Ariens snow blower oil is 32 Oz. What oil should I use for my snowblower?
Engine oil can be degraded and contaminated regardless of its use in light, normal or extreme conditions.It's important to change regularly because operating with dirty or degraded oil puts an engine at risk for inefficient operation, hefty repair bills, or even a trip to the junkyard.Regular engine oil changes help ensure reliability, strong performance and protection of your investment.
Detailed instructions for changing the oil in your snow blower are listed in the engine manual for your unit, but we simplified those steps into easy-to- understand highlights below.You can change snow blower oil on your own, but first you need to read the instructions and safety information in the engine manual for your unit.
Cars, trucks, motorcycles and outdoor power equipment need regular maintenance.The equipment requires different maintenance throughout the year, with one of the most important items being regularly scheduled oil changes.
Good news for consumers is that small engine oil changes are much less involved than that of a vehicle, meaning there is no excuse to neglect your snow blower engine.
Oil has a very important purpose.Oil's slippery properties allow parts of an engine to slide past each other at thousands of revolutions per minute.Quality, clean and fresh oil lubricates those fast moving, intricate parts so they are less likely to get stuck and make your engine more efficient.
As a heat transfer, oil acts.After cycling through the engine, it carries damaging heat away from those fast moving parts and into the oil sump where it cools.
Brand new engines need an oil change much sooner than the regular intervals.The reason oil becomes extremely contaminated during an engine's first few hours of use is because certain engine components, though engineered and manufactured to precise tolerances, aren't a perfect fit.There are peaks in the wall of a new engine cylinder.When an engine piston moves rapidly up and down the walls of a new cylinder, the rings file those peaks into small metallic pieces that enter the oil system.
All engine manufacturers recommend an initial oil change within the first few hours of use because the oil of a brand new engines gets contaminated very quickly.For all types of engines, that requirement is different.It's after the first two hours of operation for some engines.It might not be until after the first 10 hours.It can be different.After the first five hours of use, some snow blower engine manufacturers suggest completing the initial oil change.
Refer to the engine manual for your snow blower to learn when it needs an oil change.
Oil going in looks different than oil coming out in our video.Fresh oil has a golden appearance while blackened oil comes out.What happened to it?
Intake, compression, power, exhaust.The Ariens snow blower engines have four cycles.There is air and gasoline in the engine cylinder.The fuel and air mixture will go up in flames when the piston moves up.When the air in the combustion chamber is superheated, it causes it to expand and force the engine cylinder down in a power stroke, and then back up again where it expels exhaust.During the combustion phase, small amounts of soot are created and circulate throughout your oil system, darkening the color of the oil.
soot particles cluster and become larger with more use, which is not a cause for concern.Without draining that old, sooty oil, those contaminates can grow large enough to become damaging particulates and lead to engine wear.
The Ariens snow blower does not have engine oil filters.Not an issue for a machine that is used less frequently than a lawn mower engine or a car, but that's all the more reason to have an oil change.
The snow blower's oil warms to temperatures greater than 200 degrees.The oil in the snow blower cools after the engine stops.It could be an area kept at room temperature or an outdoor shed exposed to the cold.Warming and cooling across a broad range of temperatures allow water condensation to form inside the engine.
If your snow blower engine is running long enough each time it's used, its engine will heat to a temperature that can cause problems with its oil system.If you only use your snow blower for a short period of time, your engine may not be hot enough to boil away the water in your oil system.
Water that isn't flushed from your oil system with regular oil changes can affect the steel components in your engine and diminish the effectiveness of the oil.In the next two paragraphs, you'll see why that's harmful.
Over time, contact with air can oxidize engine oil, which is one of the many factors that contribute to its decline.The process can be accelerated by adding heat to the equation.
Oil becomes more viscous as oxidation occurs.The oil's rating may start at 5W-30 but oxidation renders it less dense than the engine manufacturers' specification.Engine manufacturers recommend oil change intervals based on how long the oil is expected to last.When engine oil degrades beyond its original rating, it's no longer within specification to adequately protect the engine.
Your engine doesn't get the same protection if oil is out of its specification.
Changing the oil at the frequencies in the engine manual is the best way to protect your engine.The first oil change is followed by regular intervals.Don't let the manual limit you.If you're being used in more extreme conditions, the manufacturer's recommendation is to change your snow blower oil more often.It's better to change it more often than not.
If you prefer doing your own oil changes, you can do it in as little as twenty minutes in your garage at the minimum cost of a few dollars in fresh oil.Remember to follow the instructions in your engine manual when disposing of old oil.
Don't approach oil changes with a one-size-fits-all mentality.Different oil quantities, types, ratings, filters and change intervals are required for different engines.The best way to care for your outdoor power equipment engine is to follow the recommendations in the engine manual.