New from Idaho

At this point I only managed to get about 43 OZ out of this beast and the filter is still very slowly draining I know I checked the oil before I mow even though I knew I was going to change it and it registered full. Supposed to hold 2.1 quarts. I am far from that I am sure I lost some to spillage. About 2 paper towels worth and NO I am mot going to try and wring them out to measure. LOL Do I cover all openings for the night and let it keep maybe draining or put it back together? It is getting dark out there but I can move a light to where I am.

Thanks again.

You can let it drain all night. It won't hurt anything but don't expect to get another 21 ounces out of it unless you've got the engine tilted at an angle that raises the drain point above its normal location preventing proper drainage.
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Stated oil capacity may or may not be the same as the amount required for an oil change. For instance, I have a TDI VW. If I don't make the effort to get the oil out of the oil filter housing, there will be 8 to 10 ounces of oil left in there.

Best thing to do is let it drip until it quits, then finish up your oil and filter change. Take a note of how much oil was needed to refill the engine. Start the engine and let it warm up. Let it cool, then check the oil again. Top it off if needed. Take note of how many ounces it took. That will tell you what the 'normal' oil change quantity is. But NEVER just drain the oil and replace it with a stated sump capacity unless you already know that won't overfill the engine.

FWIW, a lot of engines can have their oil removed 'from the top,' so to speak by using a vacuum oil extractor, such as the Pella 6000 (that's the one I have). They work REALLY good in some applications, not so good in others. For instance, when I used it on daughter's Acura RSX, it gets every bit of the oil out. When I used it on a 3.0 V6 Ford Ranger, it leaves a quart or more.

cpurvis said:

You can let it drain all night. It won't hurt anything but don't expect to get another 21 ounces out of it unless you've got the engine tilted at an angle that raises the drain point above its normal location preventing proper drainage.
.

Stated oil capacity may or may not be the same as the amount required for an oil change. For instance, I have a TDI VW. If I don't make the effort to get the oil out of the oil filter housing, there will be 8 to 10 ounces of oil left in there.

Best thing to do is let it drip until it quits, then finish up your oil and filter change. Take a note of how much oil was needed to refill the engine. Start the engine and let it warm up. Let it cool, then check the oil again. Top it off if needed. Take note of how many ounces it took. That will tell you what the 'normal' oil change quantity is. But NEVER just drain the oil and replace it with a stated sump capacity unless you already know that won't overfill the engine.

FWIW, a lot of engines can have their oil removed 'from the top,' so to speak by using a vacuum oil extractor, such as the Pella 6000 (that's the one I have). They work REALLY good in some applications, not so good in others. For instance, when I used it on daughter's Acura RSX, it gets every bit of the oil out. When I used it on a 3.0 V6 Ford Ranger, it leaves a quart or more.

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OK Thank you. I am saving this to put in my mower book. Makes good sense to me. I covered the oil filter area with a baggie and just set the oil filler tube cap lightly on top not screwed down. Hose is still on drain spout. I will leave it until morning Then fill it slowly. I will write it all down in the book. I had to do this with the snow plow blade on and off process too. I could not remember from year to year and totally different doing it alone with out some one prompting me. Yep it says it holds 2.1 quarts . And I did not plan on just dumping that amount into it right off as I understand it is really bad to over fill. I did no think of then starting it checking then letting it cool and so on. My one mechanic friend said maybe I was running the oil too low but honestly I checked the oil before I started mowing just out of habit and it registered right on the full mark. Which reminds me I better go pull the key . With my luck some one would try to steal it tonight by starting it and driving off and I assume it would quickly blow up. Not that we have that many thieves here but pretty tempting it just sitting there with key in it. LOL Just remembered they would play hell getting it out the gate as my big gate is kind of hidden. Giggle. By then the dogs would be pitching a fit.

Jacking it did no good and I tried all four corners of it just because I could. Shrug . It is already sitting fairly level. If anything leaning towards the left which is the side the drain hose is located.

Thank you again! Tomorrow is another day.

Don't stress out about getting every last drop out.
If you end up replacing 2/3 to 3/4 it will be fine, particularly if you do it every season, at the end of the season so it sits over winter with clean oil in it.
I have a 1 litre jug with a very long spout that I use for oil changes
One gets dumped strait in then another 1/2 .
From there on it it is an old sauce bottle with a pointy spout till the oil level comes up to the mark.
stops over filling and I am yet to find an engine that takes the exact correct amount.
The same bottles get used to fill chainsaws & push mowers.
Tomato for red SAE 30, BBQ ( brown ) for 10W 40 Mustard ( yellow ) for chain oil

As you have also changed the filter, the it sit for an hours oe so then run it for 5 minutes and recheck the oil as it will have dropped a little filling up the oil filter.
Messy isn't it

bertsmobile1 said:

Don't stress out about getting every last drop out.
If you end up replacing 2/3 to 3/4 it will be fine, particularly if you do it every season, at the end of the season so it sits over winter with clean oil in it.
I have a 1 litre jug with a very long spout that I use for oil changes
One gets dumped strait in then another 1/2 .
From there on it it is an old sauce bottle with a pointy spout till the oil level comes up to the mark.
stops over filling and I am yet to find an engine that takes the exact correct amount.
The same bottles get used to fill chainsaws & push mowers.
Tomato for red SAE 30, BBQ ( brown ) for 10W 40 Mustard ( yellow ) for chain oil

As you have also changed the filter, the it sit for an hours oe so then run it for 5 minutes and recheck the oil as it will have dropped a little filling up the oil filter.
Messy isn't it

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YES it is messy even had to figure how to change the paper towel roll hubby put together for his work bench. HA had to get a stool to reach. It is a home made holder. The way he rolled.

So here is how it is going. Over night just a little bit more drained out. No idea how much probably not much over the guessed total of 43-44 OZ. Some spilled out of the mower end of the drain hose when pulling it foo the spout. A little more out of the oil filter.

I put a bit of oil around the o-ring on the oil filter and hand tightened it. Then put the wrench on it and being there is very little space to turn the wrench I only tightened it 4 more clicks. Each time I pulled the wrench back it would only click once. I hope this means some thing to you guys. I think I listened to or read some where not to over tighten . The I added one quart of oil and I did check the dip stick and it is registering full but that was right after adding the oil. No time to get to the oil filter yet. I am waiting the hour or so as told to do. Then check it. Note how much more oil it needs.

I saved the filter label taped into my mower book I also copied all this information here to a word doc. When done I will print it off and also add it to my mower book. So much better explained by all of you than the book. I am a Missouri born gal. You know the Show Me State. LOL YES I am pretty detail fixated. I was a bookkeeper for over 40 years along with a few other careers but always the bookkeeping cause when some one found out I could do it I was always handed the jobs right up to my last position as City Clerk /Treasures. Woo Hoo. No big deal the city is 160 people. LOL I am not sorry to say I am retired now from that job and will be doing hospice volunteer. I hope no one needs their oil changed.:laughing: I think I would rather build fences. I also washed the foam thing on the air cleaner and blew out the paper part with the air compressor. I have done this part many times.

I am fearful everything is going to blow up when I start the mower. I think I have done everything just as I was told. Please tell me it is not going to blow up.

IT IS NOT GOING TO BLOW UP!!! From what you told us, it will purr like a kitten when you are done. When you start it up, let it run on half throttle for about a minute, then shut it down. Let stand about a minute and recheck you oil level. I’ll bet it’s below the full mark. That is what should happen. Now add oil until you get to the full mark, put everything away and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

shadesofidaho said:

I also washed the foam thing on the air cleaner and blew out the paper part with the air compressor. I have done this part many times.

I am fearful everything is going to blow up when I start the mower. I think I have done everything just as I was told. Please tell me it is not going to blow up.

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It's not going to blow up. Just make sure the filter and drain fitting don't leak.

Re: the air filter. I have been advised by two air filter manufacturers NOT to remove, clean and replace a paper pleated air filter. They claim that the rubber gaskets take a 'set' and you will be very lucky if you can put the filter back exactly as it was. They also said to never use compressed air on one. What I do is install the filter and foam wrapper, then remove the wrapper only and clean it periodically. For my Cub Cadet, that's every ten hours. But the paper filter element goes on and stays on the full year, which usually is about 60 or 70 hours. The book says 100 hours or annually.

Some of these wrappers are oiled, some are not. You'll have to check for your engine. Mine are oiled; I wash them (I have three) in Dawn dishwashing soap and let them air dry. I add the oil just before it goes on the engine.

"IT IS NOT GOING TO BLOW UP!!! From what you told us, it will purr like a kitten when you are done. When you start it up, let it run on half throttle for about a minute, then shut it down. Let stand about a minute and recheck you oil level. I’ll bet it’s below the full mark. That is what should happen. Now add oil until you get to the full mark, put everything away and pat yourself on the back for a job well done."

Aw Thanks!! It has been time more than and I checked it again and still showing full. I put a level across the machine and it is 3/4 inch lower left side to right. as it is sitting in my carport Maybe why dipstick is not reading correctly.

BUT I will go out and start it. I have to go full throttle for it to start but will pull it back to half right away. Be back in a few.

Again Thank you!

cpurvis said:

It's not going to blow up. Just make sure the filter and drain fitting don't leak.

Re: the air filter. I have been advised by two air filter manufacturers NOT to remove, clean and replace a paper pleated air filter. They claim that the rubber gaskets take a 'set' and you will be very lucky if you can put the filter back exactly as it was. They also said to never use compressed air on one. What I do is install the filter and foam wrapper, then remove the wrapper only and clean it periodically. For my Cub Cadet, that's every ten hours. But the paper filter element goes on and stays on the full year, which usually is about 60 or 70 hours. The book says 100 hours or annually.

Some of these wrappers are oiled, some are not. You'll have to check for your engine. Mine are oiled; I wash them (I have three) in Dawn dish washing soap and let them air dry. I add the oil just before it goes on the engine.

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Humm. The book says to blow it out and to not oil the foam part. It also said to use compressed air to blow it out. I imagine it is time to change it but it looks perfectly clean. The foam cover part was a bit dirty the first wash Clean on the second. I do not like dusty mowing so I try to have the lawns well watered but the grass dry when I plan to mow. And I turn the blades off when I have to cross a small dirt area. If I can force myself to do so I will head to town tomorrow and see if I can pick up another filter for it.

So ok I am going to try to start it and shift some oil around.

cpurvis said:

It's not going to blow up. Just make sure the filter and drain fitting don't leak.

Re: the air filter. I have been advised by two air filter manufacturers NOT to remove, clean and replace a paper pleated air filter. They claim that the rubber gaskets take a 'set' and you will be very lucky if you can put the filter back exactly as it was. They also said to never use compressed air on one. What I do is install the filter and foam wrapper, then remove the wrapper only and clean it periodically. For my Cub Cadet, that's every ten hours. But the paper filter element goes on and stays on the full year, which usually is about 60 or 70 hours. The book says 100 hours or annually.

Some of these wrappers are oiled, some are not. You'll have to check for your engine. Mine are oiled; I wash them (I have three) in Dawn dishwashing soap and let them air dry. I add the oil just before it goes on the engine.

Click to expand...

Hair shampoo is much better for washing filters it is a lot better at grease removal and a lot softer on the foam.
They end up smelling prettier too, but if people see you sniffing your air filter they will start to talk.:laughing: