Lucas oil lawn mower. Can You Use Synthetic Oil in a Lawn Mower

Can You Use Synthetic Oil in a Lawn Mower?

Modern lawn mowers have an oil chamber that has to be kept full of oil. There are a lot of kinds of oil now, so how do you pick one? The wrong kind of oil may not protect your engine. You may ask, “Can you use synthetic oil in a lawn mower?” Read on for some help.

Can You Use Synthetic Oil in a Lawn Mower?

Yes, you can use synthetic oil in your lawn mower. It generally lasts longer than mineral oil, so you do not have to change it as often. However, that doesn’t narrow the oil field much.

What Is Synthetic Oil?

Synthetic oil is made of petroleum products, generally crude oil, that are turned into artificially manufactured chemicals. Additives and the synthesis process is considered a trade secret by the manufacturer of each brand of oil.

A Short History

Synthetic oil was developed in 1929, according to Car and Driver magazine. The Nazis used synthetic oil because they could not obtain much mineral oil during WWII. Today, some engines, notably aircraft, have to use synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is used to improve the fuel consumption of cars and trucks. It helps all engines run better, including mowers.

Characteristics of Synthetic Oil

Synthetic oil is engineered to work in a specific type of environment without additional additives. For example, 5W-30 is an oil that is thick at cold temperatures and thin at hot ones. To make it act similar for all temperatures, additives are added that thin the oil at cold temperatures and thicken it at hot temperatures. While new, 5W-30 oil distilled from crude oil acts this way. However, the additives wear out as they get dirty, hot, and old. When this happens, the crude oil goes back to being thick at cold temperatures and thin at hot temperatures. Synthetic 5W-30 doesn’t have this problem. It only has to be changed when it becomes dirty.

How Is Synthetic Oil Different From Mineral Oil?

Synthetic oil has several advantages over mineral oil. According to Consumer Reports, synthetics:

• Resist oil breakdown, which means you do not have to change it as often.
• Withstands higher temperatures, important in four-stroke engines.
• Flows better at cold temperatures.
• Contain the precise molecules the engine needs for a specific application.
• Less likely to acidify and oxidize.
• Combats sludge and deposit buildup.
• Offers greater engine wear protection.
• Keeps your engine cleaner.
• Keeps turbochargers working better and protects them more.
• Protects the engine from strain during heavy hauling and temperature extremes.

How Often Do I Change Synthetic Oil in My Mower?

In cars, your oil changes are based on how many miles you have driven. In mowers, changes are based on how many hours of operation have passed. New push mowers should have their oil changed after five hours of operation. This is because mold marks and other bits of metal break off after a few hours of use and contaminate the oil. After that, push mowers should have their oil changed after every 50 hours of operation or in the spring before you mow for the first time. Riding mowers need their oil changed after every 50 hours of use, or in the spring before the first use; whichever is more often. If you are mowing a very dusty place, you will have to change the oil more often. In that case, check the oil often and change it when it gets dirty.

Picking A Synthetic Oil

Generally, you use the same weight of oil with synthetics as you do with mineral oil. Check the owner’s manual for the weight of oil to purchase for your mower. That said, there are several classifications of oil. The most commonly used classification scheme was developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This group developed the initial standards for automobiles in the United States. During World War II, these standards spread around the world.

The number is a measure of viscosity, or the ability to flow. Molasses has a much higher viscosity than water, for example. So, the higher the number, the thicker the oil. This thickness is measured at around 100 degrees Celsius, or 210 degrees Fahrenheit. That is the approximate temperature inside a running engine.

Except when it isn’t running. The W in the oil label tells how thick the oil is before the engine is started. The W stands for winter. In the cold, when the engine starts, it is unlubricated until the oil warms and starts flowing. The longer the time that takes, the longer the engine wears at a high rate. Too long, and it burns up.

So a 10W-40, which is a popular grade of oil, runs like an SAE 10 oil when cold, and like an SAE 40 oil when hot. If you just chose a SAE10 oil, that would leave the oil too thin to protect the engine when it was hot. That, also, wears the engine out too fast.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, yes, you can use a synthetic oil in your mower engine. Look in the owner’s manual and buy the synthetic version of the oil the manufacture recommends. You will not have to change the oil as often and the oil will take better care of your engine.

About Tom Greene

I’ve always had a keen interest in lawn care as long as I can remember. Friends used to call me the lawn mower guru (hence the site name), but I’m anything but. I just enjoy cutting my lawn and spending time outdoors. I also love the well-deserved doughnuts and coffee afterward!

Комментарии и мнения владельцев

From what I understand synthetic oil is made from natural gas. Normal oil is made from crude. The issue with lawn mowers is they have flat tappets and require a zinc additive in the oil. If the synthetic contains zinc it is fine for lawn mowers.

Hi Mike, Good to know! I didn’t realize that the tappets in a lawn mower’s engine benefit from oils with a zinc additive. Thanks for sharing

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Lawnmower Smokes on Startup – This is why…

A smoking mower is a pain, not to mention bad for your health and the environment. Fixing the issue is usually a simple fix. I’m a mechanic, and you’ll learn a few tricks to take care of the problem the easy way.

A lawnmower engine commonly smokes on startup because the oil level is over full. Other common causes include:

In this post, you’ll learn to diagnose why your mower smokes on startup and what you can do to fix it right now!

We’ll begin with the most common reasons first.

Engine Oil Level Over Full

Engine oil is super important for the performance and the health of your mower engine. A low oil level will cause some irreparable damage and is a common engine killer.

Of course, most folks know that and top up their mower oil level regularly. The thing is, in my experience, they very often overfill the oil level.

Over-full oil is bad for two reasons:

1 – The excess oil makes its way inside the combustion chamber and burns to cause smoke.

2 – An over-full oil level is bad for a small engine because most small engines commonly employ splash lubrication, and overfilling such a system actually prevents proper oil lubrication.

How to diagnose: Easy, check your engine oil level. See the infographic below.

How to fix it: If you find your oil level is too full, to fix it, we’ll need to remove some. I use an oil siphon to remove the excess oil; it’s the fastest and cleanest option.

That said, you can drain some oil by following your mower’s oil drain procedure. Older mowers usually have an oil drain bung on the bottom of the engine. modern engines drain the oil through the dipstick, you’ll need a shallow container, and you’ll need to tilt your mower over. It’s covered in the video below.

If you haven’t changed your oil this season, it makes sense to drain it all out and replace it with fresh oil. I’ve covered the whole procedure here in “Mower tune-up.”

Mower Stored Incorrectly

While some mowers may be stored ergonomically by folding their handlebars flat and storing them by tilting them upwards, you’ll find those types of mowers have an engine designed especially for that purpose.

Storing a regular mower in that way or indeed even tilting a mower over on its side to clean the deck after use may cause engine oil to sneak into the combustion chamber, which burns off the next time you start the engine-causing engine smoke.

If you have been storing your mower in this way or tilting your mower over in this way, it’s very likely this is the cause of the smoke on startup.

The fix – It’s safe to tilt your mower over to store it, check the blade, clean the deck, etc., but you’ll need to tilt it carburetor side upwards.

Doing so helps prevent oil from entering the engine and also gas spills. Check out the video below.

Wrong Oil Type

Oil is oil, right? Well….yes and no. Oil is, as you know, graded by weight; broadly, weight refers to how thick the oil is. And while most engines will be pretty happy with a regular engine oil grade, they may not like light oil.

Such high-performance grade oils are designed for higher-performing engines with tighter tolerances. Using them in a mower engine with wider tolerances allows the oil to slip past sealing surfaces and into the combustion chamber, which, as you know, is where it’s burnt and results in smoke.

All engines will have a preferred oil type which engine manufacturers have tested and so should ideally be followed.

Failing to use the correct oil type and quantity may void your engine warranty.

How to fix: If you think this may be your problem, go ahead and drain your oil and replace it with the correct oil type; check the infographic below for the recommended oil type. Job Done!

Worn Valve Stem Seals

What are valve seals? Valves, as you know, are mechanical components that open and close sequentially to allow your engine to breathe. As they are moving parts, they obviously need lubrication.

Therein presents a problem, while the valve opens a passageway to the combustion chamber, its shaft must be lubricated. Oil from the shaft could easily enter the combustion chamber if not for the valve stem seal.

The seal, as its name suggests, slips over the shaft and prevents oil from entering the combustion chamber.

So what’s the problem with the seals? There are a couple of common problems, the most common of which is hard seals.

Hard Seals – The seals simply get hard with age or where the engine oil isn’t changed regularly. When they get hard, they allow oil to sneak past.

Replacing the seals is the more usual repair. It’s not a difficult job but does require an engine partial strip.

Before going that road, it may be worth trying a seal conditioner. It’s an oil additive that will help if your seals are simply hard. However, it won’t solve a worn or damaged seal issue; they’ll need to be replaced.

Here’s a link to the treatment I’ve been using for years; it’s called Lucas oil treatment, and it’s sold and delivered by Amazon.com.

Worn seals – General wear and tear of seals is generally caused by wear in the valve sleeve itself. The greater movement in the valve stem causes the valve seal to widen, allowing oil to slip past.

The only fix here is to replace the seals.

How to replace Valve Stem Seals

To replace the valve stem seals, we’ll need to remove the valve cover, valve rockers, push rods, valve keepers, valve cap, and spring.

But before we do any of that, we’ll need to prevent the valves from falling into the cylinder when the valve keepers are removed.

Here’s a handy mechanics secret – Remove the spark plug and stuff a soft rope into the cylinder, not forgetting to keep hold of one end.

• Now go ahead and rotate the crankshaft clockwise so as to squash the rope into the combustion chamber. The rope pushing on the valves keeps them in place when the keepers are removed.
• Now you are free to remove the valve rockers, pushrod, keepers, cap, and spring.
• Remove the seals by prying them upwards and sliding them off the valve stem.
• Fit the new seals

Reverse the process to rebuild.

Note valve lash will need to be adjusted, and I’ve covered that in a post previously – “Adjusting Valve Lash,” or you can check out the video below.

You may also find these pages helpful:

John Cunningham is an Automotive Technician and writer at Lawnmowerfixed.com.

He’s been a mechanic for over twenty-five years and shares his know-how and hands-on experience in our DIY repair guides.

Johns’s fluff-free How-to guides help homeowners fix lawnmowers, tractor mowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers, power washers, generators, snow blowers, and more.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!

Lucas Fuel Treatment Review

Lucas Oil makes a variety of powerful fuel additives and their products are some of the most commonly used for comprehensive fuel treatments.

For nearly three decades, Lucas Oil has been one of the go-to fuel treatment resources available to motorists and the company even sponsors some interesting motorsports competitions. They make a variety of powerful fuel additives and their products are some of the most commonly used for comprehensive fuel treatments. Lucas Oil has a variety of fuel treatment options, and here we’ll be going over a few. By the end of this piece, you should have a good idea of how a Lucas fuel treatment product could work in your favor. Let’s dive in!

Lucas Fuel Treatment

Lucas Fuel Treatment is extremely comprehensive and cost-effective. This solvent-free concoction ensures fuel systems are nicely lubricated, and keeps emissions in relation to exhaust output at a minimum. In fact, keeping injectors lubricated is one of the strongest features Lucas Fuel Treatment brings to the table. It also stabilizes the burning rate of fuel, leading to higher MPG. It can be purchased in one-gallon containers, for a decent price. It works on a variety of engines, including: fuel injected, diesel, carbureted, and gasoline. The number of benefits Lucas Fuel Treatment brings makes it a one-of-a-kind multi-purpose fuel additive.

Emissions remain low, Works with most engines, Injector/carburetor friendly, Keeps fuel system well-lubricated, Adds power and increases MPG

Measuring system on some bottles seems to be lacking

User Reviews

The reviews for Lucas Fuel Treatment, are for the most part, overwhelmingly positive. People use it in everything from diesel engines to lawn mowers, and many report experiencing better gas mileage. It appears to be one of the best products on the market for keeping fuel injectors in good working order. Gallon jugs tend to give users the most bang for their buck as opposed to the smaller individual sized bottles.

On the negative side of the Lucas Fuel Treatment review section, it seems that complaints are common mostly among the misinformed. Some, for example, think that this fuel treatment product could work as a restorative solution for unused fuel that has sat in cars for a year at a time or longer. In cases like this, tanks should always be drained before using Lucas Fuel Treatment. That said, Lucas Fuel Treatment should always be used along with fresh fuel.

Lucas Oil Deep Clean Fuel System Cleaner

Lucas Oil’s Deep Clean Fuel System Cleaner is a strong fuel additive that goes a long way. It’s a powerful option for increased mileage, that also reduces engine knocking/pinging. It also safely cuts back on emissions, mainly stemming from nitrous oxide.

Lucas Oil Deep Clean contains large amounts of polyetheramine (PEA), which is one of the best ingredients an additive can contain, for keeping engines clean. If you’re having carbon build-up or engine pinging problems, this could be a good option for you. It’s also great at keeping upper cylinders properly lubed. As an additive, it can be used with a variety of vehicles aside from just cars, including UTVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles jet skis and more.

Helps to smooth out a rough idle, Keeps injectors pristine, Cleanses combustion chamber, May improve gas mileage, Prevents engine damage by being kerosene and diesel-free

A power increase with certain vehicles may be minimal

User Reviews

Buyers often report that their vehicles run smoother after using Lucas Oil Deep Clean Fuel System Cleaner. It’s often used with older vehicles as a way of recapturing former performance, or as an engine damage preventive measure on cars with no engine issues yet. Hesitant transmissions that have a tendency to jerk have also been improved through the use of Lucas Oil Deep Clean.

On the extreme end, some users even report gas mileage increases by up to 10%. Although this is unrealistic in the average scenario, some minor gas mileage improvements are usually experienced. People who go into using this product thinking that it’s a magical elixir, that’s meant to fix a host of engine problems, tend to be the ones who are disappointed. In other words, if you’re expecting a major external improvement in engine performance, you may be let down. It is, however, highly promising when used as an engine maintenance or damage prevention tool. The majority of reviews seem to prove that like most Lucas Oil products, it works.

Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer

Lucas heavy duty oil stabilizer is known for extending the longevity of oil, by up to 50%. It can be used with just about every gasoline vehicle, including personal watercraft and off-road vehicles. Part of what it does is slow the rate of oil consumption down within an engine, making it beneficial to be used in vehicles that burn oil too quickly. Being as thick as it is, Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer naturally increases oil pressure, and has similar effects to a normal thickly graded oil. It also helps to prevent dry-starts from happening.

Motors experiencing a lot of friction, which can quickly wear an engine down, can benefit greatly from this Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer. When oils are more efficiently lubricated, they burn at a slower rate due in part to lower temperatures, which is exactly what this oil stabilizer accomplishes.

Slows oil burn, Extends oil longevity, Keeps oil pressure high, May increase MPG

Overall thickness could be detrimental to some modern engines

User Reviews

Like most Lucas Oil fuel additives, online users tend to reflect on their experience positively, after single or multiple uses of Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer. The occasional critical review seemed to highlight the products thickness, saying that it could be problematic for certain modern engines. Others, who believe the product contains no helpful additives, simply resort to thicker grade oil as an alternative. Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer is petroleum-based, making it safe to mix with most engine lubricants.

Lucas High Mileage Fuel Treatment

Lucas High Mileage Fuel Treatment is an alcohol-free additive that helps revive performance and horsepower. It is a multi-faceted additive, that prevents pinging, keeps fuel systems lubricated, and reduces contamination. It also helps to extract harmful valve deposits that could be limiting productive air flow within engines.

Unlike many fuel additives, Lucas High Mileage Fuel Treatment won’t destroy oxygen sensors. It’s also compatible with many modern vehicles, including port-injected motors. It has been shown to work best with high-mileage vehicles. When used, entire bottles are typically emptied in a tank before each new fill-up, an important order which ensures that each use is properly mixed.

Alcohol-free, Doesn’t harm oxygen sensors, Helps to prevent contamination of oil

Only comes in one size bottle (5.25 oz)

User Reviews

Although it exists somewhat on the fringes of the Lucas Oil fuel additive market, Lucas High Mileage Fuel Treatment also has a fair share of dedicated users. Similar to the review sections of other fuel additive products, disappointment seems to be the norm when people expect too much out of these mixtures. They’re not check engine light saviors, but this product in particular keeps fuel systems well lubricated, and extends the life of oil. With many fuel additives, the positive effects are never exactly felt, but they do play their part in helping to prevent the premature overhauling of a young engine that should be in tip-top shape.

Our Pick

Good old-fashioned Lucas Fuel Treatment seems to be the way to go in most situations. It’s easily the most highly rated, it’s been around for a long time, and has been trusted by motorists for years. It’s a great all-around fuel treatment strategy, and for the price it can’t be beat. Additionally, it’s sold in one gallon jugs, allowing users to stretch the product out for as long as possible. The lubrication it provides in fuel systems, the reduction of harmful emissions, and the frequent MPG increases are just a few of the key benefits. Many have seen their vehicle’s overall performance increase, through the use of Lucas Fuel Treatment. It often results in a, simply put, smoother driving experience.

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Photo credit: Lucas Oil