Vanguard Oil Guard Technology Saves Time and Money
You can find Vanguard Oil Guard Technology on Ferris and other mowers. We got a chance to test it on the Vanguard 810cc model via the Ferris 2100Z zero-turn mower. After an initial break-in, you can operate this engine for up to 500 hours between having to change the oil. As you can imagine, that offers substantial labor savings compared to your typical 100-hour oil change interval.
Does Vanguard Oil Guard Technology Really Give You 5X Oil Life?
Our chief question centered around whether Vanguard Oil Guard Technology truly gives you as much as 5 times the oil life. Vanguard adds to this by expressing the change as reducing oil maintenance costs by as much as 60%. Because of the vertical design and topside access, you also end up having an easier time with oil changes when you do need to replace it.
So how does it all work? Well, Vanguard Oil Guard engines (which fall under the Briggs & Stratton company) operate at lower temperatures. They also move oil storage away from the engine sump. This slows down the thermal breakdown process of the oil. The use of 5-quarts of oil combined with the cooling properties of the aluminum bulk oil reservoir works together, dispersing heat.
Easy Oil Changes
It’s this combination that extends oil change intervals from 100 hours to 500 hours. Additionally, Vanguard Oil Guard technology uses an 82% larger automotive-style filter. Combine that with a cyclonic filter action that helps decrease oil aeration and you get much better overall oil filtration.
The last thing to note is how easy oil changes are with this Vanguard system. To change the oil, you simply open the top drain tube and remove and replace the filter right there. The wide-mouth opening also supports 5-quart oil bottles with no funnel required.
Vanguard Engine Models Supporting Oil Guard
| 810cc V-Twin Vertical Shaft + Oil Guard | BIG BLOCK V-Twin Vertical Shaft + Oil Guard |
|---|---|
| 24.0 Gross HP* 26.0 Gross HP* 28.0 Gross HP* with EFI | 28.0 Gross HP* 30.0 Gross HP* 32.0 Gross HP* 33.0 Gross HP* with EFI 35.0 Gross HP* with EFI 36.0 Gross HP* 37.0 Gross HP* with EFI 40.0 Gross HP* with EFI |
Final Thoughts
The less time you have to spend changing your oil, the more time you can spend on the job. Advancements like Vanguard Oil Guard technology can really increase your overall productivity. Is it worth looking for a mower (like Ferris) that uses it and switching over? It might be, assuming you have dealers in your area for your other servicing needs. In any case, other engine manufacturers should take note.
