I'm from the school that changing the filter and the oil following the maintenance schedule. Synthetic oil is great. Do you really need an oil filter w/ more media? No.Does it hurt? No. Does it help? Maybe. Watch over the air filters, and that the cooling system is kept clean.

The following is from the 2003 Briggs update manual, page 18.

The new extended life filter with over 96 sq in of filtering medium beats the standard oil filter at 48sq inches by 2 to 1. This may surprise some since the yellow filter is smaller than the regular black filter. The extended life filter captures particles down to 25 microns compared to 36 microns for the standard filter.

Service interval is the same for both filters.

I have noticed the extended filter (696854) priced at $18 in various department stores. Retail price in the Briggs price guide is $9.95. The regular filter (492932S) in the Briggs price guide is $9.25.

Thanks for the replies. I agree that regular maintenance is the key. My JD 314 is 27 years old and still running strong. Same with the SST18 - the engine RUNS fine and the deck CUTS fine. It is just the steering. Gave it to my step-son (he always liked to borrow it, we will see if ownership is as much fun :-) We tore it down and found that the rubber diaphragms in one of the steering actuators had come loose. The rubber was in great shape. We rebuilt it and the machine is running. He is happy but I am happier!

As to the filters, I have sort of solved that for at least a couple of years. Tractor Supply had the regular filter on sale for $7.49 and the extended life for $10.99. I had a look at the (s)Lowe's web site and they price match + 10%. So I stopped by and grabbed 2 yellow filters. The cashier of course had no idea how to process a price match + 10%. She looked first at the $8.49 price in the Tractor Supply advert. In all honesty I pointed out that the yellow filter was $10.99. She called a "supervisor" who also could not 1)read and 2) do basic arithmetic. She rang the filters up at $7.48 each.

After lunch I remembered that I needed a drawer slider for a repair I am working on. So I went back across the street to Lowe's. Of course they did not have the part that I needed. But I did grab another filter and took it to a different cash register. Again I pointed to the correct sale price. This cashier rang the filter up at $8.49(?) So now I have 3 oil filters. As fast as the Freedom Z cuts my 2 acres - in spite of ca. 100 trees, buildings, etc. I am probably stocked for oil filters for 3 or 4 years.

Glad I don't own stock in Lowe's - what a bunch of morons. Oops, better check my mutual funds I probably do own some Lowe's stock :-((

Ken

p.s. Now if I can find a K&N air filter for the machine I will really be set.

I have to say Ken that it is refreshing to see someone plan ahead on maintenance and buy the right goods for the job. The usual oil filter question seems to be how to pay $3 for an aftermarket filter. I know you will do the same on the air filters.

As to the air filter... What I would really like to do is find a K&N filter to fit the engine :-)

I bring up air filter repeatedly for a reason. When I see Intek twins that have vented themselves, they tend to have had ingested dirt and turned into oil burners. Briggs has worked through a few airbox designs as the real thing that kills these engines is dirt entering around the air filter. Many of the times it could also be related to installation as well.There are also 3 different versions of filters that are similar that is if you have the rectangular version. There is a washable version, a more heavy duty version and a standard version. If you have the big oval version, at least so far I haven't seen one compromised. I personally never signed on w/ K&N and used OEM filters in my vehicles. MAybe an advantage- I dunno. If you find the K&N filter that works, play close attention to fitment and recheck after mowing to verify the seal is good.

Thanks again tomplum. As to air filters... My JD 314 uses a PH79 - at least that is the Fram part number. For most of the 27 years I have owned it a little independent auto parts store near by always had a PH79 in the shelf. One other fellow in town (who also had a 314) or I would buy it and the dealer would replace it. As the 314 is no longer doing mower duty (now it is hauling firewood, logging, spray rig etc.) I am not putting a lot of hours on it. About 3 or 4 years ago I got one of the green foam bands to go around the outside of the air filter. I wash it with Simple Green, re-oil it and put it back. The paper filter still looks like new. The parts store no longer stocks a CA79 but they did have an equivalent Wix. I have it in my parts collection but considering how effective the foam band is at catching dirt before it gets to the inner filter... the new filter will be in stock for a while.

The SST with an 18 HP JD (Briggs?) engine also has the foam band around the filter. I cleaned and oiled it every 25 hours. Finally at 200 hours I put the new filter on the machine. I had purchased the filter about the same time I purchased the SST. The original filter still looked good as new but I was tired of storing the replacement.

As to the Scag... It has a flattened oval filter, closed on one end, which attaches to a round tube coming from the intake plenum. It has a thin foam outer covering. The engine instructions say not to oil this one. I have not checked to see if the foam is available separately in the event it becomes unserviceable before the paper filter. I imagine it will be a while before I need to worry.

Ken

"Briggs/Kohler type" 3/4" X 16 threads 8-11 PSI Bypass Gasket 2.734"OD X2 .430"ID 0.226" thick

Length" Wix Purolator Hastings Kohler B&S Baldwin MotorCraft AC Walmart JD

2.3" 57035 NA LF503 2805001 492932 B7165 NA NA? NA ?

2.7" 51056 L35310 LF302 1205001 492056 B1410 NA PF2210 NA AM125424

3.4" 51348 L10241 LF157 5205002 491056 BT223 FL793 PF53 ST3614 AM101207

4.8" 51516 L20195 LF134 NA NA B243 FL400A PFL400A ST3600 ?