The engine oil has a separate tank, and SAE30 4-stroke oil for lawn mowers is ideal. The ST170 OHV is a powerful 160cc recoil (or pull cord) start engine, which produces a hefty peak 3.5 horsepower. To put it into perspective, the very first motor car had 3-horsepower.

The Mountfield SP53 petrol lawn mower is powered by a Mountfield 166cc 4-stroke engine – ST170 Autochoke OHV. This single speed self-propelled petrol mower has a large 51cm cutting width, 60 L grass collection bag and will cut grass of a large-sized lawn up to 2,500m 2. The 34 kg mower offers 5 cutting heights from 27mm to 90mm and is operated by a single lever. As mentioned above this Mountfield SP53 is supplied with both a mulching blade and mulching plug. This is a great feature that is normally an optional extra with other brands, and will provide seasonal flexibility for your grass cuttings. (free organic lawn fertiliser) The Mountfield engine is 4 stroke and runs on regular 95 unleaded petrol and separate standard SAE30 engine oil, so no need to mix. I always recommend that for all petrol mowers a fuel stabiliser is added to prevent corrosion and keep the internals of the engine clean, particularly over a longer period when the mower is not used i.e. winter months.

Built to Mountfield’s consistently high standards and offering numerous quality features and high-performance cutting, the powerful Mountfield SP51H Petrol Lawnmower is one of the best-value machines in its class! In this review, we will look at all of the features and functions of this self-propelled petrol lawn mower. By the end of this review you will know if this mower is the right option for you and your lawn. You can also refer to my video review below for visual representation and to see this mower in action.

Petrol mowers are inherently not quiet, but Mountfield has managed to keep the noise rating of this model to a very respectable 98 decibels. Over the years many people have asked me how they know if a mower is self-propelled of not. This is a very important question with a simple response. If you see in the title SP, it means that the mower is (self-propelled), this applies to Mountfield range of petrol mowers. A larger blade will draw more energy from the engine as it needs to cover a larger area on each rotation, completing the job at hand faster. The steel desk is of a high quality, built to last but there is no hose attachment for cleaning. The Mountfield SP51H Petrol Lawnmower has been equipped with self-propulsion, so will prove a real boon if your lawn’s on a slope, or has sections of rough, bumpy grass.

That power is supplied by a Honda GCVx145 engine; a pro-grade air-cooled four-stroke unit with an OHV formation for emission compliance, vibration- and noise-reduction, and improved fuel-economy. If you have a large lawn up to 2,500 metres squared I could find no valid reason, not to highly recommend this petrol mower. Another feature worth mentioning is the scalping plate located at the front of the mower. Again this is a handy addition that will assist you and prevent accidental damage on uneven lawns. Please note that there is an Elite version of the Mountfield SP53 that comes fitted with a Honda GCVx170 167cc engine. There is no difference to the specification apart from the engine and that the grass collection box comes with a “Fill Indicator Flap”. The chassis on the Mountfield SP51H 3-in-1 Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower benefits from a powder-coated paint finish that’s both corrosion- and scratch-resistant.

Yes there are a few negatives as you can see above in the Cons section but these are really minor points and do not detract from the fact that this is yet again a quality Mountfield Self-Propelled Petrol Mower. Centralised height-of-cut adjustment makes what can be a troublesome process with lesser machines an easy one; larger-diameter drive-wheels provide superior manoeuvrability, especially when working on long grass. It was long overdue for me to carry out a review of the Mountfield SP53 self-propelled petrol lawn mower. After testing the smaller brother of this mower ( Mountfield SP41) about a month ago, I wanted to experience and clearly see the difference in power, size and compare the performance and features of both, so you know what mower is the best option for you and your garden. The Mountfield SP53 is powered by a Mountfield 166cc 4 stroke engine, providing sufficient amount of power for larger lawns. Mountfield SP53 Engine Engine BrandThe Mountfield SP53 is a big petrol mower designed for large lawns up to 2,500 metres squared. As the weight of this mower is 34 kg, it is a good decision that this mower is self-propelled – especially when laden with damp grass too. The self-propulsion is a single speed at 3.7km/h – this is what I would call a very comfortable / slow walk speed that will for sure assist you when mowing your grass on a steep hill / incline. See my video above, where I am demonstrating this action by holding the mower easily with one hand only. The grass on the day was damp and as you can see there was some wheel spin, however the mower had no issues gaining traction with some encouragement and ascending the steep incline. Powered by the Honda GCV170 Autochoke 167cc engine. Designed to provide an excellent finish on all types of lawn. The Autochoke system on the engine automatically sets the choke to give optimum starting and running in all cutting conditions. Steel chassis with skid plate reduces scalping of the lawn. Features a Dynamic Speed Control (DSC) transmission, a conical clutch that allows for smoother gradual traction. Self-propelled, no need to push, ideal for maintaining lawns with minimum effort. Mulching plug means no need to collect grass as it recycles the clippings into the lawn. Suitable for lawns up to 2500m².

Thanks to a very efficient cutting system which includes an adjustable cutting system with 6 heights to choose from to deliver a precise cut like no other, a wide 51 cm cutting width to cover more grass within a shorter space of time and a large 60 litre grass collector which ensures the user a cleaner mowing experience whilst reducing the need to empty as frequently thanks to its capacious size. Furthermore the collector also includes an indicator to inform the user when the bag is full. The Mountfield SP53 has folding handles at both the middle and lower level, so you will not have issues with storage. The SP51H mower is compact in size and delivers great manoeuvrability whilst reducing user fatigue thanks to it’s self-propelling function. Furthermore, the SP51H boasts an excellent and smooth acceleration thanks to its clutch transmission. There is no ignition key on this Mountfield SP53, so for added safety, Mountfield has gone with a Operator Presence Control (OPC) lever – the operator must have at least one hand griping the safety handle before the machine will start. If the control handle is released, the engine will stop.Honda’s intelligent Auto Choke Comfort System (ACS) ensures ultra-reliable ignition under all conditions; while their high-specification Combustion Technology works to optimise power output, with the engine producing a substantial 4.2hp from a displacement of just 145cc. Supplied with mulch plug, a large 60-litre-capacity collector and a discharge chute, the Mountfield SP51H is capable of either bagging, recycling or rear-discharging your grass cuttings (the catcher has a dust- and pollen-retaining hard plastic top, and is made from canvas to save storage space). This Mountfield SP53 will not make stripes on your lawn, but there are many separate units available that you can pull along your lawn to make the striping effect. Rear rollers and Mulching don’t go together, as they target different audience, this Mountfield SP53 is aimed at the later.