[Mr. K]

Note that this is a POLITICS website.

Not lawnmower maintenance.

[Revel]

Here is something that is very Important! The first oil change needs to be done after only 5 Hours of use. (Break in Oil) That should be in the user manual.

[Harpotoo]

Any kind of oil is fine. Only use non-ethanol gas: http://myboatsgear.com/2017/01/04/marine-fuel-app/
Use your blower on the mower after each use.
Not much else except regular maintenance..

[V K Lee]

Haven’t a clue but it was recommended you visit with this guy for any small engine questions

Taryl Fixes All:
http://www.greenindustrypros.com/article/12058281/taryl-fixes-all-small-engine-repair-and-youtube-sensation

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Cd9kKYXFakV7ChvU_rjKw/about

[Senator_Blutarski]

I have been using full synthetic 5W30 oil in my lawn mowers and snow blowers for a decade with superb results. I buy the cheap Farm and Fleet synthetic manufactured by Citgo.

Change the lawn mower oil every 50 hours (which for me is twice a year). Change the oil on the snow blower in the spring when it goes into storage.

When I buy gas for the mowers and blowers I use non-ethanol gas and immediately add both Stabil and Seafoam to the entire gas can. I buy big bottles of Stabil in the early winter on sale. My mower and snow blower are one or two pull starts when they come out of storage.

[Ozark Tom]

Never change the oil???

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/campaigns/just-check-and-add.html

[GOPJ]

Read the book that comes with the mower and follow the suggestions. If you didn't receive a booklet, look it up on the Internet. If it says ‘do not use gas with ethanol' pay attention - - what it means is 'the next time' - - your new mower won't start - ever again.

[Clay Moore]

My questions are:

synthetic oil? No

regular oil? Yes 30wt Valvoline or mower specific oil. Multi grade oils tend to lose viscosity at the high temperatures that an air cooled engine operates at.

Change it once a year at the beginning of season.
-
Use the manufactures recommended octane fuel. No alcohol if available. We run Trufuel at work and over a period of time, I have noticed the engines just start a lot easier.

To high of an octane could conceivably burn an exhuast valve due to the slower burn rate.

We really do not have the option of no alcohol fuel so I run Stabil. It is not a perfect solution but seems to help. Alcohol based fuel is good for 2 months or so tops. Keep it fresh by dumping it in your car and buying new. The car won’t know the difference with a bit of not prime fuel mixed into 20 gallons.

Air cooled runs much hotter than a water cooled engine hence the oil breakdown.

I would cut the fuel line and add a filter if there is not already one. Briggs sells a good one.