Changing the motor oil in your lawn mower’s engine is as important as doing the same in your car or any other vehicle you own. Just like all other machinery propelled by an engine, lawnmowers need oil as their fuel too. However, because a lawnmower only needs you to change the oil once every year, one can understand why some people fail to get high-quality engine oil for their lawnmower.
Several factors need to be considered before buying engine oil for your lawn mower’s engine. Knowing what oil is best for your machinery is a smart way to ensure maximum efficiency and the longevity of your lawnmower. It is also important to consider the benefits of conventional oil vs. the benefits of synthetic engine oil to make an informed choice regarding which type of oil to use in your lawnmower.
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Synthetic Engine Oil vs. Conventional Oil: Which One Is Better for Your Lawnmower?
The question of synthetic or traditional oil often comes up when deciding on the type of oil to use in your lawnmower. Different engine oil manufacturers have different opinions on this so it can get a little confusing to decide on a particular type of oil for your lawnmower. At this point, it would be useful to ask if there is a better type of oil for your lawn mower’s engine. We investigate that here.
Synthetic Oil Benefits for Your Lawnmower
The primary function of oil is to lubricate. Thus, all oil is supposed to be slippery. This is where synthetic oil has an advantage over conventional as it is slipperier than the latter. In other words, synthetic oil will do a better job of lubricating your lawnmower’s engine than conventional oil to keep it running efficiently.
Additionally, synthetic oil provides supports and lubricates in the broadest range of temperatures. Although traditional oils tend to have a small temperature range for peak performance, it is possible to change synthetics for larger ranges. Synthetics often appear to accumulate dust and dirt a little easier in the system, ensuring that more contaminants are extracted from your oil system when the oil is modified.
Conventional Oil Benefits for Your Lawnmower
The only real advantage that conventional oil has over synthetic engine oil is that it will cost you less than the latter. If your primary concern is how much you will need to spend on engine oil for your lawnmower, then you may choose to go for conventional engine oil. However, I would still recommend you to choose inexpensive synthetic oil over conventional oil.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Synthetic Engine Oil for Your Lawn Mower
You need to consider the following things to find the right synthetic engine oil for your lawnmower.
1. The Conditions
Small four-stroke engines powering lawnmowers that are air-cooled operate in a hotter environment than the engines of cars that are liquid-cooled. Additionally, lawnmower engines work under a compressive force; accumulate more pollutants (with several engines not utilizing an oil filter); and are vulnerable to rain, dirt, and dust. Due to all this, it becomes vital to use high-quality synthetic engine oil in your lawnmower.
2. The Reasons to Not Use Automotive Oil in Your Lawnmower
Automotive oils are developed for liquid-cooled engines that feature an oil filter, run at various speeds and pressures in reasonably “healthy” conditions, and are maintained regularly. The engine in your lawnmower is the exact opposite. Therefore, it isn’t a good idea to use automotive oil in your lawn mower’s engine.
3. Engine Acids
The combustion process causes acids to form in the engine oil. Not only can these acids damage your engine’s internal components while your lawnmower is on, but they can also compromise these parts when the mower is off. In addition to changing your oil periodically, the use of oil formulated to help fight certain acids is essential to preserve your engine.
4. Debris and Dirt
The engine of your lawnmower operates close to the ground, chopping and tossing up the air grass cuttings, dust, and other particles that can make their way inside the motor. Additionally, as these engines work outdoors, they can easily get submerged in mud. Consider all this when choosing synthetic engine oil for your lawnmower.
5. Operating Temperatures
Since lawnmower engines are air-cooled, the engine around them and not any internal component cools them down. This means that lawnmower engines are much more likely to operate in hotter temperatures than automotive engines. Therefore, you must choose engine oil that provides greater protection to your engine at hot operating temperatures.
The 3 Best Synthetic Engine Oil for Your Lawnmower
Now that we know the factors to consider when choosing engine oil for a lawnmower, we can move onto the 3 best synthetic engine oils for lawnmowers.
1. Briggs and Stratton Synthetic Oil
The Briggs and Stratton Company manufacture the finest lawn mower synthetic engine oil. This lawnmower engine oil brand comes in many different grades to fulfill the needs of various customers. Their synthetic oil in the 5W-30 class is the finest lawn mower engine oil. In certain ways, the artificial processing approach means it’s better than traditional oils. This motor oil for lawnmowers from Briggs and Stratton has a 32 oz. rating. Due to the hot operating temperatures of the engines, this oil is filled with synthetic ingredients that minimize the wear and tear of the engine’s components.
Pros:
- Low oil consumption
- Highly stable against oxidation
- Improves engine’s cold starting
- Performs well at hot operating temperatures
- Works in below O degree temperatures
Cons
- Does not work on two-cycled engines
- Cannot work beyond 100°F
- More expensive than other engine oils for lawnmowers
2. Rotella T1 Engine Oil
For people who own an older lawnmower, using this synthetic engine oil for lawnmowers from Shell is strongly advised. The reason for this is that this engine oil has been developed specifically for older motors. This oil has the power to remove the gunk in your lawnmower’s engine. The oil will lubricate the engine parts, and it will stop the creation of chemical residues.
Pros:
- Built for use in hotter temperatures
- Designed for older engines
- Anti-wear properties
- Highly durable
- Detergent-like ingredients in the oil will clean the gunk in the engine
Cons:
- May not perform as well as some other engine oils at freezing temperatures
3. John Deere Synthetic Engine Oil
Primarily, this SAE 10W-30 oil is suitable for four-cycle engines. This oil has been evaluated and accepted by engineers at John Deere. They are renowned for their products being reliable and of quality. So you can be confident of the high-quality mower oil here. In the U.S.A, the oil refining process is performed to make sure that it acts as the right oil for a lawnmower.
One of the greatest features of this oil is that it’s able to defend the engine parts in high operating temperatures without any drastic rise in viscosity. This is particularly beneficial when using the lawnmower on hot and humid days.
Pros:
- Even at varying temperatures, the film of the oil is not lost
- Improves engine’s cold starting
- Great shear stability
- Suitable for gasoline engines
Cons:
- Works only on four-cycle engines
- Not suitable for diesel engines
- High oil consumption
Final Word
Finding the best synthetic engine oil for your lawn mower’s engine can be difficult, because there are so many different options available on the market today. However, you can make the job easier by choosing engine oil for your lawnmower from the list provided above.
