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What should oil look like when it is due for a change ?

#1

jmurray01

jmurray01

Should it be really dark, like dirty car oil (almost pitch black), or just a bit streaky with brown/black ?

Thanks in advance.


#2

JDgreen

JDgreen

jmurray01 said:
Should it be really dark, like dirty car oil (almost pitch black), or just a bit streaky with brown/black ?

Thanks in advance.
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Much depends on if it is gasoline motor oil or diesel oil. Diesels turn oil dark much quicker than a gas engine does. I have always subscribed to the theory oil and filters are much cheaper than any engine repairs required by neglecting a change, and even though I go by hours/miles/time elapsed in vehicles with filters, for mowers, tillers, etc when it gets dark brown I do a change. I say about 25-35 operational hours for an air cooled engine is about right to consider a change of oil.


#3

B

Black Bart

jmurray01 said:
Should it be really dark, like dirty car oil (almost pitch black), or just a bit streaky with brown/black ?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Depends on the oil used, They do not all look the same when ready for a change..
2 ways to decide on a oil change go by hours of service or by UOA

UOA is far more accurate but you probably don't want to pay $29.95 for a UOA so go by hours of use.

Your mower probably needs changed once a year.
How many hours per season will you run it.


#4

K

KennyV

It will darken up as it suspends carbon and other contaminants...
I have never gone by color ... except if you see any gray or milky look... that is water getting mixed & frothed up in the oil, You want that out immediately...

I have always looked at hours of use... in most cases I change once a year, & use a good synthetic...

I suppose you can't change oil too often, but there comes a point that you are wasting money.
The flip side is Never changing the oil at all, just keep adding oil until it eventually locks up or throws a rod, I know some that actually do that and then blame the engine maker...

How many hours do you typically put on your mower per season? :smile:KennyV


#5

K

KennyV

Ah ha... I see Bart posted just before me... & he's right.. :smile:KennyV


#6

B

Black Bart

KennyV said:
Ah ha... I see Bart posted just before me... & he's right.. :smile:KennyV
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KENNY I find myself agreeing with you all the time also.:laughing:

While we may word it slightly different we seem to always be on the same page I'm just not as good at explaining it. :biggrin:


#7

O

originalswampfox

My rule of thumb is when in doubt change it. But as the others have pointed out get a schedule and stick to it.


#8

reynoldston

reynoldston

All my equipment with hour meters I change every 100 Hrs. and every thing else once a year. I use Ams oil and it does't need changing as often.


#9

N

noma

Hi Jmurray01

It seams like i don't put as many hours on a lawn mower engine as you would think, we only use it once a week and that is in the spring and early summer, then i get hot out and it doesn't grow as much.I bet i don't put 100 hours a season on mine and i mow about 2 1/2 acres .I have a hour meter on mine and in the spring i write the number of hours on the meter on a cabinet door just to see how many hours i get. This fall i will post how many hour it was used this season. I change my oil and filter in mower engines in the fall after the last mowing then it ready for spring again next year. I'm with every one else you can waste oil changing to often to, before i would change the oil and filter in mid July but i think that was a waste of oil and filter.That was before i had a mower with a hour meter on it so i know how many hour it runs now. Good luck :thumbsup:


#10

B

benski

For the equipment I run, but don't own (the owners don't want to spend the money on synthetic:confused2:) every 25 hrs. For me and my stuff, every 100 hours for the oil, every 25 hours for the filter. No oil-related failures in 28 yrs.:thumbsup:


#11

Ric

Ric

jmurray01 said:
Should it be really dark, like dirty car oil (almost pitch black), or just a bit streaky with brown/black ?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

What oil looks like when it's due to be changed depends on how much the mower is being used and the conditions it's being used in. If the mower is being used in extremely dusty conditions you'll need to change more often.

You can change your oil once a month and have it be almost pitch black regardless of the type of oil you use, regular or synthetic oil it doesn't matter.

Someone asked How many hours do you typically put on your mower per season? If you're a person who typically mows once a week for an hour to an hour and a half then changing your oil once a year would be fine.


#12

B

Black Bart

Ric said:
What oil looks like when it's due to be changed depends on how much the mower is being used and the conditions it's being used in. If the mower is being used in extremely dusty conditions you'll need to change more often.

You can change your oil once a month and have it be almost pitch black regardless of the type of oil you use, regular or synthetic oil it doesn't matter.

Someone asked How many hours do you typically put on your mower per season? If you're a person who typically mows once a week for an hour to an hour and a half then changing your oil once a year would be fine.
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Really How would you explain the fact that after mowing all season my oil is so clear you can't see it on the stick.

Not only will different oils look different but the same oil in different engines will look different

Some engine have less blow-bye and not all oils have the same add-pack you can prove that by a TBN count on a virgin sample of different oils.


#13

Ric

Ric

Black Bart said:
Really How would you explain the fact that after mowing all season my oil is so clear you can't see it on the stick.

Not only will different oils look different but the same oil in different engines will look different

Some engine have less blow-bye and not all oils have the same add-pack you can prove that by a TBN count on a virgin sample of different oils.
Click to expand...

Yes you can mow all season and your oil can be so clear you can't see it on the stick if you only mow once a week or four hours a month but if you're mowing everyday and put fifty hours a month on your mower, guess what it's going to turn black. I've used Regular oil and synthetic oil both and it doesn't matter.

At the present time I run a Honda, Kawasaki and two Kohler engines in the business and I use Mobil and have used Mobil 1 synthetic oil both and I change every 25 hrs.
I've also run B&S Onan and Generac engines when I worked for the county and every oil change I have ever done (50hrs with the cheapest crap the county could find) regardless of oil type has always been black as coal so I really don't see where engine type will make a difference.

That's why I said when it's due to be changed depends on how much the mower is being used and the conditions it's being used in, not the color of the oil.


#14

B

Black Bart

Ric said:
Yes you can mow all season and your oil can be so clear you can't see it on the stick if you only mow once a week or four hours a month but if you're mowing everyday and put fifty hours a month on your mower, guess what it's going to turn black. I've used Regular oil and synthetic oil both and it doesn't matter.

At the present time I run a Honda, Kawasaki and two Kohler engines in the business and I use Mobil and have used Mobil 1 synthetic oil both and I change every 25 hrs.
I've also run B&S Onan and Generac engines when I worked for the county and every oil change I have ever done (50hrs with the cheapest crap the county could find) regardless of oil type has always been black as coal so I really don't see where engine type will make a difference.

That's why I said when it's due to be changed depends on how much the mower is being used and the conditions it's being used in, not the color of the oil.
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I don't know where you got your degree as a Tribologist but you must have been sleeping through most of the course.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.


#15

reynoldston

reynoldston

I change mine every 100hrs or once a year. That is my own equipment. The repairs that I have coming in it just seems the person with oil problems is the one that try run run with no oil in the engine. Now when it lets loose they fill it with fresh oil and tell me how well they change the oil. I agree with them but know better. I think A lot of home owner just don't change oil but never have a problem as long as they keep adding. Is this a good thing to do NO. As said earlier I don't think the average home owner doesn't puts that many hours a year on their mower and that is why they can get away with it for years. Now when it starts to smoke and give them headaches they just buy another new cheap mower and start the cycle over again.


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