New mower run with NO OIL!!

[fixit301]

Bought a Craftsman 6.75 hp self propelles mower to use for trimming. My 15 year old son decided to try it out while I was @ work. . He ran it and seized it up. When I got home and he told me the mower was broken, I tried to pull it and it was seized. You know that bottle of oil they come with? He didn't put it in the crankcase!!
I removed the plug, put a lil MMO in there. I filled the crank with MMO. I started it and let it run for a few minutes. Lots of smoke. Then I vacuum pumped the MMO out. It had lots of pretty glitter. I then totally filled the crankcase with good ole paint thinner to kinda rinse it out. I vacuumed this out after letting it soak a while.
Wow, dirty!! Then a mix of MMO and ST syn 10W30. Ran it under load (cut grass) for about 10 minutes. Vacuumed and Added straight. St syn 10W30.
The mower seems to be fine, lotsa power and no smoking. I don't know if my course of action was proper, but it seemed to haved worked for me. Was worth a shot to save a 350.00 mower.

 

[digitalSniperX1]

good one...i'd check the oil often though. some of that metal glitter was probably piston ring material.

 

[Steve S]

I would bring it back for a mew mower, it doesn't run good and you're not happy with it.It is better to buy stuff like that at a good full service shop.

 

[fixit301]

Yes, I plan on keeping an eye on it. The son now knows about checking oil in all our power equipment before usage

 

[addyguy]

When the mover dies, I'd make the kid buy a new one. It'll teach him not to in such a hurry and do dumb-a** stuff like this....nice rescue on the mower, though.

 

[steve20]

Friend (adult) of mine, did the same thing with a brand new Ariens snowblower from HD, except he added 2 oz of oil from the 20 oz they give you. After it blew, he added the remainder of the oil and called HD. They sent a either [censored] o Tech service guy out to his house and authorized the return for a brand new one. This bull adds to the costs of everyone's purchase

 

[JTK]

I've seen seized OPE engines brought back to life like that before. No worries. I bet that engine will still outlive the rest of the mower.

Joel

 

[daman]

Did you give your son a good

 

[Johnny]

Son probably feels bad enough without

Maybe son was never taught the correct way to service a lawn mower, especially a new one. Maybe son thought dad had this new mower all ready to go and he was just trying to please dad while at work, and just tried to mow the grass for good old dad.

I always taught my kids how to service things before I let them use them.

 

[artificialist]

I guess this is why when I bought a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer, the engine was already filled with oil.

I was amazed to see that. I figured the oil would have spilled out during shipping.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: steve20
Friend (adult) of mine, did the same thing with a brand new Ariens snowblower from HD, except he added 2 oz of oil from the 20 oz they give you. After it blew, he added the remainder of the oil and called HD. They sent a either [censored] o Tech service guy out to his house and authorized the return for a brand new one. This bull adds to the costs of everyone's purchase
In a busisness and a customer service standpoint it would save $$$ for the company to add the oil before it leaves the store.

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
I would bring it back for a mew mower, it doesn't run good and you're not happy with it.It is better to buy stuff like that at a good full service shop.

Great advice.... Pass the cost of a stupid mistake onto all of us. It is not the store's fault that the kid screwed up.

Give the kids a chewing while you explain how to check the oil before using, etc. I guarantee he will not do this again in his life (life lesson). The mower will probably run forever anyway.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: tmorris1
Originally Posted By: Steve S
I would bring it back for a mew mower, it doesn't run good and you're not happy with it.It is better to buy stuff like that at a good full service shop.

Great advice.... Pass the cost of a stupid mistake onto all of us. It is not the store's fault that the kid screwed up.

Give the kids a chewing while you explain how to check the oil before using, etc. I guarantee he will not do this again in his life (life lesson). The mower will probably run forever anyway.

If the store makes enough profit to support a NASCAR team And pay its CEO millions in pay + benefits it can take care of it customers with all the $$$ it is saving by not installing the Qt of oil.

 

[oilslick44]

Last winter a HD employee told me people were bringing back snowblowers that were frozen due to failure of installing oil. They thought they could exchange them for new ones. He said no way, that they must send them back to the mfg.

 

[Maritime Storm]

The reason they don't ship most OPE with oil in them is to prevent leaking/seepage during shipping. Try selling a $300/+ piece of equipment in an oil soaked box to someone. Most manufactures put big yellow signs over the fuel filler cap indicating their is no oil in the engine. Far too many people can't be bothered to read the instructions/owner manual when they buy a new piece of equipment, they tear off the label, fill up the tank and seize the engine. Why should the store pay for a person's ignorance?

 

[mpvue]

I worked one summer at HD in the indoor garden dept (we handled the mowers). setup out of the box was literally like 2 minutes: slice open box, unfold handle, add oil. we did it for everyone. some people would still say 'I want a new one in the box'.
the other problem w/ people buying power equiptment from HD, they think they have no obligations. my 2 favorite occurances (happens all the time):
1. " this trimmer doesn't start". ran good the 1st time, week later, I can't start it, I want to return it. bonehead homeowner doesn't understand how a choke works, or the need to run a 2 stroke WOT. it was fun taking it outside and starting it for them. then they go 'I want to return it anyway'.
2. "this lawnmower won't run". when pressed, he says he was just mowing along, heard a bang, and it died. bonehead homeowner hit a root, bent the shaft, and thinks the mower is faulty.
it wasn't worth arguing w/ the customer, because if they were a true bonehead, they will take it up w/ the store mngr who will cave anyway. always did, even when a customer would claim a price is wrong (they take a shovel from the wrong hook, but want the lower price anyway).
I buy my power equipment at my local ace hardware full service store. picked up a stihl trimmer. they do a full setup, FILL IT WITH GAS, and spent 10 minutes w/ me on how to operate it, AND filled out the registration card for me! now THAT'S service!

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: tmorris1
Originally Posted By: Steve S
I would bring it back for a mew mower, it doesn't run good and you're not happy with it.It is better to buy stuff like that at a good full service shop.

Great advice.... Pass the cost of a stupid mistake onto all of us. It is not the store's fault that the kid screwed up.

Give the kids a chewing while you explain how to check the oil before using, etc. I guarantee he will not do this again in his life (life lesson). The mower will probably run forever anyway.

If the store makes enough profit to support a NASCAR team And pay its CEO millions in pay + benefits it can take care of it customers with all the $$$ it is saving by not installing the Qt of oil.

How did they not take care of you already? They presumably sold you the mower you wanted at a price that you were willing to pay. It is not their fault that somebody does something stupid. There are tags all over any lawnmower that I have looked at telling you that it needs to be filled with oil before starting. If i run my new car out of gas, should the dealer or Ford Motor Company come out and deliver it to me?

 

[Steve S]

They did not take care of you at all.. Like if they can affort a NASCAR sponser they can afford to add the oil and have a happy costomer and avoid a comeback. The store has not done me a favor selling me a product, I do them a favor shopping there. I never purchased a new car that didn't have the fluids full and the gas tank full.

 

[shortyb]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
They did not take care of you at all.. Like if they can affort a NASCAR sponser they can afford to add the oil and have a happy costomer and avoid a comeback. The store has not done me a favor selling me a product, I do them a favor shopping there. I never purchased a new car that didn't have the fluids full and the gas tank full.

Even IF it were policy to fully service OPE before it goes out the door, don't you think its a good idea to check it anyway? After all, it was a human that did/does the prep and sometimes we can forget. Kudos to you for wanting to get your stuff from a full service shop, but I would still want to give a quick double check before use. Same goes for that "fully serviced" car before it would leave the lot.

Chaulk it up to a life learning lesson and don't be too hard on your son. Take the opportunity to teach him responsibilities involved with using the equipment. Sounds like the mower is ok and your son won't do this again.

 

[Virtuoso]

Not the store's fault the kid didn't put oil in.. so I don't agree with taking it back to them. Ah, personal responsibily shift at it's finest.

When I bought my Craftsman (probably just like the OP's) a month ago, they loaded the box right up in my van. No taking it out or setting it up for me. Honestly, I prefer it that way. I don't need them to do something I can do by myself. Plus, they had to turn the box on it's side to get it in the van. Wonder what a crankcase full of oil would have done then? Maybe not much, but I'd rather not find out.

[censored] part is, I've already had to tighten up one nut & bolt on the wheel assembly. BUT FWIW the 'salesman' made sure I knew to dump the oil in before I started 'er up.