Repairs V-Ride: How to change oil? How to clean deck underneath?

[georgere]

1. How to change oil?
Manual says: here is the drain plug, drain it, and it shows a pic of engine off the mower. Right, I cant figure out how to get to the drain, and how not to spill the oil. Any advice?



2. How to clean deck underneath?
Wanted to clean the deck - again, no way to jack up the machine. Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

 

[georgere]

1. How to change oil?
Manual says: here is the drain plug, drain it, and it shows a pic of engine off the mower. Right, I cant figure out how to get to the drain, and how not to spill the oil. Any advice?



2. How to clean deck underneath?
Wanted to clean the deck - again, no way to jack up the machine. Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Resolved #2: purchased z-turn mower lift...

#1 still puzzles me. Cant locate oil drain plug or if what I think it is (based on the owners manual), if I open it, the oil will flow all over the mower.... Please help...

 

[Mad Mackie]

Hi georgere,
I was looking at the Scag manuals for V Riders and saw what you have for an oil drain. Not sure what serial number series you have, but probably all the same type drain valve. I use an oil withdrawal system that has a small diameter hose connected to a 6 liter spherical tank with a vacuum pump. With the engine warmed up, the hose is inserted into the dipstick tube with the dipstick removed and with a vacuum, withdraws the engine oil thru the tube and into the tank. This makes for a less messy manner to remove the engine oil. The oil base on newer engines has been designed to provide a low point where the hose can position to evacuate the most amount of oil and in some cases actually evacuate more oil than the drain valve will allow to drain out. Some of the larger auto parts store chains show oil withdrawal systems in their catalogs. One company makes a side pump type that is green in color and I had one years back, but the sideways pump action was not easy to use and I replaced it with another brand that has the vacuum pump vertically mounted.
I have several small plastic pans that I have modified to fit under the oil filter to catch the oil as I remove the filter. I place this pan under the filter, and using an ice pick, I punch one hole in the oil filter, turn the oil filter 1/2 turn and punch another hole. This allows the oil filter to partially drain prior to removing it.

 

[ILENGINE]

Thats how I drain the oil on most mowers in the shop. but the Kohler engines have a step toward the bottom of the engine, that prevents the tube from reaching the bottom of the engine.

 

[Mad Mackie]

I have no idea why Kohler didn't change their vertical shaft engine bases, it certainly isn't a major design change. Briggs and Kawasaki have either made this minor change or their design initially lent to oil withdrawal systems. Onans were easy to withdraw oil from also.
Years back when I was a marine mechanic, the boat yard that I worked in had 4 five gallon commercially made oil withdrawal machines. Most marine engines either had a separate oil withdrawal tube or a dipstick tube that went almost to the lowest point of the oil pan and a larger hose could be connected. I serviced a twin diesel engine motor yacht that had 20 gallon engine sumps and 120 volt AC oil withdrawal systems attached to the engines and a 200 gallon waste oil storage tank that was pumped out when at a dock with the capability. This yacht had a 6,000 mile range and engine and transmission lube oil changes could be performed underway if need be. Both the engines and transmissions had closed cooling system oil coolers. I've been told that a helicopter deck and hangar was added to this yacht about 10 years ago and it now stays in the Mediterranean.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::smile::biggrin: