How much oil in mower with only a fill plug?

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I have an older push mower with a tecumseh engine and it only has a yellow fill plug on the bottom of the crankcase but no dipstick. Most forum threads that I seen say to fill it to the bottom of the threads. I have found a manual online and it says to fill to the overflow hole, so my question is where does the overflow hole go? I pour in almost 1 quart of oil and the oil never overflowed of the fill hole, so where does the excess oil go?
 
Yellow fill plug, tipped at a 40 degree angle? Fill until it starts to overflow by here. Make sure the engine is on a flat floor.
 
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Yellow fill plug, tipped at a 40 degree angle? Fill until it starts to overflow by here. Make sure the engine is on a flat floor.


Exactly. On level ground following that method you'll have the proper level and never overfill it.
 
I always start with 20oz for smaller push mowers without a dip stick then fill to the threads if needed.

Tecumseh Engine oil Capacities
LAV30-50; TVS75-120 20 OUNCES
ECV100-120; TNT100-120; OVRM40-65 21 OUNCES
V50-70; VH50-70 27 OUNCES
TVM125, 140 27 OUNCES
TVM & TVXL 170, 195, 220; OVM 120; OVXL120, 125 32 OUNCES
OHV11-13; VM70-100 32 OUNCES
VH100 50 OUNCES
OHV13.5-17 WITHOUT FILTER 55 OUNCES
OHV13.5-17 WITH SHORT FILTER 2 1/4″ 62 OUNCES
OHV13.5-17 WITH LONG FILTER 2 5/8″ 64 OUNCES
H & HSK30-35; HS & HSSK40-50; OHH & OHSK50-55 21 OUNCES
OHM 120; OHSK110 & 120 32 OUNCES
H, HH, HSK50-70 19 OUNCES
HM, HMSK70-100 26 OUNCES
Not all engines listed
 
Well you add over 20oz of oil, and you pour it in slowly, the oil never overflows out of the fill hole, there seems to be a small hole on the side of the threads and the oil seems to go in there but where does that hole go? does it overflow underneath the mower? I don't recall seeing any oil under the mower.


The tecumseh manual says the following:

If your engine does NOT have an oil fill cap/dipstick go to step 1.

1. Be sure engine is upright and level.
2. Clean area around oil fill cap/plug.
3. Unscrew oil fill cap/plug.
4. Add oil to overflow point, making sure to avoid spilling.
5. Screw oil fill cap/plug back into oil fill hole. Tighten securely.
6. Wipe away any spilled oil.

On Step 4, Add oil to overflow point, I think this is the hoel I am seeing in the threads as oil seems to go in there once it reaches it, I just don't know where this overflow point dumps the extra oil.
 
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When I drain all the oil out and then try to put in 20 OZ the last once or two overflow onto the floor. I suspect that enough oil remains behind and it prevents the ability to put in the full 20 oz. I put in 18 oz and look with a flash light at the level. I slowly fill until I see reach the first thread. I run it, let it cool and check the level. I found out the hard way that it generally overflows a bit even after cooling off.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Superflan
Yellow fill plug, tipped at a 40 degree angle? Fill until it starts to overflow by here. Make sure the engine is on a flat floor.
Exactly. On level ground following that method you'll have the proper level and never overfill it.
This is what I do for my old Tecumseh powered edger.
 
Originally Posted By: Blueskies123
When I drain all the oil out and then try to put in 20 OZ the last once or two overflow onto the floor.


So when it overflows onto the floor, does the oil come out under the mower? The overflow would be directed underneath the mower?
 
Its unfortunate because I have one on my 17 year old Lawn Boy, never changed the spark plug and "every" season -- prime it and first pull -- fires right up. The deck is rotting away but that motor is great.
 
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Now you know why Tecumseh went out of business.
Meh, overcomplicating something so simple. I doubt most never read/followed that anyway. My 25 year old Tecumseh powered Sears edger is still going strong and it was the best $20 C/L find I have made to date.
 
There is no overflow. You opened the crankcase when you unscrewed the little yellow plug. Fill it up until oil comes out(of the same whole you just put oil into). When oil is leaking out, then you know it is topped off. Its actually ingenious, because you can never over fill it (unless you tip the mower over to fill it). If the mower is level on flat ground, its impossible to overfill.
 
Originally Posted By: johnnyh55
Originally Posted By: Blueskies123
When I drain all the oil out and then try to put in 20 OZ the last once or two overflow onto the floor.


So when it overflows onto the floor, does the oil come out under the mower? The overflow would be directed underneath the mower?



So when you screw the cap back on I'm guessing it covers the hole you are talking about but I find it odd that your not seeing any oil either on top of the deck or below it on the ground if it's flowing into that hole.

I remember my first few mowers were like this but don't recall a over flow hole in the threads, can you post a picture?
 
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There is a slot in the threads to help oil flow into the crankcase. It will eventually overflow from the fill hole. If the engine is level, oil coming out anywhere else is not normal.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
There is no overflow. You opened the crankcase when you unscrewed the little yellow plug. Fill it up until oil comes out(of the same whole you just put oil into). When oil is leaking out, then you know it is topped off. Its actually ingenious, because you can never over fill it (unless you tip the mower over to fill it). If the mower is level on flat ground, its impossible to overfill.


That's exactly what the OM for my Briggs & Stratton generator says.

Whimsey
 
That's also what the OM for my Subaru/Robin generator says.
grin2.gif
 
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