Towncrier
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Aug 23, 1999
- Messages
- 10,334
Don't!!!
Our Toro riding lawnmower is a hand-me-down from a neighbor who moved away many years ago. He took really good care of the rider and hated to part with it, but he didn't need it at his new place. He handed me the keys and told me to take good care of his baby.
Fast forward to this afternoon. After 10 years, I decided that I had better change the oil. I know. About 9 years too late, but I figured "better late than never". I got some special engine flush. I managed to get the drain plug out without spilling "oil" all over the garage floor. I say "oil" because, after 10 years, the stuff that comes out of the drain plug looks more like the skin of evil from that old Star Trek episode than motor oil. I replaced the plug and poured a fresh quart of oil into the engine. I let the mower run for a couple of minutes and then drained that oil as well. I wanted the engine to be nice and clean. I guess I was feeling a bit guilty for the years of neglect. I replaced the drain plug one more time and (over) filled the engine with fresh SAE 30 heavy duty motor oil. The engine fired right up and I headed for the back yard to mow the grass. I got about halfway through cutting the grass when I smelled something that reminded me of my old 1988 Dodge Caravan. Oil smoke. Yikes. I turned to look at the engine and oil was sputtering out of the muffler. Not a good sign. I shut off the mower and saw oil dripping from the air cleaner. Yuck. I pulled the oil dipstick out and it looked like all my fresh oil was gone. Hmmm. So I touched the dipstick to make sure. The dipstick that I had just pulled out of a VERY hot lawnmower engine. OUCH!!! Well, I determined that the engine was indeed very hot. What was left of the engine oil was dripping off the dipstick like water. I decided to put some more oil in the engine before trying to restart it. I put another 8 ounces of oil in the engine and hit the electric starter. The engine started briefly as about a quart of oil came gushing out the backside of the mower. I quickly pushed the mower onto a bare patch (there are lots of those in my yard) so as not to damage the few precious blades of grass that remain in my weedy backyard. I said last rites for the mower and trudged back up to the house. In retrospect it seems that the skin of evil was all that was holding that poor engine together. My feeble attempt to atone for years of neglect was met with complete and utter defeat.
I learned a valuable lesson today. Change the lawn mower oil annually. Or should I say, take your mower to the local shop and let THEM change the oil annually.
Anyone know how to dispose of a dead riding lawn mower?
Our Toro riding lawnmower is a hand-me-down from a neighbor who moved away many years ago. He took really good care of the rider and hated to part with it, but he didn't need it at his new place. He handed me the keys and told me to take good care of his baby.
Fast forward to this afternoon. After 10 years, I decided that I had better change the oil. I know. About 9 years too late, but I figured "better late than never". I got some special engine flush. I managed to get the drain plug out without spilling "oil" all over the garage floor. I say "oil" because, after 10 years, the stuff that comes out of the drain plug looks more like the skin of evil from that old Star Trek episode than motor oil. I replaced the plug and poured a fresh quart of oil into the engine. I let the mower run for a couple of minutes and then drained that oil as well. I wanted the engine to be nice and clean. I guess I was feeling a bit guilty for the years of neglect. I replaced the drain plug one more time and (over) filled the engine with fresh SAE 30 heavy duty motor oil. The engine fired right up and I headed for the back yard to mow the grass. I got about halfway through cutting the grass when I smelled something that reminded me of my old 1988 Dodge Caravan. Oil smoke. Yikes. I turned to look at the engine and oil was sputtering out of the muffler. Not a good sign. I shut off the mower and saw oil dripping from the air cleaner. Yuck. I pulled the oil dipstick out and it looked like all my fresh oil was gone. Hmmm. So I touched the dipstick to make sure. The dipstick that I had just pulled out of a VERY hot lawnmower engine. OUCH!!! Well, I determined that the engine was indeed very hot. What was left of the engine oil was dripping off the dipstick like water. I decided to put some more oil in the engine before trying to restart it. I put another 8 ounces of oil in the engine and hit the electric starter. The engine started briefly as about a quart of oil came gushing out the backside of the mower. I quickly pushed the mower onto a bare patch (there are lots of those in my yard) so as not to damage the few precious blades of grass that remain in my weedy backyard. I said last rites for the mower and trudged back up to the house. In retrospect it seems that the skin of evil was all that was holding that poor engine together. My feeble attempt to atone for years of neglect was met with complete and utter defeat.
I learned a valuable lesson today. Change the lawn mower oil annually. Or should I say, take your mower to the local shop and let THEM change the oil annually.
Anyone know how to dispose of a dead riding lawn mower?
<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_1_72.gif' alt='Too Funny' border=0></a>
..Sorry John but I had to laugh..
