Toro Timemaster gasket leak

[bertsmobile1]

The drip is coming from the air filter housing which looks like has been done up too tight & is now warped.
The drip is caused by oil coming from the crankcase via the breather.
This happens because the crankcase is over full or the head gasket has blown or the breather check valve has failed

The first one is not a warranty claim regardless of weather it was caused by the owner putting too much oil the engine or the carb float valve has failed and fuel is entering the engine diluting the oil and that is considered again to be an owners fault from using bad fuel, or contaminated fuel .

 

[JPK Omaha]

Thanks bertsmobile for your response. I never touched the air filter housing until today when I took it off to take the pictures. I put the one bottle of Toro oil in the lawnmower that Toro provided in the crate with the lawnmower, so I did not overfill it. I used fresh fuel the several times I fueled it. So of the things you listed it sounds like the breather check valve might be the problem. Is the breather check valve the black plastic thing under the air filter? Could a bad breather check valve cause gas to get mixed with oil in the crankcase?

 

[slomo]

I put the one bottle of Toro oil in the lawnmower that Toro provided in the crate with the lawnmower, so I did not overfill it.

Did you check the oil level after dumping in said oil? Or just toss the entire bottle in and call it good?

 

[slomo]

Take your finger. Drag it through the spilled liquid. Smell what it is for us? Run the liquid through your fingers. Is it slick like oil or does it smell like gas? We can't be there with you.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Thanks bertsmobile for your response. I never touched the air filter housing until today when I took it off to take the pictures. I put the one bottle of Toro oil in the lawnmower that Toro provided in the crate with the lawnmower, so I did not overfill it. I used fresh fuel the several times I fueled it. So of the things you listed it sounds like the breather check valve might be the problem. Is the breather check valve the black plastic thing under the air filter? Could a bad breather check valve cause gas to get mixed with oil in the crankcase?

Well there are several problems
1) the seal between the air filter and the carb is not sound because the oil should not be able to leak out of it .
2) Too much oil will cause oil to be spewed out of the breather & into the filter housing Was it a 450ml bottle or a 1 liter bottle ( good for 2 oil changes ) ?
3) have you checked the oil level on the dip stick ?
4) the breather will be at the other end of the rubber tube on the back of the air filter box
5) No a bad check vale causes oil to spew out of the breather which ends up being sucked into the carb & create lots of smoke .

 

[JPK Omaha]

Did you check the oil level after dumping in said oil? Or just toss the entire bottle in and call it good?

Oil capacity is 18 oz. Toro provided an 18 oz. bottle of oil, that's what I put in. I did check the oil level at the beginning, and it is still just over the top mark. I plan to do the recommended 5 hour oil change this weekend.

 

[JPK Omaha]

Well there are several problems
1) the seal between the air filter and the carb is not sound because the oil should not be able to leak out of it .
2) Too much oil will cause oil to be spewed out of the breather & into the filter housing Was it a 450ml bottle or a 1 liter bottle ( good for 2 oil changes ) ?
3) have you checked the oil level on the dip stick ?
4) the breather will be at the other end of the rubber tube on the back of the air filter box
5) No a bad check vale causes oil to spew out of the breather which ends up being sucked into the carb & create lots of smoke .

Thanks bertsmobile.
1) The seal on the bottom of the air filter appears good and is dry. The air filter is dry. The air filter housing is dry.
2) Toro provided a 18 oz bottle of oil, (photo attached). Presumably that's what they intend to go into the motor. Motor oil capacity is 18oz. Yes I checked the oil level before I started the motor.
3) The oil on the dipstick is still slightly above the top mark.
5) The motor has not produced any smoke in the 5 or 6 hours I have operated it.

At this point I don't want to keep it if there has been gas introduced into the oil in the crankcase. But I can't tell if that has happened. The dripping onto the deck appears to be oily. The dipstick smells mostly like oil but hard to say for sure. I'm also wondering if this is a common problem with these $1500 lawnmowers.

 

[JPK Omaha]

Take your finger. Drag it through the spilled liquid. Smell what it is for us? Run the liquid through your fingers. Is it slick like oil or does it smell like gas? We can't be there with you.

Thanks for your reply. The dripping fluid appears oily. It is wet and shiny and slick. If it was just gas it would evaporate. I can't really detect a smell but I can't say that it smells like gas.

 

[Rivets]

Having worked on these Toro mowers since they came out, oil level slightly above the full mark on the dipstick is not something I would worry about, unless it smells like fuel.

 

[slomo]

I did check the oil level at the beginning, and it is still just over the top mark.

Oil is over filled.

Just over, over, Roger over, over and out. All of those mean over filled. Over and out.....