Would you recommend engine flush?

[Dmitry]

I got zero turn John Deer Z 425 with 175 hours and I believe that oil was never changed , at least for 150 hours. Would you recommend using engine flush before changing oil? No problem with engine so far.

 

[WiscWoody]

I mow lawns in the summer and I use commercial zero turn mowers, one with a Kawasaki engine and the other with a fuel injected Kohler engine. I’m not a small engine expert but I’d say just change the oil and filter and if it were me I’d use synthetic oil in the weight recommended by the engine maker. My mowers maker, Husqvarna says to change the oil every 100 hours of use and I don’t think you’d be sludged up yet. 175 hours would be a lot of hours on break-in oil though but hopefully it’s not the break-in oil...? You probably won’t put a lot of hours on your mower if your just mowing you own lawn, then just change your oil and filter once a year with a good synthetic oil. I mow 23 rural yards and some are big and I only put on around 140 hours a year between two machines. A 61" ZT and a 72" ZT.

 

[Dmitry]

Thanks , exactly what I was going to do.

 

[aaronk25]

Your fine, no problem. If you figure a car averages 30mph that is about 5k on a oil change.

These newer engines really seal up nice between the rings and cylinder walls as well as valve guides ect, so I’m not concerned with overly polluted oil or build up of corrosion promoting acids in the crank case oil.

The oils, even cheap oils are really good products these days so I don’t think loss of viscosity is taking place.

I run a premium synthetic in my v-twin gas, Kawasaki marine generator and change oil and filter one a year in the fall. The oil accumulates about 350hours during that time.


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[WiscWoody]

And if this is your first zero, you’ll never go back to a garden tractor type mower again. The speed at which you can mow with a ZT it in a different league altogether. My best zero turn is my 72" Husqvarna PZ 72, it can mow at 12 mph and I can really gobble up some of my bigger multi-acre lawns fast with it. They pay $100+ a mow so it adds up.

 

[jwfirebird]

I think the good deeres have commercial engines, I would just do what I do, once a year the have a kit with oil, filter, fuel, plugs, air, that is for my kohler, I would think kawi would too. I just do the kit every spring. then you know its always optimal and the oil breaks down. the only time mine ever quit was because I tried to cheap out one time on the filters and the fuel one looked the same but didn't flow near enough


id rather have the tractor type. if its not a cheap one. mine is a 54 inch craftsman with a 26 kohler and I pull a 60 inch pull behind. it mows at 5,mph and takes 2hrs to mow a few acres. everyone I know who has a zt in my area cant use it most of the time, wet, or bad areas. the deck wont go high enough on those. I have a lot of slopes and wet areas most of the time and this does fine in that stuff. they obviously are better in well graded tight areas my lawn is neither. the only bad thing bad thing is the gas, about 5 gal a week I use. sometimes I use the tractor now that I got that diesel barely uses any fuel even mowing

 

[DodgyNomad]

No need for an engine flush most likely. Just change the oil and filter out and if it looks really bad, run it for a shorter interval and then change it out again. Check the service manual for maintenance intervals, if it has adjustable valvetrain/lash, etc..

That's low hours, should be fine.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Years ago they use to say run some mystery oil in your engine before you changed it .. that was in the 80's..

 

[zrock]

You will love the 0 turn. we got one last year and i saved about 2 hours cutting and barley have to get the trimmer out. I change the oil/filter yearly with a good quality oil and grease it monthly.