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It is time to give you lawn a fresh look and you need to start using your Briggs & Stratton small engine lawnmower. An oil change is required and you are now wondering which way out. It can be a little confusing when there are so many brands in the market and too much information being thrown around. An oil change gives your machine extended life and it will move smoothly are you work on the lawn.
Prior to changing the oil on a small engine, you need to understand the type of oil and engine capacity so that you are able to get the best service out of the machine. Your machine type, the engine, the temperature in your locality and the cost of the oil are some of the factors you need to consider before making the oil change.
Oil Type Recommendations for Briggs Briggs & Stratton lawnmower
There are different types of oils that you may have encountered and they are all built to work for a certain type of temperatures. While this article will focus more on the winter oil, we shall also enlighten you on how to differentiate the oils as per the weather conditions.
Due to oil viscosity, there are oils each weather conditions have a time when they are required but this does not apply to synthetic oil which has additives that make it all weather kind of oil.
5w30-It is best for all types of temperatures
10w30-It can work with different temperatures. It helps your Briggs Briggs & Stratton lawnmower start well during cold weather but you may notice a higher than normal oil consumption.
15w30-It offers the best protection for your engine at all temperatures and it improves the starting and does not consume a lot of oil
15w50-It works well with different temperature ranges and it is best if you use your Briggs Briggs & Stratton lawnmower continuously for commercial use.
We recommend the use of synthetic oil because it serves your small engine for a longer duration and does not require change during changes in weather. Conventional oils require changes or additives during winter to increase their viscosity.
However, with synthetic oil, you do not need to add any additives because it is not made from crude oil. Synthetic oil is made from highly refined materials that are smooth and soft on your engine.
Capacity of your small engine
If you are using a walk-behind mower, its engine capacity is 15oz or 18oz. It requires a change either annually or 50 hours of work, whichever comes first. If your engine is a riding mower, it will probably have a capacity of 48oz or 64oz. Such an engine will require an oil change every 100 hours or annually whichever comes first.
Typically oil change is done depending on the use of the engine and the duration it will be running. The more the hours the sooner you will need to change the oil. You must change the oil when it is due for a change otherwise, your machine may not last long if you do not adhere to these requirements.
The most appropriate oil for your small engine is the 5w30 synthetic oil for all temperature ranges. We also recommend for you to use the Briggs & Stratton Synthetic Oil. The use of this oil is recommended by the company and their warranty conditions are that you should use this oil. If you use other oils, it will affect your warranty claims when the time comes.
While this synthetic oil does not require changes and works in all weather conditions, you must keep on checking it and knowing when it should be changed. When checking the oil, you will be mostly being interested in its color and the darker it is the closer it is for a change. It is darkened by impurities.
Steps to checking your small engine level
- Carefully Remove the dipstick cap, put some pressure and twist to open (anti-clockwise).
- Carefully remove the dipstick and clean its rag to get the most accurate reading.
- Return the dipstick to its former position after adding add marks.
- Remove the dipstick again and read the level of oil at the bottom of the dipstick blade.
- You will see the oil level between the full and add marks.
- If the oil level is low, you can add a few ounces up to the required level.
- Run the engine for about 5 minutes before repeating the process again.
You should repeat this procedure as often as possible especially if the machine has not been in use for a while. The reason that could make oil levels go down is numerous and running the small engine with low levels of oil will lead to engine damage.
You should also check the oil color during this maintenance routine. Oil darkens after continued use because of impurities in the engine system including dirt. If the oil completely darkens before the oil change date, you may consider changing it early at 30 hours for a small one and 70 hours for a bigger machine.
If you notice the oil darkening faster than expected, you can reach out to a Briggs & Stratton machine dealer near you for consultation. It could be a sign of something amiss in your machine which you should immediately change.
Conclusion
The guide above will help you take good care of your Briggs & Stratton small engine lawnmower. You can never go wrong with using synthetic oil on it. While using other oils may work, they are not reliable and will only work for a little while before creating problems for your engine. Keep in mind that it is the recommended oil on this machine.
The manufacturer knows best for the machines he manufactures and in this case, it is no different. Keep use this 5w30 synthetic oil on your machine and you will be assured of a claim against your warranty in case the small machine has a manufacturer problem.
Finally, we wish you a great experience using the recommended synthetic oil.
