Hey guys. I've been lurking on this site for a few months now, and I've been very grateful for the wealth of knowledge here. I recently bought a small farm and moved out to the boonies, which has required a crash course on small engine maintenance and operation. My most recent project is servicing the transaxles on my Toro Timecutter SS4225. This little entry level mower has been tasked with keeping about 2 acres of grass cut, around the road, house and barns. It's one oddly shaped pocket of grass after another so it takes HOURS and HOURS to mow. I've had this mower for a year and I suspect I've put 100 to 150 hours on it.
I'm halfway through the left side. I included pictures of the progress. I got the mower lifted and took the transaxle off, which was a huge pain in the butt. Drained the oil, almost exactly 1.5 quarts. Spilled a pint of oil, but fortunately on cardboard. I was able to throw some old oil rags down before any got on ground. The oil looks like it has a lot of wear metal in it. It shimmers. I put 1.5 quarts of mobile 1 15w-50 back in, and replaced the fill plug.
Now... according to the service manual, you are supposed to put the transaxle back on and run it briefly with the bypass valve engaged to purge air from the system. THEN, you are supposed to recheck the oil level, which requires taking the thing back off again. So you have to take it off and put it back on at least twice? What the crap!? What kind of masochist thought this one up?
Is there an easier way? I figure 1.5qts out, 1.5qts in, right? But at least some of the oil volatilized. The manual says, "A volume of 53.3 fl. oz. to 55.9 fl. oz. should bring the the fluid to the correct level in the transaxle." So it would seem that I have another 5.3 to 7.9 oz to go, right? But then again, I don't know how much oil is still trapped in the transaxle. And who knows how accurate my measurements were.
So what do you guys think? Should I just pour in another 5oz and hope for the best? Any advice, observations or comic relief would be greatly appreciated.
I'm halfway through the left side. I included pictures of the progress. I got the mower lifted and took the transaxle off, which was a huge pain in the butt. Drained the oil, almost exactly 1.5 quarts. Spilled a pint of oil, but fortunately on cardboard. I was able to throw some old oil rags down before any got on ground. The oil looks like it has a lot of wear metal in it. It shimmers. I put 1.5 quarts of mobile 1 15w-50 back in, and replaced the fill plug.
Now... according to the service manual, you are supposed to put the transaxle back on and run it briefly with the bypass valve engaged to purge air from the system. THEN, you are supposed to recheck the oil level, which requires taking the thing back off again. So you have to take it off and put it back on at least twice? What the crap!? What kind of masochist thought this one up?
Is there an easier way? I figure 1.5qts out, 1.5qts in, right? But at least some of the oil volatilized. The manual says, "A volume of 53.3 fl. oz. to 55.9 fl. oz. should bring the the fluid to the correct level in the transaxle." So it would seem that I have another 5.3 to 7.9 oz to go, right? But then again, I don't know how much oil is still trapped in the transaxle. And who knows how accurate my measurements were.
So what do you guys think? Should I just pour in another 5oz and hope for the best? Any advice, observations or comic relief would be greatly appreciated.