I'd change oil + filter to help clean out the break in metals at 8 hours as the engine manual says, then I'd change again at 25 hours and go to 50 after that.

Change the oil as the Engine Manufacturer advises . Briggs Engines of that Model designation have had issues , most bothersome within poor air filter design which caused dirt entrainment and premature ring wear . Purchase premium synthetic oil and grade for your ambient temps within your area of usage .

This basic engine was developed a bout 20 years ago. A flat air filter was used. Dirt sometimes leaked around the edge of the filter and was ingested. Briggs redesigned this at least three times without correcting the problem. Finally a new design with an oval filter was developed and the problem was solved.

The on line manual that I looked at says to change oil and filter at 8 hours. That was on page 33 of the pdf manual.

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/68/688f6b13-4c56-4022-8c98-b087e6eb22a9.pdf

bobkel, That's the same online manual I saw. But what is confusing is that the newer manual that comes with the mower makes no mention of changing the oil at 8 hours while it does mention all the other maintenance required at 8 hours. Also the sticker on the mower shows the maintenance required at 8 hours does not include oil change. I'm wondering why the difference. Maybe JD has a newer different break in oil?

In fact the newer manual actually says to wait 50 hours for first oil change. That just seems crazy to me, I've never seen recommended first change that long.

I wish they would have kept the oval filter bluemower. The round canister doesn't have enough media IMO. On the oil change, I've seen on some of the new service engines that they don't suggest a break in service if the engines are equipped with an oil filter. So the filter is believed to do it's job.

Can't explain the difference on what you're seeing between the paper manual and what's posted on-line. My 300 series manual says "after 8 hours change engine oil and filter". It has a Kawasaki engine.

My previous LX280 (same Kawasaki engine) suggested oil/filter changes every 25 hours. Now it's 100 hours or annually (whichever comes first)

Called the local JD dealer (not Home Depot where I purchased the mower). The guy in their shop said definitely change oil and filter at 8 hours. The owners manual is wrong.

Yeah that's more like it !