One of my only absolute truths is "change your oil". I'm glad my Dad didn't see this. ;) Briggs and Scrattons must have been lasting too long. "Hey lets come up with a new 'never change your oil concept' so we can get these engines to wear out and sell them new ones". I've got a Toro recycler with a Briggs 6HP I bought about 20 years ago that still starts first or second pull even after sitting all winter. I change the oil in the spring every year. Runs like a clock and doesn't burn oil. Change your oil! lol
Ran a 2001 personal pace recycler with the 6hp Briggs quantum for 15 years with about 6 years mowing 4 to 5 yards per week. She would seemingly randomly consume oil but ran perfect with oil changes once a month.
Agreed. I think Briggs and Stratton is seeing more and more battery powered mower competition and is trying to capture some of that audience. My old 80's Briggs was a bottom of the line cheapo and it got better as the years passed by as far as easy starting. That thing was indestructible and didn't even seem to care about oil! Of course it probably was a disaster as far as clean air, but it always ran great!
I've got a mower that never needs an oil change, just add oil to it. It was made back in 1979, its called a Lawn Boy. Starts on the second pull and cuts like a dream. A true high point in American engineering with its high quality materials and construction, not to mention an engine that seems to last forever. I also have a 1956 model, i kid you not it starts on the first pull every single time.
YES!! I like my lawnboy 2 stroke engine mower with that great 32:1 mix oil/gas..they are lightweight and great for yards with hills.. youll never worry about lack of oil in the crankcase on hills and burn up the engine 👍👍
Love my 'ole Lawn Boy as well. 30 years old, and I kid you not, I still haven't replaced the self propel drive belt. One coil, and a bunch of spark plugs is all I've ever had to do.
@@WJCTechyman parts are very easy to find for F series engined lawn boys. The F series was produced from 1978 to 2000. I just picked up another 1979 7268 with very low hours for $90. Even came with the original owners manual.
@@WJCTechyman I have an hrs21 that's nearly 40 year's old. Amazing lawnmower still in use. They were pricy but the best bargain at the same time. I'm estimating it has about 400 hour's on it as it probably got 100 hours a year for the first three years then the lawn got drastically smaller. Now we get it out mostly just for fun maybe an hour a year. There's some newer honda models that don't have near the decks on them as the old hrs21s' had.
I've have a 1968 D400 and 1981? D600 2 stroke Lawn Boys. The older one has a magnesium deck. It had issues with the drive belt staying on the pulleys so I long ago converted it to a push mower. The newer one has a shaft type drive mechanism but the rollers on the tires slip as they are worn. Both run but had issues with the thick grass I have and want a self propelled mower. They are curious toys that kill mosquitoes as you cut grass! One day I will find a good home for them.
I bought a Briggs & Stratton flathead this year. I bought it used from a lawn mower dealer. It is the last lawn mower I'll ever buy because I'm old now. To commemorate the occasion, I bought the kind I like. It gets well treated. I clean all the grass off the bottom so it doesn't rust. I paint underneath. This fall, I'm going to run it out of gas and while it's still warm, change the oil. Not only will it outlive me, but the next two owners as well. That's the plan.
Smart move. I bought a Toro Recycler in 1999 with a B&S flathead. The "GTS 6.0". Never even changed the original oil until it was 8 years old. Get this... I finally drained the oil and then realized I didn't have any fresh oil. So I drove to Murray's (O'Reilly's now) to get some 30 weight. *While I was gone* my wife (attempted to) cut our lawn (1/3 acre). I didn't tell her I had just drained the push mower. She didn't get 1/2 done before the engine seized from no oil being in it! Boy was it hot. I let it cool off and put new oil in it. Started right up. It's had a hard life where we live now. Very dusty. Barely uses oil still. 2nd oil change was 17 years in. That thing just keeps going. I'm pushing 60 and I think it's going to outlive me. I love that thing. It's so quiet and strong. I get the move to OHV with all the tree-hugging and such, but flatheads are amazing. Enjoy your purchase. Us OGs know quality because we grew up with it. 👍🏻
I made a flathead lawnmower from two broken mowers that my father-in-law gave me for free. I used it for 13 years then I gave it away because my father died and left me a self-propelled Personal Pace mower that I will never give up.
@@wsbill14224 I hope your Personal Pace mower has a Briggs & Stratton flathead engine. If it doesn't, you should keep one on hand that does in case of an early wear-out.
One thing that often gets missed: the EPA demands manufacturers provide a projected lifespan for small engines. This is to get an estimate of how much carbon it will emit over its lifespan. This gives manufacturers an “out” for building the entire unit to last only the projected lifespan. This “never change the oil” works within the parameters set by the EPA, but not if you’re expecting an indefinite useful life from your mower.
Yep, I find the same with the newer cars I have. Instead of a standard 1 quart oil filter, they use a 1/2 quart sized one so they can tell the epa that they cut oil needs down by 10%. 5 - 4.5
That's great! Then just put on full size oil filters and change it the old fashioned way, and short-circuit the EPA silly requirement. I appreciate the manufacturers doing this and finding a way to comply while still giving us a good product.
@@davidquinn9676 Well, it might not be that simple. After all, if the unit is rated for 100 hours of use total, why bother with a crank, piston, cylinder, or gears that last longer? Why not make everything out of cardboard and krazy glue? These companies design around use cases, and the use case is limited lifespan.
My Honda NEVER needs added oil. It looks as clean at the end of the season as it did at the start. I change the oil at the end of each season, replacing air filter and plug. Old oil back in the new oil bottle and take it to the gas station. 15 minute job. Not using oil must mean it is burning cleaner than that new BS engine. No? Chickanic has an episode where she pours that "no-change" oil out and it looks like tar. And, fins are dirty, air filter all plugged up. People lazy in one area are generally lazy everywhere. BS knows their new thing will last just a bit longer than the warranty. Maybe by mere days.
Regardless of their directions, it's absolute nonsense to think for one second, that people even check the oil level, or air filter, replace the sparkplug or scrape the deck. Fact; people do not maintain their vehicles, and their lawn equipment- forget about it.
@@metoon3092 ironically, when I bought my lawnmower at the depot, it was boxed with no oil in crankcase, a small one use container was included. Easy enough to figure out. They opened the box in front of me to verify it was there, and made sure they explained to put it in before starting it. You know why? Mower after mower are returned wrecked by the customer, they claim “what container? there was no bottle in the box”.
I have a "Caldor" 20" mower that I bought in 1988. It has a Briggs flatheat engine. It still runs perfect. I keep the air filter clean and oiled, the spark plug changed,the blades sharp, and I change the oil every couple of years... I just had to replace the throttle cable. The deck cracked a few years back and my friend Frank welded it for me. I like the pollutants....
I've got the same one. Friend of mine gave it to me, 30 years ago. Rebuilt the carb once, change the oil once a year at the end of the season, starts on the 1st or 2ng pull. Briggs 3.5 hp. Great machine!
My grandfather who was a farmer never changed oil in his small engines. His theory was the same as what you read------adding oil when it is low is just like changing the oil over time. NOT. It wasn't until I became older (teens) and appreciated the wisdom of changing oil from a mechanic neighbor. Ever since I have been an oil change fanatic in all me internal combustion engines. I am 70 years old and have never had an engine seize up or blow up in all those years. I believe in regular oil changes and I'll bet you do to even if you don't say so in this video.
Sir I am of the same age and you are right its just common sense but let all these smart asses get their way it will come full circle mark my words they are idiots !!
When I was a kid my dad bought a old pickup for his business. He removed the drain plug on the engine and nothing came out! He used something to poke through the sludge and got the oil to drain out. He filled it full of diesel cranked engine but didn't start it. Did that several times. He finally filled it with oil, started it and it smoked like crazy! Must have broke the carbon/sludge away from the rings! Ha!
I am firmly in the change oil camp. I got 17 years out of a mower I found on the curb that was already 2 years old. Cast iron cyl tecumish 3.5 hp. I left it for the people that bought my house, as it still ran.
They ran them for 600 hours under "laboratory" conditions. Which mean 70 degrees F, under no load, and clean air. In the real world the oil would last 1/4th of that time. I frequently cut grass when the air temp is over 90 F and in dusty air conditions in deep grass.
How long do you think it would take a person to reach 200 hours on that mower? Probably years. No one is using this on even a half acre, they all buy riding mowers if they have half of that!
Actually, it the lab were caught doing that, they'd probably be decertified. They're tasked to replicate actual use conditions which can range from the cold of the Dakotas to the less chilly locale of Death Valley.
200 hours would take about 4-5 years for most people with a quarter acre I would guess. The reality is that most people don’t ever change the oil or any filters anyway. After 5-6 years of the thing won’t start or the motor craps out they go buy a new machine for 180 bucks at a big box store.
@@jdraupp They would've definitely bought a new one before that since they likely ruined the carb with stale gas. Used to see it a lot when I worked in tool repair.
That's what I think. Not buying any of this don't change your oil stuff. My wife's Toyota manual says you only need to change your oil once/year or 10,000 miles. Bull! She gets an oil change at 5000 miles, period.
I can forsee alot of folks neglecting to use clean fuel(debris,etc), change or clean the air filter out, and change spark plugs, plus possibly end up Overfilling the crankcase since maybe an oz of oil or two a year will do depending upon your hours.
@@jws3925 my car always says 10k per change. Longest I've gone is 7k and the oil was putrid dirty. Too dirty frankly. Maybe it still lubed well and hadn't broken down, but I don't want all that carbon in there.
I am not a fan of these engines. There are a lot of cost cutting. A lot more plastic, plastic gears and inside the engine, the junky plastic carburetors, the flimsy plastic air filter housing that holds on the carburetor is attached to a dinky piece of sheet metal, and a design flaw with the auto choke rubbing against the sheet metal that somehow holds down the carburetor. Better designed engine my ass. The Briggs quantum engines that came before it were built much better and much easier and cheaper to work on. I still have customers with those engines built in the 90s and they are still going strong. Then again they weren’t lazy and actually took care of their equipment having me service it at least once a season.
I have never owned or worked on one. however, I don't like the thought process behind it. Seems like this is like most of the other stuff that is being made lately, make it cheaper! with no regard to serviceability or longevity. The stupid government regs don't help either.
I'm still running my 96' Craftsman lawn mower with the Briggs engine. No major repairs and starts in a couple pulls. I change the oil and use ethanol free gas.
Plastic carbs _ROCK_ ! Quantum's have plastic gears ! The Quantum and it's fine plastic cover with the primer bulb,. that's a Fail from the get go ! Quantum plastic intake tube, yes, _QUALITY_ design again! BTW, I prefer the Quantum engines, but their problematic as well.
Agree, give me an old school B&S engine any day. I once bought a dead B&S engine in a box at a flea market and then rebuilt it in a small engine class in High School. I got an A in the class, and my dad ran that engine for more than 10 years until he sold the mower it was on. The old Briggs engines were built like tanks.
When I worked at deere it always amazed me how many people brought push mowers in for service. At $100/hr plus parts you'd be better off running it till it quits and buying a new one every 2-3 years.
I like my old Deere push mower. Of course, I didn't pay a thing for it... was given to me by someone who himself acquired it used and never quite got it running right. I cleaned out the water, gas, sludge mix in the fuel system, installed a new carburetor, changed the oil, checked the air cleaner, and it's a pretty good runner. Still has just a little trouble with hot restarts, but I'm happy with the $30 or so I've put into it. It's also notably quieter than other push mowers I've owned.
@WorldPowerLabs hot restarts problem might be a piston ring issue if they ran it so hot and never checked or changed the oil. Might be losing slight compression when getting hot and then when the engine cools and the parts tighten back up it starts up again
Most people will not put 200 hours on the mower over the entire life cycle of the mower. Plenty of people never change the oil, and the decks rot out before the engine blows. Ethanol fuel kills the carbs long before the engine oil ever does. Unfortunately, we have become a throw away nation. This is the new normal. No point in maintaining it, just make it cheaper to replace. However, those that do take care of it will reap the benefits of longer life from these, just as they did back in the day. The only real flaw I see in this sytem is they do not deal with accumulated moisture in the engine. Yes, running it hot and long enough will boil off the moisture, but you still have sub par lubrication during that cycle of getting it up to temp and running it long enough. Good to see these are still being built in the USA though!
Ethanol is corrosive to your cylinder walls, it causes oil to break down, you will see more moisture in your oil, and contamination of your engine oil. I know this because I send oil to Cat Diesel for oil analysis even on my lawn mower. I agree with you most people do not put enough hours on a mower, few change oil, and few maintain anything these days they just throw it away. As for accumulated moisture in the crankcase it will just contaminate your oil causing more wear if you don't believe me send some off for analysis.
If the materials where designed for it, ethanol won't be an issue, unless it sits for a few months. Got small engines that are decades old, and spend a lot of time outside. But they get ran weekly, and fueled monthly at the latest. Running compressors or pumps. No ethanol issues. Just change the oil, plug, and filter when needed. On stuff that'll sit more than a few months, I run non ethanol fuel though it before it sits around. The etching of aluminum, or plugging of passages is from sitting with moisture. Either don't let it sit, with old oil and ethanol fuel, or run non ethanol fuel and put in fresh oil before you finish up with it for the year.
I don't think moisture is much of a problem in a lawn mower engine unless someone has a tiny yard and only uses the mower for a couple minutes at a time. All of my small engines easily get the oil well over 212 degrees within minutes during the summer. My lawn mower has a Briggs and Stratton 500E engine and I regularly see the oil get to 250-280 degrees F just cutting moderately tall grass in 90-100 degree weather, which is quite typical of small engines in my experience. Water won't last long when exposed to that much heat. Not that changing the oil regularly is a bad idea if you want your equipment to last though.
@@averyalexander2303 I had the 500E 140cc Briggs in my mower and just upgraded to a Honda this week. I had it since new for 4 years and changed the oil religiously and also the spark plug and air filter (which is just a piece of foam). I never had to clean the carb and still started on the 1st pull but the fuel cap started leaking fuel and the PCV tube started spitting out oil and leaving an oil stain on the deck everytime I mowed. (And no, it was not overfilled with oil). It was also very underpowered and bogged down in tall grass. These cheap Briggs engines are just not made to last. The Honda is a night and day difference in terms of quality and power output. Metal carb, fuel shut off, gasketed paper air filter, clicking gas cap, very light engine brake, smooth and quiet operation.
Awesome video, I kinda have a hard time believing the No Oil change system will make the engine last. Think about it folks dirty oil acts like sandpaper.
it does, but this is an engineering decision, will the engine last well enough to satisfy the consumer who buys this mower. I suspect the target consumer would buy an electric.
@Benjamin Burlos I mean if they want to engineer a push mower engine that lasts forever it would have a gigantic air filter with a cyclonic prefilter separator. It would have an external oil cooler, spin on filter and a capacity of 2+ quarts. Around here we have sandy soils and what tends to happen is the sand erodes the deck before the engine dies. But you have to keep that sand out of the engine.
Ya would still use a vacuum pump once a year get all the old oil out and replace with new, it’s a small amount of oil, and vacuum pump can cleanly put the oil into a old water bottle. Really can’t get any easier then that, no tipping the mower over no tools or torque specs to worry about
@@pbgd3 Great idea. I would upgrade to a dry sump oiling system and or add a manual or electric oil pump to bring my oil pressure up before I turn my engine over this would save on wear during starting.
the engineers have designed a DISPOSABLE engine: use for two seasons, then toss out. They assume no gas in crank case from a stuck needle or moisture in humid climate.... what bunch of marketing crap
@@DC_PRL finally somebody else gets it all about control and money the epa has done nothing good for the environment they’ve harmed it more than any of us ever can imagine
Neghibors recently bought one of them new mowers with that engine and around the same time I started using a 1964 Jacobson with a 2 1/2 Briggs let’s see which one still runs in 2 seasons
I inherited a B & S Flat Head Makita mower from my Dad. It is about 12 years old and did about 45 mins work every week, for the first few years by my Dad and then by a local kid for the last few years. Dad never changed the oil, ever. He now has people mow his lawns and they have their own mower so he gave me his. I swapped the black grease in the sump for fresh oil and it still make no visible smoke, starts first pull and never misses a beat. Shows they make 'em tough.
@@Hubjeep my 64 Rambler American flat head 6 was called a L head. Always wondered where the L came from. Dad brought a 33 Willys 77 home once Of course it had a L head 4 Jeep engine. The engine was so worn when we came to a hill we kids had got out and pushed. Dad scrapped it with the Hupmobile that had a L head 6. Wouldnt I love to have them now.
I've been a grass rat all my life I'm also an engineer it seems that they manufacture things to break these days not the last I also know why we change oil, those little particals floating in the old oil act like sandpaper on the internal parts. I will stick with the L or Flat head design. Very good job on the explanation on the new design. Luv your channel
Lynn H, they should throw little diesels in the mowers just above this level cuz they use 1/4 of the fuel, the fuel doesn’t go bad, they won’t die. They’ll run on anything, & if they burn a tad bit of oil you’ll just get a little more power cuz it’ll run on it. I used to run my little Yanmar l70 engine on oil before the filters kept clogging cuz there no pump to push the fuel through the filter, then I switched back to diesel fuel, & it’s been great!
@@michaelbenoit248 Poor idea and erroneous statements in your comment. I have 3 Kubotas (small. med, large). Diesels require more maintenance than gas engines and are annoying; I can't imagine a small, walk-behind diesel mower such as pictured.
And most walk-behind mowers really don’t get a lot of hours on them. 20, 30 hours a year? I still don’t buy the no oil change logic, though. It only holds 16 oz to start with and just 12 at the “add” mark. That’s not much. It would be interesting to run two identical mowers in actual service for 30-40 hrs a year, one with annual oil changes and the other with none. See which one poops out first.
Thanks for the detailed information, Taryl! I got a Toro with one of these engines from a Dealer, not an "orange" or "blue" big box store, in 2017 and was wary of this "Just Check & Add" business. The woman who owned the place explained this "theory" to some extent but recommended, if this was the most money I could afford and I needed to keep the mower for awhile, to go ahead and change the oil after the first 5 hours, then every Fall, along with cleaning the mower and changing the air filter and at least checking and cleaning the spark plug, if not replacing it every year (a Canadian channel I watch, the guy LOVES cleaning spark plugs and using them again). Have to say, I'm kind of excited to see how long I can get this mower to last, with all the negative Comments people make about, not only the "Check & Add" thing, but the plastic carburetors. I understand plastic gearing inside is bad (and, from the research I've done, seems to only be in engines on Toros sold through the "Orange" and "Blue" places, along with other "cost-cutting features!") but I don't get why folks are so upset about a plastic carb. I also run the gas out every Fall and unscrew the drain plug to let any extra drops of gas evaporate and I've not had a problem . . . yet.
The no-change-um oil system seems perfectly reasonable. In my inventory of small engines, most were pulled off the curb. But everything pulled off the curb, the reason for it being there was something *other* than the motor being broken. Broken wheels, broken self-propel, broken trimmer shaft, line dispense, throttle/safety cables, etc. Frankly, even with this new system, the engine will still be better than the rest of the mower around it. Looking at Taryl's example, there is a paper-thin deck, spindly wheels, and cheap-ass cables. Guaranteed the engine will outlast the rest of that pile of garbage.
I’ll still stick with my oil changes and routine maintenance…. To me this just check and add as needed idea seems a whole lot like they designed the motor to have major oil burn issues right from the factory…. Most regular push mowers hold less than a full quart of oil, if you’re burning 4 ounces every few times you use it I feel like you’re burning the oil off and in turn ire really changing it anyway kinda because it’s not in the mower long enough to age before burning off…. They basically took away the 1st step (drain oil) and replaced it with allowing blow by/ burn off as a drain
My sister found a self propelled push mower on the side of the road that was seemingly in like new condition(no rust) and she asked me why oil would be all over the top of the deck, I told her to look for a hole in the side of the block and sure enough there was, when I looked at it, the oil that was still in it, was jet black, complete with lots of glitter. I noticed it had that "just check and add" on it, so I pulled an engine off a self propelled mower with a rotted out deck and replaced the blown engine with it and she still has that mower 2 years later..... I don't like that just check and add, as far as I know air cooled engines almost always run hotter than water cooled engines, the oil in a car engine needs to be changed periodically regardless of the oil filter, cooler operating temp and better engine clearences, now imagine a push mower engine that runs hotter, does NOT filter it's oil and has lower quality parts.......
Good point, but you are missing something. The never change oil engines burn oil, and of course you are expected to add oil as needed. So the oil is effectively getting replaced over time as it burns it's oil off and you have to add fresh oil. This still has the flaw though that you are never gonna get the metal mixed with the oil out if you don't change it
I have serious doubts concerning the efficacy of this system. Where does the dirt eventually go? Stays in there. Then what happens? I guess we will see.
I figure that when I can't manage to change oil once a season, I'll start hiring someone to mow the lawn. An yes, that'll be some super sludge in the sump quickly.
All of my lawn equipment engines get their oil changed for every mowing season, just like my snowblower gets an oil change before winter. Doing this has prevented my engines from burning oil and they stay nice and clean inside. I check the oil all season long and it’s extremely rare for me to add oil during the season. My opinion of not changing the oil on ANY internal combustion engine running on gasoline is a recipe for disaster. These little engines don’t hold a lot of oil to begin with and they most definitely need regular oil changes. I think Briggs and Scrapple came out with the never change oil nonsense to compete with the battery powered lawn equipment craze. Think about it everyone.
The old flat heads can run alot cleaner and effecient just with a simple port job, and they have much more power no longer wanting to stall in longer grass, done it to four mowers for fun never ceases to amaze me how much better they run.
@@davidcoudriet8439 Pocket porting is what I call it. Just remove a little bit it helps and usually is better than hogging out too much material from the ports.
Love this channel thank you so much for everything you do! I also have this Mower and have had it for 5 years. it runs great and does a great job but the never change oil feature really seemed weird to me as for after the break-in oil had so much metal flake in it I was very uncomfortable with proceeding without changing. because there's no drain plug I've got to tip it upside down to drain it or use a vacuum pump. I usually cut under 5 acres worth of grass a year with it. I keep the mower VERY clean and I even did a deck discharge modification by shaving off a little extra on the hole in order to prevent buildup keepS the grass flowing and blowing something I learned from another person. It works really well and I can cut Tall Grass without slowing. After that modification the Mulcher plug doesn't work so I drilled holes in order to put in a metal shield if I want to use the bagger or mulcher. My mower still looks new because I take care of my stuff. There's no way I'd ever run a mower without changing the oil. The concentration of metal flake and build up with just add feature just seems ridiculous and a set up for failure no matter how the tests are performed in a lab. After the break-in oil look like somebody dumped a bottle of glitter in. I change my oil every year before I put it away for the winter. My mower uses zero oil. I won't let a concentration of metal flake wear my motor down where it starts using oil. Again thank you so much for all your videos you've helped me through a lot of idling hands hours of my life to fill me with knowledge😊 your comedy as well as your detailed explanation and walkthroughs far surpass many channels.❤ I show my father your channel now he wants to become a grass rat too😂 much love and respect for how hard you work to produce content
@@tommak6516 I figured that you were kidding. But, all of the vital parts are metal. It would be like doing a magnet test on the old oil that you drained out of a motorcycle. Magnetics could change the game in small motors.
Great Video and explanation as always!! While it seems crazy that many people are "intimidated" by changing the oil on a lawn mower, it's true. I've seen it 1st hand. It's a great marketing concept by Briggs, as they have probably done well selling these "no oil change" mowers to certain consumers that this appeals to. The irony is that the type of people who don't/won't change their oil, CERTAINLY will not change the air filter, and ABSOLUTELY will not change the spark plug. Not a chance. This isn't anything against Briggs. It's just good marketing on their part, to fill a demand. My neighbor buys high end gas power equipment, but has never changed the oil on any of it, he informed me a few months ago. He said he knows he is supposed to, but really didn't know how, and didn't feel comfortable doing it. He's a smart guy, too, but not with power equipment. Over a beer in my driveway, I showed him how to change the oil in his $900 snowblower, and his lawnmower. He couldn't believe how easy it was. Thanks for another awesome video!!!
This engine would have never been produced in the 90s or before. I've thought for years that the most durable outdoor power equipment was made from the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s. Companies started cutting corners whether it was increased use of plastic, cheap Chinese manufacturing or just a general lack of quality in the name of increased profit and higher share prices, starting in the 1990s. Lawn Boy, Toro, Homelite and McCulloch were perfect examples of this.
My OHV Briggs mower lasted 15 years with only a single oil change just after break-in. The only reason I retired it, was the deck rusted through. The motor still ran strong.
I came here for the strait-shoot from Grass Rats crew after beginning service on a mower purchased late last year. You do not disappoint. The "Never change your oil" sticker was not something I noticed until just today when looking for a drain plug. This sticker does not jibe with the amount of silver I am seeing on the dipstick. Granted this is still the break-in period for the motor at about 5.5 hours of run time but leaving that glitter in the engine seems not like a great idea. Briggs used to call for an oil change after 5 hours break-in. I might send the oil out for analysis, not sure yet. Depends on the cost of the test since the engine is being run regardless until it blows up or fails to start reliably. Well, on the plus side these do start nice with a single easy pull even after sitting for the winter.
If owners of these machines can't or won't do a simple oil change, it's highly doubtful that they will remove covers and shrouds to properly clean the cooling fins...
So, in 1966 Dad bought a new 22 in. Sycamore mower from a WT Grant store. 3.5 hp Briggs, with the windup starter. I still have this and is a one or two pull start to this day. My point is that there is no substitute for changing the oil on these; is how he trained me and is what I do on all vehicles today.
We need an "Uncle Andy Goes to the Chiropractor" episode. : ) Thumbs up! The old L-head motors were great. If you canged the oil they would last for 20 years or more.
The way you fix the messy part of changing oil is putting a drain plug on the bottom of deck. Had an older murray that was set up that way. Move the blade out of the way, put a Tupper ware bowl under it and drain. Clean and easy.
The drain plug located under the deck of a lawnmower is failure waiting to happen! I work on engines so I'm pretty good with knowing what I'm talking about. That plug has never been removed 9 times out of 10 and was probably factory sealed, And your more likely than not to crack the case around the plug then get it to come out without problems. Better safe than sorry I turn the mower on it's side with oil fill tube removed so I can mow another day 😁
Yes I hold the plastic drain pan against the oil filler tube as I tilt the mower over. No spills. I'd never think of trying to remove the nut and make an oily mess for sure.
I just use an oil extractor through the dipstick tube. You can also tip the mower on its side and dump the oil out the tube (and some mower manuals specifically call for using the latter method).
I think they had a problem with burning the oil too fast so they fixed it, they came up with check and fill so every time you check the oil your add some and their problem is fixed. "And there's your dinner" lmfao
I bought a lawn mower with a briggs engine a couple years ago (not sure if it was the one shown). My lawn mower does not use any measurable oil over a year (season). It gets good use (more than 40 hours) so it is not because it is never run.
I always thought they basically designed these engines to burn oil as an excuse to keep adding. Any metal shavings or debris is still going to remain in the crankcase causing wear, it's not like a car that has an oil filter and a magnet to catch shavings. This week I literally just upgraded from a Briggs mower to a Honda mower... HUGE difference in quality down to the little details like a metal carb, proper paper air filter, fuel shut off, clicking gas cap, etc. Not to mention the huge increase in power cut my mowing time down and actually used less fuel doing so.
Burrs are a big problem in the manufacturing process. Big sharp chunks then come off in the break in period. I think the first few oil changes are probably most critical.
I think they've added manual deburring. I also think they now wash all the workpieces in combination with lower infeeds and higher cutting speeds for smaller burrs and cleaner cutting. I still dont believe in the concept of no oil changes.
@@lynnh7694, the trouble with that is most Briggs are mainly built out of aluminum so with that not being magnetic it wouldn’t help very much. Still not a bad idea to have a Magnet in the crankcase though.
I tell all how to change the oil No tools needed, Change once every 40-50 hours and check the oil 2 or 3 times a season and any mower will last 20 years or more
Better heatsinking would help! I have an Eager 1 Craftsman mower for like 20yrs plus. Maintained by me every year prior to use. Still going strong. Same muffler too!
You mentioned the engine creating fewer particles. I have changed my oil twice since I have owned it, and the oil still sparkles. I haven’t had to add any oil to it in two years. Maybe because I changed the oil at the end of each season, my engine doesn’t require a top off because my engine isn’t being worn by particles.
Even brand new a Briggs will burn oil, it's not about wear they just aren't made with tight tolerances. Wich basically is the same thing as being worn out. I used to ride a riding lawn mower around the yard all the time and I never needed to add oil. I thought I was putting a lot of use on it, but when my dad's kawasaki engine bent a pushrod on his lawn service mower, he had to take my Briggs that was on the tractor. 1 week of serious use on the thing and it needed oil. Two years of use and it blew a hole through the piston. It's in the scrap pile now (it had also started smoking blue from oil consumption) if your engine wasn't a Briggs then it's not hard to believe that it doesn't burn oil
I had one of these engines brought to me with about 3 ounces of oil (mud) in the crankcase. I changed oil in it twice to clean it out. The owner never read the part about adding oil. When I looked up that part in the manual Briggs suggested changing the oil annually. Makes me wonder? Thanks for all of your great and entertaining videos.
My neighbor and I both have mowers with this engine. He changes his every season and I change mine every two. My grandfather told me a story about something similar back in the day with cars; they would change the filter only and then add oil back instead of draining all the oil. Still disappointed with the leadership at B&S. Thanks for the explanation.
Mine has a drainplug underneath. Remove blade, drain oil. While oil is draining, sharpen and balance the blade. Check and change air filter if necessary. Install drainplug and fill with oil. Come on folks, it isn't that difficult or time consuming. Both of my grandfathers were doing that into their mid 80's.
@@muziklvr7776 Most of my small engines have drain plugs. I either tilt them to drain the oil, or use a vacuum fluid extractor. My thought is there is less room for human error (leaving plug loose or a bad gasket/washer resulting in a leak).
@@Hubjeep I've been changing oil on small engines and autos for 30 years now. Never left a drainplug untorqued (yes, I use a torque wrench on everything). Use a new washer every time unless it's a quality made copper washer.
@@muziklvr7776 When it comes to autos I use a new washer and torque the plug if it's not my vehicle (friends or neighbors). I'll notice a leak, and check the level on my vehicles.
What I have run into, since this never change oil idea, customers read never change just add oil, the customers are adding oil every season, so they add too much, and blow the head gasket because of to much oil in crankcase, I've done 7 this season alone, briggs needs to reword it, "Only add oil when needed" check the dipstick, and when they are adding oil 3x out of 7, they added a quart.... Not Oz, I shook my head.
Saw a nice self propelled mower in a pawn shop. In a puddle of oil. Oil coming out of the muffler. Someone had filled it all the way up to the cap. They probably told one of the kids that worked there to make sure the mower is full of oil. I got it cheap because I had a good engine for it. I pulled a mower out of a dumpster with the same problem.
Years ago I knew I guy that had an old Chevy that burned and leaked so much oil that he had to add oil so frequently he called it self changing. Who would have thought that one day he would become the head engineer at Briggs and Stratton!😅
I agree. Just adding, the best auto mechanic I know says that changing the oil to often on some of the newer vehicles will cause problems. Says it's the way some of the sensors and the variable timing/cams work, their designed and programmed on the oil being x viscosity and then thinning. He's the guy that fixes what the other shops can't figure out. He has me convinced 7k and no sooner. Even if it were some kinda sabotage thing, he knows all he'd benefit from me is a few free beers while he was pointing what to do.
My Honda car wants 0W-20 oil so I must use synthetic. I don't drive much so even though the oil life monitor says 50 to 60%, change it as the manual states, once a year max. The oil comes out quite dark.
Way back in the 80’s a buddy had a Plymouth Horizon (or Dodge Omni?). He installed a suplemental toilet paper oil filter. Every 3000 miles he changed both the regular and toilet paper filters, added a quart and motored on. Never pulled the oil pan plug and drained it all. He traded it in with over 100,000 miles. The dealership said they never saw one come back to the shop in that good condition mechanically. So it can be done.
The toilet paper oil filter (most likely Frantz) was the main reason for its longevity as is filters particles down below 1 micron and removes moisture from the oil which causes corrosion.
I started with a Frantz oil cleaner and Standard Delo 30W in 1963 on my Rambler American flat head 6. Everything I have owned since that has an oil pump has had a toilet paper filter installed. I went with the top loaders in the 80s. They are better set up for the modern toilet paper that is shorter and has a larger core. Of the ones I have now I like the Gulf Coast junior and the Australian Jackmaster Classic.All of the best ones are top loaders. My oldest toilet paper filter in use is a Motor Guard on the 76 F250 with the 390. Came across a couple Of older than dirt Frantzs. They need gaskets. I will put them on something.
In the 60s I changed the toilet paper every 2.000 miles and added a new quart of Delo. With these modern engines and synthetic oils I go 6.000 miles. Of course I drive mostly highway. With the lawn mowers I play it by ear. The Australian Jackmaster Classic claims 1 micron if you use their elements. They use a high quality roll of Australian toilet paper in a sock. About 20 bucks. I use Great Value 1000 from Walmart. Peasants have to make do. No pull ring. Have to remove the used paper with long nosed pliers.
I brought home a new 84 Subaru. I put Amsoil in the 5 speed. Put Mobil 1 15 50 racing oil in the engine. Put on a Frantz oil cleaner with the Frantz plate that replaces the full flow filter. In about 20 years and over 250.000 miles with no oil drains I mentioned it on RUclips. Got a sample kit from a Caterpillar lab manager. He said the oil looks good for that many miles. He found some caramelization. Suggested I change the Frantz every 6.000 miles instead of every 12.000 miles. The Frantz was doing its job. He didnt think it was getting enough new oil. Been doing 6.000 since. I normally keep the full flow filter and change it every 2 yoars. Some never change it. The paper pleats dont have an unliminated life in motor oil. Ive gone as long as 6 years and 65.000 miles. The pleats were rotten but still in one piece. Why chance it. If the toilet paper has been in there too long it wont be strong and tear at each sheet. They are trying to avoid being called a toilet paper filter because of all the bull shit stories.John Fr 0:00 antz wanted a filter media better than anything else thzt was economical.!
Dont know if you guys are familiar with the Frantz 3 stackers. Frantz had a 2 3 and 4 stacker. A Frantz dealer specialized putting them on large marine diesels. At some point them and the FAA approved AeroFrantz went out of production. He replaced the diesel filters with a filter that takes Bounty big roll paper towels. Thats the Gulf Coast filter company out of Gulfport Mississippi. My riding mowers use the Gulf Coast junior filters. I think they dropped the toilet paper filters. The Australian Jackmaster Classic is as good as the Gulf Coast junior. Not familiar with the other Jackmaster filters. Most people think oil is supposed to get dirty. Filters are supposed to get dirty.
Thank you for clearing this up! I always though tit was a tactic by Briggs to make the engine wear out faster so you have to buy a new mower every few years
You cant siphon all the big abrasives in the bottom of the engine. Probably best to drain thru the fill neck. I put it in a jug and let it settle out. When my big mowers that have toilet paper filters need oil I have it. When I change the toilet paper I need a quart of make up oil.
I have been using full synthetic oil in all my engine. As Briggs indicates, I top it off and replace the filters at 100 hours. If the oil becomes dirty before that, then I change everything. I also change the air and fuel filters when needed. I truly think that the higher heat rating of the synthetic oil overcomes many of the concerns with changing the oil. What's ur thoughts on that?
Briggs engine consume more oil than most other engines due to larger tolerances and lower oil capacity. Synthetic oil does not burn off in the combustion chamber leaving behind a harder carbon deposit compared to standard oil. A honda 160cc 6.0hp engine might consume 1/4 of a cup of oil every 2oo hours vs the same size brigs using 1/4 of a cup every 3-5 hours. I would suggest HD sae 30 in any briggs above 80f.
Ridiculous! Dumping new oil on top of old oil in an engine without any oil filtration it's like mixing dead batteries and new batteries in your TV remote. It's easy 1) remove dipstick 2) tip mower over with dipstick tube down and carburetor up and wait until all oil is empty 3) tip mower back over on all 4 wheels and refill the oil until full to manufacturer's specs. Oil change successful!
That's how I've done it on B&S Quantum engine for 27 years now (purchased in 1994). I would add that I get the oil hot first before changing. Also still using the same spark plug for 27 years now. I remove it at the start of each season, clean it and check gap. Still runs smooth.
Took me about 20 years to put 250.000 miles on a 84 Subaru with no oil drains. A Frantz oil cleaner and Mobil 1 15 50 racing oil. The Pontiac has 207.000 miles. About 70.000 since the last oil change. It has a Australian Jackmaster Classic oil cleaner and Walmart Super Tech synthetic in it. The 20 HP Kohler in the 2004 Craftsman has had one oil drain. All it does now is put my boat in the shed. Put a ball hitch on the front. It uses a Gulf Coast junior oil cleaner. It used Mobil . Had to drain the oil once because of gasoline in the oil. Too much fuel pressure. It now has Walmart synthetic.
I bought a John Deere LA100 in 2007 with the Riggs & Scraton 18 horse. I changed the oil for the first time last year just because I started watching the grass rats. So, the top off method does work.
Growing up, a friend had an older Nissan 4x4 pickup, more rust than steel, couple hundred k beater. It used a quart of oil pretty much daily with him driving to work. Every 3,000 miles he would drive up onto a bank oil filter side of the engine uphill, change the oil filter, and add a little oil. When he finally parked it it had over 400k. Not a new concept I guess, lol.
I went more extreme with oil burners. I figured the oil I was draining out if my other cars was perfectly good to run another few hundred miles in the oil guzzler.
We had a local guy that recyled his oil. Had a little miniature tank farm, let it settle for 5 years, I think, pumped from above the sludge, had a little almost lab, "cooked" tested, and put in additives. I guess it was what he done in the military, a little post Korea era. Was a smart dude, into all kinds of things, had all kinds of equipment. It looked more like wild honey than gold honey like valvoline, from what I seen it worked.
Yeah, storing the mower in the garage in the winter time you still get mouse in the motor and make a mess. I don't know why people think they don't have look in to check? Very good tip on the OHV. At one time I left old mower outside and for some reason it started in the spring with all the snow on top and water.
I think sorry i know i am with you on that one let the other idiots do as they wish and when they have spent God knows how much on new mowers the penny/dollar might just might drop ?????????
When I change the bypass filter on my engines it takes one quart of new oil to replace the dirty oil in the old filter element. Thats more oil than the engine holds. The filter element is Great Value 1000 from Walmart Scott 1000 is larger and needs more paper removed. My old Ford will take a 4 1/2 inch roll of Scott 1000. It has half a roll of Viva towels in it now.
IDK....I had a 1973 AMC Hornet back in high school which operated under the same concept. It was lose and burn a quart of oil every 500mi. It constantly had pretty fresh oil in it!lol!
Theory of replacing 20% of the oil Sounds like the same theory that was applied by Briggs behind the John Deere easy change oil system. Interesting to hear the engineering "logic" behind it. Always wondered what the heck Friggs and Strap-on was thinking with this. Thanks for the explanation, Taryl!
Never change your oil is a good way to sell more products. Most people do very little maintenance on their outdoor power equipment. Tip the mower over and change the oil. That's what I do with customer's equipment.
I'm thinking this has more to do with the EPA worrying about what people do with the oil once they change it and have a bottle of used oil sitting there. Do they give people one of those cheesy stamped spark plug sockets with the rod handle to change the spark plug? How the hell are people who can't change small engine oil suppose to remove and sharpen the blade? Won't be long, in the west, that they mandate everyone have a zero water lawn anyway.
@@hughbrackett343 imo, the actual reason is BS realizes they won't sell more mowers if they keep making them better, before electricity replaces petroleum. Guaranteed failure that won't happen for 3-5 years is a guaranteed future sale. There's nothing special about a mower that runs for 3-5 years, BS now just tells the morons to neglect maintenance, like they would have anyway!
So to be clear… What I hear you saying is: Make your cooling fins a nice, safe , cosy space for Fluffy. Leave a few tasty snacks for him, some nesting material and a “ Do Not Disturb” sign. That way, your engine will run at the perfect operating temperature.
The enginenerds make a lot of drawing board assumptions that don't hold up in the real world. One you pointed out is the cooling design failing and subsequent faster breakdown of the oil from the extra heat. Another assumption is that all of the engines will be manufactured the same. While QC is good in modern production, a guy could get an engine that joe shmoe on the assembly line forgot to blow out all the drill channels and left a bunch of shavings in the case or some critical dimensions were not met resulting in in extra metal particles in the oil. Yeah, I don't like to change oil but like so many other things, I do it anyway. I wish they would still put a drain plug at the bottom of the mower to make it easy on the people who don't give in to laziness.
I have one of those engines on my Craftsman self propelled walk behind mower and it works great, I've never had a problem with it, although I do change the oil every couple of years!
Wait Wait , So you still have to replace the air filter an spark plug , an keep fins clean --- Curse You B&S , Hey I know how to reduce service time on my Mower - I can hire the neighbor kid to mow the yard 👍😜
I love the new plastic carb briggs. The slightest hint of moisture or dirt in the carb and they won't start. Takes me about 5 mins to pop the carb apart and clean it. Running and fully serviced in about 10. That works out to around 300 bucks an hour lol
A somewhat different philosophy from my old Briggs and Stratton 190cc engine that has a pressure lubrication system and even a tiny spin-on oil filter (on a push mower)... they meant that engine to last. I had a mower with one of the ”never change oil, just check and add” engines, but I still changed the oil a couple times a season. Eventually that engine sheared a flywheel key and with the flywheel itself being made out of some sort of soft alloy (maybe old cheese...), the keyway in the flywheel also got trashed. Pulled that engine apart for spare bits. Wasn't worth putting a new flywheel on that POF.
I agree with a lot of the other comments. Built in obsolescence so you have to keep buying new lawn mowers. Myself I prefer two stroke small engines. I have two old small lawn mowers. Never do anything to them until they stop. Replace the odd diaphragm and plug. Blow out the air filters occasionally and they keep running. More power to weight. I have a 40 year old chain saw just the same. Most failures of modern engines due to electronic and or emissions control devices. Good reason to keep hold of the old stuff.
With all the trucks running all day, only the government would be concerned about a 4-5 horse lawnmower that might run for an hour once a week. Peak government efficiency. Lol
lol, this isn't a new thing, most all the engines I have had since back in the 70's never got their oil changed,, I just kept putting oil in as it got low. lol
One of my only absolute truths is "change your oil". I'm glad my Dad didn't see this. ;) Briggs and Scrattons must have been lasting too long. "Hey lets come up with a new 'never change your oil concept' so we can get these engines to wear out and sell them new ones". I've got a Toro recycler with a Briggs 6HP I bought about 20 years ago that still starts first or second pull even after sitting all winter. I change the oil in the spring every year. Runs like a clock and doesn't burn oil. Change your oil! lol
I have a 20 year old Toro self propelled recycler as well, always starts the first time. Runs like new.
Got an old Toro recycler with a Suzuki 2 stroke from the 80s. Starts first pull every time and never needs an oil change.
Ran a 2001 personal pace recycler with the 6hp Briggs quantum for 15 years with about 6 years mowing 4 to 5 yards per week. She would seemingly randomly consume oil but ran perfect with oil changes once a month.
Agreed. I think Briggs and Stratton is seeing more and more battery powered mower competition and is trying to capture some of that audience. My old 80's Briggs was a bottom of the line cheapo and it got better as the years passed by as far as easy starting. That thing was indestructible and didn't even seem to care about oil! Of course it probably was a disaster as far as clean air, but it always ran great!
I've got a mower that never needs an oil change, just add oil to it. It was made back in 1979, its called a Lawn Boy. Starts on the second pull and cuts like a dream. A true high point in American engineering with its high quality materials and construction, not to mention an engine that seems to last forever. I also have a 1956 model, i kid you not it starts on the first pull every single time.
YES!! I like my lawnboy 2 stroke engine mower with that great 32:1 mix oil/gas..they are lightweight and great for yards with hills.. youll never worry about lack of oil in the crankcase on hills and burn up the engine 👍👍
Love my 'ole Lawn Boy as well. 30 years old, and I kid you not, I still haven't replaced the self propel drive belt. One coil, and a bunch of spark plugs is all I've ever had to do.
@@WJCTechyman parts are very easy to find for F series engined lawn boys. The F series was produced from 1978 to 2000. I just picked up another 1979 7268 with very low hours for $90. Even came with the original owners manual.
@@WJCTechyman I have an hrs21 that's nearly 40 year's old. Amazing lawnmower still in use. They were pricy but the best bargain at the same time. I'm estimating it has about 400 hour's on it as it probably got 100 hours a year for the first three years then the lawn got drastically smaller. Now we get it out mostly just for fun maybe an hour a year. There's some newer honda models that don't have near the decks on them as the old hrs21s' had.
I've have a 1968 D400 and 1981? D600 2 stroke Lawn Boys. The older one has a magnesium deck. It had issues with the drive belt staying on the pulleys so I long ago converted it to a push mower. The newer one has a shaft type drive mechanism but the rollers on the tires slip as they are worn. Both run but had issues with the thick grass I have and want a self propelled mower. They are curious toys that kill mosquitoes as you cut grass! One day I will find a good home for them.
I bought a Briggs & Stratton flathead this year. I bought it used from a lawn mower dealer. It is the last lawn mower I'll ever buy because I'm old now. To commemorate the occasion, I bought the kind I like. It gets well treated. I clean all the grass off the bottom so it doesn't rust. I paint underneath. This fall, I'm going to run it out of gas and while it's still warm, change the oil. Not only will it outlive me, but the next two owners as well. That's the plan.
Smart move. I bought a Toro Recycler in 1999 with a B&S flathead. The "GTS 6.0". Never even changed the original oil until it was 8 years old. Get this... I finally drained the oil and then realized I didn't have any fresh oil. So I drove to Murray's (O'Reilly's now) to get some 30 weight. *While I was gone* my wife (attempted to) cut our lawn (1/3 acre). I didn't tell her I had just drained the push mower. She didn't get 1/2 done before the engine seized from no oil being in it! Boy was it hot. I let it cool off and put new oil in it. Started right up. It's had a hard life where we live now. Very dusty. Barely uses oil still. 2nd oil change was 17 years in. That thing just keeps going. I'm pushing 60 and I think it's going to outlive me. I love that thing. It's so quiet and strong. I get the move to OHV with all the tree-hugging and such, but flatheads are amazing. Enjoy your purchase. Us OGs know quality because we grew up with it. 👍🏻
I made a flathead lawnmower from two broken mowers that my father-in-law gave me for free. I used it for 13 years then I gave it away because my father died and left me a self-propelled Personal Pace mower that I will never give up.
@@wsbill14224 I hope your Personal Pace mower has a Briggs & Stratton flathead engine. If it doesn't, you should keep one on hand that does in case of an early wear-out.
One thing that often gets missed: the EPA demands manufacturers provide a projected lifespan for small engines. This is to get an estimate of how much carbon it will emit over its lifespan. This gives manufacturers an “out” for building the entire unit to last only the projected lifespan. This “never change the oil” works within the parameters set by the EPA, but not if you’re expecting an indefinite useful life from your mower.
LAWN MOWERS WILL KILL THIS PLANET CANT STOP LAUGHING JESUS GIVE ME STRENGHT TO CARRY ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, I find the same with the newer cars I have. Instead of a standard 1 quart oil filter, they use a 1/2 quart sized one so they can tell the epa that they cut oil needs down by 10%. 5 - 4.5
That's great! Then just put on full size oil filters and change it the old fashioned way, and short-circuit the EPA silly requirement. I appreciate the manufacturers doing this and finding a way to comply while still giving us a good product.
@@davidquinn9676 Well, it might not be that simple. After all, if the unit is rated for 100 hours of use total, why bother with a crank, piston, cylinder, or gears that last longer? Why not make everything out of cardboard and krazy glue? These companies design around use cases, and the use case is limited lifespan.
My Honda NEVER needs added oil. It looks as clean at the end of the season as it did at the start. I change the oil at the end of each season, replacing air filter and plug. Old oil back in the new oil bottle and take it to the gas station. 15 minute job. Not using oil must mean it is burning cleaner than that new BS engine. No? Chickanic has an episode where she pours that "no-change" oil out and it looks like tar. And, fins are dirty, air filter all plugged up. People lazy in one area are generally lazy everywhere. BS knows their new thing will last just a bit longer than the warranty. Maybe by mere days.
I now know why the "engineers" get the big bucks. I could never construct that creative load of bravo sierra.
Regardless of their directions, it's absolute nonsense to think for one second, that people even check the oil level, or air filter, replace the sparkplug or scrape the deck. Fact; people do not maintain their vehicles, and their lawn equipment- forget about it.
@@metoon3092 you are absolutely right.
@@metoon3092 ironically, when I bought my lawnmower at the depot, it was boxed with no oil in crankcase, a small one use container was included. Easy enough to figure out. They opened the box in front of me to verify it was there, and made sure they explained to put it in before starting it. You know why? Mower after mower are returned wrecked by the customer, they claim “what container? there was no bottle in the box”.
You also have to consider they are up against being obsoleted by cordless mowers, if I had to buy a new mower, electric only.
I would’ve had it if you said got the big bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a "Caldor" 20" mower that I bought in 1988. It has a Briggs flatheat engine. It still runs perfect. I keep the air filter clean and oiled, the spark plug changed,the blades sharp, and I change the oil every couple of years...
I just had to replace the throttle cable. The deck cracked a few years back and my friend Frank welded it for me. I like the pollutants....
I still use the Coleman 17 ft plastic canoe i bought at the Tunxis Hill Caldor in the early 80s.
Throttle ? What's that ? Old school technology. Ahh haa
@@4sl648 "Old is Good !"
and they try to tell us that we are the ones killing the environment... Meanwhile the landfills and scrapyards are all FULL of 3 year old modern crap!
I've got the same one. Friend of mine gave it to me, 30 years ago. Rebuilt the carb once, change the oil once a year at the end of the season, starts on the 1st or 2ng pull. Briggs 3.5 hp. Great machine!
My grandfather who was a farmer never changed oil in his small engines. His theory was the same as what you read------adding oil when it is low is just like changing the oil over time. NOT. It wasn't until I became older (teens) and appreciated the wisdom of changing oil from a mechanic neighbor. Ever since I have been an oil change fanatic in all me internal combustion engines. I am 70 years old and have never had an engine seize up or blow up in all those years. I believe in regular oil changes and I'll bet you do to even if you don't say so in this video.
Sir I am of the same age and you are right its just common sense but let all these smart asses get their way it will come full circle mark my words they are idiots !!
I agree with you 100% Change the oil its cheap insurance.
Since you're 70 I'm going to guess your grandfather's small engines had total loss oil systems like ancient Harleys.
When I was a kid my dad bought a old pickup for his business. He removed the drain plug on the engine and nothing came out! He used something to poke through the sludge and got the oil to drain out. He filled it full of diesel cranked engine but didn't start it. Did that several times. He finally filled it with oil, started it and it smoked like crazy! Must have broke the carbon/sludge away from the rings! Ha!
Ya but these guys went thru the depression and they will never throw anything away, even old oil
I am firmly in the change oil camp. I got 17 years out of a mower I found on the curb that was already 2 years old. Cast iron cyl tecumish 3.5 hp. I left it for the people that bought my house, as it still ran.
They ran them for 600 hours under "laboratory" conditions. Which mean 70 degrees F, under no load, and clean air. In the real world the oil would last 1/4th of that time. I frequently cut grass when the air temp is over 90 F and in dusty air conditions in deep grass.
How long do you think it would take a person to reach 200 hours on that mower? Probably years. No one is using this on even a half acre, they all buy riding mowers if they have half of that!
Actually, it the lab were caught doing that, they'd probably be decertified. They're tasked to replicate actual use conditions which can range from the cold of the Dakotas to the less chilly locale of Death Valley.
200 hours would take about 4-5 years for most people with a quarter acre I would guess. The reality is that most people don’t ever change the oil or any filters anyway. After 5-6 years of the thing won’t start or the motor craps out they go buy a new machine for 180 bucks at a big box store.
@@jdraupp My Briggs from the year 2000 just recently "crapped" out. I expect the replacement to last 5 years max.
@@jdraupp They would've definitely bought a new one before that since they likely ruined the carb with stale gas. Used to see it a lot when I worked in tool repair.
Oil change is cheap insurance for a longer life.
That's what I think. Not buying any of this don't change your oil stuff. My wife's Toyota manual says you only need to change your oil once/year or 10,000 miles. Bull! She gets an oil change at 5000 miles, period.
I can forsee alot of folks neglecting to use clean fuel(debris,etc), change or clean the air filter out, and change spark plugs, plus possibly end up Overfilling the crankcase since maybe an oz of oil or two a year will do depending upon your hours.
@@jws3925 my car always says 10k per change. Longest I've gone is 7k and the oil was putrid dirty. Too dirty frankly. Maybe it still lubed well and hadn't broken down, but I don't want all that carbon in there.
A friend of mine has one. Gonna watch what it does. Hey 600 hrs is good
We need some to test it it reason with a lawnmower get 2 from Walmart next spring. Use them every other cutting one just add the other change it.
I am not a fan of these engines. There are a lot of cost cutting. A lot more plastic, plastic gears and inside the engine, the junky plastic carburetors, the flimsy plastic air filter housing that holds on the carburetor is attached to a dinky piece of sheet metal, and a design flaw with the auto choke rubbing against the sheet metal that somehow holds down the carburetor. Better designed engine my ass. The Briggs quantum engines that came before it were built much better and much easier and cheaper to work on. I still have customers with those engines built in the 90s and they are still going strong. Then again they weren’t lazy and actually took care of their equipment having me service it at least once a season.
I have never owned or worked on one. however, I don't like the thought process behind it. Seems like this is like most of the other stuff that is being made lately, make it cheaper! with no regard to serviceability or longevity. The stupid government regs don't help either.
It's what people want.
Buy mower
Cut grass
Few years later buy another mower
Bitch about how the last one was shit.
Repeat.
I'm still running my 96' Craftsman lawn mower with the Briggs engine. No major repairs and starts in a couple pulls. I change the oil and use ethanol free gas.
Plastic carbs _ROCK_ ! Quantum's have plastic gears ! The Quantum and it's fine plastic cover with the primer bulb,. that's a Fail from the get go !
Quantum plastic intake tube, yes, _QUALITY_ design again! BTW, I prefer the Quantum engines, but their problematic as well.
Agree, give me an old school B&S engine any day. I once bought a dead B&S engine in a box at a flea market and then rebuilt it in a small engine class in High School. I got an A in the class, and my dad ran that engine for more than 10 years until he sold the mower it was on. The old Briggs engines were built like tanks.
When I worked at deere it always amazed me how many people brought push mowers in for service. At $100/hr plus parts you'd be better off running it till it quits and buying a new one every 2-3 years.
Deere takes people for a ride, pun intended, though
I like my old Deere push mower. Of course, I didn't pay a thing for it... was given to me by someone who himself acquired it used and never quite got it running right. I cleaned out the water, gas, sludge mix in the fuel system, installed a new carburetor, changed the oil, checked the air cleaner, and it's a pretty good runner. Still has just a little trouble with hot restarts, but I'm happy with the $30 or so I've put into it. It's also notably quieter than other push mowers I've owned.
@WorldPowerLabs hot restarts problem might be a piston ring issue if they ran it so hot and never checked or changed the oil. Might be losing slight compression when getting hot and then when the engine cools and the parts tighten back up it starts up again
Most people will not put 200 hours on the mower over the entire life cycle of the mower. Plenty of people never change the oil, and the decks rot out before the engine blows. Ethanol fuel kills the carbs long before the engine oil ever does. Unfortunately, we have become a throw away nation. This is the new normal. No point in maintaining it, just make it cheaper to replace. However, those that do take care of it will reap the benefits of longer life from these, just as they did back in the day. The only real flaw I see in this sytem is they do not deal with accumulated moisture in the engine. Yes, running it hot and long enough will boil off the moisture, but you still have sub par lubrication during that cycle of getting it up to temp and running it long enough.
Good to see these are still being built in the USA though!
Ethanol is corrosive to your cylinder walls, it causes oil to break down, you will see more moisture in your oil, and contamination of your engine oil. I know this because I send oil to Cat Diesel for oil analysis even on my lawn mower.
I agree with you most people do not put enough hours on a mower, few change oil, and few maintain anything these days they just throw it away. As for accumulated moisture in the crankcase it will just contaminate your oil causing more wear if you don't believe me send some off for analysis.
Yeah it's great to continue in the tradition of junk engines being made in the USA....
If the materials where designed for it, ethanol won't be an issue, unless it sits for a few months. Got small engines that are decades old, and spend a lot of time outside. But they get ran weekly, and fueled monthly at the latest. Running compressors or pumps. No ethanol issues. Just change the oil, plug, and filter when needed. On stuff that'll sit more than a few months, I run non ethanol fuel though it before it sits around.
The etching of aluminum, or plugging of passages is from sitting with moisture. Either don't let it sit, with old oil and ethanol fuel, or run non ethanol fuel and put in fresh oil before you finish up with it for the year.
I don't think moisture is much of a problem in a lawn mower engine unless someone has a tiny yard and only uses the mower for a couple minutes at a time. All of my small engines easily get the oil well over 212 degrees within minutes during the summer. My lawn mower has a Briggs and Stratton 500E engine and I regularly see the oil get to 250-280 degrees F just cutting moderately tall grass in 90-100 degree weather, which is quite typical of small engines in my experience. Water won't last long when exposed to that much heat. Not that changing the oil regularly is a bad idea if you want your equipment to last though.
@@averyalexander2303 I had the 500E 140cc Briggs in my mower and just upgraded to a Honda this week. I had it since new for 4 years and changed the oil religiously and also the spark plug and air filter (which is just a piece of foam). I never had to clean the carb and still started on the 1st pull but the fuel cap started leaking fuel and the PCV tube started spitting out oil and leaving an oil stain on the deck everytime I mowed. (And no, it was not overfilled with oil). It was also very underpowered and bogged down in tall grass. These cheap Briggs engines are just not made to last.
The Honda is a night and day difference in terms of quality and power output. Metal carb, fuel shut off, gasketed paper air filter, clicking gas cap, very light engine brake, smooth and quiet operation.
Awesome video, I kinda have a hard time believing the No Oil change system will make the engine last. Think about it folks dirty oil acts like sandpaper.
it does, but this is an engineering decision, will the engine last well enough to satisfy the consumer who buys this mower. I suspect the target consumer would buy an electric.
@Benjamin Burlos I mean if they want to engineer a push mower engine that lasts forever it would have a gigantic air filter with a cyclonic prefilter separator.
It would have an external oil cooler, spin on filter and a capacity of 2+ quarts.
Around here we have sandy soils and what tends to happen is the sand erodes the deck before the engine dies. But you have to keep that sand out of the engine.
Ya would still use a vacuum pump once a year get all the old oil out and replace with new, it’s a small amount of oil, and vacuum pump can cleanly put the oil into a old water bottle. Really can’t get any easier then that, no tipping the mower over no tools or torque specs to worry about
@Benjamin Burlos yea but that oil that's still in there, what's it doing? Dirty oil sandpaper, wearing the engine out.
@@pbgd3 Great idea. I would upgrade to a dry sump oiling system and or add a manual or electric oil pump to bring my oil pressure up before I turn my engine over this would save on wear during starting.
the engineers have designed a DISPOSABLE engine: use for two seasons, then toss out. They assume no gas in crank case from a stuck needle or moisture in humid climate.... what bunch of marketing crap
Maybe somebody should ask about the environmental cost of putting a mower in the landfill and building a new one.
@@wryanddry2266 it's not about saving the environment, it's about control...
@@DC_PRL finally somebody else gets it all about control and money the epa has done nothing good for the environment they’ve harmed it more than any of us ever can imagine
@@nick00work people are catching on...play a game...read off any any alphabet soup gov agency name...then realize, they're opposite of that, haha
Neghibors recently bought one of them new mowers with that engine and around the same time I started using a 1964 Jacobson with a 2 1/2 Briggs let’s see which one still runs in 2 seasons
I inherited a B & S Flat Head Makita mower from my Dad. It is about 12 years old and did about 45 mins work every week, for the first few years by my Dad and then by a local kid for the last few years. Dad never changed the oil, ever. He now has people mow his lawns and they have their own mower so he gave me his. I swapped the black grease in the sump for fresh oil and it still make no visible smoke, starts first pull and never misses a beat. Shows they make 'em tough.
I'm a techie and I don't call that an "L" head. I have called people that though.
Old 4-cyl Jeep engines were L heads, later were F heads (intake valve in the head, exhaust valve in the block). 134
@@Hubjeep I have a 134 F head , Runs real quiet.
@@Hubjeep my 64 Rambler American flat head 6 was called a L head. Always wondered where the L came from. Dad brought a 33 Willys 77 home once Of course it had a L head 4 Jeep engine. The engine was so worn when we came to a hill we kids had got out and pushed. Dad scrapped it with the Hupmobile that had a L head 6. Wouldnt I love to have them now.
I've been a grass rat all my life I'm also an engineer it seems that they manufacture things to break these days not the last
I also know why we change oil,
those little particals floating in the old oil act like sandpaper on the internal parts.
I will stick with the L or Flat head design.
Very good job on the explanation on the new design.
Luv your channel
Why not run it half out of oil and then you can do a half-ass oil change.
The ohh engine is junk
They should have it run on oil and eliminate the need for gas.
Lynn H, they should throw little diesels in the mowers just above this level cuz they use 1/4 of the fuel, the fuel doesn’t go bad, they won’t die. They’ll run on anything, & if they burn a tad bit of oil you’ll just get a little more power cuz it’ll run on it.
I used to run my little Yanmar l70 engine on oil before the filters kept clogging cuz there no pump to push the fuel through the filter, then I switched back to diesel fuel, & it’s been great!
@@michaelbenoit248 Why not stop being a lazy POS and spend 10 minutes changing the damn oil!
@@michaelbenoit248 Poor idea and erroneous statements in your comment. I have 3 Kubotas (small. med, large). Diesels require more maintenance than gas engines and are annoying; I can't imagine a small, walk-behind diesel mower such as pictured.
I don't know how I missed this one but very funny. Grass sandwich. Thanks for explaining that concept, I never would have guessed.
Most people gum up there carburetors and throw the mowers away before they need there 1st oil change.
THEIR
I change mine once a year but you're speaking facts.
True
And I hope then never catch on. If it weren’t for dirty carbs and slipped flywheel keys I might need to buy new equipment one of these days.
And most walk-behind mowers really don’t get a lot of hours on them. 20, 30 hours a year? I still don’t buy the no oil change logic, though. It only holds 16 oz to start with and just 12 at the “add” mark. That’s not much. It would be interesting to run two identical mowers in actual service for 30-40 hrs a year, one with annual oil changes and the other with none. See which one poops out first.
Thanks for the detailed information, Taryl!
I got a Toro with one of these engines from a Dealer, not an "orange" or "blue" big box store, in 2017 and was wary of this "Just Check & Add" business. The woman who owned the place explained this "theory" to some extent but recommended, if this was the most money I could afford and I needed to keep the mower for awhile, to go ahead and change the oil after the first 5 hours, then every Fall, along with cleaning the mower and changing the air filter and at least checking and cleaning the spark plug, if not replacing it every year (a Canadian channel I watch, the guy LOVES cleaning spark plugs and using them again). Have to say, I'm kind of excited to see how long I can get this mower to last, with all the negative Comments people make about, not only the "Check & Add" thing, but the plastic carburetors. I understand plastic gearing inside is bad (and, from the research I've done, seems to only be in engines on Toros sold through the "Orange" and "Blue" places, along with other "cost-cutting features!") but I don't get why folks are so upset about a plastic carb. I also run the gas out every Fall and unscrew the drain plug to let any extra drops of gas evaporate and I've not had a problem . . . yet.
The no-change-um oil system seems perfectly reasonable. In my inventory of small engines, most were pulled off the curb. But everything pulled off the curb, the reason for it being there was something *other* than the motor being broken. Broken wheels, broken self-propel, broken trimmer shaft, line dispense, throttle/safety cables, etc. Frankly, even with this new system, the engine will still be better than the rest of the mower around it. Looking at Taryl's example, there is a paper-thin deck, spindly wheels, and cheap-ass cables. Guaranteed the engine will outlast the rest of that pile of garbage.
$5.00 a quart = -$700.00 engines/ $1,500.00 lawnmowers - both plus mileage! 🚫🇨🇳🇻🇳
I’ll still stick with my oil changes and routine maintenance…. To me this just check and add as needed idea seems a whole lot like they designed the motor to have major oil burn issues right from the factory…. Most regular push mowers hold less than a full quart of oil, if you’re burning 4 ounces every few times you use it I feel like you’re burning the oil off and in turn ire really changing it anyway kinda because it’s not in the mower long enough to age before burning off…. They basically took away the 1st step (drain oil) and replaced it with allowing blow by/ burn off as a drain
Talk about cheap assed cables. I have some cheap assed cables on a couple of my blade engagements.
"Don't hit a stunp" 🤣
I've been not changing the oil in my push mower for a decade. I I think Briggs should compensate me monetarily for stealing my idea.
My sister found a self propelled push mower on the side of the road that was seemingly in like new condition(no rust) and she asked me why oil would be all over the top of the deck, I told her to look for a hole in the side of the block and sure enough there was, when I looked at it, the oil that was still in it, was jet black, complete with lots of glitter. I noticed it had that "just check and add" on it, so I pulled an engine off a self propelled mower with a rotted out deck and replaced the blown engine with it and she still has that mower 2 years later..... I don't like that just check and add, as far as I know air cooled engines almost always run hotter than water cooled engines, the oil in a car engine needs to be changed periodically regardless of the oil filter, cooler operating temp and better engine clearences, now imagine a push mower engine that runs hotter, does NOT filter it's oil and has lower quality parts.......
Finally someone gets it
Good point, but you are missing something. The never change oil engines burn oil, and of course you are expected to add oil as needed. So the oil is effectively getting replaced over time as it burns it's oil off and you have to add fresh oil. This still has the flaw though that you are never gonna get the metal mixed with the oil out if you don't change it
@@mondude9754Et des boues se déposeront dans le carter, et finiront par détruire le moteur, par manque de lubrification. R.I.P. petit moteur 😢.
I have serious doubts concerning the efficacy of this system.
Where does the dirt eventually go? Stays in there. Then what happens? I guess we will see.
Kablooey!
I figure that when I can't manage to change oil once a season, I'll start hiring someone to mow the lawn.
An yes, that'll be some super sludge in the sump quickly.
It might be okay for a snowblower, but not so much for a lawnmower.
The oil will come out very easily at some point when you least expect it
Engineered to fail ! That way the company sells more engines!
All of my lawn equipment engines get their oil changed for every mowing season, just like my snowblower gets an oil change before winter. Doing this has prevented my engines from burning oil and they stay nice and clean inside. I check the oil all season long and it’s extremely rare for me to add oil during the season. My opinion of not changing the oil on ANY internal combustion engine running on gasoline is a recipe for disaster. These little engines don’t hold a lot of oil to begin with and they most definitely need regular oil changes. I think Briggs and Scrapple came out with the never change oil nonsense to compete with the battery powered lawn equipment craze. Think about it everyone.
Ha, i first read that line as "every morning" then quickly realized it was "every mowing"
The old flat heads can run alot cleaner and effecient just with a simple port job, and they have much more power no longer wanting to stall in longer grass, done it to four mowers for fun never ceases to amaze me how much better they run.
Can you show it or do you know a vid of how to ? Would like to know how it works on a 5 hp.
I've ported some flatties. Not racing kind of stuff but removing casting flash and sharp edges with a Dremel, and they do run a bit better.
@@Chappomusic watch the channel cars and cameras
I have ported and relieved many flathead engines, and yes it is worth the time/effort to do it. Sadly its turning into a lost art these days.
@@davidcoudriet8439 Pocket porting is what I call it. Just remove a little bit it helps and usually is better than hogging out too much material from the ports.
Love this channel thank you so much for everything you do!
I also have this Mower and have had it for 5 years. it runs great and does a great job but the never change oil feature really seemed weird to me as for after the break-in oil had so much metal flake in it I was very uncomfortable with proceeding without changing. because there's no drain plug I've got to tip it upside down to drain it or use a vacuum pump. I usually cut under 5 acres worth of grass a year with it. I keep the mower VERY clean and I even did a deck discharge modification by shaving off a little extra on the hole in order to prevent buildup keepS the grass flowing and blowing something I learned from another person. It works really well and I can cut Tall Grass without slowing. After that modification the Mulcher plug doesn't work so I drilled holes in order to put in a metal shield if I want to use the bagger or mulcher. My mower still looks new because I take care of my stuff. There's no way I'd ever run a mower without changing the oil. The concentration of metal flake and build up with just add feature just seems ridiculous and a set up for failure no matter how the tests are performed in a lab. After the break-in oil look like somebody dumped a bottle of glitter in. I change my oil every year before I put it away for the winter. My mower uses zero oil. I won't let a concentration of metal flake wear my motor down where it starts using oil.
Again thank you so much for all your videos you've helped me through a lot of idling hands hours of my life to fill me with knowledge😊 your comedy as well as your detailed explanation and walkthroughs far surpass many channels.❤ I show my father your channel now he wants to become a grass rat too😂 much love and respect for how hard you work to produce content
So debris never get removed from the engine...sounds good to me!
The debris gets burned off or stuck to a big magnet in the block.
@@lynnh7694 You must be talking about that aluminum magnet.
@@tommak6516 it you have an aluminum magnet, I would like to see it.
@@lynnh7694 I was being sarcastic, the block etc. are aluminum so having a magnet for ferrous materials is of limited value in these engines.
@@tommak6516 I figured that you were kidding. But, all of the vital parts are metal. It would be like doing a magnet test on the old oil that you drained out of a motorcycle. Magnetics could change the game in small motors.
Great Video and explanation as always!! While it seems crazy that many people are "intimidated" by changing the oil on a lawn mower, it's true. I've seen it 1st hand. It's a great marketing concept by Briggs, as they have probably done well selling these "no oil change" mowers to certain consumers that this appeals to. The irony is that the type of people who don't/won't change their oil, CERTAINLY will not change the air filter, and ABSOLUTELY will not change the spark plug. Not a chance. This isn't anything against Briggs. It's just good marketing on their part, to fill a demand.
My neighbor buys high end gas power equipment, but has never changed the oil on any of it, he informed me a few months ago. He said he knows he is supposed to, but really didn't know how, and didn't feel comfortable doing it. He's a smart guy, too, but not with power equipment. Over a beer in my driveway, I showed him how to change the oil in his $900 snowblower, and his lawnmower. He couldn't believe how easy it was.
Thanks for another awesome video!!!
This engine would have never been produced in the 90s or before. I've thought for years that the most durable outdoor power equipment was made from the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s. Companies started cutting corners whether it was increased use of plastic, cheap Chinese manufacturing or just a general lack of quality in the name of increased profit and higher share prices, starting in the 1990s. Lawn Boy, Toro, Homelite and McCulloch were perfect examples of this.
My OHV Briggs mower lasted 15 years with only a single oil change just after break-in. The only reason I retired it, was the deck rusted through. The motor still ran strong.
I love the old L Head ( flat head engine,s ) I've seen the no change oil system thank you taryl for your help with this matter
I came here for the strait-shoot from Grass Rats crew after beginning service on a mower purchased late last year. You do not disappoint. The "Never change your oil" sticker was not something I noticed until just today when looking for a drain plug. This sticker does not jibe with the amount of silver I am seeing on the dipstick. Granted this is still the break-in period for the motor at about 5.5 hours of run time but leaving that glitter in the engine seems not like a great idea. Briggs used to call for an oil change after 5 hours break-in. I might send the oil out for analysis, not sure yet. Depends on the cost of the test since the engine is being run regardless until it blows up or fails to start reliably. Well, on the plus side these do start nice with a single easy pull even after sitting for the winter.
If owners of these machines can't or won't do a simple oil change, it's highly doubtful that they will remove covers and shrouds to properly clean the cooling fins...
@Marko Mundo
Excellent point..
@@davidcoudriet8439 thanks, David.
So, in 1966 Dad bought a new 22 in. Sycamore mower from a WT Grant store. 3.5 hp Briggs, with the windup starter. I still have this and is a one or two pull start to this day. My point is that there is no substitute for changing the oil on these; is how he trained me and is what I do on all vehicles today.
We need an "Uncle Andy Goes to the Chiropractor" episode. : ) Thumbs up! The old L-head motors were great. If you canged the oil they would last for 20 years or more.
How about Uncle Andy goes to the massage parlor. The masseuse is missing teeth.
The way you fix the messy part of changing oil is putting a drain plug on the bottom of deck. Had an older murray that was set up that way. Move the blade out of the way, put a Tupper ware bowl under it and drain. Clean and easy.
The drain plug located under the deck of a lawnmower is failure waiting to happen! I work on engines so I'm pretty good with knowing what I'm talking about. That plug has never been removed 9 times out of 10 and was probably factory sealed, And your more likely than not to crack the case around the plug then get it to come out without problems. Better safe than sorry I turn the mower on it's side with oil fill tube removed so I can mow another day 😁
Yes I hold the plastic drain pan against the oil filler tube as I tilt the mower over. No spills. I'd never think of trying to remove the nut and make an oily mess for sure.
I just use an oil extractor through the dipstick tube. You can also tip the mower on its side and dump the oil out the tube (and some mower manuals specifically call for using the latter method).
16:53 Yes, but did they actually mow with them or did they just run them in a control room? (no debris)
Love these videos. Got some interesting information and a huge dose of comedic entertainment. Thanks!
I think they had a problem with burning the oil too fast so they fixed it, they came up with check and fill so every time you check the oil your add some and their problem is fixed. "And there's your dinner" lmfao
Great theory!
I bought a lawn mower with a briggs engine a couple years ago (not sure if it was the one shown). My lawn mower does not use any measurable oil over a year (season). It gets good use (more than 40 hours) so it is not because it is never run.
Finally someone gets it
LOL
I always thought they basically designed these engines to burn oil as an excuse to keep adding. Any metal shavings or debris is still going to remain in the crankcase causing wear, it's not like a car that has an oil filter and a magnet to catch shavings.
This week I literally just upgraded from a Briggs mower to a Honda mower... HUGE difference in quality down to the little details like a metal carb, proper paper air filter, fuel shut off, clicking gas cap, etc. Not to mention the huge increase in power cut my mowing time down and actually used less fuel doing so.
Burrs are a big problem in the manufacturing process. Big sharp chunks then come off in the break in period. I think the first few oil changes are probably most critical.
I think they've added manual deburring. I also think they now wash all the workpieces in combination with lower infeeds and higher cutting speeds for smaller burrs and cleaner cutting. I still dont believe in the concept of no oil changes.
Maybe they installed a magnet in the block.
@@lynnh7694, the trouble with that is most Briggs are mainly built out of aluminum so with that not being magnetic it wouldn’t help very much. Still not a bad idea to have a Magnet in the crankcase though.
OMGosh, this one is hilarious, my favorite,” chip owes and Popo’s”!!!😂❤😅😊
I tell all how to change the oil No tools needed, Change once every 40-50 hours and check the oil 2 or 3 times a season and any mower will last 20 years or more
Better heatsinking would help! I have an Eager 1 Craftsman mower for like 20yrs plus. Maintained by me every year prior to use. Still going strong. Same muffler too!
Good enough for Bear Gryls good enough for Uncle Andy!
You mentioned the engine creating fewer particles. I have changed my oil twice since I have owned it, and the oil still sparkles. I haven’t had to add any oil to it in two years. Maybe because I changed the oil at the end of each season, my engine doesn’t require a top off because my engine isn’t being worn by particles.
Even brand new a Briggs will burn oil, it's not about wear they just aren't made with tight tolerances. Wich basically is the same thing as being worn out. I used to ride a riding lawn mower around the yard all the time and I never needed to add oil. I thought I was putting a lot of use on it, but when my dad's kawasaki engine bent a pushrod on his lawn service mower, he had to take my Briggs that was on the tractor. 1 week of serious use on the thing and it needed oil. Two years of use and it blew a hole through the piston. It's in the scrap pile now (it had also started smoking blue from oil consumption) if your engine wasn't a Briggs then it's not hard to believe that it doesn't burn oil
"What's this Tuna?"
"I Don't like Tuna."
"I'M GOING TO STARVE!"
Yea..
I'll eat molds grass instead ..😅👍😅
I was nearly rolling on the floor ,one of the funniest skits ever( great explanation too)
It doesn't even take 5 minutes. Change your oil.
gotta warm the engine up for 5 min....
@@norge696 Change it after mowing.
I had one of these engines brought to me with about 3 ounces of oil (mud) in the crankcase. I changed oil in it twice to clean it out. The owner never read the part about adding oil. When I looked up that part in the manual Briggs suggested changing the oil annually. Makes me wonder? Thanks for all of your great and entertaining videos.
A "little" dribble on the bowl for a touch of realism . Props to the one who thinks of everything 🤣
On a serious note, props to the whole crew who try and teach us and make us laugh . I have learned a lot and laughed a lot . Thanks
My neighbor and I both have mowers with this engine. He changes his every season and I change mine every two. My grandfather told me a story about something similar back in the day with cars; they would change the filter only and then add oil back instead of draining all the oil. Still disappointed with the leadership at B&S. Thanks for the explanation.
Anyone else ENJOY changing oil? It takes about 3 minutes to do. Remove fill plug and tip mower on it's side. Fill.
Yep just tip it around a different fence post to keep the weeds down. Then add fresh oil and get back to mowing.
Mine has a drainplug underneath. Remove blade, drain oil. While oil is draining, sharpen and balance the blade. Check and change air filter if necessary. Install drainplug and fill with oil. Come on folks, it isn't that difficult or time consuming. Both of my grandfathers were doing that into their mid 80's.
@@muziklvr7776 Most of my small engines have drain plugs. I either tilt them to drain the oil, or use a vacuum fluid extractor. My thought is there is less room for human error (leaving plug loose or a bad gasket/washer resulting in a leak).
@@Hubjeep I've been changing oil on small engines and autos for 30 years now. Never left a drainplug untorqued (yes, I use a torque wrench on everything). Use a new washer every time unless it's a quality made copper washer.
@@muziklvr7776 When it comes to autos I use a new washer and torque the plug if it's not my vehicle (friends or neighbors). I'll notice a leak, and check the level on my vehicles.
Great job as always
What I have run into, since this never change oil idea, customers read never change just add oil, the customers are adding oil every season, so they add too much, and blow the head gasket because of to much oil in crankcase, I've done 7 this season alone, briggs needs to reword it, "Only add oil when needed" check the dipstick, and when they are adding oil 3x out of 7, they added a quart.... Not Oz, I shook my head.
Folk are like sheep stupid and just do as they think they are told !!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@allanhughes7859 you got that right.
Saw a nice self propelled mower in a pawn shop. In a puddle of oil. Oil coming out of the muffler. Someone had filled it all the way up to the cap. They probably told one of the kids that worked there to make sure the mower is full of oil. I got it cheap because I had a good engine for it. I pulled a mower out of a dumpster with the same problem.
Years ago I knew I guy that had an old Chevy that burned and leaked so much oil that he had to add oil so frequently he called it self changing. Who would have thought that one day he would become the head engineer at Briggs and Stratton!😅
I would still change the oil in every engine, no matter what the manufacturer says.
I agree. Just adding, the best auto mechanic I know says that changing the oil to often on some of the newer vehicles will cause problems. Says it's the way some of the sensors and the variable timing/cams work, their designed and programmed on the oil being x viscosity and then thinning. He's the guy that fixes what the other shops can't figure out. He has me convinced 7k and no sooner. Even if it were some kinda sabotage thing, he knows all he'd benefit from me is a few free beers while he was pointing what to do.
These engines will last if you change the oil regularly. Instead off just adding oil.
@@mgomez5606 exactly
My Honda car wants 0W-20 oil so I must use synthetic. I don't drive much so even though the oil life monitor says 50 to 60%, change it as the manual states, once a year max. The oil comes out quite dark.
Awesome video as usual Taryl...
Will be interested in seeing how many of these mowers will be around in ten years.
Way back in the 80’s a buddy had a Plymouth Horizon (or Dodge Omni?). He installed a suplemental toilet paper oil filter. Every 3000 miles he changed both the regular and toilet paper filters, added a quart and motored on. Never pulled the oil pan plug and drained it all. He traded it in with over 100,000 miles. The dealership said they never saw one come back to the shop in that good condition mechanically. So it can be done.
The toilet paper oil filter (most likely Frantz) was the main reason for its longevity as is filters particles down below 1 micron and removes moisture from the oil which causes corrosion.
I started with a Frantz oil cleaner and Standard Delo 30W in 1963 on my Rambler American flat head 6. Everything I have owned since that has an oil pump has had a toilet paper filter installed. I went with the top loaders in the 80s. They are better set up for the modern toilet paper that is shorter and has a larger core. Of the ones I have now I like the Gulf Coast junior and the Australian Jackmaster Classic.All of the best ones are top loaders. My oldest toilet paper filter in use is a Motor Guard on the 76 F250 with the 390. Came across a couple Of older than dirt Frantzs. They need gaskets. I will put them on something.
In the 60s I changed the toilet paper every 2.000 miles and added a new quart of Delo. With these modern engines and synthetic oils I go 6.000 miles. Of course I drive mostly highway. With the lawn mowers I play it by ear. The Australian Jackmaster Classic claims 1 micron if you use their elements. They use a high quality roll of Australian toilet paper in a sock. About 20 bucks. I use Great Value 1000 from Walmart. Peasants have to make do. No pull ring. Have to remove the used paper with long nosed pliers.
I brought home a new 84 Subaru. I put Amsoil in the 5 speed. Put Mobil 1 15 50 racing oil in the engine. Put on a Frantz oil cleaner with the Frantz plate that replaces the full flow filter. In about 20 years and over 250.000 miles with no oil drains I mentioned it on RUclips. Got a sample kit from a Caterpillar lab manager. He said the oil looks good for that many miles. He found some caramelization. Suggested I change the Frantz every 6.000 miles instead of every 12.000 miles. The Frantz was doing its job. He didnt think it was getting enough new oil. Been doing 6.000 since. I normally keep the full flow filter and change it every 2 yoars. Some never change it. The paper pleats dont have an unliminated life in motor oil. Ive gone as long as 6 years and 65.000 miles. The pleats were rotten but still in one piece. Why chance it. If the toilet paper has been in there too long it wont be strong and tear at each sheet. They are trying to avoid being called a toilet paper filter because of all the bull shit stories.John Fr 0:00 antz wanted a filter media better than anything else thzt was economical.!
Dont know if you guys are familiar with the Frantz 3 stackers. Frantz had a 2 3 and 4 stacker. A Frantz dealer specialized putting them on large marine diesels. At some point them and the FAA approved AeroFrantz went out of production. He replaced the diesel filters with a filter that takes Bounty big roll paper towels. Thats the Gulf Coast filter company out of Gulfport Mississippi. My riding mowers use the Gulf Coast junior filters. I think they dropped the toilet paper filters. The Australian Jackmaster Classic is as good as the Gulf Coast junior. Not familiar with the other Jackmaster filters. Most people think oil is supposed to get dirty. Filters are supposed to get dirty.
Thank you for clearing this up! I always though tit was a tactic by Briggs to make the engine wear out faster so you have to buy a new mower every few years
But you can still change the oil. It's the EPA that doesn't want you to, so they can't exactly recommend it.
I'm Soo glad Taryl finally made a a video explaining this.
I just siphon the oil out, couldn't be simpler.
What about the debris in the bottom of the sump?
You cant siphon all the big abrasives in the bottom of the engine. Probably best to drain thru the fill neck. I put it in a jug and let it settle out. When my big mowers that have toilet paper filters need oil I have it. When I change the toilet paper I need a quart of make up oil.
I have been using full synthetic oil in all my engine. As Briggs indicates, I top it off and replace the filters at 100 hours. If the oil becomes dirty before that, then I change everything. I also change the air and fuel filters when needed. I truly think that the higher heat rating of the synthetic oil overcomes many of the concerns with changing the oil. What's ur thoughts on that?
Briggs engine consume more oil than most other engines due to larger tolerances and lower oil capacity. Synthetic oil does not burn off in the combustion chamber leaving behind a harder carbon deposit compared to standard oil. A honda 160cc 6.0hp engine might consume 1/4 of a cup of oil every 2oo hours vs the same size brigs using 1/4 of a cup every 3-5 hours. I would suggest HD sae 30 in any briggs above 80f.
Ridiculous! Dumping new oil on top of old oil in an engine without any oil filtration it's like mixing dead batteries and new batteries in your TV remote. It's easy 1) remove dipstick 2) tip mower over with dipstick tube down and carburetor up and wait until all oil is empty 3) tip mower back over on all 4 wheels and refill the oil until full to manufacturer's specs. Oil change successful!
That's how I've done it on B&S Quantum engine for 27 years now (purchased in 1994). I would add that I get the oil hot first before changing. Also still using the same spark plug for 27 years now. I remove it at the start of each season, clean it and check gap. Still runs smooth.
Yep, that's how I do it with push mowers. Even if they have a drain plug which is rare. No tools required when you just drain the oil from the fill.
Our daughter has one, I still change the oil, and air filter just put the third spark plug in, it's at the end of it's sixth year still running good
I knew a guy that didn't believe in changing the oil in his car either.
The motor blew up at 80,000 miles.
Pretty damn impressive, all things considered
That's great, cause he sold it at 60,000 miles.
One owner one oil change. Never buy a one owner car.
Took me about 20 years to put 250.000 miles on a 84 Subaru with no oil drains. A Frantz oil cleaner and Mobil 1 15 50 racing oil. The Pontiac has 207.000 miles. About 70.000 since the last oil change. It has a Australian Jackmaster Classic oil cleaner and Walmart Super Tech synthetic in it. The 20 HP Kohler in the 2004 Craftsman has had one oil drain. All it does now is put my boat in the shed. Put a ball hitch on the front. It uses a Gulf Coast junior oil cleaner. It used Mobil . Had to drain the oil once because of gasoline in the oil. Too much fuel pressure. It now has Walmart synthetic.
I bought a John Deere LA100 in 2007 with the Riggs & Scraton 18 horse. I changed the oil for the first time last year just because I started watching the grass rats. So, the top off method does work.
It's Briggs & Stratton not Riggs & Stratton
@@Squad-pl7oo Biggs&Scrotum?
@@Squad-pl7ooI think it was his attempt at sarcasm
@Squad-pl7oo Riggs and Scrapem
Growing up, a friend had an older Nissan 4x4 pickup, more rust than steel, couple hundred k beater. It used a quart of oil pretty much daily with him driving to work. Every 3,000 miles he would drive up onto a bank oil filter side of the engine uphill, change the oil filter, and add a little oil. When he finally parked it it had over 400k. Not a new concept I guess, lol.
I went more extreme with oil burners. I figured the oil I was draining out if my other cars was perfectly good to run another few hundred miles in the oil guzzler.
Had two vehicles that burned a lot of oil. I’d pull into the gas station (in Oregon) and say “fill it up with bulk (oil) and check the gas please.”
@@philfoster4298 back in high school we used to joke about installing a tube so we could add oil while going down the road.
We had a local guy that recyled his oil. Had a little miniature tank farm, let it settle for 5 years, I think, pumped from above the sludge, had a little almost lab, "cooked" tested, and put in additives. I guess it was what he done in the military, a little post Korea era. Was a smart dude, into all kinds of things, had all kinds of equipment. It looked more like wild honey than gold honey like valvoline, from what I seen it worked.
Yeah, storing the mower in the garage in the winter time you still get mouse in the motor and make a mess. I don't know why people think they don't have look in to check? Very good tip on the OHV. At one time I left old mower outside and for some reason it started in the spring with all the snow on top and water.
I think I’ll stick to doing regular oil changes.
I think sorry i know i am with you on that one let the other idiots do as they wish and when they have spent God knows how much on new mowers the penny/dollar
might just might drop ?????????
When I change the bypass filter on my engines it takes one quart of new oil to replace the dirty oil in the old filter element. Thats more oil than the engine holds. The filter element is Great Value 1000 from Walmart Scott 1000 is larger and needs more paper removed. My old Ford will take a 4 1/2 inch roll of Scott 1000. It has half a roll of Viva towels in it now.
Love your videos and your shop is excellent
Sounds like they want to sell more lawnmowers, after all, we live in a throw away society these days.
but we have to save the planet, and go electric, remember this is corporations and government telling you this.
@@inoutdoor4211 Yeah, their virtue signaling will only go as far as their bottom line will allow it too.
IDK....I had a 1973 AMC Hornet back in high school which operated under the same concept. It was lose and burn a quart of oil every 500mi. It constantly had pretty fresh oil in it!lol!
I've been using NON ETHONAL gas in any of my engines that have a carb. on it & don't have problems
good for you missing the point...
Theory of replacing 20% of the oil Sounds like the same theory that was applied by Briggs behind the John Deere easy change oil system. Interesting to hear the engineering "logic" behind it. Always wondered what the heck Friggs and Strap-on was thinking with this. Thanks for the explanation, Taryl!
Goofs: Junior and Taryl say they're leaving for the weekend but come back the next day like it's a weekday.
Never change your oil is a good way to sell more products. Most people do very little maintenance on their outdoor power equipment. Tip the mower over and change the oil. That's what I do with customer's equipment.
Yes true, sell more. Thanks
I'm thinking this has more to do with the EPA worrying about what people do with the oil once they change it and have a bottle of used oil sitting there. Do they give people one of those cheesy stamped spark plug sockets with the rod handle to change the spark plug? How the hell are people who can't change small engine oil suppose to remove and sharpen the blade? Won't be long, in the west, that they mandate everyone have a zero water lawn anyway.
You have helped me in the past on my John deere 345
It just burns it to avoid draining it.
At first I thought that was all there was to it.
@@hughbrackett343 imo, the actual reason is BS realizes they won't sell more mowers if they keep making them better, before electricity replaces petroleum. Guaranteed failure that won't happen for 3-5 years is a guaranteed future sale. There's nothing special about a mower that runs for 3-5 years, BS now just tells the morons to neglect maintenance, like they would have anyway!
So to be clear…
What I hear you saying is:
Make your cooling fins a nice, safe , cosy space for Fluffy. Leave a few tasty snacks for him, some nesting material and a “ Do Not Disturb” sign. That way, your engine will run at the perfect operating temperature.
The enginenerds make a lot of drawing board assumptions that don't hold up in the real world. One you pointed out is the cooling design failing and subsequent faster breakdown of the oil from the extra heat. Another assumption is that all of the engines will be manufactured the same. While QC is good in modern production, a guy could get an engine that joe shmoe on the assembly line forgot to blow out all the drill channels and left a bunch of shavings in the case or some critical dimensions were not met resulting in in extra metal particles in the oil.
Yeah, I don't like to change oil but like so many other things, I do it anyway. I wish they would still put a drain plug at the bottom of the mower to make it easy on the people who don't give in to laziness.
So according to their long-term test in which amounts to about 2 years old mower....
I have one of those engines on my Craftsman self propelled walk behind mower and it works great, I've never had a problem with it, although I do change the oil every couple of years!
Wait Wait , So you still have to replace the air filter an spark plug , an keep fins clean --- Curse You B&S ,
Hey I know how to reduce service time on my Mower - I can hire the neighbor kid to mow the yard 👍😜
I love the new plastic carb briggs. The slightest hint of moisture or dirt in the carb and they won't start. Takes me about 5 mins to pop the carb apart and clean it. Running and fully serviced in about 10. That works out to around 300 bucks an hour lol
That’s in a controlled environment, not in the dust bowl that’s my yard run it 600 hours in my yard then run the test!
A somewhat different philosophy from my old Briggs and Stratton 190cc engine that has a pressure lubrication system and even a tiny spin-on oil filter (on a push mower)... they meant that engine to last.
I had a mower with one of the ”never change oil, just check and add” engines, but I still changed the oil a couple times a season. Eventually that engine sheared a flywheel key and with the flywheel itself being made out of some sort of soft alloy (maybe old cheese...), the keyway in the flywheel also got trashed. Pulled that engine apart for spare bits. Wasn't worth putting a new flywheel on that POF.
How is the oil better today when there is no zinc in the oil? I call B.S.
I agree with a lot of the other comments. Built in obsolescence so you have to keep buying new lawn mowers. Myself I prefer two stroke small engines. I have two old small lawn mowers. Never do anything to them until they stop. Replace the odd diaphragm and plug. Blow out the air filters occasionally and they keep running. More power to weight. I have a 40 year old chain saw just the same. Most failures of modern engines due to electronic and or emissions control devices. Good reason to keep hold of the old stuff.
briggs and stratton oil is crap. I use mobile one and the engine loves that. my mower is over 35 years old and going strong.
Great vid Taryl and crew! Especially enjoyed the part about knowledge being power.
With all the trucks running all day, only the government would be concerned about a 4-5 horse lawnmower that might run for an hour once a week. Peak government efficiency. Lol
Good to hear thanks
lol, this isn't a new thing, most all the engines I have had since back in the 70's never got their oil changed,, I just kept putting oil in as it got low. lol
Lazy!
@@muziklvr7776 that's fine if you are lazy,
Thanks for explaining this it's an interesting way to not change the oil.