Honda Forum Way Too Quiet

[HRX217HZA]

I’ve noticed many forums are quiet (on many subjects). I’ve been told the book of faces, pinterest, instagram and all that sort of stuff is the new way...

Remember listservers? Laser disk? Betamax? 8-Track?

Frankly I think we’d all be better off if the entire internet went down for about 5 years, the world needs a reset before mother-nature does her own... anyway, that is another subject entirely.

As for Briggs. I actually had a Briggs before the Honda it was a pretty good mower engine, though I did change the oil in it. I would probably have bought another one if John Deere had still been making self propelled mowers. Hard to find a Briggs powered push mower that the chassis isn’t junk on (imo). Maybe Toro.

On to the oil change / no oil change. I’m pretty sure most of the public in the US doesn’t change oil in push mowers anyway so Briggs is just turning what people already do into marketing.

On a related note, John Deere has introduced the “Easy Change” 30 second oil change which I think is a better solution to the issue which could be implemented on push mowers.

 

[Rich M.]

On a related note, John Deere has introduced the “Easy Change” 30 second oil change which I think is a better solution to the issue which could be implemented on push mowers.

A friend of mine just got a John Deere tractor and it has the new drop-in filter. Did not get a chance to really look at it and how it works, but the idea sounds good.

I still stand behind "regular" oil changes for lawn mowers (and vehicles). To me, it is a cheap way to keep things running smoothly for years. Well, hopefully.

 

[jeb721]

Hey all, first post. Going to do a proper hello thread here, but thought I’d offer my thoughts here.

I will say I agree, that Briggs and Stratton life time oil is BS. Does any one know if they still have drain plugs on the bottom? I suppose you could just tilt the engine upside down to drain.

I actually like changing the oil on the mower and snow blower. I like doing the maintenance, it’s fun to me, and likely most of you, that’s why we’re on a lawn mower forum talking about lawn mowers. However I will say I have seen some old Briggs classics and tecumseh’s go a longggggg time with out an oil change, not saying it’s right, but maybe their thoughts were, “no one changes it anyway, let’s just tell em it’s life time oil.”. But of course these motors are cheaper, and likely won’t take the abuse.... which is why I bought a Honda.

 

[HRX217HZA]

A friend of mine just got a John Deere tractor and it has the new drop-in filter. Did not get a chance to really look at it and how it works, but the idea sounds good.

I still stand behind "regular" oil changes for lawn mowers (and vehicles). To me, it is a cheap way to keep things running smoothly for years. Well, hopefully.

There is a kit to de-easy change them if you prefer. I want to dissect one of the easy change filter assemblies and send the oil off for VOA but they are a little expensive at this point and since I don’t have a mower it fits ... well my curiosity isn’t quite that high right now. The concept is relatively simple though, the filter has a bit of new oil in it and a quick (like 1/4 or 1/3 turn) adapter. If I was making it the oil would have a high additive charge, but relatively small amounts of make up oil tend to replenish additive packages anyway.

I think one of the drivers here is to try to make gas mowers competitive with electric mowers which are seen by the younger generations as maintenance free and more environmentally friendly. If you cruise the mower isle at a big box store there are quite a few electric mowers on offer, Husqvarna, Kobalt, Dewalt... Stihl even makes one (not at box stores) i’m a little surprised Honda isn’t in the fray yet.

Then we have the Robotic mowers, which you don’t have to do anything with apart from pay dearly on the front end.

 

[Rich M.]

When I began looking at new mowers last year, some of the neighbors wanted me to purchase a battery power mower. Perhaps it is me, but my mind was gas power all the way.

I have plenty of battery operated tools and it seems like I am buying replacement batteries every year or two, which gets a little costly. As for gas mowers, I think I am still ahead of the game with the mower's yearly maintenance and gas costs.

 

[HRX217HZA]

I agree on the electric mowers, I still see them as most appropriate to smaller yards with minimal terrain... The fact that the big box stores carry more than one tells me they are selling though. I can also see how if you were for instance a new homeowner, and bought into one battery eco-system for your yard implements (trimmer, blower, edger, mower) there could be advantages. They have come a long way in just a few years. I’m not aware of an electric lawn tractor but I’m sure one will be along...

I’m a fan of internal combustion but... electric is perceived as more environmentally friendly (we get into the whole battery waste / how is the electricity produced argument) so I see a point in the future that internal combustion will be the exception.

 

[broo]

Hello guys

While my mower isn't a Honda, it does have Briggs' "never change the oil, just check & add" label on it (B&S 675exi). I bought it brand new late 2015 if memory serves. It's a MTD Gold, whatever "gold" means. MTD provided a small bottle with the exact amount of oil to put in the engine. This was synthetic 30 weight oil, yellow-brown like any new oil.

A few weeks ago before mowing for the first time this year, I decided to change the oil anyway, so I drained it by tilting the mower. What came out was thick & grey. I put fresh 30 weight regular oil, 470 ml as specified in the manual and it was right on the full mark on the dipstick.

This push mower doesn't see much use, maybe 30 minutes per week. The rest is done by my zero turn. I expected to see darkened oil as we usually see from used oil. Not grey and certainly not that thick.

So I decided that I will change it every year despite B&S' claim.

 

[jp1961]

Smart move Broo.

I would do the same.

Regards

Jeff

 

[bertsmobile1]

Because the EPA has a tiny narrow mind the only pollutant is petrol & the resultant CO2.
Thus they ignore the pollution attached to the manufacture & disposal of batteries.
In 10 years or so you will not be able to buy a petrol mower, they will all be battery powered.
10 years after that they will start to notice everything dead for miles around wast disposal sites and start to wonder why.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Hello guys

While my mower isn't a Honda, it does have Briggs' "never change the oil, just check & add" label on it (B&S 675exi). I bought it brand new late 2015 if memory serves. It's a MTD Gold, whatever "gold" means. MTD provided a small bottle with the exact amount of oil to put in the engine. This was synthetic 30 weight oil, yellow-brown like any new oil.

A few weeks ago before mowing for the first time this year, I decided to change the oil anyway, so I drained it by tilting the mower. What came out was thick & grey. I put fresh 30 weight regular oil, 470 ml as specified in the manual and it was right on the full mark on the dipstick.

This push mower doesn't see much use, maybe 30 minutes per week. The rest is done by my zero turn. I expected to see darkened oil as we usually see from used oil. Not grey and certainly not that thick.

So I decided that I will change it every year despite B&S' claim.

It is not a good idea to mix synthetic & non synthetic oils .
The packages in them actually fight against each other.
So decide which oil you are going to use.
Do an oil change after each mow 2 or 3 times then just use that oil from there on .
Go to a boat shop & buy a sump pump which will make oil changes a lot easier & cleaner.