Cannot find oil drain plug

[grassmann]

just lay a plastic grocery bag over the gas tank fill hole and screw the cap on over it. no muss no fuss

 

[Douglasdzaster]

The newer engines say no need to change oil. It’s something to do with epa and the way the engine uses it all you have to do is add oil occasionally. That’s what my press washers paperwork said. I call b.s. and tip it to drain the oil. I’ve never hear of such until I bought this thing. It’s a Honda engine.

 

[7394]

Most mower have a square plug on the bottom of the mower that can be removed with a 12 point socket but it is a lot less time to just open dipstick and turn on side.because no tools required. It is just smart. It helps if the fuel tank is empty but easy oil change.

But when I do oil change on my vintage B&S Flathead, I am also gonna be removing the blade for clean / sharpen & balance. So I just heave it up on my workbench, set it on two 1 gallon paint cans & I can sit on my stool & have easy access under it..

 

[TobyU]

Wow, didn't know that..

On my vintage B&S the oil drain plug is under the deck, near the blade shaft.

Yes, the old ones had the drain plug and if you look on the one you have the aluminum boss is still there they just decided to not drought the hole tap it and insert the pipe plug somewhere back around 97 or so maybe as late as 2001 but somewhere in that vintage they stop putting drain plugs in all the small push mower vertical engines.
As others have mentioned sucking it out can be done too but I find that not to be the best way as you typically leave more oil in it.
It's my preference to run the engine for 4 or 5 minutes so you will get all the particles and dirt and suspension because otherwise the sludge part will stay down in the bottom and you won't get that out as much. After it runs for three or four minutes, just flip it over into a pan.
Some machines like edgers and blowers could be a little harder to maneuver so you might need another person but the standard 21 or 22 in push mower is very easy just to flip over into a pan.
You'll get really good at doing it especially on the push mowers and you'll find the exact sweet spot so it rests right on the edge of the plastic drain pan but not touching the muffler which could still be hot from running.
Otherwise, you'll start to melt your pan a little bit. I use those cheap plastic drain pans because I can get them to the dollar store for $1.25. used to be a dollar but you know still cheaper than the parts stores or walmart.
In actual practice though, it would be better for me to pick up a metal version of the same thing because then I could use indefinitely and they wouldn't eventually crack and have to be replaced.
I certainly prefer the style like you have that has the dipstick because some of the smaller cheaper engines and the newer cheaper ones don't even have a dipstick that comes to the top like that so it makes a mess and runs down the side of the deck. This style I'm so accustomed to that I can actually flip the mower over towards me and hold even a small mouth milk jug and fully drain the oil without spilling a drop and I don't even need a pan. It's even easier if you have one of the empty 5 quart oil jugs with the larger mouth.
I typically still use the pan though and then since I like to get all of it out I will stand above the mower on the bottom side of it and pick it up and tilt it a little bit this way in that to get the extra ounce or two of all out of it.
And then remember, the most important thing it only holds 20 oz of oil. Do not overfill.
He should also be a straight SAE 30 or hd30 oil and not a multigrade and not a synthetic because that's just not necessary and you're going to have increased oil consumption or leaks with it and you're only going to find a 5:30 or 10:30 synthetic and not a straight weight even though amsoil will claim that one of their oils is the same for a 30 and a 10w30.
Just never use indie or non detergent oil. They need to quit selling that stuff in the normal stores because nobody really understands what it's for.
That stuff hasn't been used in an internal combustion engine since around 1953 and it shouldn't be.
The dumb merchandisers at the department stores especially Walmart actually put it on the shelf almost next to the two cycle oil implying that it belongs in the outdoor power equipment arena which it does not!
That stuff should only be used for oiling a bronze bearing sleeve or a fan motor and even at that 30 weight is too thick. Most of the appropriate oils for those situations are much higher quality and cleaner and almost clear compared to an ND 30 and most are 10 to 20 weight.

 

[woodstover]

Hey @bertsmobile1 , how big (or small) of a pump do I need to pull oil from a sump?

I pulled some oil out of an engine that had a lot of gas in it. That gas weakened the plastic container of the extractor. So now, when I hook the air compressor up to it (to suck out oil) it collapses.
So I got me an big empty fire extinguisher I'm going to use to hold the old oil. But I need a pump just big enough to pull the oil out.

I remember you saying something about a medical pump?

Would this work?
View attachment 63435
Specifications:
Model: Z512-604-3000N
Color: Black+silver
Material: +Aluminum
Working voltage: DC9V~14V
Rated voltage: DC 12V
Rated current: 500mA
Rated power: 6W
Suction: 5L/min
Vacuum degree: 65kpa
Maximum pressure: 120kpa

Easy to make if you have a shop vac

 

[bertsmobile1]

I had a boat years ago and it had a 228 Merccruiser outdrive powered by a GM 350 engine. It might have had a drain plug but siphoning was the only way to change it. Probably true of all IO drives. Never felt confidant I was getting all the oil out.

The point is unless the oil is badly contaminated with water or petrol there is no need to replace every last drop
People who run big trucks and big diesel engines change 1/2 to 1/3 of the oil at a time .
The Mac Tipper had a 20 gallon sump, no one drains that out every month, not if they intend staying in business .

 

[PTmowerMech]

Easy to make if you have a shop vac

For just oil. A lot of equipment has been contaminated with gas. So the shop vac would explode. lol

 

[BudLight72]

These “never drain your oil” mowers/engines are nuts. I would never buy one. I’m one of those who over maintains my equipment. An example is my backup portable generator.. I change oil in it once a year - regardless. I occasionally start it, bring it up to temperature and test the output, it probably gets about three+ hours of operation per year. The unit is about 15 years old and runs great. Over those 15 years I’ve probably used it 5-6 times to run power in my home for several hours each time. The inside of the engine (Kawasaki) has no varnish or sludge nor any signs of corrosion. Do I spend a couple of dollars a year? Yes. But I feel confident this generator will still be going strong for at least another ten years. And I won’t be spending a big chunk of money on a new one.

 

[kc27]

The point is unless the oil is badly contaminated with water or petrol there is no need to replace every last drop
People who run big trucks and big diesel engines change 1/2 to 1/3 of the oil at a time .
The Mac Tipper had a 20 gallon sump, no one drains that out every month, not if they intend staying in business .

This is interesting. Like Ohioguy, I also pumped oil out of an inboard marine engine and wondered what I was leaving in the oil pan.

I read on an automotive forum that extracting crankcase oil is becoming more common at service facilities when doing vehicle oil changes. One reason given was that some vehicles have undercarriage panels with multiple fasteners blocking easy access to the drain plug. Extracting also eliminates the chance of improperly installed drain plugs.

 

[StarTech]

I know for a fact that some small verticals still have drain plugs back in 2018. I install a 126M02-1018-F1 on a log splitter and had to note that the drain plug was no longer accessible due have to rotate the engine 90 degree due to recoil pull location. I informed the customer to return for oil changes.