Um what?...Never change the oil?

[3930dave]

I suspect your older mower has the square filter on the side with the single bolt at the top to hold the cover on. The filter this engine uses is a press fit that is designed to eliminate dirt bypass around the sealing surface, and then has the main cover over the filter.

Yep, single bolt style on mine. No visible dirt ingress issues. Gasket is thick enough, and cover is rigid enough to seal well. Only mod I've done with mine is to add a square piece of fiberglass window screen, about 1/2" bigger than the filter, that fits under the cover - makes cleaning grass chunks off the filter much easier.

I'll have a look at one of these engines eventually..... I'm all for good filtration :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[RandyT]

Yep, single bolt style on mine. No visible dirt ingress issues. Gasket is thick enough, and cover is rigid enough to seal well. Only mod I've done with mine is to add a square piece of fiberglass window screen, about 1/2" bigger than the filter, that fits under the cover - makes cleaning grass chunks off the filter much easier.

I'll have a look at one of these engines eventually..... I'm all for good filtration :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

Briggs makes a screen felt type filter that fits in the spot were you have the screen at now. Part number 493537 if I remember correctly

 

[Dadnatron]

I have been looking at Zero-turns and one selling point of Ferris is that they use Briggs engines with a 500hr oil change rather than 50 for most others.

It has a big reservoir and (as the salesman told me) good filtration and your maintenance is significantly diminished. How true that is, I am not sure. But I did think it was interesting because it would be likely that I'd be changing oil at least once a month through the summer on a 50hr machine.

I know Exmark's oil change (at least on the 35hp unit I was checking on) had an easy dump hose. Changing oil shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

But even on the BS unit... you have to change it eventually.

 

[texasranger556]

If the pressure washer runs one of those cheapo axial pumps then chances are it would fail long before something went wrong with the engine even with zero maintenance. I've got a Honda GC series sitting in the shed for an eventual go kart project, pump had locked up and was given to me.

 

[4get gto]

If the pressure washer runs one of those cheapo axial pumps then chances are it would fail long before something went wrong with the engine even with zero maintenance. I've got a Honda GC series sitting in the shed for an eventual go kart project, pump had locked up and was given to me.

I agree. Rarely do you see the pumps outlast the motor. Nobody wants to dick with putting a new pump on so they just throw the rest away.

 

[RandyT]

I have been looking at Zero-turns and one selling point of Ferris is that they use Briggs engines with a 500hr oil change rather than 50 for most others.

It has a big reservoir and (as the salesman told me) good filtration and your maintenance is significantly diminished. How true that is, I am not sure. But I did think it was interesting because it would be likely that I'd be changing oil at least once a month through the summer on a 50hr machine.

I know Exmark's oil change (at least on the 35hp unit I was checking on) had an easy dump hose. Changing oil shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

But even on the BS unit... you have to change it eventually.

Sounds like the new briggs dry sump engine. Has two oil pumps and a 5 quart external oil tank. One pump supplies oil to all the bearings and the other returns the oil back into the storage tank. allows for operation on greater inclines than the standard engine. I don't remember the maximum operating angle but is something like 45 degrees as opposed to the standard 25-30 degree of most engines.

 

[some zilch]

i wouldnt put 500hrs on a CAT motor's oil change; much less a B&S

 

[MossRoad]

Back in the summer of 1985, we bought our first house. Here's a picture from space as it is now



As a pre-wedding present back in early 1985, our in-laws bought us a Craftsman lawnmower with a 2.5HP Briggs engine. Our yard was 65 x 135, on a corner lot, so we had another 200' of tree lawn 6' wide. I mowed at least once a week, 7 months a year, sometimes twice, because I had a sprinkler system and fertilized. It was the nicest lawn on the block for many years. We moved out in early 1996 (we actually put it on the market Memorial Day, 1996, because there is a parade in front of the house that day every year, and we got an offer the next day and sold it). So, we'll say 1 time per week, times 4 weeks per month, times 7 months per year, times 11 years. 1 x 4 x 7 x 11 = 308 times. Then I used it to mow a small enclosed area and as a trim mower at our new house until just a few years ago. As I recall, it was 29 years old when the deck failed and I bought a new mower.

In the 29 years I ran that mower, I never, ever, changed the oil. Not once. Ever. I'd just check the fill plug, and top off if necessary. I doubt I put 2 qts in it total in 29 years. It had the original air cleaner. I'd just tap it out on the ground a couple times a year. I think I may have changed the spark plug once and that's it. And the best part.... it started on the 1st pull every year after sitting in the shed all winter with 1/2 a tank of 10% ethanol gas, untreated. For the last 4-5 years of its life, we'd have a 1st pull ceremony each spring to see if it would go. I'd make the wife and kids come out and watch. I'd check the oil, top it off, top off the gas, push the primer bulb about 20 times, hold down the handle and pull and rrrRRRRRRRRRRRRR off it would go. I'd just shake my head and laugh.

I still have that engine. I removed it from the deck before I trashed it. I could not bear to throw out the most dependable, consistent, engine I ever owned. It has a place of honor in my garage.... somewhere under all that other crap I've saved. :laughing:

So, I do not doubt that a small engine manufacturer would now come up with this add oil, don't change it, policy for this pressure washer. Its been a long time coming. The engine will outlast the pump, most likely. And it probably won't be operated 10 hours per year total, on average.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a link to their ad campaign....

Just Check and Add Never Change The Mower Oil '|' Briggs & Stratton

 

[bdog]

I am sure it will last as long as the warranty does. After that they don't care. It blows up you buy another.

I am not convinced by all these long change intervals. I think they are adequate to get the estimated product life or for sure out of the warranty period but more frequent changes will prolong life.