Lawnmowers come in a large variety of models, features, and sizes. Most of them need significant investment. Knowing how long they will last can help make the right purchase decision. The most important part of the lawnmower that determines a lawnmower’s lifespan is the engine, except for an electric lawnmower, where the battery will determine how long it will last. This also means that the engine size, the brand, usage, and maintenance are a big factor in how long a lawnmower engine will last.
How many hours does a lawnmower engine last?
How long a lawnmower engine will last depend on many factors like quality, usage, and maintenance. With normal use and proper maintenance, a lawnmower should expect to last at least 8-10 years. That converts to around 300 to 500 hours for a small engine and 750 to 1000 hours for a bigger engine. But there are many examples where larger ride-on lawnmowers last for a much longer time. Like with a car, the exact number of hours is difficult to predict: many short usages can be worse than less often longer mowing sessions. In an electric lawnmower, the lifetime will mostly depend on how often the batteries are charged, as the capacity will decrease a lot after a certain amount of charge cycles.

Contents
- 1 The factors that influence how long a lawnmower engine last?
- 2 How to increase the number of hours that a lawnmower will last:
- 2.1
- 2.2 1.The Oil Changing of Lawn Mower
- 2.3
- 2.4 2. Cleaning the Air Filter
- 2.5 3. Run the Engine Full Throttle at The End of Season
- 2.6 4. Sharpen the Blade
- 2.7 5. Check the Belts
- 2.8 6. Clean or Change the Spark Plug
- 2.9 7. Check Battery of Lawn Mower
- 2.10 8. Free Yard from Wreckage
- 2.11 9. Maintain the Cutter of the lawnmower
- 3 Frequently Asked Questions:
- 4 Final Remarks:
The factors that influence how long a lawnmower engine last?
Several factors influence the lifespan of a gas lawnmower engine:
- Brand and Quality
- The engine size
- Usage
- Maintenance
1. Lawnmower lifespan: Brand and Quality
There are many different brands and models of lawnmowers. Some brands are focusing mainly on price and have models that use cheaper engine parts. Other brands have a model line with cheaper models and a model line with more professional models that are more expensive but will last longer. Generally, the more expensive models will last longer, but this is not always the case.
A well maintained average-sized lawnmower from an esteemed company can last 8 to 10 years of service. If unmaintained, it will only last half as long. However, years as a unit, when measuring a lawnmower’s life, is not an effective one. A better unit is the number of hours of working as it considers factors like usage. So, a small-sized lawnmower from a random company can last up to 300 hours. And a pricier mower, larger in size, can give a service life up to 500 hours from a better company. So, they vary from size to size and brand to brand.
2. Lawnmower lifespan and engine size:
The gas-powered lawnmowers are fundamentally as powerful as the engine capacity, the number of cylinders, or fuel type. They can vary from a small-sized single cylinder piston engine to a comparatively larger twin-cylinder piston engine (riding lawnmowers). A single-cylinder lawnmower engine can last 500-750 hours. A larger engine usually lasts longer, up to 1000 hours. These numbers are very rough estimates and only apply with the recommended maintenance. Here, keep in mind that this hour rating is related to the engine’s life converted from the cycles run per life. When it comes to the lawnmower as a whole, its life may vary as there are many other parts and factors to consider.
3. Lawnmower lifespan and usage:
The usage of your lawnmower can have a significant impact on the engine lifespan. For example, a small lawnmower may get its engine life reduced to a mere 500-550 hours instead of 650-750 hours expectancy when used in a lawn with thick grass and twigs that it can barely cope with. This is due to the extra load on the engine. In contrast, with a powerful lawnmower, the same situation will not have a significant effect. Similarly, a lawnmower suiter for domestic use when put in an industrial environment like gardening huge gardens of some university may not last even as long as the predicted life prescribed on its box.
Another factor that influences the lifespan is the type of usage. Many short bursts have a more significant impact on the engine than longer, less frequent mower sessions. This has mainly to do with a cold engine with more wear and tear than a warm engine, similar to a car.
The last case we want to mention is the terrain. If you have a lawn with steep inclines, it will strain the engine more than a flat area, impacting the engine wear and tear. The more power your lawnmower has, the less impact the terrain will have.
4. Lawnmower lifespan and maintenance:
It is a well-known fact that maintenance and service are crucial to the life of any machine. The same is the case for the engine of a lawnmower. The engine is an amalgamation of different parts with their durations, after which they need to be replaced or serviced. For example, you should change your lawnmower’s oil after every 50 hours of usage and sharpen your lawnmower blades after every 25 hours of usage. For a riding lawnmower, the oil change duration increases to 100 hours due to its larger engine. Similarly, the engine should be serviced every 48-50 hours or annually, whichever comes first.
The air filter and spark plug should also get proper maintenance annually, together with the oil change. If the lawnmower is given its due maintenance and its service requirements are fulfilled, it will indeed work efficiently for its rated life at the very least.
How to increase the number of hours that a lawnmower will last:
You can increase the lifespan of your lawnmower by looking at the following:
- Change the oil regularly.
- Clean the air filter regularly.
- Regular usage.
- Sharpening the blades.
- Maintained belts.
- Efficient spark plug.
- Proper battery maintenance.
- Suitable environment.
- Proper and sharpened cutters.
1.The Oil Changing of Lawn Mower
Change the oil regularly. The owner’s manual will give you the exact timing for your model. Most brands and models should be done after around 50 hours or annually (what comes earlier). It is good to check the oil quality by regularly looking at its color and changing it when needed.
2. Cleaning the Air Filter
Check and clean the air filter regularly. It is an excellent idea to combine it with changing the oil in your lawnmower. When you often mow in a dusty environment, it can be wise to check it more often. When you store the lawnmower after the end of the season, clean it thoroughly.
3. Run the Engine Full Throttle at The End of Season
A device is as efficient as its owner, so let the lawnmower engine run wide open unless it goes out of fuel. This will help release the extra carbonated gas and issues related to it and try it at once at the end of the season. This will clean the internal engine of the lawnmower and works as an end of season cleaning.
4. Sharpen the Blade
Do sharpen the lawnmower’s blades regularly. An unsharpen blade could slow the lawnmower’s down, damage the grass, and put more unnecessary strain on the engine. Dull blades also made the grass turn brown instead of getting fresh and green.
5. Check the Belts
Do concern with the belts of the drive at the time of riding every time you use it. This one of the essential parts for marinating the active lawnmower engine, which helps the lawn mower’s life expectancy.
6. Clean or Change the Spark Plug
Do check and clean the spark plug. Expect to clean or change your lawnmower spark plug after five to seven months, depending on your usage. If you use your lawnmower more than average, it can be necessary to clean or change it earlier.
7. Check Battery of Lawn Mower
If your lawnmower has a battery, check it regularly. A good battery makes the lawnmower start better and makes the starter motor last longer. In the winter, try to keep it on a battery maintainer.
8. Free Yard from Wreckage
Before you start the mowing, check that yard should be free from hard materials such as rocks, sticks, or wreckage. Do cleaning of the gathered dried grass from the underside of the deck and utilize a splash oil to keep it from building up once more
9. Maintain the Cutter of the lawnmower
Do the fixing and cleaning and the lubrication on the cutter with anything needed because it is essential to maintain the lawnmower’s cutter. The excellent cutter will appropriately tear the grass. Moreover, if one follows all these above steps, then its lawn mower will last longer and more than of expected time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Should a lawnmower last more than five years?
Yes, a lawnmower should typically last more than five years if it is of good quality and you are taking good care of it. A well-maintained lawnmower could last for 10 years or more.
2. How many years should a small size lawnmower last?
Small size lawn mowers can be the right choice for smaller lawns as they are easy to maintain and economical. With proper maintenance, the estimated lifetime of a small lawnmower is at least 6 to 7 years.
3. Can I buy the eight-year used lawnmower, or should I always go for the new one?
One can also buy the used lawn mower because the excellent quality brand new lawnmower is quite expensive, so if you could have an opportunity to get a used lawnmower at a low price but in good or even average quality, so go for it. Sometimes, the lawn mores are still worked appropriately after the estimated and average time also, but before buying the used lawn mower, it does have the test ride of it so that you can check its speed and check its blades. After all, the lawn mower’s blades are essential if the blades are not working satisfactorily. The lawnmower is then of no use because dull blades could damage our grass and make it of brown color.
Final Remarks:
Moreover, an excellent manufacturing company’s lawnmower engine will last about 750-1000 hours, and the ordinary company’s lawnmower will last for 300-500 hours only because it does not have the same capabilities. Further, the maintenance of the machine also determines its service life. For instance, the low oil levels and dirty filters could critically affect the engine and may not last for 300 hours. Moreover, a lawnmower engine can last even longer than the rest of the mower. The rest of the body and parts have to be regularly checked and maintained to reach their max potential.