Overfilled Your Mower? An Empty Soap Bottle Might Be The Easiest Fix

Whether you are changing your lawnmower's oil or just topping it off, it can be difficult to determine how much oil needs to be added. This also means it can be easy to overfill the tank and cause all sorts of problems for your lawnmower. Even if you know how to pick the right oil for your lawn mower, too much can be a bad thing. Excess oil in a lawnmower can cause the engine to overheat, or too much pressure can build up in the engine, and both of these can cause damage to the machine. If you notice white smoke from the engine, difficulty starting, stalling, or oil leaking anywhere on the mower, you may have added too much oil and should remove some. Your lawn mower may come with instructions on how to remove or drain oil, but the process can be messy and imprecise. 

One potential method involves using an oil extractor pump, which is a tool you can use to remove oil. However, you probably do not have a dedicated product like this just lying around. If you do not have an oil extractor pump, you can try to create a DIY pump using an empty soap dispenser. You probably do have an old liquid soap dispenser around, and if you do not, they are very affordable. You can use a plastic one from a disposable bottle, but a reusable one is also an option. Once you have your dispenser properly prepared and ready, you just insert it into the oil tank and pump out the oil.

If you want to try this hack, you will want to make sure that you are precise with your preparation and use. First, ensure that there is actually too much oil in the engine. Move the mower to a flat, level surface. Turn the engine off and wait for it to cool completely. If your mower has a dipstick, use it to check the oil level and understand about how much you will need to remove. Make sure that if it is a screw-in dipstick, you screw the dipstick in completely to get an accurate measurement. Then, you can prep your DIY oil extractor.

One of the most important steps if you decide to try out this hack is to ensure that the soap dispenser is thoroughly rinsed of any soap residue. Start by rinsing the soap pump and running warm water through it repeatedly. Then, use a straw cleaner brush or other small tool to clean any residue from inside the lower tube and the top dispenser part. Disassemble and reassemble the pump for extra rinsing if you can. Once it is fully clean and dry, all you need to do is insert the bottom tube into the oil tank and begin pumping the soap dispenser. The oil should come up just like soap, so make sure you have a dish to collect the oil as it is dispensed. Check the oil level again with the dipstick, and dispose of the excess oil.

The biggest risk with trying this hack is the potential that you will not completely clean the soap from the dispenser, causing some soap residue to contaminate the oil as you try to use the pump. Contaminated oil can ruin your engine over time, making it one of many accidental ways you are causing damage to your lawn mower that can result in the need for expensive repairs. From improper lubrication to stalling from increased burning, you might find yourself dealing with some serious issues. To check if your oil has been contaminated, make note of changes in the oil's color, consistency, and smell. You may also notice changes in smoke, power, and noise level during use. If the oil is contaminated, you will need to completely drain the oil from the tank. Overall, if you fail to thoroughly clear the soap dispenser of residue, then this affordable hack may result in you needing to purchase more oil and, potentially, some expensive repairs or new parts.

If you need to make a small adjustment to the oil level after accidentally adding too much to the tank when trying to easily change the oil in your lawn mower, or just adding more oil for routine maintenance, then using a soap dispenser could be a good choice for you. If you are worried about not properly removing residue from the dispenser or need to take out a lot of excess oil, though, it may be simpler to just drain the oil.