Craftsman mower oil filter. How To Check and Change the Oil Filter in a Lawn Mower

Have a lawn mower you’re looking forward to using? Don’t forget to inspect the oil filter first. Here’s how.

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With warmer weather just around the corner and things starting to green up, homeowners everywhere have lawn mowers on their minds. Before taking your gas-powered, walk-behind or riding lawn mower out for the first time, be sure it’s stocked with fresh oil and a new filter.

All gas-powered riding lawn mowers have oil filters, but most walk-behinds don’t. So if you own one of the latter, you’re probably off the hook, although you’ll still need to change the oil regularly. Electric mowers don’t need engine oil or filters.

It’s fast and easy to change the oil filter in your lawn mower. It might not seem important, but it’s not something you should skip.

When I was 18, I helped an elderly neighbor split some firewood, then offered to cut his grass. He had an old Cub Cadet riding mower. Trouble was, the mower wouldn’t run properly. Turns out he changed the mower’s oil regularly, but not the filter, which was clogged for so long it damaged the engine. My neighbor ended up buying a new mower.

Avoid similar misfortune by learning how to check and change your lawn mower oil filter.

Where Is the Filter in a Lawn Mower?

It varies from one mower to the next. Look for a cylindrical metal object between two and three inches in diameter threaded into one side of the machine. This is the oil filter.

If you have a walk-behind mower and don’t see such an object, your mower doesn’t need a filter. If your machine does have an oil filter, here’s where to find it.

Walk-behind mowers

The cylindrical metal filter will be threaded into one side of the machine, most likely on the same side as the dipstick and oil cap. It’ll be hard to miss.

Riding mowers

It should be on the right side of the machine near the back, just above the oil drain hose or plug. Look just behind the right rear wheel. If you don’t see it there, check the left side.

When Should I Change the Lawn Mower Oil Filter?

Once every 50 hours of run time, or once per mowing season, whichever comes first.

How To Change a Lawn Mower Oil Filter

The steps are basically the same whether it’s a riding mower or a walk-behind. Always change the oil and filter at the same time, because if one is bad, the other will be too.

You’ll need an oil drain pan (any large plastic container will do), a jug or two of new oil (synthetic SAE 5W-30 is a safe bet for most mowers), a funnel, an oil filter wrench and a new filter. Check your owner’s manual to be sure you buy the right oil and right size filter for your mower.

• Locate the oil drain plug or hose on the side of the mower. Look near the back on riding mowers, and underneath the mower deck for push mowers. Some push mowers don’t have drain plugs; these need to be tipped on their side and drained from the oil fill port.
• Drain the old oil into your drain pan.
• Find the filter and unthread it with your wrench. Be sure to position your drain pan underneath the filter before removing it, because it’ll probably drip some oil.
• Dispose of the old oil at your local hazardous waste depot. Take the old filter at your local recycling station, or bring it to the nearest vehicle service center; many take used filters.
• Open a jug of new oil and dip your finger in it. (Use rubber gloves if you want.) Spread the oil from your finger over the rubber seal on the threaded end of the new filter so it doesn’t bunch up.
• Put on the new filter, tightening it with the filter wrench.
• Open the oil fill port, insert a funnel, then fill it up with fresh oil. Check your owner’s manual to find out how much oil to use.

Best Lawn Mower Oil Filters

There’s not usually a huge difference in quality from one brand of lawn mower oil filter to the next. Over the years I’ve used half a dozen brands, and they all work pretty much the same. Still, I like Briggs and Stratton filters the best.

Why? Some filters show signs of wear on the rubber seals when I pull them off to replace them. The Briggs and Stratton filters on my mower have perfect-looking seals even after a hard season of mowing.

Robert Maxwell is a writer, videographer, photographer and online strength coach based in Northern Ontario, Canada. He grew up on a rural self-sufficient homestead property where he learned the skills to build his own home from the ground up, do all his own vehicle repairs, and work with wood, stone and metal to find practical DIY solutions to many everyday problems.

Lawn Mower Air Filter Soaked in Oil: Reasons and Solutions

The problems causing lawn mower air filter soaked in oil can include the mower’s positioning, oversaturation, maintenance, or issues with other parts.

In this complete guide, we will delve into each of these issues and provide easy solutions to prevent an oil-soaked lawnmower air filter from happening again, so read on to learn more!

• Why Is the Air Filter In Your Lawn Mower Soaked in Oil?

• – Tilting of Lawn Mower
• – Overfilled Crankcase
• – Blown or Worn-out Head Gasket
• – Mowing on Sloped Land
• – Incorrect Maintenance Procedure (Dirty Filter Cleaning)
• – Oversaturated Air Filter
• – Internal Engine Problem

• – Tilt Your Lawn Mower
• – Always Check the Oil Level
• – Replace the Head Gasket
• – Find Alternatives for Sloped Land
• – Replace Lawn Mower Oil Filter
• – Squeeze Out Extra Oil From the Air Filter
• – Bring Your Mower to Professionals

Why Is the Air Filter In Your Lawn Mower Soaked in Oil?

The air filter in your lawn mower is soaked in oil because it was flipped over on the wrong side, the crankcase is overfilled, the head gasket is blown or worn out, you are mowing on sloped land, or the air filter is oversaturated, among other reasons.

Here are the most probable reasons why the air filter of your lawn mower keeps on getting soaked in oil.

– Tilting of Lawn Mower

One of the most likely reasons why the air filter of a lawn mower can be drenched in oil is that it was flipped over on the wrong side. While turning the lawnmower on its side to do maintenance like adjusting, sharpening, or replacing the blade, there are both proper and improper ways to do it.

Tilting it in the wrong direction risks having an oil-soaked air filter because the oil leaks from the engine and can accumulate over time in the air filter until it is completely soaked.

Even though the location of the air filter depends on the brand and model of the mower, it must always face upwards when you turn the mower on its side. If the air filter is facing downward, then it will most likely catch the gas and oil that leak due to gravity.

However, air filters do become greasy with time, so if the issue is not persistent, your filter probably just needs to be replaced.

– Overfilled Crankcase

The majority of lawnmowers used for residential purposes have small crankcases. Typically, it only needs a fraction of a quart of oil. Therefore, the likelihood of oil flowing out of the crankcase will be significantly higher if it is filled up above the recommended level.

Even though the excess oil will frequently reach the cylinder, it can sometimes find its way into the carburetor and exit through the air filter.

– Blown or Worn-out Head Gasket

If, in addition to an oil-soaked air filter, your lawn mower also won’t start, the most likely cause is that the head gasket is blown or broken, which can result in the spark plug suffering.

This is because, aside from sealing the combustion gases inside the cylinders, one of the functions of the gasket is to help prevent engine oil from leaking into the cylinders, piston rings. carburetor, and other areas.

– Mowing on Sloped Land

Even though it does not frequently happen, it can still be a reason why the air filter of your lawn mower can be soaked up in oil. Mowing on an extremely sloped lawn can cause oil leaks. Because of the angle of the mower’s position, the oil will begin moving out of the crankcase and toward the air filter.

– Incorrect Maintenance Procedure (Dirty Filter Cleaning)

Air filters are typically replaced once every season or after you have used your mower for 25 hours. If you are using a paper air filter, replace it. However, if it is made of foam, you can wash it in hot water with a bit of dish soap and then wring it out.

Before being placed back in the mower, it should be saturated with engine oil and wrung out with a cloth. Although that is contrary to what we are trying to prevent, air filters are really meant to be oily but not clogged, soggy, or dripping with oil.

Sometimes, the carburetors must also be cleaned as a dirty carburetor that is not functioning well can also contribute to the problem of the air filter.

– Oversaturated Air Filter

As previously mentioned, the air filter of a lawn mower is meant to be applied with a little oil because it improves the ability to capture dust particles. However, it loses its effectiveness if you oversaturate it with oil.

In addition, the oil coming out of air filter may also leak into the filter box or the carburetor, thus also reducing efficiency. Worse, the engine might sustain significant damage.

– Internal Engine Problem

If you checked out all six of the probable causes in this list and found them not to be the root of the problem, then the culprit may be the engine itself, especially if your mower is pretty old, which means your air filter can be covered in oil.

This is because the oil that leaks in the wrong direction and reaches the air filter could be caused by a blown head gasket, a broken cylinder, or worn cylinder rings. If this is the case, then you will need the assistance of a specialist to repair the engine.

Also, because repairs can be costly, you should consider whether it is still worth repairing your mower or you would be better off purchasing a new mower.

What Are Some Solutions ?

Some solutions for lawn mower air filter soaked in oil include tilting your lawn mower to the correct side, always checking the oil levels, replacing the head gasket, replacing the filter, squeezing out extra oil from the filter, or bringing the lawn mower in for repairs. You can also try to clean your lawn mower’s air filter before following the solution below.

Now that we have discussed the most common reasons, here are the solutions that you can apply to solve this air filter problem.

– Tilt Your Lawn Mower

Oil spills on the air filter can be avoided by tilting your lawn mower such that the carburetor is facing the high side. There is another way to choose how to place your grass-eating machine if you do not prefer turning your lawnmower on its side or if your particular model cannot be turned. Although it was suggested to turn the mower on the correct side, tilting the handlebars to the ground is also a good alternative.

– Always Check the Oil Level

As advised by manufacturers, it is best to put very little oil on your lawn mower. To prevent overfilling the crankcase, use a dipstick to check the level. Keep adding small amounts until you reach the recommended level. The safe range of oil level should be above the “Add” mark but not beyond the “Full” mark on the dipstick. If oil is coming out from your lawn mower’s exhaust there are some easy-to-follow solutions for you.

– Replace the Head Gasket

The only solution to this is to replace the gasket to stop the oil leakage and prevent a sudden loss of engine power. Bring your lawn mower to a mechanic to diagnose the problem and replace the head gasket for you if you don’t have much experience with mowers.

– Find Alternatives for Sloped Land

If your lawn is situated in an area with extremely sloped land and you are using your lawn mower, you should be very careful and always check to see if there will be oil leaking into your air filter.

It is also best to assess if it is worth using a lawn mower with all the given risks, or if it is time to look for alternative solutions on how to attend to your sloped lawn without using the mower.

– Replace Lawn Mower Oil Filter

The simplest solution is to periodically replace the lawn mower foam air filter oil and air filters. Make sure to maintain it in good condition as well. Leaving it dirty and saturated with oil will cause the oil to leak through the lawn mower, eventually coating other engine parts.

So if the air filter is not always replaced, your lawn mower will eventually break down due to the oil in it. Ideally, air filters should be changed once per season or when they get clogged with dirt or debris.

– Squeeze Out Extra Oil From the Air Filter

If you accidentally pour too much oil onto the foam filter, you can remove it by wrapping the filter in a paper towel and squeezing off the excess oil. Squeeze out the extra oil using a foam air filter or foam pre-filter.

– Bring Your Mower to Professionals

The biggest problem on the list can only be solved by repair. Depending on the severity of the engine problem, it is best to call in professional help to solve it rather than try to do it yourself, especially if you are not that familiar with repairing small engines.

Conclusion

Problems with your lawn mower happen when the air filter soaked in oil. Thankfully, we got that covered here, along with how to fix oil in air filter lawn mower.

Let us recap what we have learned:

• Tilting your lawn mower when doing maintenance and mowing on sloped land will cause oil to leak from the air filter generator.
• A faulty part like a blown or worn-out head gasket can cause more problems like a suffering spark plug. It can also cause the oil to leak into the cylinders and other parts of the mower.
• An overfilled crankcase and oversaturated foam air filter will also cause oil to travel from the air filter housing to other parts of the engine.
• If the mower produces black smoke, then it’s a problem if the lawn mower air filter is soaked in gas. The solution is just to replace the filter.

With the learnings you got from this article, maintaining your lawn will be so much easier as long as your trusty lawnmower is always in good condition.

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Looking for your Serial Number?

Finding your lawn mower’s model number and serial number is as easy as locating the identification tag on your machine. As seen in the example, the model number will be displayed below the MODEL heading (Example: Z235), and the serial number will be underlined on the top-right corner of the tag (Example: 130002).

If you’re looking for the engine number, that can be found directly on the engine itself.

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MowerPlus is the app you need to keep your John Deere riding lawn mower running well and your lawn looking great this season. The app tracks and records yard tasks and serves as a one-stop shop for seasonal care tips and maintenance activities. Know your mower and know how you mow with John Deere’s MowerPlus app.

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The John Deere Easy Change™ 30-Second Oil Change System

Never drain engine oil again.

We’ve changed the oil change. Revolutionized it really. See how fast and easy changing your oil can now be on 100 Series Riding Lawn Tractors with the John Deere Easy Change™ 30-Second Oil Change System. Only from John Deere. Included on the E120, E130, E150, E160, E170, and E180 models.

Step One. Take it off.

Lift the hood. Make sure the engine is cool, then, twist to remove. It’s that simple.

Step Two. Twist and lock.

Grab the new Easy Change™ Canister, twist and lock into place. Make sure the arrow on your Filter System aligns with the arrow on your engine.

Step three. Done.

Close the hood and mow. John Deere recommends the Easy Change™ 30-second Oil Change System every 50 hours or at the end of your mowing season. Don’t drain engine oil ever again.

Draining engine oil is so 2017.

The engine modifications and new technologies are in. The re-envisioned oil filter with a media designed to resist breaking down in oil over time is here. The thousands of hours of testing are done. The end result is an all-in-one, oil and oil filter system like no other. The first of its kind. And thanks to the new John Deere Easy Change™ 30-Second Oil Change System (“System”), you’ll never have to drain the oil from 100 Series Riding Lawn Tractors again.

Here’s why: The new System captures contaminants and recharges your engine with nearly a quart (0.8qt) (0.76 l) of new oil. In fact, this System increases the amount of oil in the engine by nearly 40%. 2 Your engine likes that.

What do you mean, I will never have to drain oil from my engine again? How is that possible? The answer is simple. We have developed a better filtration system and filter design for our 100 Series Riding Lawn Tractors 1. This fully synthetic filter media has greater surface area which increases its capacity to hold harmful contaminants. What’s more, the filter media is designed to resist breaking down in oil over time. Which means you’ll get a cooler running engine. And a cooler running engine and better filtering helps increase engine oil life. John Deere’s recommended oil service for 100 Series Riding Lawn Tractors 1. is to change the System every 50 hours or once a season, whichever comes first. Remember, the System replaces a portion of your engine oil. And that’s plenty.

The System uses John Deere Turf-Gard™ Oil. Using John Deere Turf-Gard™ Oil ensures you are using the exact oil specified by John Deere engineers.

Testing. Testing. Testing. Thanks to thousands of hours of rigorous and extensive testing, you can feel confident your engine will run for years to come.

1 The John Deere Easy Change™ 30-Second Oil Change System is available on E120, E130, E150, E160, E170 and E180 Lawn Tractors today.

2 Compared to similar V-Twin engine models that do not have the John Deere Easy Change™ 30-Second Oil Change System. That includes equivalent Deere 2017 models and 2018 models without the System.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is new with John Deere Riding Lawn Equipment?

We are excited about the exclusive John Deere Easy Change™ 30 second oil change system. Exclusive to John Deere and only available on certain models of the new 100 Series Lawn Tractors. These tractors are designed for ease of use for both operation and maintenance. The John Deere Easy Change™ System (“Easy Change”) allows the user to easily complete the recommended engine oil and filter maintenance in 30 seconds.

What is this new oil change system?

We changed the oil change. The all-in-one oil and oil filter system gives the owner the ability to change a portion of the oil and the filter in less than 30 seconds.

What happens to the rest of the oil in the engine when the Easy Change system is replaced?

The Easy Change system replaces.8 quart of oil. The remaining oil in the engine is refreshed by the charge of new oil included in the replacement Easy Change system. Combined with 40% more engine oil capacity, improved filtration and cooler running temperatures which help extend oil life, it is no longer necessary to remove and dispose of all the oil in your engine during service.

What makes the Easy Change system unique from other filters?

It is not just a filter. It is a newly developed technology system that allows a new “filter” to come already charged with oil and allows you to remove an existing filter and the contaminants inside without tools and without making a mess. Beyond the filter, technology within the canister and on your engine makes this possible.

Models with the Easy Change oil system use a fully synthetic filter that has more capacity to trap and hold contaminants. The larger surface area of the Easy Change canister acts like a radiator helping the oil to stay cool.

Does the Easy Change system somehow decrease the life of the engine?

The John Deere 100 Series lawn tractor models, with and without Easy Change, are specified for the same lifetime and are rigorously tested to the same standards to ensure the life of the tractor meets expectations.

Can I add the Easy change system to an existing tractor?

Because this system also requires unique features within the engine, the Easy Change system cannot be added to an engine that was not equipped with it at the factory.

Can I change all the oil if I choose to?

You could if you wanted to. There is an oil drain plug. It is not required for maintenance.

How often do I need to change the Easy Change canister?

Every 50 hours or once a year. The 100 Series Lawn Tractors with and without the Easy Change system have the same maintenance schedule.

What type of oil is recommended?

We recommend only John Deere Turf-Gard™ 10W30 Oil. The Easy Change canister comes pre-filled with John Deere Turf-Gard™ 10W30 oil.

How do I recycle the old oil?

Many local government recycling programs, authorized retailers, auto repair stations, and auto parts stores will puncture and recycle used oil filters and oil.

Do I ever need to add oil?

Yes. Consistent with our service recommendations for this product, you should check oil level daily and add oil if required.