.
Disconnect the spark plug wire to prevent accidental start-up while changing the oil.
Clean the oil fill area with a special air compressor or towel.
You will need a pan or container to collect the oil that has been removed from your lawn mower.
Remove the dipstick.

Step 2: Draining the Oil

Start by removing the plastic oil fill cap.
Put the oil-safe container under the mower.
Use a socket wrench to unscrew the oil plug counterclockwise until oil can escape. Make sure that you empty the oil into an oil drain pan.
Tilt the mower a little bit and let the oil drip into the container. Do not use a container that is not meant to contain motor oil. Containers that are not intended for this process might cause oil spillage in your barn or garage.

Step 3: Replace the Oil Filter

Oil filters in lawn mowers help to keep the oil clear of large debris and particles. If your lawn mower has an oil filter, it is important to change the fuel filter at least once per year, or as recommended by the manufacturer. You can follow these procedures:

Locate the oil filter on your lawn mower.
Twist the oil filter counterclockwise until the oil filter can be removed.
Check the seal of the oil filter. If there is debris or dirt on the seal, make sure that you clean it off
Using new engine oil, ensure that you rub the clean sealing gasket with oil so that it will look clean and well-lubricated.
Put the new oil filter into the filter adapter and screw it back to the right place.
Tighten the oil filter with a pipe wrench or filter wrench.

Step 4: Refill the Mower Oil

It is time to put a new mower oil back into your machine.

Clean oil should look translucent with a slight golden-brown tint while dirty oil will appear opaque and dark brown or black.

Always have it in mind that under-filling or overfilling the oil isn’t ideal.

Before you start the process of refilling, make sure that you check the exact quantity of oil that your lawn mower takes.

You might need from 2/ 3 to ¾ a quart ( 0.6-0.7) of it. Use an oil funnel to help prevent spills.

Tools Required for Oil Change

Spark plug wrench
Socket wrench set or a spanner to fit the drain plug.
Some rags for mopping the oil spillage
Funnel
Disposable gloves
Any empty tin or container for collecting the drained oil
Short pieces of 2-inch wood or any proper object for raising the lawn mower off the ground.
Plastic sheets or newspapers for shielding the floor surface from spillage.