How to change oil for lawn mowers

In this article, you’ll learn more about a common lawn mower maintenance topic. You may be asking questions such as:

• How do you change the oil in a lawn mower?
• How do you drain the oil in a lawn mower?
• What kind of oil does a lawn mower take?
• How often to change lawn mower oil?
• How much oil to put in lawn mower?

Note: This article covers the steps for changing the oil on a walk or push mower. Refer to your owner’s manual to find directions for changing the oil (and oil filter) on a particular model of Husqvarna lawn tractor or zero-turn mower. Or, if you'd like to learn more about the future of lawn care with the Automower® robotic lawn mower.

Before starting: How often to change lawn mower oil

Changing your Husqvarna mower’s engine oil is an important maintenance task that should be performed regularly throughout the lifetime of your equipment. But when should you change your mower's oil?

The frequency of oil changes will depend on several factors including the type of mower you own, the dustiness of your environment and the quantity of grass cutting work itself. However, a good rule of thumb is to check the oil level once for every five hours of continuous use and to change the oil a minimum of once per season.

Step 1: Collect the needed supplies

Before beginning your lawn mower’s oil change, collect the following items:

• Your Husqvarna mower’s owner’s manual
• A bottle of the 4-stroke oil recommended for your mower model, for example SAE 30 for Husqvarna walk and push mowers.
• Drain pan or bucket
• Receptacle for old oil
• Oil funnel
• Shop towels

Note: Always perform engine maintenance in a well-ventilated area away from flames or sources of heat.

Step 2: Prepare the mower

Be sure to perform these initial steps when changing the oil:

• Empty the fuel tank by running the engine until the fuel tank is empty.
• Turn off the engine and fully disconnect the spark plug, positioning the wire so it cannot accidentally come into contact with the spark plug.
• Use a shop towel to clean dirt and debris from the area around the oil cap and filler spout.
• Remove the oil cap/ dip stick and set it on a clean towel or surface.

Step 3: Drain the oil

Here’s how to drain the oil from a lawn mower. You may want to avoid a mess during this step by laying cardboard or old newspapers on the floor beneath your mower.

• For most walk and push mowers, you’ll drain the oil directly from the filler spout.
• Tip the lawn mower on its side and slowly drain the old oil into your drain pan or bucket.
• You may need to carefully rock the lawn mower back and forth to remove all the oil that may be trapped inside the engine.
• Wipe any spilled oil from the outside of the lawn mower.
• Use oil-absorbing powder to soak up spills on the floor.
• Transfer the old oil to a sealable receptacle.

You can ask your local gas station or Husqvarna dealer for a recommendation about where to dispose of old oil. Never pour oil down a drain!

Step 4: Refill the engine oil

Your lawn mower is now ready for fresh oil, which will appear golden brown in color (as opposed to the dark-brown tint of used oil). You'll typically use approximately 15 to 18 ounces of oil in a Husqvarna walk or push mower, but check your owner’s manual to verify your model's capacity.

• Position the funnel in the filler spout.
• Slowly pour the oil into the funnel, stopping every few ounces to check the oil level with the dip stick. This is done by wiping the dip stick clean and inserting it into the filler spout.
• Stop adding oil when you reach the full mark on the dip stick, then wait a moment for the oil to settle. Recheck and continue adding as needed.
• Be careful not to overfill with oil or the engine will smoke heavily from the muffler upon startup.

Step 5: Restart the mower

• Retighten the oil cap/ dip stick prior to starting the engine.
• Reconnect the spark plug.
• Refuel the mower with low-ethanol, regular unleaded gasoline.
• Restart the engine in an open area in case of any smoking from excess oil.

That’s it! Your mower is now refilled with fresh oil and ready to get to work.

Alternate method: Using an oil pump

An alternative method to draining the oil from your mower is to use a manual or compressor oil pump. Check out the following video to see that method in action.