Lawnmower engine oil change

[NickWelford]

Yes, I know this is a woodworking forum, but it’s the only one I frequent and there are such knowledgeable bods on here that someone is bound to know.....
What’s the easiest/cleanest way to drain oil from a Briggs and Stratton 4 stroke mower engine? I always seem to get oil all over the place and in the cylinder etc. I see that (I think) Lidl is doing one of those oil vacuum devices...... overkill for once a year though.

 

[clogs]

depend if has the drain on the side or underneath.......!!!!
lets say it's a walk behind mower, the drain is quite low to the deck.....
I used a peice of ply laid flat to give a little height, then laid some plastic bag or whatever on the ply and over the side....
put the opposite side wheels to the drain on a couple of blocks ...just an in or 2 will do and then drain the oil.....
I used an old baking tray.....when done just bin the plastic bag and all is clean.....
if it's underneath, loosen the plug till finger tight put the machine on a workmate or barrow with the drain tray underneath and off you go.....just make sure the blade is out of the way.....
no real need for the Vac draining system.....I only use them on boats where there's no room for drain trays....

be glad you don't have a HONDA mower some of them u cant even get a plastic bag to catch the oil......
on them I used to warm the engine, raise the back end and just let it go......what a mess.....
but then power wash the machine after......(they are the best mowers ever made tho, I have one that must be 25 years old and still starts first pull)

 

[Misterdog]

Clean out an old wood glue bottle (other hobbies are available) attach flexible, silicone or PVC tube. Squeeze bottle.

Agree with the comments about Honda lawnmowers. They are superb though my steel deck has rusted through now, welded it 3 times.

As I found it dumped in a bin at work !!! it owes me little.

 

[HappyHacker]

I had to buy a vacuum extractor to get the oil out of my John Deere lawn mower as there is no drain plug. I use it on my other little engines now as well as it stops all the mess. Not quick though as the plain end on the pipe tends to get blocked by the bottom of the sump, I will have to make a modification for it one day, it is at the bottom of the ever increasing list somewhere. Well worth the investment in my view even though I only use it a few times a year and for other purposes where I need to suck stuff up without a mess.

 

[AJB Temple]

You are all adopting the wrong approach. Mine is to pretend that my son is far better at fixing mechanical stuff than me, and let him get on with it. I find that this means I do not even get a drop of oil on me.

 

[fenhayman]

Important to run engine before oil change so that any impurities are in suspension. Don't get too hot as oil can burn.

 

[RichardG]

As mentioned use a vacuum extractor. I bought the Briggs & Stratton Oil Removal Pump for £15 and it makes the job so much easier. What was a chore now takes a few minutes.

 

[NickWelford]

depend if has the drain on the side or underneath.......!!!!
lets say it's a walk behind mower, the drain is quite low to the deck.....

Most small Briggs and Stratton engines don’t have a drain plug - that would be easy. They expect you to empty the oil out the filler plug, which necessitates the mower being tilted 90 degrees. I think a vacuum might be my best bet......

 

[swb58]

Draining through the filler hole is often the easiest way, especially if the carb is on the high side.

 

[Alex H]

I use one of these

 

[Tris]

I see lidl are selling a 12v electric pump next week for 9.99, claims 0.2l per minute for engine oil so a mower might be its limit.

 

[NickWelford]

I see lidl are selling a 12v electric pump next week for 9.99, claims 0.2l per minute for engine oil so a mower might be its limit.

Might well try it, although our local Lidl isn’t very good at getting specials.....

 

[Rorschach]

I have a vacuum extractor and it really is excellent, I use it on my car and compressor as both are messy jobs otherwise. Clean, and easy with the extractor.

 

[Misterdog]

Cheaper than Lidl with free delivery.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132439466537