Really?

"Dakotahound" (dakotahound) 01/06/2020 at 11:02 • Filed to: Oil Change, Briggs & Stratton, Engine Maintenance

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I bought a new pressure washer this weekend – a Craftsman 2800 psi model with a Briggs & Stratton 163cc engine. Briggs & Stratton engines have always performed well for me.

From the manual.

The manual states “…never change the oil…Just Check and Add™…” This just doesn’t seem right. My grandfather was a mechanic (a Reading Railroad mechanic) and taught me to always change the oil at 3,000 mile intervals. His ghost would probably haunt me if I never changed the oil. I am still not totally comfortable with changing synthetic oil at 5,000 miles; and Porsche recommends 10,000 mile intervals. Never changing the oil seems totally irresponsible.

Also, here is a photograph of the oil that they supplied. It does not even appear to be synthetic.

Briggs & Stratton oil.

Is there some new technology for which I am not aware, or should I just ignore the recommendation and change the oil at 100 hour intervals.

3point8isgreat > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:12

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I think it’s made so that it burns off the oil at a fast enough rate that it’ll burn away before going bad.  This way you have to add oil often enough that it stays fresh.  Or at least that’s how I interpret “Check and Add”.

SaabStutz > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:12

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My guess would be that it burns enough of the oil off for adding to be almost like changing. 

Boxer_4 > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:12

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Maybe it burns so much oil  that there’s no need for oil changes. “Just check and add technology” TM.

CalzoneGolem > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:13

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I don’t think changing it at 100 hour intervals would hurt it but if the manufacturer tells you not to they probably tested it extensively. Or they’d be paying out claims all over the place.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:15

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This is a marketing scheme. It probably has a slight amount of reality to it, in that many, if not most, owners of consumer-grade power equipment will not actually put enough hours on the machine to warrant a regular oil change cycle... The other part of it though, is more sinister: reduced engine life. They’ve probably figured that on average, even without an oil change, the engine will last beyond the warranty period, but when it dies earlier than it would have had you actually changed the oil, they get to sell you a new engine.

Fuck Capitalism.

For those mentioning burn and replenish: that means the oil in the crankcase , even if it’s chemistry is refreshed (TBN, detergent load, lubricity enhancers, etc...), is still accumulating physical contaminants - metal, silica, carbon etc... 

Future next gen S2000 owner > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:16

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Think about it this way, how many RPM’s/hours go into 3/5/10K mile intervals? Then think about how many hours the pressure washer will actually be operating. It could have a larger oil capacity to extend life and a long life filter. It also could have some sort of additive to extend the useful life of the oil.

Or.

It could be like my high school teachers car and burn oil faster than the change interval. He never changed his oil either. He put in 5 qts every 4K miles.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:19

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I still change the oil in 4 stroke equipment every few years. I figure it gets condensation and contaminated enough to deserve it. It’s like 1 qt in my lawn mower.

jimz > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:20

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does anyone even make a synthetic non-detergent oil? 

Sovande > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:25

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According to Briggs and Stratton you can change it if you want, but it's not needed. 

Chuckles > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:30

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I had a 96 Saturn that didn’t get oil changes either after a certain point . It burned about a quart a week, so I just kept adding new oil.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Sovande 01/06/2020 at 11:35

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FTFY:

A ccording to Briggs and Stratton you can change it if you want your engine to last signifficantly beyond the warranty period, but it’s not needed as long as you don’t mind buying a new engine  from us every three years. 

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:35

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See JawzX2's reply for the briggs engine. I can’t imagine most consumer use is putting enough hours on the machine for it to matter much either way, and I would guess most heavy commercial users are looking at more robust machines in the first place.

On the 3k thing, I used to be in that camp until I started running used oil analysis on my cars and started making oil change intervals a bit more of a data driven decision. I still change oil every 5-7k, but the UOA’s show that I’m still being pretty conservative in that interval. I don’t doubt that a 10k interval is fine for many modern cars seeing reasonable use and running a quality oil with a robust additive package.

BannedBadBoy > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 11:41

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I would be more worried about changing the oil in the  pump.

Urambo Tauro > jimz 01/06/2020 at 11:42

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Actually c ome to think of it, yeah I’m pretty sure that’s what I put in my air compressor when I c hanged its oil. It was synthetic, or maybe syn-blend, but either way I made sure that it was non-detergent. Got it at Home Depot IIRC.

Dakotahound > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t 01/06/2020 at 11:43

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I suspect that you are right about the engine lasting longer than the warranty, even with no oil changes. It is only used about 2 hours/week (maximum) and runs at a constant speed .

I know that, in the past, many of my neighbors did not even know that small engines needed oil changes. At our last house, o ne of my neighbors asked me what I was doing while I was changing the oil. He had not changed the oil in his mower   (or even checked it) in about eight years.

Dakotahound > BannedBadBoy 01/06/2020 at 11:49

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Interestingly, Briggs & Stratton has a warnin g in the manual:

“ DO NOT attempt any oil maint enance on the pump. The pump is pre-lubricated and sealed...”

I, however, agree - the pump is probably more in need of fresh oil than the engine.

MultiplaOrgasms > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 12:45

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I know of a taxi cab company that never changed their oil, just  filters and topping it up again. Apparently worked very well, but it was also in the days of the Benz Diesel. 

TorqueToYield > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 12:55

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Open loop lubrication.

It’s a pressure washer not a passenger jet, just follow the instructions. Or do what you want it’s your pressure washer and time if you want to change the oil change the oil.

I honestly can’t imagine using a pressure washer enough to warrant oil changes more than once every 10 years or so.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 13:05

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My truck has check and add technology.

I should really change that oil pan gasket...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 13:15

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They specify adding oil as a maintenance item, so my guess is it's designed to consume a little bit of oil. In that case you'd me constantly mixing in fresh oil and the oil would never get too soiled.

BannedBadBoy > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 13:31

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I’ve rebuilt several pressure washer pumps, every one had water in the pump oil with metal particle s throughout the pump. That was several years ago, I hope they  have a better design now.

Brickman > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 14:07

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I hate that. I still change the oil anyways.

Dakotahound > BannedBadBoy 01/06/2020 at 14:35

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Actually, we had a pressure washer that was about 15 years old (bought it a Cost co, but don’t remember the brand), and it worked fine . When we moved, I figured that it was old technology, and gave it to my neighbor. The new one that we just bought, however, do esn’t look very different than that one. Of course, I can’t tell what is in the pump.

Dakotahound > BannedBadBoy 01/06/2020 at 14:46

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Oh yeah, I forgot t o mention it. They advertised “N o prime, no choke...” The fuel was completely empty in the box . After assembly, I simply added oil, added gas, connected the water, and pulled the starter cord. It started right up. There is no bulb to press for priming and no choke. Maybe it is a better design - at least a better engine design. Of course, this is Florida, and it is in the 60s (which is a little cool for this time of the year), so it may not start as easily if the temperature was lower.

dieseldub > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 15:32

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Probably taking a page from automotive engineers with their “sealed for life” transmissions and other “lifetime” fluids . Of course what they don’t tell you is there is a designed life expectation that it may very well meet without changing the oil. Just don’t expect it to go on forever.

Most auto engineers I’ve spoken to explain to me that their designed life expectancy for a vehicle is 10 years or 150,000 miles... And many of the “sealed for life” transmissions will in fact make it that long without a fluid and filter change. Some just barely. Some will go another 100k beyond that sort of idea.

But if you’re the person who fancies keeping it well beyond its designed life expectancy, you probably should change the oil with a more conventional service interval.

Dakotahound > dieseldub 01/06/2020 at 15:53

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It is probably similar to incandescent light bulb design. An i ncandescent light bulb was designed to last long enough that you probably would not remember the last time you changed it.

As with all of my engines - in power too ls ans well as vehicles - I plan to do regular maintenance.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 16:20

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i know that as soon as i check my mowers oil itll blow up so outta sight outta mind is what i say.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Dakotahound 01/06/2020 at 23:15

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being non synthetic, may be designed to be burned like an RX8. 

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t 01/06/2020 at 23:18

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A coworker was asking about some equipment my dad as a contractor uses/used. I gave him the numbers, “but these are 5 times the price as __ at home depot” “yeah because they’re designed to last 25 times as long” 

Dakotahound > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 01/07/2020 at 05:59

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Y es, it could be designed to burn some oil like a rotary, but it seems like it would still eventually require an oil change. Maybe, however, with light use (which would be typical for a consumer product), it just isn’t necessary.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Dakotahound 01/07/2020 at 22:03

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part of me wonders if the engine gets more lubrication from the average homeowner by topping off, than if it was never changed and water allowed to collect .