What type and how much oil for my lawn mower?
Before you are able to change the lawn mower oil on your Briggs Stratton small engine, it’s important to understand the oil type and capacity required. The type of equipment you use, the engine within, and the temperature outside determines what type of oil to use, how much you need and the cost of the oil. Use the Oil Finder tool below to find the right oil for you.
Different oil types can work best at certain temperatures. Learn which one to choose for your climate.
Cub cadet lawn mower oil
Back in the 1930’s or 1940’s ,, I do not know exactly when,, non-detergent was used by farmers.
After a while, the oil could be pumped off the top, it looked as clean as new,, the farmer would then use his “clean” oil,, that did nothing for non-visible contaminants like acids,,
Tractors did not have air filters then,, and no oil filter, oil got dirty FAST,, I would bet some of those tractors got daily oil changes,,
Detergent in oil simply keeps dirt in suspension, so that the dirt will come out when you change oil.
Even detergent oil will let the dirt settle out, if the oil sets for years.
Well, I’m confused. A couple of you recommend using non detergent oil though I believe the OP was referring to an older tractor/engine the he just aquired. I thought the non detergent oil was recommended for new or rebuilt Kohler engines during break-in period. And, after break-in period. use SAE 30 detergent oil SF or SG. Can you non detergent boys elaborate?
It is said: Detergent oil cleans the engine as it splashes around, and the filter does it’s job picking up any particles/dirt that is larger than the micron of the filter. Oh Wait, no filter, so one would want the dirt/particles to not stay in suspension and settle in the pan to be drained off with the oil, at change time. It makes sense, and that is what the engine manufactures say. Me, I never was small enough to go inside an engine to see if that is really the case, but have changed some oil that had crud in it. Actually, if oil is kept clean by frequent changes, I don’t see a problem with any of it.
Mark, like Matt points out with his excerpt from the Kohler engine manual, Kohler wants us to use a 30wt oil whenever the temps above freezing. They also want it to be equal or better than a service class SG or SH. This means the oil is a detergent oil. What detergents do is keep stuff in suspension. Just like the detergent you use in your washing machine. It keeps all the poop particles in the wash water, rather than redepositing them on your undies. For oil, this means that when you drain the oil (hot, after running), you flush out all the crud that‘s built up with use (dirt, wear particles, condensation, etc). If you want a non-detergent oil, you will need to look for a service class SA oil. This is the oil class that’s recommended for break-in. But NOT for daily use thereafter.
Interesting read about oil service classifications at this site.
Cub Cadet is a premium line of outdoor power equipment, established in 1961 as part of International Harvester. During the 1960s, IH initiated an entirely new line of lawn and garden equipment aimed at the owners rural homes with large yards and private gardens. There were a wide variety of Cub Cadet branded and after-market attachments available; including mowers, blades, snow blowers, front loaders, plows, carts, etc. Cub Cadet advertising at that time harped on their thorough testing by “boys. acknowledged by many as the world’s worst destructive force!”. Cub Cadets became known for their dependability and rugged construction.
MTD Products, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio purchased the Cub Cadet brand from International Harvester in 1981. Cub Cadet was held as a wholly owned subsidiary for many years following this acquisition, which allowed them to operate independently. Recently, MTD has taken a more aggressive role and integrated Cub Cadet into its other lines of power equipment.
This website and forum are not affiliated with or sponsored by MTD Products Inc, which owns the CUB CADET trademarks. It is not an official MTD Products Inc, website, and MTD Products Inc, is not responsible for any of its content. The official MTD Products Inc, website can be found at: http://www.mtdproducts.com. The information and opinions expressed on this website are the responsibility of the website’s owner and/or it’s members, and do not represent the opinions of MTD Products Inc. IH, INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER are registered trademark of CNH America LLC
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How to Change the Oil on a Cub Cadet XT2 Tractor
Before performing any maintenance on your Cub Cadet XT2 tractor, refer to your owner’s manual for recommended maintenance and safety information. Maintenance instructions vary by model, so depending on your tractor model our instructions may vary slightly. Check your owner’s manual to get instructions specific to your model.
Park your Cub Cadet on a flat, level surface. Turn the engine off and allow it to cool. Remove the ignition key, disconnect the spark plug wire to prevent accidental starting, and engage the parking brake.
Here is how to change the oil on a Cub Cadet XT2 tractor with the Cub Cadet fuel injection engine.
Start by loosening the dipstick, allow it to breathe. The oil drain on this engine is on the opposite side of the engine (right side).
Pop the black cap off and use the drain tube that was supplied in your owner’s manual bag. Push the tube on the end of the oil drain and into your oil drain pan.
On the oil drain itself, turn it to the left or counterclockwise, and carefully pull it out towards yourself. That will allow the oil to drain. Allow it to drain for 5 to 10 minutes to properly drain all the oil that’s in the engine.
Once the oil is drained, push in the connector and turn to the right or clockwise to stop the oil drain. Remove the dipstick and oil filter.
Clean off the surface of the engine and install the new oil filter. Make sure when changing the oil filter, you remove the dust cap from the filter. We are using the supplied 10w30.
When installing the oil filter, put a little oil on the O-ring seal. Do not use any mechanical tools, reinstalling by hand is good enough. Refill the engine oil. Once you get to halfway of the second quart start checking the dipstick. When checking the oil on the machine, turn the dipstick until you feel it drop down just a hair, lightly seed, and then recheck.
Once it’s full, run the engine five minutes, allow it to warm up and allow the oil to get through the oil filter. Recheck the dipstick and add more oil as necessary.
Use our illustrated parts diagrams to locate any replacement parts you may need for maintenance for your Cub Cadet XT2 tractor.
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Weingartz, family owned and operated, began in 1945 as a farm supply store for local Michigan families. In the 1970s, we began to FOCUS exclusively on outdoor power equipment. Over time, we morphed into the “power equipment superstore” that now defines all of our locations. The staff and experts at Weingartz work diligently to provide the best service possible and give honest and helpful advice to each and every customer.
Weingartz also sells parts for all outdoor power equipment at https://weingartz.com/parts-lookup.
Weingartz6585 Dixie Hwy.Clarkston,Mi 48346-3421(248) 620-5258[email protected]
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How Do I Reset Oil Reminder On Cub Cadet?
The oil reminder is an automatic function of the Cub Cadet lawn mower. It does not need to be reset and does not come with the option to reset it. The meter should reset itself once the oil has been changed.
It is important to know how the meter functions so that you know when to change the oil. The LCD display should read the letters, ‘CHG’ and ‘OIL’, when the oil needs changing. The letters ‘CHG’ simply mean ‘change’. These letters are followed by the time of use of the mower. This message will appear after 50 hours of running time and will continue to display for five minutes after the initial alert.
The meter will then enter into a maintenance time, which lasts for two hours. During this interval, every time the mower is started, the message will appear again. Each time the message appears it will last for five minutes. This message will subsequently appear after every 50 hour period of use.
As an example, after the first use it will display between 50 and 52 hours of use. After that it will be 100-102 hours and so on. There is a red LED oil symbol, which will flash every time the message is displayed, for five minutes. The meter display will revert to normal once the two-hour maintenance period has elapsed and will then begin the countdown till the next change is required.
If there are further problems with this piece of equipment then the Cub Cadet website would be a useful place to go as it has a comprehensive FAQ section. If this is no use then an e-mail could be sent to the company or a direct call could be made.
Why Lawn Mower Oil Matters
Like all internal combustion engines, lawn mower engines need oil to run. Even simple engines have many moving parts, often designed to work at extremely high speeds and temperatures. This is why the lubricating and cooling action of oil is essential. Without it, your lawn mower’s engine would quickly overheat, seize and be ruined.
Motor oil comes in different grades, based on viscosity and how the oil behaves at different temperatures. Most mowers have what are called four-stroke engines. This means they burn straight gasoline as it comes from the service station pump, but they also require motor oil to be added separately to the crankcase of the engine. 10W30 is a common motor oil grade suitable for many lawn mowers. Your owner’s manual will tell you the exact grade required, but in almost all cases 10W30 is the right stuff for a four-stroke engines.
Any brand of oil that’s suitable for cars or trucks will work fine in your mower. All reputable oil includes a service rating in addition to a viscosity rating. Look for oil that’s designated SF, SG, SH, SJ or higher.
What Does SAE Stand For in Oil?
SAE is the acronym for the Society of Automotive Engineers. They are an organization that sets global standards in a variety of fields related to transportation and aerospace. It is the responsibility of the SAE to ensure that automotive oil is standardized throughout the world.
Yes. As previously stated, engine oil made for cars and trucks is the highest quality oil on the market and it works optimally with nearly all four-stroke engines.
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