New to me X304, oil everywhere!

[StarTech]

Wow! Thank you for the info. This will help a lot with other issues. This mower was sitting outside for 2 years. The mice have had a field day with the wires. Yikes!

Come on Mice don't think the wires are delicacy or do they??? This is why I have so many wire terminals, connector housings, wire, and heat shrink. And of my customer just gave me 200 heat shrink with solder butt connectors.


One vehicle manufacture decided to use wire with insulation made out of soybeans. Their solution for customer was spray down the harnesses monthly with WD-40 as keep mice from dining on the wires.

 

[cold djinn]

what happened to Bert? The

Thank you for your help, I appreciate it. So, pulling the tin shroud on both sides, pull the ring gear to get the tin off? Sorry I've not got the pics uploaded yet. We had a major dump of snow, and I've been blowing driveways out. -And blew the snowblower belt lol. (I live in Southwestern Ontario; in the snow belt) I will get them on here tomorrow.

what happened to Bert?

Come on Mice don't think the wires are delicacy or do they??? This is why I have so many wire terminals, connector housings, wire, and heat shrink. And of my customer just gave me 200 heat shrink with solder butt connectors.


One vehicle manufacture decided to use wire with insulation made out of soybeans. Their solution for customer was spray down the harnesses monthly with WD-40 as keep mice from dining on the wires.

I heard that the hoods that crack and break all the times are made of some soybean concoction too. I'm not going to get to uploading pics today of the engine. My snowblower (44") keeps throwing belts. Did it yesterday, and I figured it was the belt. Got it all back together, (put a new kevlar unit on, as the old one looked bad) and threw it off twice again today. I didn't have to take the blower off today, as it just came off the PTO pulley. I checked both idlers, and although they aren't what I call loose, free-spinning, they aren't seized at all. I'm stumped again lol.

 

[slomo]

So, pulling the tin shroud on both sides, pull the ring gear to get the tin off?

No. The tin shroud I speak of goes around the block. It directs cooling air around the cooling fins. It can pack up grass and oil under the pan plugging the fins.

Ring gear is on the flywheel to start the engine right?

This is what I am calling the tin shroud.

 

[cold djinn]

Ah, gotcha. The tin shroud connects at the back of the engine. There are 2 bolts holding it to the block, almost under the
ring gear/flywheel. Just under enough you can't get a socket on it. I would have to cut the shroud and bend it down to
get a wrench on it. That's why I wondered if I had to pull the ring gear (Flywheel) to do this. (Engine is a 2013 FH491V). If I can get my Docs/Pics folder to work, I can send a pic. I don't know why, but I can't upload any pics right now. I'm not a computer guy, so my desktop is going to the fix-it store.

 

[StarTech]

IF you are going to remove the tins then it is an engine pull. As none of the screws are easily accessible as everything in the following image plus the flywheel has come off. Item 6 highlighted are the tins screws. And there is also #16 screws and the fuel pump bracket [#15] that might need to come off.

Even the Briggs Slomo showed that engine has to come off to get to the third screw.

I don't if you can access the following JDParts website but this is your mower.

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/navigation/equipment/26852

 

[cold djinn]

Serial Number

Suspect it is after 040000 which has a fuse link plus fuses.

IF you are going to remove the tins then it is an engine pull. As none of the screws are easily accessible as everything in the following image plus the flywheel has come off. Item 6 highlighted are the tins screws. And there is also #16 screws and the fuel pump bracket [#15] that might need to come off.
View attachment 72841
Even the Briggs Slomo showed that engine has to come off to get to the third screw.

I don't if you can access the following JDParts website but this is your mower.

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/navigation/equipment/26852

That`s crazy that I have to pull the engine, just to remove the tin to clean it. I`m willing, begrudgingly, to bend the tabs at the back to get a wrench in under the ring gear/ flywheel, but that's a heck of a lot more work if there is hidden bolts to get to, to pull the engine. I think I'll clean it as best I can with the tin out as much as I can get it. I can't use my pressure sprayer, as I'm in a small garage, and don't want to soak everything. I can use spray-9 or engine degreaser, and rinse well. If I can get my computer to cooperate, I'll post some pics, and maybe some of you seasoned vets can tell exactly what is leaking.
That said, I don't mind pulling the engine, if it's going to solve where this oil is coming from. Not to mention a sparkly clean engine afterward.
I'm OCD about keeping everything clean, topped up, and maintained.
The big roadblock right now is getting it running, so I can tell where the oil's coming from. I'm not any good at electrical and wiring, and
the mice have been snacking on the wire insulation here and there. I have an X300 parts machine with a full wiring harness, but when comparing,
it doesn't look the same.

 

[cold djinn]

are you saying you can't find the leak?

Sorry for the late reply. I just actually saw your post. Yes, where the oil's coming from is a mystery. It was all over my trailer, garage floor, mower deck, etc. I checked the transaxle, just a bit of old dried bit on top, where someone spilled a little when topping up. Very little anywhere underneath. The engine is dry, except where there is old, caked oil buildup an the right cylinder head, top of carb, all around the air filter box, etc. Looks like a little bit of new oil under the ring gear, between the carb and flywheel, where someone spilled a little, or the crank seal is leaking.
I can't get any power to fire it up. Turned the key on, and the hour meter and lights won't come on. (Battery is good). I want to get it running, as s member here suggested UV dye, which I have ordered and here now, so I can tell exactly where it's coming from. I suck at electrical, so everything
is stalled until I can get it running.
I have a 2008 X300 parts machine, but the wiring harness doesn't look even close to this 2013 X304

 

[cold djinn]

What COLOR is this oil?

Is it thick or thin?

Pictures or a video will help us help you.

It's clean, looks like motor oil, not heavier like hydraulic/transaxle oil. Working on getting pics up. My computers being a turd and not letting me even get the pics off my camera. Taking my desktop to the computer shop today, so I will post the pics as soon as Get it back.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

kawasaki motors eventually leak oil from 2 places. The crankcase breather and the the govenor shaft seal.

 

[StarTech]

Why you shop charge so much for working on equipment? Most are a pain to work on.

Take the Dolmar concrete saw that I just repaired. Just to change the impulse hose and fuel line all the upper body parts, the carburetor, and the intake boot has to removed.

Yes it crazy but some things are just not as simple as years ago. I did work on ATVs up to last year where you got to take a lot of the body parts off just to get to carb. Or work on a modern vehicle where a lot parts has to come off just to change defective item. A good example is the heater core replacement where the complete dash board has to be removed nowadays compared years ago when it simply access thru the firewall. And you are dealing air bags.

And with Kawasaki small engines even getting the muffler off and on is a major undertaking. On top they use M8 nuts which are 13mm hex wise. Virtually no clearance for a standard socket which is why when I reinstall the mufflers I use JIS flange nuts which are 12mm hex wise.