When To Change Snow Blower Oil

You can recycle or scrap an old non-working snowblower. Most people don’t consider the value or environmental impact when a long-lived machine like a blower finally stops working, but it’s better to dispose of it properly.

In the meantime, keep your bower in good repair to extend its’ life. When should you change snowblower oil? I’ll walk you through this essential maintenance task so you can keep your snowblower running instead of throwing it away.

When To Change Snow Blower Oil

Snowblower oil only needs to be changed one time per year after you have used it for the last time that year. On a brand new snowblower, change the oil after the first 2 to 5 hours of use because metallic bits accumulate in the oil faster than a seasoned blower due to minuscule amounts of leftover metal dust from the manufacturing process.

How Often Should Snowblower Oil Be Changed

Snowblower oil only usually needs to be changed once per year. However, if you use your blower professionally or you cover a lot of ground frequently, you may want to change it out twice a year.

If you are unsure when your last oil change was, swap it out now. It’s always better to do too much maintenance rather than too little.

Although most new snowblowers come with a conventional oil inside them, I recommend using a synthetic.

According to CarAndDriver, “As motor oil circulates through your vehicle’s engine, deposits form. Conventional oils form sludge from these deposits over time, reducing your engine’s efficiency and lifespan. Full synthetic oils, by contrast, contain fewer impurities and resist sludge and deposit formation. Better viscosity.”

You will have a cleaner engine and get better viscosity from synthetics overall.

I use Castrol 03057 GTX MAGNATEC SAE 5W-30 from Amazon. This weight is best for cold weather. Moreover, Castrol is a well-known and trusted brand.

But most importantly, this oil was tested in the industry Sequence IVA wear test and leaves engine parts four times smoother.

Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How Do I Know If My Snowblower Needs Oil

Checking a snowblower’s oil level is just like checking a car. You use the dipstick to see where your level is. If you’ve never done this before, no worries, it’s straightforward.

Your dipstick will have an indicator on it where the low fill line is and anything below that needs more oil.

It’s vital to check your oil level with a clean dipstick, so always wipe it off first. Additionally, check when your machine is still cold.

Oil goes in the same hole as the dipstick if you need to top it off, but don’t go overboard. Remember, you can always add more, but removing oil takes a lot more effort.

Different blowers have varying tank sizes, but they all have the same problem when overfilled. If you add too much oil, it will cause smoke. When this happens, stop and drain some out right away.

When To Do First Oil Change On New Snowblower

So you have a new snowblower, and you can run it on the conventional oil for the first year, or can you? Unfortunately, a lot of new owners think this is the case.

A brand new snowblower tends to accumulate metallic bits in the oil much faster than a seasoned one. This is likely due to minuscule amounts of leftover metal dust from the manufacturing process.

Instead of leaving that oil in your blower, run it for 2 to 5 hours. After that, you should drain the machine and add new synthetic oil. Doing this allows the initial oils to pick up any manufacturing debris and contain them for easy removal.

Additionally, moisture, a byproduct of the combustion process, accumulate in the oil until it gets above 175ºF, which can take a while.

The combustion process can also cause acid formation within the oil. Sadly, moisture and acid are a highly corrosive combination to keep inside your snowblower.

It’s best to get rid of that first batch of oil quickly, but not before it’s done its job of collecting all the ‘stuff’ you don’t want inside your new machine.

A single use is enough if you have a large area to cover. However, if you’re only clearing a walkway or short driveway, this could mean a couple of runs before you’re ready for a change.

Don’t overthink it. The math doesn’t need to be exact so long as you drain the new machine somewhere in the two to five-hour range.

Should I Change Snowblower Oil

There is no good reason to take a snowblower into a shop for a basic oil change. You should change snowblower oil at home.

Not only will it save you time and money, but it’s also an essential maintenance task that every machine owner should know how to do.

After all, you never know when you’ll be stuck at home and need to run the snowblower before you can drive in to take it to the shop.

Follow the steps below to change your oil.

• Run your snowblower for a few minutes to warm up the oil. Doing this will make it flow more easily than when it’s cold.

• Once your blower is warm, move it to a flat area, and make sure you turn it all the way off, removing the key. Let the blower cool down, and then pull the sparkplug. You do not want any part of your machine to run while you change the oil.

• Put a drain pan below the drain plug. Then open the drain plug to let the oil out.

• Wait until all the oil stops running and replace the plug.

• Take the cap off the oil fill port and replace the oil with new, clean 5W-30 oil or whatever your owners’ manual recommends. After that, it would be best if you checked the oil level with your dipstick.

• When the level is correct, put the dipstick and cap back. Then plug your sparkplug back in, and you should be good to go.

Should I Change My Snowblower Oil Every Year

Although you can leave the oil in your snowblower for longer, you should change it annually. Old oil can damage your engine over time.

Sadly, used motor oil will also damage the environment. Please take any oil you drain from your snowblower to a local automotive shop. According to the EPA, local waste management facilities can also process or recycle old oil.

Change Snowblower Oil In Spring or Fall

I strongly suggest changing your oil in the spring. After the last snowfall of the season, you should be doing blower maintenance anyhow because you’ll be putting it away for the season.

To prevent any corrosion inside your machine, drain the used oil and replace it with new, clean motor oil.

Helpful Tips To Know When To Change Snow Blower Oil

Changing your snowblower’s oil is both necessary and straightforward. Fortunately, doing this task is also incredibly simple.

You can learn to change the oil in a few minutes, even if you’ve never done maintenance on anything in your life.

Here are a few more helpful tips to know when to change snowblower oil.

• Snowblower oil and car oil are the same. It is always important to read your owner’s manual and stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations for the specific type of oil you need.

• All you need to change oil is an oil pan or a plastic bucket you don’t mind keeping for oil changes in the future. However, you should not use a metal pail because it is subject to the same corrosion as an engine if the acid to moisture content in the oil is high.

• Store unused bottles of oil out of direct sunlight. If you keep the oil around fifty degrees with no sudden temperature changes, it will last up to five years.

Final Thoughts

Changing the oil in a snowblower isn’t like a car oil change, even though they use the same oil. Your car needs a change every three months, but your blower only needs new oil once per year.

Fortunately, changing snowblower oil is relatively simple, and anyone can do it. Once the last snow melts, make sure an oil change is on your list of things to do before you put that snowblower away for the year, and it will last you a lot longer.