push mower oil leak

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Apr 30, 2018
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under a year old low end mower with a 3.5 -4.0 briggs engine got done using it today and turned it over to clean under it and when I pushed it back into garage, had a pretty good puddle of oil on the ground looks like it was coming from the carb area....could this be that I had it on its side to clean under never seen that before it was carb down when I turned it on its side
 
Yes that can happen. When we moved I made the mistake of not draining the oil out of the lawn mower. The movers put it on its side and some oil ran out, apparently through the carburetor (the air filter was soaked with oil). I'm not sure how that can even happen but it did.
 
I had a customer that brought me a push mower he thought was seized since it wouldn't pull over. I noticed oil dripping from the muffler. Turns out he had stored it on a tool hanger or something in his garage with the spark plug part of the engine facing down. All of the oil ran into the cylinder.

I pulled the spark plug, cranked it over so all the oil came out, poured some in the crankcase and it fired right up. I charged him just for the oil I put in the mower and advised him on what happened.
 
There is a pipe from the crankcase to the air filter. It keeps filtered air in the crankcase and directs any blowby gasses back into the intake to be re-burned similar to the PCV system on a car.

Tipped on that side, the oil will run through the pipe and soak the air filter. Also can happen if seriously overfilled with oil.
 
Originally Posted by SrDriver
I made the same mistake once and had quite a mess to clean up.

When completely empty my walk behind mower holds 18 oz of oil.

Toro manual also says that fuel tank must also be empty before tipping over to change oil, etc. If emergency, then fuel must be pumped out. This is why I change the oil first thing in spring before putting in fuel. Of course, I won't get the non-warm oil out completely.

Originally Posted by jeepman3071
I had a customer that brought me a push mower he thought was seized since it wouldn't pull over. I noticed oil dripping from the muffler. Turns out he had stored it on a tool hanger or something in his garage with the spark plug part of the engine facing down. All of the oil ran into the cylinder.

I pulled the spark plug, cranked it over so all the oil came out, poured some in the crankcase and it fired right up. I charged him just for the oil I put in the mower and advised him on what happened.

Honest businessman!
thumbsup2.gif
 
thanks guys for the info and help … I had visions of me buying another push mower ...really thought something gave out and mower was junk...I will keep the carb up from now on when I clean under the thing
 
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