Mower maintenance

[Bearcatrp]

Going to try to suck it out with a syringe. Hope it works. Don't want a big mess to clean up.

 

[JimDeL]

Going to try to suck it out with a syringe. Hope it works. Don't want a big mess to clean up.

Should work okay. Big syringe with a large tip - maybe a short length of tubing on the tip.

 

[lmichael]

Try one of those pups people use to pump 90W into lower units of out board motors

 

[lugbolt]

i use a fluid evacuator for that too, among many, many other uses. refill with a hose on the end of the gear oil bottle's nozzle.

 

[lmichael]

i use a fluid evacuator for that too, among many, many other uses. refill with a hose on the end of the gear oil bottle's nozzle.

You're the one responsible for me buying that MightyVac

 

[Mowbizz]

Ha! Every time I’m involved with oil, there’s gonna be a puddle “somewhere”
My BX is mostly, fine but the newer zero (Z422KW-54) turn with that harder to reach oil drain plastic “nut” and hole in the frame that the oil is supposed to drain through usually has me swearing…

 

[John D 2]

The last time I changed my gear box oil I used the cap off of a paint can. I put it under it and let it drain.

When it gets near full, I cover the drain hole with my finger and dump the oil in a pan.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

If i am reading this right, remove both plugs to drain, then put lower one back in and squirt oil in top hole until it starts coming out/the amount it calls for.

Probably does not really matter here but learning from car gear boxes and differentials I always open the fill plug first. Reason being is if you cannot open the fill plug you still have a driveable vehicle and can go to a work shop for help whereas drain plug opened and no oil in the gear box you would have a problem. With the mower you can still cut the grass and deal with the seized plug later.

 

[lugbolt]

Ha! Every time I’m involved with oil, there’s gonna be a puddle “somewhere”
My BX is mostly, fine but the newer zero (Z422KW-54) turn with that harder to reach oil drain plastic “nut” and hole in the frame that the oil is supposed to drain through usually has me swearing…

precisely why I bought the mityvac. Well the first one. I broke it (ran over it) and bought another one which died. I was using them at work (kubota) and it became an essential tool for us techs. Bad part, they only hold about 2 gal, which is good and bad. Good, because it's a lot lighter than 12 gallons when it comes time to empty it. Bad because you have to empty it many times a day during lawn mower season when doing dealer work. So, I made my own rendition using a 12 gallon air tank that I had leftover from a project. I just used the venturi that normally hook the air hose up to, duplicated the plastic tank and how it all works but with a 12 gal tank instead of 2. Great. Oops forgot to figure out how to drain it "easily". Ended up having to flush/purge it, re-work the whole tank so that it has wheels and a handle, ran a second tube all the way to the bottom, a couple ball valves and bingo, pump out function. Roll it close to the drain barrel and hook the air hose up to it, shut a valve off, and watch it pump oil out. Takes about 1 minute to pump out 12 gal. Takes about 15-45 seconds to suck 2 quarts out of a lawn mower (gas engine) and never have to touch the stupid plastic drain plug. That in itself is worth it's weight in gold as a tech. Only one problem. Some customers don't see wrench marks on the drain plug and they'll question whether it was actually done or not...BTDT, still get that occasionally on polaris stuff.

 

[Mowbizz]

precisely why I bought the mityvac. Well the first one. I broke it (ran over it) and bought another one which died. I was using them at work (kubota) and it became an essential tool for us techs. Bad part, they only hold about 2 gal, which is good and bad. Good, because it's a lot lighter than 12 gallons when it comes time to empty it. Bad because you have to empty it many times a day during lawn mower season when doing dealer work. So, I made my own rendition using a 12 gallon air tank that I had leftover from a project. I just used the venturi that normally hook the air hose up to, duplicated the plastic tank and how it all works but with a 12 gal tank instead of 2. Great. Oops forgot to figure out how to drain it "easily". Ended up having to flush/purge it, re-work the whole tank so that it has wheels and a handle, ran a second tube all the way to the bottom, a couple ball valves and bingo, pump out function. Roll it close to the drain barrel and hook the air hose up to it, shut a valve off, and watch it pump oil out. Takes about 1 minute to pump out 12 gal. Takes about 15-45 seconds to suck 2 quarts out of a lawn mower (gas engine) and never have to touch the stupid plastic drain plug. That in itself is worth it's weight in gold as a tech. Only one problem. Some customers don't see wrench marks on the drain plug and they'll question whether it was actually done or not...BTDT, still get that occasionally on polaris stuff.

lol… I have one of those vaccuum pumps I used to use on an Argo 6 wheeler I owned…thanks for the reminder!

 

[lmichael]

Only thing I would like on my MightyVac is if it could also dispense. But, then it would mean you need to do a full clean out (rather than simply pour it out) to fill it with clean product and dispense it back into an engine or such.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Sucked it out today. Looked like it was new out of the bottle oil. Maybe metal particles I can’t see is why they recommend the oil change this soon. Will still change it every season for now on. That gear box can’t be cheap if replaced.

 

[RCW]

Different mower, but this is how mine gets stored as I said earlier.

I just drain out of the fill port. Refill it when it set it down to put under tractor.

(I leave a note on the box that says NO OIL as a reminder. Sometimes I get it ready a couple weeks before I refill the gearbox- bad things could happen with a feeble memory…..)

View attachment 151599

Going to need to mow next couple weeks. Blades sharpened and back on. Deck greased.

I drained the gearbox out today. Oil looked perfect, but I can tip the deck a little, and last few ounces look like they may have some moisture in it.

Crap in the Cool Whip container is from many years of use......

Probably changing each year is overkill. My lawn isn't that big.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Mine looked clean after 2 seasons cutting grass. May just change mine out every 2 years.