Check Oil

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Silber Igel

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May 31, 2003
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Location
Kerville, Texas
Hummm... I bet I'm doing this all wrong ... for years!!!

Tractor: JD 345
Engine: 20 hp Kawasaki liquid cooled vertical twin

Following the little tiny picture on the side of the engine... It looks like you check the oil by placing the oil cap/stick back on the filler opening.... So...I've been unscrewing the oil cap cum dip stick and wiping it off; placing it back on the engine, without screwing it in, removing it and reading the oil level on the dip stick. This gives a higher reading... by about 1/4" on the dipstick than if I screw it in to check it.

The manual doesn't give any advice or piccys... as to what's right.

So... should I be screwing it in or just setting it on the filler???? Eh?

The reason why I'm asking... on occasion when starting it up it puts out a small amount of blue smoke. Doesn't use any oil for sure.

(NOTE: looking at the plugs there's no sign of oil burning ... everything is neat and clean... no crud on the plugs.
 
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the proper way to check a kawasaki small engine, is to NOT thread the dipstick on
 
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I had this same issue on the manual transmission of my 1988 Chevy Sprint Metro. I had always assumed that you screwed the thing in, unscrewed it, and looked at the level. Then I bought the FSM. And discovered that I'm not supposed to screw it in. Transmission has made it through 350,000 miles with 0 problems, regardless.
 
Originally Posted By: kcfx4
the proper way to check a kawasaki small engine, is to NOT thread the dipstick on


My 2008 kawasaki states very specificly not to screw it back on. Just wipe off, dip and read.
 
your welcome, in fact, if you can "squint" hard enough, i believe it even says on back of dipstick, NOT to thread on for reading....or however its worded.i do believe that engine calls for 1.9 quart, i always just put 2, never been any issues
 
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The motor now has about 540 hours on it. Smokes occasionally only after a hot shut down. Smokes very briefly.. less than 30 seconds. I don't think its serious at this point ... more irritating than anything. Once running it does not smoke or show evidence of burning oil.

Plugs are clean... no coking or carbon build up. Not oily as if it were passing oil to the combustion chamber. I installed new valve cover gaskets last winter. (Quite a bit of smoke with duff gaskets!!!) The inside of the covers and heads were whip-spiffy clean. No sludge. No varnish.

When new I used Pennzoil 10w30 for quite a few years. However, I've used various brands of 10w30 since moving to Texas. The last being Motorcraft 10w30. Changed the oil about a week ago to Pennzoil High Mileage 10w40.

The Pennzoil 10W-40 seems to be a bit quieter running on a hot day and according to my manual its OK for this area of Texas. It rarely gets down to freezing. The tractor is garaged so it would never suffer cold flow problems on a cold start up.
 
Yeah, I think on the Briggs, you fully thread the dipstick in. On the Hondas, you do NOT thread it in. Sounds like the same on the 'Sakis also. Good to know.
 
not that this will cure it or not, but kawasaki "preaches" to use only sae30 in warm conditions, so that may be worth a try to see what happens.
 
Thanks KC!!! I'll look into using straight 30. I had considered using it this time but was swayed by the 'oil recommendation' chart in the operator's manual.

BTW.... what grade & brand do you use in your motor?
 
in my kaws, I use only sae30 conventional valvoline, i change it 3x a mowing season, i have one thats 14yrs old, single cyl, averages 250 hrs/yr and has never been touched. no smoke, no leakes, no consumption. Best small engine on the market!! ps, im guessing you found that chart in the jd manual? ps, im not trying to push valvoline, but i am highly recommending sae30 conventional oil
 
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Originally Posted By: kcfx4
i change it 3x a mowing season,

wow why so often? surly it would last just as long on a 100hr OCI?
Originally Posted By: Silber Igel

I'm going to look into using a straight 30 wt., instead of a multi-vis.

Stick with a HDEO 30w
 
daman, #1 because I care (im one that belives in a bit of over maintence vs under) kinda a pay now or pay later theroy; plus hes talking about a $7k+ machiene, and as cheap as oil and a filter is, why not? #2 did you also note my hrs, #3 HDEO30 is fine (the point I was making was to not use multi viscosity)
 
Originally Posted By: kcfx4
daman, #1 because I care (im one that belives in a bit of over maintence vs under) kinda a pay now or pay later theroy; plus hes talking about a $7k+ machiene, and as cheap as oil and a filter is, why not? #2 did you also note my hrs, #3 HDEO30 is fine (the point I was making was to not use multi viscosity)

I know i wasn't commenting on the oil just your interval and honest no i didn't read all the thread had to run, my bad, im a believer too in maintenance but from what i found using a great synthetic and good filter and taking your OCI out 100+ hrs will yield a looong and healthy mower.

keep up the good work!
 
KC, et. al.,

Just following up. Still on the Pennzoil 10W-40. The Kawa is running much better no oil puffing on start up.

Since it was hard to start a few weeks ago and would suddenly lose power then clear itself out, I'm thinking it may have had some smutz in the carb. The gas was fresh but it looks cloudy in the fuel filter. After a couple of episodes it seems to have cleared itself and is now starting on the first crank and running smoothly. ??????

Since its running fine (four hours straight today... no issues!!!) I'm going to hold off on the Pennzoil 30HD till it needs a change.

Thanks again!
 
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