Changing the oil in a Patriot lawn mower

Features of lawn mowers

Despite the fact that the general design of four-stroke lawn mower engines is similar to car engines, they still have important differences: in order to reduce the cost of the product, lawn mowers eliminate the oil pump and the oil supply system in general, this increases the requirements for the viscosity of garden equipment used in engines.
Motor oil in a lawnmower engine is distributed using the crankshaft: it is scooped up from the crankcase and sprayed onto the parts. Due to this design, the viscosity of the lubricant must be sufficient to maintain a film of oil on the parts, but at the same time it should not be too thick to interfere with the movement of parts or form a hard crust.

On the other hand, lawn mowers operate mainly at positive ambient temperatures and the load on their engines is not as severe as that of car engines. Lawn mowers most often do not require a “cold start” in the cold, which greatly reduces the life of the car engine and requires low-temperature properties from the lubricant.

On the contrary, lawn mowers, as a rule, are air-cooled and therefore their engine temperatures are higher than those of liquid-cooled car engines.

The first refueling is intended to break in the engine - after five hours of operation it is replaced, after which you can work with the new lubricant for the whole season. In the future, replacement is done according to regulations after a certain number of engine hours, or it is drained at the end of the summer season and a new one is filled in the next year.

The role of oil in internal combustion engines

The energy transmitted by the engine shaft to the rotating mechanisms is obtained due to the adiabatic expansion of gases at the moment of explosion in the combustion chamber. Due to the movement of the piston in the combustion chamber, gases are compressed. This means that the system operates with minimal gaps, and abrasion appears on the mating parts. The gap between the parts increases, and the compression decreases; the required pressure to ignite the fuel-air mixture is not achieved.

This would be the case if the lapped parts worked without lubrication. Motor oil for lawn mowers, added to gasoline or falling on components from the crankcase, is applied as a thin film between the parts, preventing wear and scuffing. Since it is impossible to completely eliminate wear, oil washes away microparticles in the gaps, preventing them from destroying the surface.

The prepared fuel mixture should be used within 2 weeks, stored in a metal or polypropylene container. Do not store the composition with gasoline in plastic bottles. Decomposition products will enter the mixture, and carbon deposits in the combustion chamber will increase.

The design of 2 and 4 stroke types is different and therefore the consistency of the lubricant and additives in it are different. Each type of mating units in mechanisms requires types of lubrication that correspond to the nature of the movement of this unit. The manufacturer recommends what kind of oil to put into the lawn mower in the operating instructions.

You can’t add oil on the basis that the more expensive it is, the better. The use of ingredients depends on the class of equipment, the degree of grinding of the mating units, and operating conditions. The composition of the combustible mixture for two-stroke engines depends on the method of obtaining the base of the antifriction composition. Oil for lawn mowers with a 2-stroke engine has a special composition. All oils are divided according to the method of production:

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• mineral;
• synthetic;
• semi-synthetic.

Their lubricating qualities and ability to remain liquid when the temperature drops depend on this. But 5-15% in each composition is allocated to additives. They create an effective composition that prevents:

• surface corrosion;
• heat resistance;
• resistance to decomposition;
• increasing alkalinity, preventing oxidation;
• stabilize viscosity.

Lawn mower oil used with a 4-stroke engine has different additives and viscosity. It also serves to wash moving surfaces, but does not mix with gasoline. The oil oxidizes, becomes contaminated with scale particles and requires replacement every 50 hours of operation.

General recommendations for choosing lawn mower oil

Based on the above engine design features, it is best to use special lawn mower oil for lubrication, and it must correspond to the temperature conditions in which the unit will be used. The best option is considered to be a specialized lubricant of class SAE 30. It is used at temperatures above +5 degrees.

If a special one is not available, then you can use automotive lubricants of the following class:

• SAE 15W-40
• SAE 20W-50

These lubricants are also designed mainly for positive ambient temperatures and a maximum value above +35 degrees.

By type of lubricant - mineral and semi-synthetic are allowed. Fully synthetic will be too expensive. The quality level of performance properties according to API is “SF”, “SG”, “SH”, “SJ” and higher. For four-stroke engines of garden equipment, the label must be marked “ 4T ”.

How to tidy up your lawn mower blade?

A person can immediately purchase replacement blades after purchasing a device, or he can also sharpen an existing knife. In any case, after the part becomes dull, it must be removed.

First, unplug the electrical device and place it on its side. As for the gasoline unit, everything is somewhat more complicated.

• The grass collection tank should be removed;
• Carefully drain the oil and gasoline into separate containers;
• Disconnect spark plugs;
• Place the mower on its side.

The following steps relate directly to replacing the knife.

• It is necessary to secure the blade with a log or board so as not to cut yourself in the process;
• Often the blades are mounted on two bolts or one, but large, located in the center. A socket or socket wrench will be a great helper;
• Unscrew the bolts counterclockwise as right hand threads are standard;
• If the factory tightening is stuck and holds very tightly, you can use a special liquid wrench WD-40.

There are also times when the knife adapters that connect the cutting element to the engine need to be replaced. It is important to understand here that each manufacturer supplements its products with certain features, therefore, for example, the specified part from an Alco mower cannot be used for MTD.

Using the tips indicated in the video below, every owner of a “garden assistant” can learn methods that allow you to create an adapter with your own hands using basic parts and tools.

Recommendations for choosing oil from specific manufacturers

Manufacturers of lawn mowers in their instructions must indicate the type that is used in their equipment, as well as the frequency of oil changes, usually in engine hours. Typically, manufacturers indicate their branded lubricants and they should be used if you want to maintain the warranty on your equipment. But often manufacturers indicate the general characteristics of lubricants, and then you can select similar lubricants from more widely available automotive oils.

Some motor oil manufacturers produce a special series for garden equipment. It may be cheaper, but requires more frequent replacement than a regular one.

The best for any engine is considered to be recommended by the manufacturer. Shell Helix Ultra is world famous . Shell has spent 40 years developing new technology for producing synthetic oil from natural gas. Pureplus technology made it possible to obtain an improved base oil composition. Based on it, with the addition of the necessary additives, leading manufacturers receive products recommended for their equipment.

It is recommended to purchase from trusted stores, because... Despite the fact that lawn mowers have lower lubrication requirements than cars, counterfeit oil getting into the engine can damage it.

Fundamental differences between internal combustion systems for the user

Which combustion system is more efficient, 2 or 4 stroke? How can the user understand and purchase the best mechanism? Gasoline trimmers and brush cutters with a 4-stroke engine are not available for sale. The two-stroke is much lighter and therefore the trimmer weighs little and can be operated by a woman. But there are two-stroke engines on four-wheelers. Other differences:

• different ways of using lubricant;
• environmental friendliness is higher for a 4-stroke engine, it is also less noisy;
• 2-stroke engine is easier to repair and maintain;
• The engine life of the 4-stroke is longer, but they are more difficult to maintain due to changing the oil in the lawn mower;
• two-stroke engines are lighter and cheaper.

The 2-stroke engine used in the lawn mower is inferior in many technological indicators to the 4-stroke engine. With separate supply of gasoline and oil, it is preferable for light equipment in terms of efficiency and other indicators. In addition, separate fuel supply saves consumption of an expensive component by 4 times.

The photo shows the condition of an engine that has been running for a long time without changing the oil.

A four-stroke engine has a complex lubrication system, and it is even more necessary to use methods for cleaning the circulating fluid. A filter is installed in the oil system to prevent clogging of the tubes and pump with scale and other impurities. When soiled, this part is replaced.

How to change oil in a 4-stroke engine

The manufacturer provides in the operating instructions a maintenance schedule for the mechanisms and the procedure for performing the work. Lubrication effectiveness decreases after 50 hours of operation of the mechanism. Therefore, an oil change is required. In domestic use, the device will not accumulate this amount of time during a season, and cleaning the filter and changing the oil is necessary during conservation. Before changing the oil in a lawn mower, you need to increase the fluidity of the liquid, start the engine and let the system warm up.

You need to unscrew the plug to fill the oil into the tank and use a device to collect liquid under vacuum.

To do this, make a nozzle and pump the waste into a prepared container. But at the same time, a small part, up to 100 ml, will still remain in the crankcase and drain from the filter. You need to get rid of this residue by draining the liquid for about 5 minutes through the hole. At the same time, change or rinse the filter in the system. Then fill in new lubricant, checking the level with a dipstick. Typically, motor oil is packaged in opaque black plastic to prevent it from degrading when exposed to light. The required volume is 500-600 ml.

Changing the oil in a lawn mower - video

What kind of gasoline to fill

Gasoline for a lawn mower is the second element of the fuel mixture. Its brand is selected taking into account the manufacturer’s recommendations described in the passport for the unit. The duration of fuel combustion and resistance to detonation is indicated by the octane number: the higher the number, the longer the fuel burns. So, at gas stations you can buy the following brands of petroleum products:

AI-92 has a greater tendency to detonation.

When using fuel with a higher octane rating than stated in the instructions, in units with 2-stroke engines, the engine is damaged, and with a lower rating, the piston group is damaged.

The mixture is prepared before use in the proportion indicated on the gas tank cap:

• for mineral oils - 1:35;
• for synthetic ones - 1:50.

Synthetic oil-gasoline ratio:

• tank volume - 1 l;
• Divide the amount of 1000 ml into 50 parts;
• total - 20.

This means that 1 liter of fuel requires 20 ml of oil liquid.

Manufacturers of gas mowers with a two-stroke engine (for example, Patriot PT 555 or Champion T336) indicate the required proportion for preparing the fuel mixture in the operating instructions for the tool. For the first model, a ratio of 32:1 is offered, for the second - 50:1.

A lawn mower with a 4-stroke engine does not require preliminary preparation of the petroleum product. The equipment has 2 containers. Gasoline must be poured into the tank, and oil fluid into the drain hole on the crankcase.

Change of oil

The oil change is carried out as follows:

• turn on the mower and warm up the engine at idle for 15 minutes;
• unscrew the plug in the tank hole;
• place a container for collecting waste;
• tilt the device towards the drain;
• after draining the waste material, tighten the plug;
• Place the mower on a flat surface and open the hole at the top;
• fill the oil to the required level, the level is controlled by the dipstick;
• close the hole and tighten the plug.

The volume of liquid filled in most units reaches 500-600 ml.

Why does a lawn mower need motor oil?

Lubricating fluid is needed for the same reason it is used in cars and motorcycles: it reduces friction of engine parts and makes their movement smoother, that is, it prevents rapid wear. In addition to this, the oil has other functions:

• remove heat from a heating engine;
• protect metal from corrosion and oxidation;
• dissolve soot and deposits, maintain them in suspension and prevent them from settling.

A high-quality lubricating fluid contains additives that improve its properties and protect the engine. Selecting good oil is a must if you want your lawn mower to work for a long time.