If you own a mower, then you’re going to need to learn how to drain oil from a lawn mower. Now, I’m a big believer in doing things in the quickest and easiest way possible as long as it works and it does a good job. Also, I’m not looking to use a bunch of expensive tools and equipment if I don’t have to. So, here’s how to drain oil from a lawn mower the easy way.
Why You Might Need to Drain the Oil from Your Lawn Mower
The main reason you need to know how to empty oil from a lawn mower is for its annual oil change. But there are other times when draining the oil is a good idea. For example, you might find yourself in a situation where you need to work on your lawn mower, and turning it over is the only option.
Or maybe you have used the wrong oil for your engine and need to remove it. Therefore, knowing an easy way to drain oil from your lawn mower is definitely going to come in handy. So, let’s have a look at how to drain oil from your lawn mower the easy way.
How to Drain Oil From a Lawn Mower (My Go-To Method)
I have two different methods I like to use to drain the oil from my push lawn mower. The first is to tip the oil out of the lawn mower, and the second is to use an oil vacuum pump. Now, if I’m working on a riding lawn mower, I would only ever drain the oil directly from the sump of the engine. Let’s take a look at how to drain oil from a push mower.
Push Lawn Mower – Tipping the Lawn Mower Over
The first time I found out that you can tip out the oil from the lawn mower, I was kind of surprised. I didn’t think draining oil from my lawn mower could be so easy. I was expecting to have to use a method like what they would at the mechanic shop.
But no, you literally tip out the old oil. So, here are the steps you can use to drain oil from your lawn mower by using my tipping method.
Place the Lawn Mower on Some Old Cardboard
Now, I don’t like to get oil on the floor of my garage. So, I grab an old cardboard box and flatten it out so that I can place my lawn mower on it. Also, cardboard is pretty good at soaking up a bit of spilled oil.
Place an Oil Pan Next to the Lawn Mower
Next, place an oil pan next to the lawn mower on the same side as the dipstick. If you don’t have an oil pan, you’ll be able to grab one from either Autozone or Walmart for a few bucks.
Run the Engine for a Couple of Minutes
Once I have my area set up, I start my lawn mower’s engine so that it gets a chance to warm up a little and loosen up the oil. Now, I only ever run the engine for a couple of minutes, so It’s warm. I definitely don’t allow the engine to get hot or even slightly hot. I just want to get it warm so the oil thins out and can flow from the engine easier.
Remove the Dipstick
Next, remove the dipstick and place it where it’s going to be out of the way and safe. The last thing you want to do is trip over it and break it.
Tip Over the Lawn Mower
Next, grab the handles of the lawn mower and tip it over the correct way so that the oil filter is pointing down, then allow the oil to start to drain into the oil pan.
Drain the Oil
Once the oil starts to drain, I make sure the mower can’t tip over, then I go grab a coffee. This is so that I give the mower plenty of time to drain. It’s tempting to stop draining the lawn mower of oil when it’s just down to a trickle. But, you’ll find that all the junk in the engine is sitting right in the bottom, and it’s the last thing to come out. So, have a coffee and wait a while.
Refill the Engine with Oil
Finally, stand the lawn mower back upright and refill the engine with oil. Just be sure to select the right oil and use the right amount. Usually, this whole process takes me about ten minutes from start to finish. Just about the time it takes me to drink a cup of coffee.
Tools & Parts to Drain the Oil
- Piece of Cardboard
- Oil Pan
- Oil Funnel
- New Engine Oil
Draining Oil from a Lawn Mower: 2 Other Methods
Now it’s time to look at two more methods for draining oil from a lawn mower. The first is to drain the oil from a push lawn mower, and the other method you can use to drain the oil from a bigger riding lawn mower like a ride-on or lawn tractor.
Push Lawn Mower – Using an Oil Vacuum Pump
If you want an easy approach to draining the oil from your lawn mower, then this is definitely the quickest and easiest method I have found. A vacuum pump is an easy-to-use tool to remove oil from a lawn mower. This is the method I use when I want to carry out a quick oil change.
Warm Up the Engine
Again, I warm up the engine to allow the oil to flow a little bit easier. Just remember you only want warm oil and definitely not hot oil.
Remove the Dipstick
Next, remove the oil dipstick from the engine and set it to one side for later.
Insert the Vacuum Pump Hose
Now, thread the hose of the vacuum pump down into the engine through the same hole where you pour in the oil. This is the same hole where you removed the dipstick.
Pressurize the Vacuum Pump
Next, you’ll need to pump the vacuum pump until it’s too difficult to pump. As soon as the pump has started to form a vacuum, you’ll start to see the oil coming through the pump’s hose. So, keep an eye on the pump and make sure it has enough pressure. This means you might need to do some extra pumping until the hose stops pulling oil from the engine.
Remove the Vacuum Pump Hose
Once the oil has stopped flowing through the hose, the engine should have drained. This means you can remove the hose from the engine and wipe it down. Next, release the pressure valve so that the vacuum pump is unpressurized.
Refill the Engine With Oil
Finally, pour your selected oil into your lawn mower, and you are done.
Tools & Parts to Vacuum Oil from a Lawn Mower
- Vacuum Pump
- Cleaning Cloth
- New Engine Oil
Riding Lawn Mower – Draining the Oil From the Sump
Ok, time for a bigger lawn mower. Now, you’re not going to be able to tip over a riding lawn mower, so you’ll need to drain the oil instead. Also, because bigger lawn mowers like tractor mowers and zero-turn lawn mowers usually have bigger engines, they also usually have oil filters that can hold a lot of oil.
So, if you want to either drain all the oil or do a thorough oil change, then a vacuum pump isn’t an option. This is because very rarely can a vacuum pump get the oil from the filter. So, here are the steps you’ll need to follow.
Warm the Engine
Like all my other methods, I like to warm the oil just a little bit. So, run your riding mower for a minute and allow the oil to warm. Just make sure it’s not for too long so that the oil and engine don’t get hot.
Place an Oil Pan Under the Sump
Next, locate the sump of the engine, and find a bolt in the bottom at the lowest point. You’ll want to position the oil pan directly beneath the bolt so that it can catch the draining oil.
Remove the Sump Bolt
Next, use your socket wrench to remove the bolt from the sump. As soon as the bolt is loose, the oil is going to start to flow. It’s kind of inevitable you’ll get oil on your hands, which is why it’s important that the oil doesn’t get hot.
Drain the Oil
Once the bolt is removed, and the oil is draining, you’ll need to wait a while, as this can take some time. Usually, the bigger the engine, the more oil is used. So, time for a coffee.
Remove the Oil Filter
Next, it’s time to remove the oil filter. If you can remove the filter by hand, then do so, or use a special oil filter wrench. I tend to find these easier because, by this time, I have oil on my hands, and the oil filter becomes slippery. So, loosen off the oil filter and allow the oil pan to catch any excess oil.
Allow the Engine to Completely Drain of Oil
As soon as you remove the oil filter, you might find that the sump begins to drain again. So, grab another coffee and give it some more time to stop draining.
Install a New Oil Filter
Next, grab your new oil filter and screw it onto the engine. I find that a coat of oil on the rubber gasket of a new oil filter helps tighten it up easier. Also, the filter just needs to be installed with a snug tighten, so don’t go too hard. I usually do this by hand.
Clean the Sump Bolt
A lot of the time, you’ll find that the sump bolt is magnetic. This is so that any metal filings from the engine are attracted to the sump bolt and not allowed to float around the engine. So, have a closer look at the bolt and see if it’s attracted to the filings. If it has, then you’ll want to make sure you give it a good cleaning and remove the metal filings.
Install the Sump Bolt
Take your clean sump bolt and check that the o-ring is in place, and install it back into the bottom of the sump. Be sure to tighten it firmly so that you don’t end up with an oil leak.
Fill the Engine With Oil
Last but not least, fill the engine with your selected oil to the required level. You can check your mower’s oil level using the dipstick.
Tools & Parts to Drain the Oil From a Riding Lawn Mower
- Piece of Cardboard
- Oil Pan
- Socket Wrench Set
- Replacement Oil Filter
- Oil Filter Wrench
- New Engine Oil
Staying Safe When Draining Oil from Your Mower + Mistakes to Avoid
Safety is very important when figuring out how to get oil out of a lawn mower. Now, if you want to remove the oil from your lawn mower, then you should never do it with a hot engine. This is definitely very dangerous and can cause some very severe burns if you get hot oil on your skin.
The next mistake to avoid is to tip your lawn mower over the wrong way. If you tip your lawn mower over with the air filter closest to the ground and the dipstick at the top, then you’ll end up tipping oil through the carburetor and into the air filter.
This will then require an afternoon of cleaning out the oil from the carb. So, remember that the dipstick should be towards the ground, and the air filter should be at the top.
Ok, so when it comes to refilling your lawn mower with oil, you’ll need to make sure that you use enough oil and that you also don’t overfill the engine with oil. If you take a look in your owner’s manual, you’ll see how much oil your lawn mower takes.
This will help you avoid problems associated with running a mower with low oil and with too much oil. Both of these situations will cause your lawn mower to have problems operating.
The final mistake to avoid is refilling your lawn mower with the incorrect oil. When picking a lawn mower oil, you need to make sure that you pick the correct oil type. This means your lawn mower will be properly lubricated and ready for work.
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