How to Change Oil in Honda Lawn Mower: A DIY Guide

Want to save money on lawn mower maintenance? Changing the oil in your Honda lawn mower yourself is a great start. Our guide provides clear instructions, making the process straightforward and hassle-free.

How to Change Oil in a Honda Lawnmower:

To change the oil in a Honda lawn mower, Run the engine to warm the oil. Drain the old oil using the tilt method, drain plug, or pump. Add new oil per the manual, checking levels with the dipstick. Clean up spills and dispose of old oil properly.

Are you looking to extend the life of your lawn mower? Changing the oil is crucial, and our guide makes it easy. With clear instructions and helpful tips, your mower will be running like new in no time. Let’s’ get started!

Steps to Change Oil in a Honda Lawnmower:

You should follow the steps below to supply you with a comprehensive method and the preventive measures to make an oil change.

● 1. Pre-change steps:

Before carrying out an oil change in your Honda lawnmower, you should ensure that you take the appropriate precautionary measures:

– Step 1: Run the engine for some time:

Start the engine and keep it going for a while (preferably for 15 minutes). This heating up of your engine will, in turn, warm up the oil. As a result, the oil flows more smoothly, and the draining process becomes simple.

– Step 2: Clean the oil filling area:

Often, the oil cap gets a lot of debris from the outside. Even the oily area around it also draws dirt from the atmosphere. Please use a towel to clean the area gently and a fuel cap to clear the debris.

– Step 3: Keep your toolkit ready:

Depending on the method of oil drainage, you should keep your equipment ready. Using the Siphon process, you should keep the siphon pump available to drain the oil. In most situations, the oil is depleted using the tilting method so that you can keep the drained oil in a container.

It would help to buy the appropriate oil grade for your machine by referring to the user’s manual. Most lawnmowers use SAE 30 detergent oils from SAE. However, it would be best to use the one the manufacturer mentions.

● 2. Draining the old oil:

The oil drainage can be conducted either by the siphon or tilting methods. However, before the oil is drained, you should first take the following safety precautions:

– Step 1: Detach the spark plug:

During this process, the spark plug needs to be disengaged. This move ensures that your safety is not compromised. The attached spark plug could unexpectedly cause the engine to start (probably when the blades are rotated. Hence, detaching the spark plug provides you with extra safety.

– Step 2: Secure the fuel cap as follows:

It is better to thoroughly drain your gasoline before changing the oil, particularly during tilting. If this is not feasible, it is also good to use a sandwich bag under your cap and tighten it so there is no oil risk.

– Step 3: Carry out oil drainage:

Tilt Method:

In this technique, you tilt the Honda lawnmower to the side so that the air filter faces upwards (this prevents the fuel from entering the air filter). After that, you open the oil cap and drain all the oil into the pan. Ensure you don’t get in touch with the hot oil that can harm your skin.

Using an oil drain plug:

Not all lawnmowers are fitted with an oil drain plug. You can check the Honda’s user manual to determine the location of your machine oil drain plug. Generally, it is situated below the lawnmower deck.

Again, it would help if you tilted the mower on its side to see the plug and clear any dirt around it. Then, use a hand-held tool to open the cap (with your mower upright) and drain the oil into the container.

Siphon method:

A siphon pump is used during this method. These pumps pump the oil into an in-built tank, which can be recycled later. Manually, you should draw the oil out by pushing/pushing the piston. It is a much cleaner and more efficient way of draining the oil, as it does not result in oil spills in the workplace.

● 3. Adding fresh oil to a Honda lawn mower:

After buying the right oil for your lawnmower, the next step is adding fresh oil to the oil tank. Place your mower upright and keep adding oil in small quantities.

It would be best to keep checking your dipstick to analyze the oil level every time. Keep adding the oil until the desired level is reached.

● 4. Clean the work area:

After adding fresh oil, it is recommended to keep your mower upright for 5 minutes and let the oil settle down. Recheck the oil level and replace the oil dipstick.

Then reconnect your spark plug and remove the sandwich bag around the fuel cap. Clean the oil that has been spilled on your floor. It’s advisable to take your dried oil to a disposal dealer.

You can refer to this video below to see a live example of this process:

Related Questions:

1. What happens if you do not change the oil in a lawnmower?

The engine’s wear rate increases if an oil change hasn’t been performed timely. Also, most lawnmowers do not have an oil filter. Resultantly, it takes very little time for the oil quality to deteriorate.

Moreover, besides the air-cooling, the oil is responsible for the engine’s cooling. The engine’s service life does not meet the manufacturer’s predicted lifespan. Therefore, one should always ensure timely oil changes in the machine.

2. Can you use car oil in a lawnmower?

SAE 30 motor oil is commonly used in a lawnmower. Some machines may use 10W-30 or 10W-40 oils as their user’s manual recommends. These oil types are often used in vehicles. Hence, they can be used in lawnmowers.

3. What is an SAE 30 oil?

As rated by the Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE 30 is a motor oil with a viscosity value of 30 (SAE). Generally, these ratings are from 0 to 50. The viscosity relates to the oil’s thickness or its readiness to flow. Thinner oils give better performance in cold weather (with low viscosity).

In comparison, when the temperatures are high, thick oils are used. SAE 30 is a single-grade oil that is thicker than lower grades. It is typically used in air-cooled small engines, such as lawnmowers and chainsaws. Most motor oils, i.e., can perform in all seasons, are multi-grade.

4. Is SAE 30 the same as 10W-30?

When the engine is cold, 10W-30 indicates that the oil has a viscosity of 10W, and 30 when it is hot. If you considered factors such as temperature while making this choice, it would help. SAE-30 is a single-grade oil suitable for conditions where its elevated temperature and variability are not significant.

However, if your weather continues to vary, you can use 10W-30. It also improves cold-starting at lower temperatures as compared to SAE-30. Therefore, using SAE 30 or 10W-30 does not significantly affect engine performance if you live in moderate or milder climates.

5. Is a lawnmower engine 2-stroke or 4-stroke?

Both designs, i.e., 2-stroke and 4-stroke, come with Lawnmower engines. The entire cycle of combustion and power in the crankshaft revolution is completed in a 2-stroke design. It takes two revolutions of the crankshaft in a 4-stroke for the whole cycle to complete.

Oil is mixed with gasoline in the case of 2-stroke engines since there is no separate reservoir. 4-stroke engines, in comparison, require an oil reservoir to grease the connecting rods and crankshafts fully.

Remarks

Lubricant oils play a crucial role, ensuring the Honda lawnmower motor undergoes minimum wear and maximum service life. The oil change, or how to change the oil on a Honda lawnmower, should always be carried out at the start of the season for smooth operation.

This involves draining the oil and replacing the drain plug securely. Sometimes, due to excessive use, you might need another oil change towards the end of the season. You should check the oil and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for choosing the correct oil grade.

• Preparation Before Changing Lawnmower Oil

Before you change the oil on your lawnmower, locate the oil filler and remove the oil filler cap. Be sure to wipe away any debris from the pump oil plug before you drain the oil. Maintaining the pressure washer pump oil is as important as changing the oil in your vehicle.

The washer pump oil, or pump oil, should be checked regularly to ensure optimal pressure. Remember, taking care of your lawnmower motor is as important as taking care of the oil filler and filler cap.