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I blew about a half quart of oil all over everything. It's a 27hp briggs. I didn't hurt anything, but what should I use to clean it up with? I don't want to harm the wires or connectors. I really don't want the transaxle coolers to get clogged. I saw some degreaser at the auto parts store, but it didn't look like it would be good for the wiring. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Ed Dowdy
Fithian IL

I would get some Dawn dish soap and mix it about 30/1 with water in a spray bottom. Spray everything down and then pressure wash or garden hose everything down. May have to do it a couple of times. When you are satisfied take your leaf blower and dry everything off. Then run the unit, PTO also, for about 15 minutes to get everything really dry. We just a pressure washer with heat, but I doubt you have one of those, but if you could hook your pressure washer to a hot water supply, it would go faster.

I will DISAGREE with Rivets, DO NOT USE A PRESSURE WASHER ON YOUR MACHINE !!! you will get water in places that will do unseen damage in due time. the spray de-greasers you mention will work fine, provided you cover the fuel system components, oil fill tube area,starter, with plastic wrap/ bags and any other electrical components that you think is necessary (the wiring will be fine) just do small sections with a brush and the spray, use a SOFT flowing stream from the garden hose ( NO NOZZLE ) use a leaf-blower or air hose to dry it off as much as possible, you can buy A/C condenser cleaner ( spray-can) in most hardware stores or at an A/C supplies center use that (according to directions) to clean the oil-coolers repeat the soft water treatment, after unit is dry, run machine till thoroughly warmed up, shut-down unit, let it cool off, then spray with W-D 40 wipe excessive amounts with a rag, onto the whole machine area that was washed, lubricate any grease fittings, be careful with chemical cleaners use EYE-PROTECTION, and some cleaners may discolor or stain paint if left on for extended periods without washing it off.

We’ve been pressure washing equipment for over 30 years, (every dealership I’ve had to deal with) and never have had a problem. Being in Wisconsin we even do it in the winter. How do you think we get salt off equipment after a winter storm. How do you think farmers keep their equipment clean, or highway departments keep their equipment from salt corrosion? The key is dry the piece when you are done washing. The OP can spend all the money he wants on degreasers and canned air, but there are cheaper ways. A good heated pressure washer and air compressors are our friends here in the north, and a little Dawn is used for more than cleaning ducks and beaches.

I have to agree with Rivets. Here in Ohio, the pressure washer is king for all equipment. On the farm, after spring planting and fall harvest, we have a mobile pressure washer service come around a wash Tractors, Equipment and yes even the $500,000 JD Combine and the corn and soybean heads. The Tractors and such get washed in the late spring or summer so no big deal. Harvest here can last into late November sometimess December depending on the weatehr. A combine has electronic components every where. We have never had a single issue with the pressure washer. Also, the car washes are open in the winter here to get rid of the salt buildup after snow removal. ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) pressure washes everything. If not, they could not afford the cleaners, degreasers, etc and our road tax usuage would go through the roof. Different areas of the country will allow for different approaches. You will need to do what is best and the most economical for you. I would say covering key electrical compenets is not a bad idea if you can. When finished just make sure everything is dry. Dawn dish soap is great. We use it all the time on equipment and other things including tools. Happy Cleaning!

I will agree pressure cleaning big heavy equipment and such is fine, but on these mowers, .. if you pressure wash and force water into bearings you'll never get it out, and RUST NEVER SLEEPS, I've seen the pressure washer addicts even spray their SHINGLE roofs and cry after the following rain storm, it's good for big stuff but NOT for a mower, however ... it's your choice.

Which bearings are you taking about Boo, spindle bearings, caster wheel bearings, wheel bearings? Those are the bearings on a Zturn. Don’t know of any bearings on a push mower, mainly bushings. If I remember right, you are the same person who told me that grease will not migrate into a seal bearing when it gets hot. Pressure washing any piece of mowing equipment will not hurt it. I’ve salvage equipment which has been under water in floods with no problems and have not had to replace any bearings. Can water ruin a bearing, YES. Will pressure washing a piece of equipment cause premature damage if not dried properly, YES. Can pressure washing remove grease, oil and debris with no lasting effects, YES. In this case you should stick to counting the number of views on the Transaxle thread and don’t try to tell me how bad one of my practices are without having physical proof, just opinion. Right now I work for a family run dealership which has been around over 68 years and we pressure wash everyday. If it was as bad as you say it would be going down hill, instead of increasing the business to the point of hiring a new full time person every other year, for the last 10 years. We know what we are doing based on actual experience on small engine power equipment, not by what we read or communicate on the internet. You can continue to hate me now, but me and my opinions are not going away.

Well Rivets... it was NOT me that said anything about grease migrating into a bearing, Personally ... I don't give a schitt what you think of me, for one, you have no idea of my mechanical experience's, you think I dick around and dump info and opinions off the web, I don't see tech's on this site, offer up links to Manuals, diagrams, and pic's as much as I do, I think some folks are helped better with a manual, and or pics, diagrams, if you SEE it, and read it, it tends to stay with you, I have a lot of info in my files and I don't mind sharing it, NO I don't own a shop or no longer work in one, I'm here to help others in what ways I can, and have fun at the same time, I'm not trying trying to be the GURU, or TOP-DOG, Mr. KNOWS it ALL or whatever you want to be.
I'm especially happy to know our Transaxle thread grinds your arse !! ........ guess YOU REALLY are a GRUMPTY OL BASSTURD !!

John Deere service shops here use pressure washers all the time to clean mowers and rideons so I don't see any problems in using them.

EngineMan said:

John Deere service shops here use pressure washers all the time to clean mowers and rideons so I don't see any problems in using them.

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Well we ALL have our own methods of doing things, and if your way makes you happy, by all means, keep doing it that way ! .. :thumbsup:

Boo, your manuals are a great source of info for members of this forum, for that I’ll give you credit. But giving opinion without experience is not how to do things. I feel that doing something one way for over many years, with no draw backs, is experience you can’t read. What you and other members think about me is of no concern to me. Teaching gave me the opportunity to past on info to thousands of students from ages 12-60, and that info was not only book knowledge, but also based on what I actually did and saw at more than a dozen small engine repair shops and dealerships. If you disagree with my posts, then back it up with opinions based on experience and forget about using miss spelled bad laugage to cut me done. With me that won’t work, been there, done that, go to the back of the long line of people who think your right and I’m wrong. I’ll get back to you the next time you try to prove me wrong.

I'm with Boo on not using a pressure washer on mowing equipment and have been warned against doing so by all 4 of the shops I have done business with in the last 15+ years.

https://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Maintenance/Troubleshooting-Service-Tips

Darryl G said:

I'm with Boo on not using a pressure washer on mowing equipment and have been warned against doing so by all 4 of the shops I have done business with in the last 15+ years.

https://www.exmark.com/Service-And-Support/Maintenance/Troubleshooting-Service-Tips

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Can you ask the business you have been with to send a e-mail to all John Deere and other small shops here that they are all doing it wrong, would love to know what the answers would be.

I could ask but doubt they would.

I provided a link above directly from Exmark - a major mower manufacturer - specifically recommending against using pressurized water and detergent for cleaning mowers and using air instead. In case you missed it, here it is. "Clean your unit as often as possible, but minimize the use of water. Water under pressure + detergent = corrosion and problems. Pressure washers clean great, but they also put water and detergents into places that can be very detrimental to your equipment. Use compressed air or blowers as much as possible. Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterward if water was used."

Why risk potentially forcing water into bearings and electrical connections?

The only water my mowers see is if they get caught in the rain or I need to rinse some dog crap off my tires. Otherwise I use air.

Edit: added quote from attachment directly to body of message

Darryl G said:

I could ask but doubt they would.

Why risk potentially forcing water into bearings and electrical connections?

The only water my mowers see is if they get caught in the rain or I need to rinse some dog crap off my tires. Otherwise I use air.

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Darryl, DON'T bother wastin your breath, it's the same as "talkin to a wall" ... besides we need the junk to keep fillin the recycle bins !

"Clean your unit as often as possible, but minimize the use of water. Water under pressure + detergent = corrosion and problems. Pressure washers clean great, but they also put water and detergents into places that can be very detrimental to your equipment. Use compressed air or blowers as much as possible. Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterward if water was used."

It doesn't say don't use water, "but minimize the use of water"

and it says "Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterwards if water was used"


Someone needs to go back to school and learn how to read...!


And has for the last post....you are not Admin you don't have the power to put anything into a bin just because you don't like a post.

I read just fine. I choose to take and recommend a conservative approach regarding washing equipment, as recommended by multiple dealers, mechanics and a major equipment manufacturer that I respect. There is no question that getting water in the wrong places can cause damage. So why take the risk?

Maybe you're used to bullying people here but if you're going to try that crap with me you picked the wrong guy. Maybe read what I said and tell me one thing I said that isn't reasonable and supported. I've stated my opinion based on recommendations from reputable dealers and a major manufacturer. Want my dealers names and phone numbers or what? Really, wtf dude.

So while we are all in the ring I might swing a few.
Firstly I do pressure wash equipment when it comes in , particularly if it is really oily.
Grass of course gets blown off with compressed air before anything gets wet.
However this is before I do a service so every where that needs a lube, gets one when I have finished before it gets a test run.
After which it is a blow clean before delivery to the customer.

However I do not preach from the same song book cause I see way too many mowers with excessive corrosion because the owners pressure washed then stored the equipment wet.
What is really annoying is spending a few hours walking a rear wheel off an axel, cleaning and greasing both the axel & wheel, then next season not being able to get the wheel off again cause it is once again rusted on cause the owner pressure washes the inside of the wheel taking particular care to wash all of the grease that may have ozzed past the axel spacer off.

We know better than to direct a high pressure water jet into electrical connections or onto the back of switches or directly onto the dust seal of a bearing.
But most owners seem to have trouble coming to grips with this.
And of course we all have some sort of water dispersant that we are happy to apply to electrics after we have done cleaning.

EngineMan said:

"Clean your unit as often as possible, but minimize the use of water. Water under pressure + detergent = corrosion and problems. Pressure washers clean great, but they also put water and detergents into places that can be very detrimental to your equipment. Use compressed air or blowers as much as possible. Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterward if water was used."

It doesn't say don't use water, "but minimize the use of water"

and it says "Also make sure you grease and lubricate the unit afterwards if water was used"


Someone needs to go back to school and learn how to read...!


And has for the last post....you are not Admin you don't have the power to put anything into a bin just because you don't like a post.

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WELL, EngineMan, it appears YOU read something else into my post about the RECYCLE bin, ... I was talkin JUNKED equipment going into the RECYCLE bins, where I come from, the JUNK/SCRAP yards call their sections for cars, bins, & for appliances, = bins etc. I have no wish to delete or do anything to dispose of anyone's post's ... keep pressure washing boy's ..... RUST NEVER SLEEPS !!

Boobala thank you for clearing that up...!

EngineMan said:

Boobala thank you for clearing that up...!

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NO Problem, you're quite Welcome EngineMan ! .. :wink:

Thanks for all the ideas! I didn't realize I was gonna start such an argument. I have some greased lightning that I'm gonna use sparingly. As all this is in the engine area. I'm gonna take the engine cowl off and anything else I can remove and clean away from the machine. I particularly want to make sure the trans axle coolers are clean. Thanks for the suggestion of A/C cleaner. I don't recall who suggested it, but thanks just the same. As for pressure washing. I don't want to force water where it doesn't belong, but using a hose (without a nozzle) doesn't seem like a problem. Thanks Rivets. I know what I'm gonna be doing tomorrow before I mow!

Ed

that is what happens on open forums and it is good that people get to express their opinions in a civalised way so don't feel bad about it.
It is your mower so ultimately you will have to decide what you will do and now you are equipted with all the accumulated knowledge that the forum can provide.