Well, the mower still runs the way it should. I would never consider returning it due to operator error. The son has been taught the maint/operation of OPE. He simply neglected a step and ended up learning a valuable lesson. I appreciate all the feedback from fellow bitogers on this issue. All seems well for now.
New mower run with NO OIL!!
- Thread starter fixit301
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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.
This statement and some of the ones that follow just amaze me! Sometimes I feel like I live on a different planet.
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.
This statement and some of the ones that follow just amaze me! Sometimes I feel like I live on a different planet.
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.
What in the heck does NASCAR have to do with a 15 year old kid not putting oil in a lawn mower? Because Sears sponsors NASCAR, they should take rsponsibility for a busted lawnmower, I just don't see the connection.
Sears is not at fault for the customer not putting the supplied oil in the lawn mower.
Once again car purchase-----lawn mower purchase ugh. No connection there either that I can figure. Well okay, they both have an internal combustion engine. Different products, different conditions, not even the same sort of establishment.
Stupid stuff happens!
The kid was trying to cut the grass, he wasn't sittin in the AC playing video games. Give him a talking to about the oil and let it go.
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.
What in the heck does NASCAR have to do with a 15 year old kid not putting oil in a lawn mower? Because Sears sponsors NASCAR, they should take rsponsibility for a busted lawnmower, I just don't see the connection.
Sears is not at fault for the customer not putting the supplied oil in the lawn mower.
Once again car purchase-----lawn mower purchase ugh. No connection there either that I can figure. Well okay, they both have an internal combustion engine. Different products, different conditions, not even the same sort of establishment.
Stupid stuff happens!
The kid was trying to cut the grass, he wasn't sittin in the AC playing video games. Give him a talking to about the oil and let it go.
I'd run it and not worry about it. Those little Briggs can be pretty tough.
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I'm still amazed you managed to get a brand new, siezed engine un-siezed. Stories I've heard in the past taught me that you had little more than a 50lb paper weight on your hands. You should be a doctor in an engine E.R. somewhere. 
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: blackcherry06
I'm still amazed you managed to get a brand new, siezed engine un-siezed.
That is a good point. I've seen old, worn-in briggs engines be 'un-seized' in the past, but not a tight new one. It couldn't have been locked up that badly.
Joel
I'm still amazed you managed to get a brand new, siezed engine un-siezed.
That is a good point. I've seen old, worn-in briggs engines be 'un-seized' in the past, but not a tight new one. It couldn't have been locked up that badly.
Joel
Small engines are very forgiving when you run them without or very low on oil. You can almost always get away with it once. Many times twice with little problems. If you do it three times, maybe some herd thinning is in order. Try to run one of the Chinese motors dry and get them started again!
Originally Posted By: twentynine
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.
What in the heck does NASCAR have to do with a 15 year old kid not putting oil in a lawn mower? Because Sears sponsors NASCAR, they should take rsponsibility for a busted lawnmower, I just don't see the connection.
Sears is not at fault for the customer not putting the supplied oil in the lawn mower.
Once again car purchase-----lawn mower purchase ugh. No connection there either that I can figure. Well okay, they both have an internal combustion engine. Different products, different conditions, not even the same sort of establishment.
Stupid stuff happens!
The kid was trying to cut the grass, he wasn't sittin in the AC playing video games. Give him a talking to about the oil and let it go.
What don't you get about that if a company can support a NASCAR team it can afford to make sure the oil is in the engine when it is sold?
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.
What in the heck does NASCAR have to do with a 15 year old kid not putting oil in a lawn mower? Because Sears sponsors NASCAR, they should take rsponsibility for a busted lawnmower, I just don't see the connection.
Sears is not at fault for the customer not putting the supplied oil in the lawn mower.
Once again car purchase-----lawn mower purchase ugh. No connection there either that I can figure. Well okay, they both have an internal combustion engine. Different products, different conditions, not even the same sort of establishment.
Stupid stuff happens!
The kid was trying to cut the grass, he wasn't sittin in the AC playing video games. Give him a talking to about the oil and let it go.
What don't you get about that if a company can support a NASCAR team it can afford to make sure the oil is in the engine when it is sold?
Kids don't pay attention to unimportant things like that. I'm sure when he tore the big cardboard label off that said add oil before using to avoid serious engine damage, he was thinking about a girl from school or when he was going to be able to con you into buying him the new Grand Theft Auto for his Playstation. I have two of them like that only they're girls, and in their twenties!
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.
"This statement and some of the ones that follow just amaze me! Sometimes I feel like I live on a different planet."
I'm with you. *** is wrong with some people?
About a decade ago, while I was a firefighter, we went to a spring flooding pump-out and the facility owner bought a bunch of brand new B&S 3.5hp powered portable pumps to empty the basement. He started them, ran them for hours and then suddenly one quit. It was restarted then 5 minutes later it quit again ... it had run out of oil and seized. It was returned to Grainger that grudgingly took it back.
I wonder how much of the purchase price of these machines is attributable to returns by people who messed up their machine through negligence?
Good job fixit301 ... your name should be fixit101
"This statement and some of the ones that follow just amaze me! Sometimes I feel like I live on a different planet."
I'm with you. *** is wrong with some people?
About a decade ago, while I was a firefighter, we went to a spring flooding pump-out and the facility owner bought a bunch of brand new B&S 3.5hp powered portable pumps to empty the basement. He started them, ran them for hours and then suddenly one quit. It was restarted then 5 minutes later it quit again ... it had run out of oil and seized. It was returned to Grainger that grudgingly took it back.
I wonder how much of the purchase price of these machines is attributable to returns by people who messed up their machine through negligence?
Good job fixit301 ... your name should be fixit101
If you think returning a mower with a customer-seized engine is bad, you should see how many camcorders get returned after they've been taken on vacation and got dropped in the ocean or got sand in them. "This piece of junk never worked right!"
And big screens sold before the Super Bowl, then returned after the party but before the 30 day return policy? Don't even go there with that.....
And big screens sold before the Super Bowl, then returned after the party but before the 30 day return policy? Don't even go there with that.....
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: twentynine
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.
What in the heck does NASCAR have to do with a 15 year old kid not putting oil in a lawn mower? Because Sears sponsors NASCAR, they should take rsponsibility for a busted lawnmower, I just don't see the connection.
Sears is not at fault for the customer not putting the supplied oil in the lawn mower.
Once again car purchase-----lawn mower purchase ugh. No connection there either that I can figure. Well okay, they both have an internal combustion engine. Different products, different conditions, not even the same sort of establishment.
Stupid stuff happens!
The kid was trying to cut the grass, he wasn't sittin in the AC playing video games. Give him a talking to about the oil and let it go.
What don't you get about that if a company can support a NASCAR team it can afford to make sure the oil is in the engine when it is sold?
Were you not in class the day the teacher spoke about ethics, honesty, and responsibility?
Let's see the list can awful long. 1. Big ole label on the engine says add oil before running. 2. They supply the oil. 3. Oil ought to be checked everytime you use it, not just the first time. 4. Suppose Sears did fill it up. owner gets it home and uses 10 times- 1 time- 5 times, it runs out of oil and is not checked. Is Sears still responsible. Because they sponsor Nascar?
Cutting to the chase. I'd much rather have the kid that ran the mower without oil than have Steve S. The kid was outside working, trying to help out, he made a mistake. Steve S well he--- well never mind. He won't get it!
Originally Posted By: twentynine
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.
What in the heck does NASCAR have to do with a 15 year old kid not putting oil in a lawn mower? Because Sears sponsors NASCAR, they should take rsponsibility for a busted lawnmower, I just don't see the connection.
Sears is not at fault for the customer not putting the supplied oil in the lawn mower.
Once again car purchase-----lawn mower purchase ugh. No connection there either that I can figure. Well okay, they both have an internal combustion engine. Different products, different conditions, not even the same sort of establishment.
Stupid stuff happens!
The kid was trying to cut the grass, he wasn't sittin in the AC playing video games. Give him a talking to about the oil and let it go.
What don't you get about that if a company can support a NASCAR team it can afford to make sure the oil is in the engine when it is sold?
Were you not in class the day the teacher spoke about ethics, honesty, and responsibility?
Let's see the list can awful long. 1. Big ole label on the engine says add oil before running. 2. They supply the oil. 3. Oil ought to be checked everytime you use it, not just the first time. 4. Suppose Sears did fill it up. owner gets it home and uses 10 times- 1 time- 5 times, it runs out of oil and is not checked. Is Sears still responsible. Because they sponsor Nascar?
Cutting to the chase. I'd much rather have the kid that ran the mower without oil than have Steve S. The kid was outside working, trying to help out, he made a mistake. Steve S well he--- well never mind. He won't get it!
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2026
To the OP, nice save on the mower, reminded me of similar story I have.
I once bought a 1987 Dodge Lancer turbo from the neighbor. Blown headgasket sat for over a year with no fluid and spark plugs removed. Breaker bar would not turn the bottom end, nor would the starter. Pulled the pan soaked the pistons and crank in WD-40 and PB blaster for 2 days. Put the bar on it engine rolled over. Put it all back togther and drove it 120,000 trouble free miles.
Good on you not returning it. It was a simple mistake, but the seller should not be held responsible.
I once bought a 1987 Dodge Lancer turbo from the neighbor. Blown headgasket sat for over a year with no fluid and spark plugs removed. Breaker bar would not turn the bottom end, nor would the starter. Pulled the pan soaked the pistons and crank in WD-40 and PB blaster for 2 days. Put the bar on it engine rolled over. Put it all back togther and drove it 120,000 trouble free miles.
Good on you not returning it. It was a simple mistake, but the seller should not be held responsible.
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Shouldnt there be somthing on the mover indicating to add oil before use...my pusher did.
I think the mistake came from the kid assuming that his father had already prepped the mower for use. His intentions were good, his execution just lacked.
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Let's not be too hard on the kid. We've all made some stupid mistakes; doesn't mean we're stupid people. I'm sure the kid learned his lesson, and it will not be repeated.
Reminds me of something stupid I did last year, and boy did it scare me! My wife & I had just sold our condo (no yardwork) and bought a new house with a big yard, so I bought a new riding mower. Drove the new JD mower into the garage, and parked it. Next day, I'm getting it prepped for mowing, checked that everything was in order, oil is full, etc. Checked tire pressure, belts, etc. Then, I proceeded to fill the tank with gas........WHILE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO THE FRICKIN' (GAS) WATER HEATER!!!!!!! I could have burned my brand new house down. Scared the living craaaap out of me as soon as I realized the absolutely stupid thing I was doing. Quickly removed gas can and mower from garage. Changed underwear, mowed lawn. I won't repeat that idiotic mistake.
Reminds me of something stupid I did last year, and boy did it scare me! My wife & I had just sold our condo (no yardwork) and bought a new house with a big yard, so I bought a new riding mower. Drove the new JD mower into the garage, and parked it. Next day, I'm getting it prepped for mowing, checked that everything was in order, oil is full, etc. Checked tire pressure, belts, etc. Then, I proceeded to fill the tank with gas........WHILE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO THE FRICKIN' (GAS) WATER HEATER!!!!!!! I could have burned my brand new house down. Scared the living craaaap out of me as soon as I realized the absolutely stupid thing I was doing. Quickly removed gas can and mower from garage. Changed underwear, mowed lawn. I won't repeat that idiotic mistake.
Wow! This received a bunch of posts. My son has realized he made a mistake. And NO, I wasn't hard on him. I just required he stick with me during the repair process. The mower still had the tag "ADD OIL" on the engine. We laugh about it now, but a lesson was definately learned!
He does a great job on our yard (for the past 3 or 4 years). I blame it on the teenage boy mind. We all suffered from that at one point in our lives.
He does a great job on our yard (for the past 3 or 4 years). I blame it on the teenage boy mind. We all suffered from that at one point in our lives.
Originally Posted By: Footpounds
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.
This statement and some of the ones that follow just amaze me! Sometimes I feel like I live on a different planet.
Welcome to modern American ethics.
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.
This statement and some of the ones that follow just amaze me! Sometimes I feel like I live on a different planet.
Welcome to modern American ethics.
Originally Posted By: fixit301
Wow! This received a bunch of posts. My son has realized he made a mistake. And NO, I wasn't hard on him. I just required he stick with me during the repair process. The mower still had the tag "ADD OIL" on the engine. We laugh about it now, but a lesson was definately learned!
He does a great job on our yard (for the past 3 or 4 years). I blame it on the teenage boy mind. We all suffered from that at one point in our lives.
If you still have the tag pin it up on a board in the garage as a reminder, when he gets older you can say remember when and still laugh about it.
Wow! This received a bunch of posts. My son has realized he made a mistake. And NO, I wasn't hard on him. I just required he stick with me during the repair process. The mower still had the tag "ADD OIL" on the engine. We laugh about it now, but a lesson was definately learned!
He does a great job on our yard (for the past 3 or 4 years). I blame it on the teenage boy mind. We all suffered from that at one point in our lives.
If you still have the tag pin it up on a board in the garage as a reminder, when he gets older you can say remember when and still laugh about it.
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