Easily Pour Oil Into Your Lawn Mower With A Must-Try Trick

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Regularly changing and topping off your lawn mower oil is one of the simplest ways to extend the life of your mower. However, pouring oil into your lawn mower can also be a bit messy. The flow of oil from the container isn't always consistent, and the oil fill hole on the mower is typically a small target to hit. Of course, for most people, the solution is to grab a funnel. But what if you don't have a funnel handy? In that case, you just need to make sure you are holding the oil container correctly and grab a screwdriver, which will help guide the oil into the reservoir, not all over the engine and mower deck.  

For starters, many people don't realize that oil containers are designed to allow a steady flow of air in, which allows oil to pour out consistently.  To take advantage of this design, you have to hold the bottle correctly. When using containers with an offset spout, the side with the spout should be facing upwards when you are pouring the oil. 

This is the opposite of how most people tend to hold these containers, and it may be one reason so many struggle to change their motor oil. Similarly, if the container has a spout in the center with two sloping sides and two flat sides, the container should be held with one of the sloping sides toward the oil fill hole, not the flat side. Additionally, you should always start with the container close to the fill hole, then gently tilt the bottom up to start the flow of oil.

Now that you know how to hold the oil container, it's time to grab a screwdriver. Any flathead screwdriver, such as the Craftsman Slotted Screwdriver, will work. Don't worry too much about the size, as you aren't using it to unscrew any parts. Instead, you will be using it to guide the oil into the fill hole. If for whatever reason you don't have a screwdriver handy, you can also use the dipstick for this job. Before you get started, make sure your screwdriver is clean so as not to introduce dirt or other contaminants into the oil.

As is the case whenever you are doing lawn mower maintenance, disconnect the spark plug wire first. Then, place the screwdriver tip down into the oil reservoir, being careful not to let it touch the edges of the oil fill hole. While holding the screwdriver straight up and down, slowly pour oil onto the shaft of the screwdriver with the mouth of the oil container nearly touching the screwdriver. The viscosity of the oil tends to make it cling to the metallic surface of the screwdriver, and it will follow the shaft downward into the reservoir. Once you've filled the reservoir, slowly tilt the oil bottle back up and remove the screwdriver, holding a rag or paper towel underneath to guard against drips.