Draining the oil

[carrant]

In conjunction with the T-20 evacuating question, here's one for draining the oil.

The drain plug on the Kohler in the Buffalo is located on the bottom of the engine ( no surprise there! ). To drain the oil pull off a cap and pull what the cap was resting on out ( the replacement drain plug ) - oil begins to drain.

Here's what I have been doing -

Run the Buffalo up and down the street a few times to warm up the oil.

Using a small container ( such as an old baby food jar or a small pickle jar ) wiggle it until it fits under the drain.
Open the drain a let the contain fill about 3/4 full.
Close the drain.
Very slowly take the container out and dump into oil drain pan.
Repeat many times.

This a very slow and tedious process.

Anyone have a better solution for draining the oil?

thanks,
chris

[liflod]

Drain oil directly into the tub. Place drain pan under body drain holes. Clean out tub when finished.

[whipper-ag]

Put a hose on the end of a turkey baster,and suck it out.

[carrant]

liflod,
I've thought about this, but the oil would drain into a channel with a channel on either side and not out of the tub. If I lift the machine from the front the oil wouldn't drain, from the back the oil would flow to the front of the machine inside the channels.

Here's a pic of the engine, the drain is below the yellow oil cap at the base of the engine The direction of the drain is towards the T-20. You can also make out the channels to some degree.



When I first bought the Buffalo I tried the pump I used for the transmission, but there was problem with the hose - don't rightly recollect if it was too small, too large, or the pull-out drain didn't offer enough surface area for the hose...

However, between your response and whipper's response I may have solved my own problem. I could run a hose from the oil drain out the tub drain into the pan. I'll have to give this a try..

chris

[liflod]

Is there another drain on the back side of the engine?

[carrant]

liflod,
Hmm, I'm not sure about that. I checked Kohler's site and the service manual indicates two plugs, one on the starter side and one on the filter side.

On a side note, on Kohlers site PBS Net-Compass
RI is only listed on page 6 for the CH22-76568 engine. The Buffalo uses a CH23 ( I don't know the additional numbers ); I didn't't see any RI reference for any of the CH23 engines.

If there is I don't know that I would be able to access it.

Here is a pic of the bed raised -


When I raise the bed of the Buffalo there's not a lot of clearance between the frame and the engine. I have a heck of a time replacing the oil filter ( it's located between the engine and the rear frame [ where the bed and frame meet ] - where the additional drain plug should be located ).

The left side doesn't provide any access because of the exhaust.
The right side is also constrained because of the hydraulic bed lift.

However, if RI has replaced the filter side drain bolt with the really-easy-to-open-drain-thingy ( I have NO idea what it's called ) then draining into the tub may not be so difficult ( or draining via a hose out the back would be even easier as I would be able to lift the front of the Buffalo ).

Thanks for the question, I would have never though to look for a drain on the other side. I'll check it out this evening.

[liflod]

I am working on a Max II with the 23 HP Kohler. I am not familiar with the drain mechanism on the engine. I attached a hose to it and ran it out the lower drain hole. The whole damn thing came off and I spilled oil into the tub so I removed the mechanism and just let it run. The drain on the Max II is at the rear of the machine, but the Max II has easy access from the rear. I wonder if you can replace the Kohler gizmo with a valve and a hose to run it out of the drain holes.

The previous owner installed a valve and hose to the T-20. All I had to do was winch the front of the machine with the I beam in my garage and open the valve to drain the fluid. Easy.

[budresiew]

I just use a long piece of 1/2" ID vinyl tubing (the clear stuff you can get a Home Depot). Remove the yellow oil drain cap, slide on tube. Run other end of tube out one of the drain holes in the body, place the end of the tube in a drain pan outside body. Reach in and twist and pull (carefully) the oil drain to open it and let it run through the tubing and out. Works great! Just be careful...that oil drain can come apart on you of you are not careful.

[Overkill]

I'm running a CH22 in my home built 6x6. It has 2 drain plugs. The drain plug threads in this motor are standard 3/8 AN pipe thread. I went to the hardware store and picked up some pipe fittings and routed the drain to where I wanted it.

[carrant]

Well, I was able to use a digital camera to view the side of the engine that faces the rear of the frame. There is a drain plug there, however access is very restricted - even trying to get a pic with the camera was a challenge.

I'm going to try and visit Home Depot today and pickup some tubing. Failing that I'll revert back to the slow, but functional method I've been using.

On a side note, the easy open drain plug that's on the engine - is that from RI or from Kohler? Anyone know it's actual name?

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

chris

[Mike]

That is from Kohler. I don't know the name of it but you can find it on lawn mowers, garden tractors, etc. too.

[budresiew]

It is a standard oil drain. I believe the manufacturer's install it. I have one on my Cub with a Kohler, my buddy has one on his Cub with a Briggs. My Brother in Law has one on his Deere with a Kawasaki. Same one I have in my Max as well. Just check with any lawn and garden dealer. I'm sure they have them. As mentioned before, you can get some pipe fittings (galvanized) and route that drain to where you can access it better. Remember, you only need to change your oil every 100 hours or once a year.

[GREASEMONKEY]

This is worth it's weight in gold!
OIL CHANGING SYSTEMS : JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories

Get the 8qt, that's plenty big enugh to do a car or truck!

I know lots of people don't like to vac. oil out, but with the limited space!!!
Vac. out oil does leave a residual amount of oil in the bottom. I take care of this by pumping it out, pouring in 1/2qt of fresh oil, cranking it for about 10-15sec, then vac. out the rest, change the filter, and fill with fresh oil!

There's no big mess, the clean up consist of wipeing off the vac. tube, and dumping the oil in my 20gal drum to be recycled!!!

[carrant]

Well, I tried a hose to the oil drain routed through the drain plug without much luck. The oil drain and the drain on the frame are at about the same height so a little oil drained out, but in the end I reverted back to the tried and true method..

Greasemonkey - I like the looks of that! What's the diameter of the included hose? I was thinking about attaching the hose to the oil drain and sucking from there...

I've also been looking at this model Mity Vac Fluid Evacuator Plus - Model 07201 at Sears.com ( they also have one that works off an air compressor )

[GREASEMONKEY]

The hose is about a 1/4in, or 5/16in. The mity vac you are looking at works really well too. I have the air operated model at work. I have a compressor at home too, but like the pump version for portability!