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.

How often should I change my 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. Ultimately, the frequency of oil changes will depend on several factors, including the type of mower, the dustiness of your environment, and how much you’re mowing. Our standard recommendation is:

Check interval: Check your engine oil level once every 5 hours of continuous runtime

Service interval: Change engine oil at least once per season

Supplies checklist

Before beginning an oil change, make sure you have:

• Your Husqvarna mower’s owner’s manual
• Genuine 4-stroke engine oil (compatibility listed in manual)
• Drain pan or bucket
• Sealable receptacle for old oil disposal
• Clean oil funnel
• Shop towels
• Floor protection (cardboard or newspaper)

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

Step 1: Prepare the mower

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

• Run the engine until the fuel tank is completely empty, to prevent fuel spillage while tilting
• Turn off the engine and fully disconnect the spark plug, positioning the wire so it cannot accidentally come into contact with the plug
• Clean all dirt and debris from the area around the oil cap and filler spout using a clean shop towel
• Remove the oil cap/dipstick and place it on a clean towel or surface

Step 2: Drain the old oil

There are multiple ways to remove old oil from your lawn mower:

• Direct-drain method: Place the mower and drain pan on top of cardboard or newspaper to protect the floor. Slowly tip the mower onto its side over the drain pan. Let the dirty oil slowly drain out of the filler spout. Carefully rock the mower back and forth to release any trapped fluid and fully empty. Transfer old oil from drain pan to disposal receptacle.
• Suction pump method: Insert the extraction hose of a manual or pneumatic oil pump directly down the filler spout. Draw the fluid directly into the disposal receptacle without tipping the mower chassis.

Be sure to wipe any spilled oil from the outside of the lawn mower and use oil-absorbing powder to soak up any spills on the floor. Ask your local gas station or Husqvarna dealer for 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.