Too Much Oil in a Lawn Mower: Consequences and Preventive Measures

Just like any other machine, a lawn mower must be well lubricated. Oiling your mower will not only make it work more efficiently, but it will extend its life to serve you for a longer time. Have you ever added too much oil in a lawn mower?

It happens, but as for me, I always ensure the oil level in my trimmer is just right. This is because surplus lube can stop the engine from working optimally while too little amount can cause friction between the moving parts, which makes them wear out. Usually, your engine will also have to work hard due to the increased resistance. More intensive work rate reduces the service life of your machine. This will also require you to spend more money on replacing any of the damaged parts.

I have been gardening for the better part of my life, and I have also worked as a landscape designer for more than ten years. During this period, I have met many people who have overfilled lawn mower with oil. Most of them usually don’t have any idea what to do. From this experience, I saw it fit to help gardeners keep their gardens looking beautiful by addressing this problem. So read on to learn everything about the effects of surplus oil for lawn mower, the solution to this problem, and the measures you can take to prevent overfilling oil in your lawn mower.

Consequences of Excess Lubricant

Have you ever wondered what happens if you put too much oil in riding lawn mower? Several things might happen. First, surplus oil in a trimmer usually causes the hard start of the motor. The reason is that some parts of the engine may contact with motor oil while they shouldn’t. Eventually, this process can damage it.

Lack of enough oil in the engine can result in overheating due to high friction between the moving parts. Similarly, when I put too much oil in my lawn mower, the engine produces excess heat that makes the riding mower to overheat.

The surplus liquid in the crankcase can cause leakage. Since this area of the push mower is usually small, it pushes the excess liquid to get it out of the machine. This is what makes the oil splatter and causes leakage.

Also, if the surplus lubricant gets into the exhaust muffler, it can make the engine produce white smoke. This lawn mower smoke usually results in the lawn mower burning oil.

What to Do If You Put Too Much Oil in Lawn Mower Engine?

A lawnmower leaking oil, a slow starting motor, and a lawn mower smoking white are the common signs that show you have overfilled oil in lawn mower. This means removing the extra oil immediately is required to enable the trimmer to function correctly and prevent any possible damages.

If you cannot do it by yourself, you may need to call a professional to help you with the task. Besides getting out of the surplus lube, a professional can help repair additional damages that you may not easily notice. Those gardeners, who can’t get it right, use corded electricity. Such type uses power and has more benefits compared to the oiled ones.

How to Remove Excess Oil from Lawn Mower?

If I put too much oil in my lawn mower, I usually remove it myself. This shouldn’t be a difficult task for anyone. First, I clean the top of the crankcase using a piece of cloth. This will ensure no dirt or unwanted substances enter the crankcase. If dirt gets into the crankcase, it may end up clogging the carburetor, which in the end makes your machine start and then stall. So make sure it is always clean when adding or getting out any lube.

The next step is to unscrew the oil tube and take out the lubricant. To drain all the extra oil, its best to tilt the trimmer on its side while the carburetor is facing up. This also prevents the oil from draining inside the combustion chamber or carburetor.

The process ought to be done carefully to avoid any spillage. Once I have drained the lubricant, I usually replace the oil filter. This helps to improve engine life.

What Are the Preventative Measures?

It’s best to avoid overfilling oil lawn mower to prevent damages. However, how much oil in a lawn mower is enough for efficient lubrication, and how do you avoid putting more oil than necessary?

Well, the right amount of motor oil for lawn mower will depend on the brand of the machine. I highly advise people to read the owner’s manual carefully before adding oil. This should help you understand the oil requirements for your model.

I don’t always wait to experience a slow start or see a lawn mower white smoke to know there is lawn mower oil overfill. I use the dipstick to check the oil level, and if there is an extra lubricant, I drain it immediately. Also, the dipstick aids in knowing how much oil to put in lawn mower. This ensures that I don’t put excess oil, and at the same time, my riding mower does not go out of it.

The dipstick is attached to the cap, and you will see it when you unscrew the lid. I usually clean the dipstick with a piece of cloth before putting it back without screwing. After that, I remove it again to check the level of lube. Usually, the dipstick is marked twice with one mark indicating the maximum level, and the other showing the minimum one. At all times, the oil level should be closer to the maximum mark and never below the minimum.

I have come to realize that putting cold oil in a cold engine, for the most part, leads to adding too much oil in riding lawn. The reason being, cold lubricant moves slowly, therefore, most people keep on adding the lubricant and end up adding more than required. To avoid this, I recommend you add a little oil and wait until it gets into the crankcase before adding more.

The Concluding Thoughts

You must put the right quantity of oil in your trimmer to keep it functioning efficiently. Too much oil in lawn mower can easily damage your machine. Moreover, it can cause a number of risks that include a hard starting engine, an oil leak in lawn mower, and mower smoke as well as overheating. So be sure not to refill beyond the maximum amount required for your machine. A dipstick should help you know the amount to refill. Also, the manufacturer’s manual has the indicated capacity for your trimmer. This comes in handy when you want to change the oil from your mower. If you add more than the required amount of lube, you ought to get rid of it immediately to avoid any engine damage.

Can you put too much oil in a lawn mower? Have you ever added too much oil in a lawn mower? What steps did you take to address the situation? Have you experienced too much oil in riding lawn mower? Do you know any better measures to prevent the lawn mower too much oil? Please, do not hesitate and share your thoughts.