Oil issue ..

[puckbag]

First let me say that I have no idea what I'm doing lol as you will soon find out. I'm using my lawnmower for about 15 minutes today..it's running good and then all of a sudden it decides to stop. Fuel is full so I check the oil..oil is low so I go to the hardware store and he tells me what kind of oil I need after I tell him my model of lawnmower. I come home, put the oil in and it still wont start. After coming inside and doing some reading I realize that I just dumped 16oz of 2 stroke oil into a 4 stroke engine..please advise as to what my next course of action should be. Good news preferred Thanks for any help.

Its a Kohler xt-7 engine.

 

[KennyV]

Welcome to LMF

You are likely over filled... & with the wrong type of oil...
First check, with the dip stick, Are you over filled?

Second, dump the oil out... and refill with a Good engine oil... (I prefer synthetic, and use Rotella T6 in all my engines, gas, diesel, air cooled, water cooled, old and new engines).

IF the crankcase was overfilled, you MAY have oil in the combustion chamber... not a big deal, but it can foul the spark plug... remove the spark plug and pull the starter rope several times to clear any oil, clean oil from spark plug (if any is on it)... replace the spark plug.

This will put you back to where you started... but you should be now full, with the correct oil...:smile:

Try to restart and post back with the results...

BTW... what you did is not at all uncommon and it will not hurt anything.:thumbsup: if it was over filled with oil, it may smoke a little more than normal at the next start up.... that will go away quickly... :smile:KennyV

 

[puckbag]

Thanks Kenny I appreciate the reply and will do all that you recommended. My other question is would the lack of oil be what caused it to just stop in the first place?

 

[KennyV]

... would the lack of oil be what caused it to just stop in the first place?

I certainly hope NOT....
Was it a little low or was it out???
If it was out... the engine is likely toast... You can not run an air cooled engine with no oil for any length of time... :smile:KennyV

 

[puckbag]

I certainly hope NOT....
Was it a little low or was it out???
If it was out... the engine is likely toast... You can not run an air cooled engine with no oil for any length of time... :smile:KennyV

How would I know if the engine is toast Kenny? When I try to start it it sounds like it wants to start. Just trying to figure out what mAde it just stop in the first place. Thanks

 

[jmurray01]

Right... Let me get this right.

You had 2 stroke oil in it in the first place, or you had the right oil in, but topped it up with 2 stroke oil ?

If you had 2 stroke oil in it in the first place, the oil will have been so thin it will have got into the combustion chamber and basically drowned the engine. That won't cause any lasting damage, and will simply require a few pulls with the spark plug out, then it should run again.

If it died with the right 4 stroke oil in, this is more serious.

It is likely that although there was still some oil on the dipstick, there wasn't enough to lubricate the piston properly, and thus it wore down the piston rings, lost compression, and died.

That would also explain why it fires but does not start, as the fuel would ignite whether there was compression or not, but if there isn't sufficient compression the engine will not start.

The first thing to do would be to fill it with 4 stroke oil, replace the spark plug, then try and start it.

If it just fires, your engine is probably toast as Kenny said.

 

[KennyV]

How would I know if the engine is toast Kenny? When I try to start it it sounds like it wants to start. Just trying to figure out what mAde it just stop in the first place. Thanks

Lets not go to the worst case just yet...
You didn't say...
1. How low was it before you added?
2. After realizing that you put in 2cycle oil, (but before you drained it), how full was it?
3. When you took the spark plug out, did it look to have oil on it?
4. When you pulled the starter rope, with the spark plug out, & the correct amount of engine oil, Did it blow any excess oil out of the empty spark plug hole?

What were the results of the above 4 ? .... This is not a disaster... yet.

We can systematically determine why it stopped, but first lets see where we are now... :smile:KennyV

 

[jmurray01]

Lets not go to the worst case just yet...
You didn't say...
1. How low was it before you added?
2. After realizing that you put in 2cycle oil, (but before you drained it), how full was it?
3. When you took the spark plug out, did it look to have oil on it?
4. When you pulled the starter rope, with the spark plug out, & the correct amount of engine oil, Did it blow any excess oil out of the empty spark plug hole?

What were the results of the above 4 ? .... This is not a disaster... yet.

We can systematically determine why it stopped, but first lets see where we are now... :smile:KennyV

I suppose, since this guy says he is a beginner, I'd better mention that when you are spinning the engine without the spark plug in, make sure the lead is as far away from the engine as you can get it.

You can never be too safe when it comes to oil/fuel and possible sparks!

Hopefully tomorrow (for him anyway, here in Scotland it is already 8.02AM!) he will answer our questions.

 

[puckbag]

Right... Let me get this right.

You had 2 stroke oil in it in the first place, or you had the right oil in, but topped it up with 2 stroke oil ?

If you had 2 stroke oil in it in the first place, the oil will have been so thin it will have got into the combustion chamber and basically drowned the engine. That won't cause any lasting damage, and will simply require a few pulls with the spark plug out, then it should run again.

If it died with the right 4 stroke oil in, this is more serious.

It is likely that although there was still some oil on the dipstick, there wasn't enough to lubricate the piston properly, and thus it wore down the piston rings, lost compression, and died.

That would also explain why it fires but does not start, as the fuel would ignite whether there was compression or not, but if there isn't sufficient compression the engine will not start.

The first thing to do would be to fill it with 4 stroke oil, replace the spark plug, then try and start it.

If it just fires, your engine is probably toast as Kenny said.

The right oil was in it in the 1st place and I replaced it with the wrong oil, haven't had a chance to drain and refill..will do after work tomorrow. I should replace the spark plus as well as the oil? Thanks again.

 

[jmurray01]

Check the spark plug, and if it is sooty (black residue on the tip), or oil soaked, replace it! If not, check the gap (I'm sure Kenny will know better than me what the gap should be set at), and refit it.