this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2024
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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Now that I think about it, it was probably before the pandemic. πŸ€”

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[–] reddig33 83 points 2 months ago (13 children)

If you buy an electric mower, you never have to change the oil again. Or the spark plug. Or buy gas. Or clean the carburetor.

[–] friend_of_satan 33 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (5 children)

And they're quieter! God I wish my neighbors all had electric mowers. Sometimes it seems like they're invited to all the zoom meetings I attend.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

And when they're being used the engine doesn't have to spin all. the. time.

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[–] SupraMario 9 points 2 months ago (3 children)

If you never mow and grow insect friendly lawns...you wont ever have to buy a mower...fuck lawns.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

The HOA won't let me have goats to keep the grass low though

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[–] surewhynotlem 4 points 2 months ago

I did this for years. I even got into the HOA board just to keep them off my back. It was so freeing to not have to mow.

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[–] solidgrue 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

My next mower will probably be a lawn service

[–] Anticorp 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

After spending several hours on Saturdays doing yardwork I didn't enjoy doing for years on end, I finally hired a gardener. Now I get to spend that time doing yardwork I do enjoy, like making landscaping improvements, or gardening.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

IDK if it's the inner hispanic in me. But man do I love mowing lawns.

[–] Cocodapuf 3 points 2 months ago

I expect they do need lubrication from time to time. I just bought an electric mower this year and it's pretty low power, so I predict that any amount of additional friction in the system is going to be too much.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 2 months ago (7 children)

Mine burns a little oil, so I just keep adding it. That way it gets a perpetual oil change. guytappinghead.jpg

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I've owned a car like that. Drove that thing for years until the driver's side door fell off and I parked it.

[–] Arbiter 10 points 2 months ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The door parked itself, I parked the rest of it.

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[–] not_that_guy05 29 points 2 months ago

A true shower thought

[–] Aremel 26 points 2 months ago (6 children)

I thought two-stroke engines mix the oil and fuel together? Every time you refuel, you should also be topping up the oil. Am I wrong?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I'm not sure you can even buy a two stroke lawnmower. Snowblower, maybe.

Yes, you need to have oil mixed with the gasoline in a two stroke, because the area under the piston (where the crankshaft is) creates the vacuum on the upstroke to draw in the next fuel charge. Lubrication of the crankshaft bearings, then, must come from oil that is in the gasoline, either by premixing it, or from an oil injection system.

A four stroke, on the other hand, uses the top of the cylinder, above the piston, to draw in the next fuel charge through an intake valve, and the area underneath the piston is bathed with oil. Over time, that oil (including its additives) breaks down and loses its lubricity, and must be changed for fresh oil.

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[–] Anticorp 6 points 2 months ago

Most lawn mowers are 4-stroke.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Never seen a two-stroke mower...

[–] Whirling_Cloudburst 4 points 2 months ago

I knew some folks with a repair shop as a kid and got to use one of these.

https://youtu.be/-pG7TKX8RCM

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Look at buddy over here with the 1960s lawn boy

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Only for some engines. Make sure you read the manual and the cap.

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[–] radix 17 points 2 months ago

I haven't pushed it anywhere near 10,000 km, so I should be good, right?

Right?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (6 children)

For the money you save by not doing the oil change you can probably afford a new mower every 10 years or so.

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[–] Treczoks 7 points 2 months ago

I never changed the oil in my mower. Never had an issue, except with the power cord getting in the way.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

I’ve had my current mower about 14-years.

I don’t think I’ve ever changed the oil.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The mower I got from my grandpa has never had an oil change and it still works as of last week. Your mower will almost certainly be fine.

Now my pressure washer... I forgot to empty the gas from my pressure washer before storing it for several years and it became mucky glorp inside.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I got my lawnmower about 9 years ago secondhand and have never done any maintenance on it. I'm pretty sure that's how you're supposed to do it.

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[–] mortalic 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I got an ev mower. Solved.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I also solved mine but by never changing the oil.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I've changed the air filter on mine and I think that's all the maintenance I will ever do

[–] Bytemeister 4 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Sharpen/replace the blade. It's cheap and easy to do, and it will cut like a brand new mower.

Also, this is a PSA that you should sharpen your shovel. Makes digging way easier.

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[–] the_tab_key 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

My neighbor had a crazy old Montgomery Ward tiller, I'd guess from the late 60 or early 70s. I borrowed it once and decided to be nice and change the oil in it since I doubted he ever had. Could not for the life of me figure out how to drain the oil without flipping it over... It's ran for this long on old oil, it'll run for a bit longer!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Flipping it over is often the correct way to drain the oil.

[–] Tyfud 4 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Most mower engines are 2-strokes, they're designed to burn oil as lubrication basically, it's added to the gas. You don't need to change the oil. Unless it's a 4 stroke engine (unusual due to size/complexity), or you've got a transmission or some other motorized mechanical behavior.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I wouldnt say most are two stroke. In fact most mowers available for purchase at your local hardware store are going to be 4 stroke if not all of them. 2 stroke lawnmowers are a thing of the past. Everyone wants 4 stroke and self propelling now.

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[–] Cornpop 4 points 1 month ago

Most mower engines are absolutely not 2 strokes… they are 99.99% 4 strokes.

Now strim trimmers are maybe 60/40 2s to 4s.

[–] _g_be 3 points 1 month ago

As a 2-stroke myself, I can confirm oil for lubrication is not required

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Drain the fluids completely for Winter

[–] Anticorp 6 points 2 months ago

Too hard! I just use it until it explodes. Still lasts about 10 years.

[–] AngryCommieKender 3 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Genuine question as I haven't actually thought about this, how does that work when you don't have a winter? Where I live it doesn't get below 40Β° ever, or above 85Β°. Those are literally the overnight low in Feb, and midday high in Aug/Sep. Do I still need to drain, or just treat it like changing the oil in my car? I.E.: Every 6 months or 3500 miles, whichever comes first.

[–] CM400 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Like u/possiblylinux127 said, any time you’re not going to use it for more than a month or two, it’s best to drain the fluids. Oil is less important than gas, and you can leave gas in it as well if you add a stabilizer to it.

Personally, I wouldn’t use gas stabilizer for more than one season, but I know many who use it every year with no problem. Just make sure you run the motor with the stabilizer for a few minutes before you store it so the gas in the carburetor doesn’t gum up.

As for oil, I tend to only change it when it looks darker than a piece of burnt toast I’d still be willing to eat. I know that’s vague, but it’s how I do it.

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