The owner of a brand new lawn mower can get confused before using the gasoline unit for the first time. The question arises before him: "what kind of gasoline to pour into the lawn mower?" To figure it out, you need to know some of the nuances, for example, what type of motor is on the device.

There are four-stroke and two-stroke engines. For each of them, a specific fuel is suitable. In this case, oil should also be poured into the two-stroke engine along with gasoline. Another equally important question that interests the owners of garden equipment: "what kind of oil should be put into the lawn mower?" This also has its own characteristics.

Refueling equipment

What gasoline to use

Gasoline for a lawn mower is suitable for ordinary automobile gas, which is sold at all gas stations. Some models are equipped with a motor that runs mainly on diesel, but there are quite a few of them. Gasoline vehicles are usually sold in shopping centers.

The instructions for each unit indicate the recommended grade of fuel that should be filled into the gas tank. Therefore, it is important to carefully read the operating instructions immediately after purchase. This will eliminate many problems and extend the service life of the equipment.

Gasoline Lawn Mower

It is usually recommended to use gasoline for a lawn mower, which has octane numbers 92 and 95. It happens that it is proposed to fill the tank with the AI-98 brand.

Additional Information. The higher the octane number, the higher the detonation resistance of gasoline. Manufacturers achieve this by adding various chemicals to the fuel. Therefore, the reverse side of the coin here is the increased duration of burning for grades with a high octane number.

Vehicle manufacturers build cars with parts that have different detonation tendencies. That is why gasoline is suitable for each technique. There is no one general recommendation for a four-stroke or two-stroke engine for the brand of gasoline. It all depends on the manufacturer and his advice.

If you ignore the instructions and use fuel stored in the garage, but not suitable for the unit, this will lead to the following malfunctions:

  • Carbon deposits will appear on the candles, cylinders;
  • The piston system will become unusable;
  • The engine will constantly overheat and run unstable;
  • The power of the vehicle will drop, etc.

How to refuel

It is important not only to figure out what kind of fuel to fill in the tank, but also how to do it correctly. Depending on the type of power plant, the filling method is selected. Internal combustion engines are of two types:

  1. Two-stroke;
  2. Four-stroke.

Each of them has its own characteristics. The main difference is in the duty cycle. In the first case, the piston manages to make two strokes per cycle, in the second case - four. The four-stroke is less expensive in terms of gasoline, oil and more environmentally friendly. This motor element emits less exhaust gases. It is more powerful. In turn, in a small area, you can also use equipment with a two-stroke engine. Such models are simpler and cheaper. The trimmer, like the lawn mower, has similar types of engines.

Two-stroke

Two-stroke lawn mower

In order to refuel this unit, the fuel must be prepared. Pure gasoline is not suitable here. It must be diluted with oil. The fact is that two-stroke engines do not have an additional container for oil, so oil is poured into the engine along with gasoline.

There should be enough lubrication. If you save on it, then it will be difficult for the piston to perform the working cycle. Ultimately the cylinder and piston wheel will be damaged. This will result in engine replacement. If, on the contrary, you pour too much oil, then the piston will be covered with carbon deposits, and the power of the equipment will decrease significantly.

Four-stroke

Four-stroke engine in operation

Such an engine has a complex design. In addition to the tank, there is also a special container for oil. It's called a sump. During operation, fuel and lubricant are supplied in the required proportions to the motor. The advantage of a four-stroke engine is that there is no smell of burnt oil like a two-stroke engine does.

The fuel tank must be filled with high-quality, clean raw materials of the brand specified for this unit. Usually it is AI-92, AI-95 gasoline. Refuel as needed. There is a mark in the gas tank to which the liquid is poured. If it is absent, then the container is not filled with fuel to the eyeballs. It is important to leave some free space. Otherwise, the engine will malfunction.

Mower oil

The selection of the correct oil for gardening equipment should be based on the specifications of the machine. The oily liquid is necessary in order to, once on the nodes, spread in the spaces between the parts and on the parts themselves, providing them with easy sliding. Thus, equipment wear will be minimal.

Lawn Mower Oil

Note! Lawnmower oil with a 2-stroke motor is absolutely not suitable for a machine with a 4-stroke motor. Confusion can void the warranty and break the engine.

According to its characteristics, 4-stroke oil for lawn mowers should retain its chemical and physical properties for a long time, since it does not burn out during engine operation, but continues to move along the insides of the mechanism. In turn, the oil for the 2-stroke lawn mower burns with the fuel. Therefore, his characteristic includes such an item as the amount of carbon deposits. When using a quality product, carbon deposits should be minimal.

Important! You cannot purchase car oil. Lubricants for cars and trucks are designed for use in water-cooled machinery. In lawn mowers, as well as snowmobiles, motor-cultivators, air cooling is used. Because of these differences for garden equipment, manufacturers release their products. They are oriented towards air cooling.

For two-stroke engines

Lubricants suitable for two-stroke motors are:

  • Synthetic;
  • Semi-synthetic;
  • Mineral.

The package must contain a note about the type of engine for which the product is suitable. Often, equipment manufacturers indicate the recommended types of lubricants in the instructions for use. The manufacturer recommends the grade based on the appropriate viscosity level that is acceptable for the unit.

Two-stroke engine oil

For four-stroke engines

For four-stroke engines, oil is suitable, which is marked SAE-30, SAE 20w-50, 10W-30. These numbers and letters indicate the lubricant's particularity, or rather its viscosity and permissible weather conditions. The first two options are suitable for summer operation. The third option is preferable for the cool off-season. It is allowed to use a product labeled 5W30. It is an all-season liquid. If the internal combustion engine is 4-stroke, then the preference is given to semi-synthetics or a mineral product.

Additional Information. Some firms for the production of gardening equipment indicate in the instructions that it is necessary to buy only branded oil, which has the logo of this company. These products are more expensive than conventional products.

Gardeners are confused: which lubricant to buy? Repair service employees explain that it is not necessary to purchase branded oil. Machinery companies do not manufacture their own lubricants.They purchase it from specialized suppliers, and then pour it into containers with their own labels. Therefore, it does not matter what brand name is on the bank, the main thing is to purchase a product that is ideally suited to the parameters of the motor.

Oil for four-stroke engines

How to prepare a fuel mixture

For engines with a working cycle of 2 strokes, pure gasoline is not used. A fuel mixture is prepared from fuel and lubricant. Usually the proportions for the mixture are written on the gas tank. However, the general rule applies here. Synthetic or semi-synthetic lawn mower engine oil is added to gasoline in the ratio: 1 part oil to 50 parts gasoline. That is, for 0.5 liters of fuel, a proportion of 10 ml of lubricant is taken. The mineral oil product is added to the fuel in a ratio of 1 part to 35 parts. That is, 14 ml of oil must be mixed with 0.5 liters of gasoline. In order to measure the required amount of lubricant, the most common syringe with a standard or increased volume cylinder will come to the rescue.

Preparation of a fuel mixture for two-stroke engines

Which honey is better

Experienced gardeners are advised to prepare a combustible mixture for the whole season at once. To determine how much solution is needed, you need to do simple calculations. A standard mower has a tank volume of about one liter. A liter of fuel is enough for an hour of continuous operation. This is enough time to tidy up the front lawn. You will need to mow the lawn about 10 times per season. Then a ten-liter canister of fuel is taken, 200 ml of synthetic oil for a gasoline lawn mower is poured into it. Mineral lubricant will require 280 ml. It is best to store such a solution in metal containers.

Important! Specialists working in the field of maintenance of gardening equipment advise to increase the amount of lubricant in case the motor is no longer new, badly worn out, or the mower is operating under increased load. In this case, you can prepare a combustible mixture at the rate of 25 parts of fuel to 1 part of oil. That is, 40 ml of oil should be used per liter of fuel. For 10 liters of fuel - 400 ml of lubricant.

Oil change

What smell scares off wasps

The lawn mower oil change is carried out once a year, provided that the technician tidies up the lawn only in the summer. The best time is before the start of the season. It is necessary to change the oil if it changes color to black in the middle of summer. It is also recommended to change the lubricant after running in the equipment, that is, after 3-5 hours of work from the moment of the first start.

For the convenience of consumers, gardening equipment manufacturers offer special kits for replacing the oil product. The set includes several items:

  • Pump;
  • Canister;
  • Funnel.

Step-by-step instruction:

  1. Start the mower for 10 minutes before changing old oil. Warm oil is easier to drain, and it is also removed along with impurities and debris.
  2. Then they wait for the equipment to cool down. This takes 5 minutes.
  3. It is important to disconnect the spark plug and drain the gasoline.
  4. Further, using a pump or syringe, the lubricant product is pumped out. Some models have a plug through which the remaining liquid comes out. It is located at the bottom of the case. Waste product must be completely removed.
  5. If the owner sees oil in the air filter of the mower, then the filter is also cleaned during the lubricant change.
  6. Fresh oil is poured into the crankcase through the neck with a funnel. The liquid level is checked with a dipstick. Usually, 0.5 liters of material is sufficient to fill the oil container.

It is not difficult to figure out how to refuel the lawn mower, what oil and fuel to buy. In general, changing the lubricant takes about half an hour. It takes even less time to prepare the fuel mixture and refuel the equipment.