Having a lawn mower comes with its share of questions; honestly, those questions cannot be exhausted. But as you know, we try as much as we can to get answers from various legible sources to feed your curiosity.

Every mower comes with its type and engine, depending on its brand and manufacturer. Knowing the type of engine built in your lawn mower helps you to know which type or brand of lawn mower to get.

How Many Hours Does A Lawn Mower Engine Last?

How Many Hours Does a Lawn Mower Engine Last?

A lawn mower engine is the part of the lawn mower that determines how long the lawn mower will last. So, if your lawn mower engine is in good condition, be rest assured that it will last for as long as years.

A lawnmower should have an expected lifespan of at least 8–10 years with regular use and adequate maintenance. This translates to roughly 300 to 500 hours for a small engine, and for a larger engine, 750 to 1000 hours.

An electric lawnmower’s lifespan will primarily depend on how frequently the batteries are charged because the capacity will significantly decrease after a certain number of charge cycles.

Types Of Lawn Mower Engine

Lawn mowers are powered by mainly two types of lawn mower engines. However, which engine is used by which lawn mower depends on the type of lawn mower.

  • Two-cylinder engines:

It is also known as two-stroke engines. A two-cylinder lawn mower needs two piston strokes to complete the engine’s intake, combustion, and exhaust cycles. As the spark plug ignites, the upward stroke compresses the fuel/air mixture. The downward stroke simultaneously opens the intake while releasing the exhaust. A fuel and oil mixture is necessary for two-cylinder lawn mowers. The gas and oil mixture must be blended in the right proportions to lubricate the engine parts and still provide adequate combustion power.

They are primarily found in small mowers, weed eaters, and small power tools used for lawn and gardening activities. They are the best and most ideal for small yard works and tasks mainly because they are light.

  • Four-cylinder engines:

It is also known as four-stroke engines. This means that the four-cylinder engine needs four piston strokes. The strokes are the intake stroke, compression stroke, combustion stroke, and exhaust stroke. Regular unleaded gasoline with no more than ten percent ethanol is used to power four-cylinder lawn mowers. They don’t need the oil and fuel combined. Separate from the fuel tank, the oil is added to the oil tank through the oil fill tube.

They are most ideal for heavier tasks and last longer. But the only disadvantage of this lawn mower is that they require more maintenance because, with more maintenance, they have more life. Because of their heavier and high ability, they are used by most big and commercial lawn mowers.

Gas push mowers and self-propelled lawn mowers are powered by either a two-stroke engine and the four-stroke engine

  • Electric motor engines:

This type of engine is powered by electricity. It needs electricity to work. They come in two forms; the cordless electric lawn mower and corded electricity lawn mowers. While the latter needs to be plugged into a power outlet to function, the former can be used without plugging it into any power outlet. It only needs its battery to be charged for a particular period.

Like the other types of lawn mower engines, the electrical engineer has disadvantages and advantages too. Although it’s one of the most eco-friendly types of engines, it is not the best to use in warm weather conditions. This is because, during conditions like this, the grasses get rougher and quite harsh.

The engine is not built with enough horsepower to low through harsh lawns. If you happen to be experiencing this type of weather condition, you should upgrade to a two-stroke engine.

The electrical engine is also relatively easy to maintain. There is no need for an oil change, fuel, or tune-ups. Because it is less loud than the other engines, you can use it anytime without disturbing your neighbors.

Unfortunately, the corded electric lawn mower comes with a cord that needs to be plugged in when in use. This cord limits the range of movement. This is one of the reasons why most homeowners prefer to go for the other engine types than the electrical ones.

Related: How Long Should A Mower Deck Belt Last?

Life Expectancy According To Engine Type

Generally, gas lawnmowers have the same power regardless of engine size, cylinder count, or fuel type. They can range in size from a tiny single-cylinder piston engine to a somewhat bigger two-cylinder piston engine (riding lawnmowers). The lifespan of a single-cylinder lawn mower engine is 500–750 hours. A larger engine typically has a 1000-hour lifespan. These figures only apply when doing the suggested maintenance and are merely rough estimations.

Here, remember that the engine life is calculated using the cycles run per life, and the hour rating is related to that. As there are other additional components and aspects to consider, the lawnmower’s lifespan as a whole may differ.

Related: Why Do Lawnmowers Have No Batteries?

How to Increase Life Expectancy Of Lawn Mower Engine?

Have you made you your mind about doing something about keeping your engine healthy for an extended period? If you have, then you also have to make up your mind and vow to keep up with these activities to increase the lifespan of your lawn mower engine.

  • Cleaning the air filter properly. A clogged air or fuel filter will cause the engine to run without effect. It stresses the engine and hence reduces its lifespan. Clean the air filter after use and after vital for a long time without use.
  • Changing the oil and using the right amount and mixture. This is a perfect combination with cleaning the air filter. Check the color of the oil to know the oil quality and change it according to the manufacturer’s description. Do not allow the fuel or oil to go stale in the fuel oil tank.
  • Avoid mowing wet grass. Wet grass is tough for a lawn mower. They are hard to cut and get stuck easily on the blade. When stuck, they drag and block the blade from moving, also causing stress on the engine.
  • Always keep the blades sharp. Blunt blades cause the lawn mower to slow down and unnecessarily strain the engine.
  • Do not allow the lawn mower to go unused days.
  • Read your instruction manual. The manufacturers of an item know what’s best for the item. They made the item so, who knows best than them. Since they know all about the item, they found a way to talk to users and share what they know about it. That is through the instructions manual. It might seem exhausting to read through the manual, so at least refer to them when you need to know something about your lawn mower.
  • Let the engine run at full throttle at the end of the season. This activity helps to release carbonated gas and clean the internal engine of the lawn mower. This way, any issues related to the engine are cleared.
  • Caring and taking precautions for the other parts of the lawn mower is equivalent to maintaining the lawn mower engine. You might be paying attention to the engine while neglecting other parts. If the other parts of the lawn mower are faulty, it will most likely stress the engine, thereby reducing the lifespan of your engine.

Maintenance Tips For Lawn Mower Engine

To keep your engine working and in good shape, here are some tips to help you:

  • Always use fresh oil
  • Try not to overflood the lawn mower as much as possible
  • Change the oil after the first five or six hours of use
  • Clean the lawn mower parts that can get clogged, like the air and fuel/oil filters
  • Clean the blades after use to avoid grass clippings from clogging blades
  • Always transparent sticks and stones from your lawn before you mow; that way, your engine does not need to stress itself
  • If your lawn mower is new, pour fresh oil and leave it to settle for about five minutes before you use the lawn mower
  • Pay attention when you mow
  • Lubricate the cutter
  • Check and replace the spark plugs and other parts as often as needed
  • Most of all, refer to your instructions manual

How Many Hours Will a Briggs And Stratton Engine Last?

According to research, the engines in the Briggs & Stratton series are typically put through testing for a minimum of 500 hours. Generally, commercial engines like those made by Briggs & Stratton have been built to last up to 1000 hours.

To sum up, all that has been said, a Briggs and Stratton engine can last for a minimum of 500 hours and a maximum of 1000 hours.

Conclusion:

If your lawn mowing task is small and straightforward, you should get a lawn mower with a 2-cylinder engine. If your lawn mowing task is heavy and needs to be done fast, the 4-stroke engine is the one for you. But if you have a softer type of grass on your lawn and you are in the part of the world with a cooler climate condition, the electrical engine lawn mower is the best for you.

Whichever type of engine you choose to use on your lawn, having the right and accurate knowledge about it and its maintenance will go a long way in making it last. Do not tire yourself in creating the perfect lawn; ensure you get the best and most appropriate lawn mower for your lawn.

Victoria Peterson
Author

I am a passionate gardener who wants to help you create and maintain your dream yard. I know that it can be daunting to take on a project like this, but I am here to help. I have been gardening for years and have learned a lot along the way. I want to share my knowledge with you and help you create the perfect yard for your home.

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