Think my neighbour messed up my mower! 🤬

[Dorolly]

Hey y’all,

So here’s the deal — my neighbor was kind enough to mow my acre of grass for about six months last year while I was away. Real nice of him.

Well, last night we were having a few beers and he casually tells me that one day, while he was changing the hydraulic fluid, he drove my mower a few feet without any fluid in it. Said he just wanted to get it in a better spot to refill, didn’t realize it was empty until it rolled to a stop.

At the time I laughed it off, but now it’s got me stewing. I’ve mowed about ten times this season and haven’t noticed anything strange, but I’m worried — did he mess up the transmission bad by doing that?

Would appreciate any insight. Thanks in advance.

 

[Flintknapper]

You've answered your own question. Nothing is wrong with it.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If the hydraulic fluid was low enough to "hurt" it, It wouldn't have moved.

It's fine!

 

[Dorolly]

Well he said my riding mower moved a few feet and then crawled to a stop.
But it's been fine on my past mows.
Hopefully the transmission's lifespan hasn't shortened.
Thanks boys!

 

[mikester]

Time to move to a neighborhood WITHOUT neighbours who are willing to cut the grass for you

 

[Workerbee]

What a weird story. So your neighbor just up and changes the hydraulic oil? Filter too I suppose? And presumably at his own expense? Thanks for the good laugh.

 

[lmichael]

Had a similar situation recently. Our 2020 RAV4 Hybrid was due for oil & filter. I got tired of bugging wife to let me get it to our Toyota dealer. So, I was nearby. I stopped in and got an OEM filter, actual Toyota oil, and oil plug gasket. (understand BTW I was at one point in my life and Journeyman Cadillac Mechanic) so I DO know my way around the greasy side of a car. (even if it is partially electric)
So, recently I bought my buddy's Camry to give to my daughter and her boyfriend/life partner (whatever they call co-habitating now a day's). Ostensibly the idea is this Camry will eventually be given to my 15yo grandson (her boy not his long story).
So, being a good grandpa, I decided to show the boy around the finer points of maintaining a car. So, under we go. Pull down the access panel, dropped the filter and the old oil. Now I button it all up and explain how we have to check for possible leaks. So, I tell him to go ahead and start it, while I watch for anything. Long story short.............my routine was "broken". I'd forgotten to put the oil in the engine. Thankfully within about 30-40 seconds due to the change in sound I caught it and had him shut it down.
Anyway at this point there was no harm but I'm done with DIY on my car. Although for the record one of them does not need any of this stuff because it's an electric car. Only our hybrid has a gas engine.
But, honestly it's just too much bother anyway. Finding a place around here to take drain oil is getting harder and harder. More and more places either won't take it or severely limit how much.
And nobody takes used coolant anymore. So, it's just not worth it. Heck if I could drive the Kubota to the dealership to service it, I think I would

 

[Hoserman]

Finding a place around here to take drain oil is getting harder and harder. More and more places either won't take it or severely limit how much.

When I still changed my own oil, I was heating with wood. That said, I did a lot of firewood cutting and that used oil came in handy as bar and chain oil. Never seemed to hurt my saws one bit, and it was used up in the process.

 

[lmichael]

Not cutting or buying wood anymore either. A few years ago when we had a new roof done, I'd decided I was sick and tired of wasps in our wood burning fire place chimney and in the chase. So, while the roof was torn off, I hired a local company to open the chase, he crawled in there, and sealed up the wood burner and such. Then the roofing company completely sealed the top of the chase and put new plywood right over. I then had the fireplace/chimney company back and they finished ripping everything out, I added an electrical run directly under in the basement, and then they ran a gas line to the basement to where years ago I'd had it all stubbed in, in anticipation of the day I could rid myself of that awful wood burner (cold air leaks, drafts, wasps, etc.). They then installed a fully sealed gas unit. That uses no inside air, but produces gobs of heat (85% efficient) and best part, remote control. "How about a fire tonight honey?" Sure! Click! Done! No more wasps and what not, no more ice collecting on our patio door, no more cold drafts. No more leaky chimney. Wish we'd done that 25 years before LOL

 

[Dorolly]

What a weird story. So your neighbor just up and changes the hydraulic oil? Filter too I suppose? And presumably at his own expense? Thanks for the good laugh.

Yah, didn't want to get into too much detail. But he called and offered so I said go for it. I've cut plenty of dead trees on his property for free.