Old Craftsman riding mower -- is somewhat Valk related

[Tx Bohemian]

We have (actually it's my B-i-L) a pre-'96 craftsman 12hp 38" cut riding lawnmower we use at my moms place. (not exactly sure what year but know it's 96 or older)

The dipstick on this thing is one that screws in to seal.
 
My question is:
To properly check the oil level do you screw the dipstick in all the way or just stick it in to the threads without scewing it down?
Like on our Valks (if I'm correct on this) you just you just stick it to the threads without theading it down. (told ya, Valk related!!)

I attempted to google this (not that I'm the best at googling) and everything else in the world comes up about craftsman mowers and oil except what I'm looking for.

Anybody familiar with this??

[Black Dog]

I don't know yer answer, but rather than checking things 'Sears' related, I'd check with the mfg of the engine (Briggs, Kohler...).  In any mower/tractor/snoblower I've ever had, there is usually an 'insert' to the owners manual, with more specific information about the engine.

Just a thought.

Black Dog

[old2soon]

Difference ain't gonna be very much oil at all. And it's an air cooled engine which means the oil itself is a lot of your cooling capacity. I have a Briggs on my lawnmower and the manual says to read the dipstick with it screwed in all the way. So i just remove that ol dipostick and read it before i fire up the engine. RIDE SAFE.

[Tx Bohemian]

Hey, thanks guys.  Very good information.

I did look up on the Briggs site and found what I needed in the "frequently asked question" section. (first time I every had a question answered there).

And old2soon you're right, it does get screwed all the way in.

Got a little tiff going with the b-i-l about this mower.
After he (for lack of a better word) chewed my a$$ out because he said the oil was low it turns out he was evidently not checking it properly.
If you check it now it is well over full.

[Patrick]

B&S wants the cap screwed in while Tecumseh wants it just sitting/resting on the block.. Generally when I can remove the lower cap[ if the engine has one] I fill until the oil comes well up the threads..
I think I'm using the same mower as you around the hangar for toting and mowing,,but,, I can't remember what engine it has,, but,, it does have a cap in the base of the block..

[Tx Bohemian]

B&S wants the cap screwed in while Tecumseh wants it just sitting/resting on the block.. Generally when I can remove the lower cap[ if the engine has one] I fill until the oil comes well up the threads..
I think I'm using the same mower as you around the hangar for toting and mowing,,but,, I can't remember what engine it has,, but,, it does have a cap in the base of the block..

This one has the top of the dipstick sitting above the top of the motor. It has a long plastic dipstick tube that attaches at the bottom of the block.  The dipstick is about 7-8" long.

[Patrick]

This one has the top of the dipstick sitting above the top of the motor. It has a long plastic dipstick tube that attaches at the bottom of the block.  The dipstick is about 7-8" long.


Hmm, OK.. Can you get to the opposite side of the engine ?? Is there a fill plug there ??  If so, then it'll take just one time.. Fill the engine till the oil comes up the threads and compare it to the dipstick..

[Tx Bohemian]

Hmm, OK.. Can you get to the opposite side of the engine ?? Is there a fill plug there ??  If so, then it'll take just one time.. Fill the engine till the oil comes up the threads and compare it to the dipstick..

That's a good idea. Not sure about the plug but next time I'm there I'll look.

Thanks

[john]

lift the seat ...
 look on the gas tank ...
see a plate with model number ...
serial number ...               
call the telephone number and they can tell you any thing you want/need to know about that mower ...                               
    the mother in laws mower is a 1998     .... 18 hp ... 42 inch cut
starts right up .... runs like atop ... three acres ... she gives me 75 bucks ... 
i take her out to dinner         

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Don't overfill it. I ruined a brand new 17 dollar air filter as the oil got sucked into the breather from the crankcase.I was about a quarter inch above the full mark stick not screwed in. 10 horse brigg on a snapper rider. I like it cause it still has a backup rope starter if the battery dies.

[Patrick]

Don't overfill it. I ruined a brand new 17 dollar air filter as the oil got sucked into the breather from the crankcase.I was about a quarter inch above the full mark stick not screwed in. 10 horse brigg on a snapper rider. I like it cause it still has a backup rope starter if the battery dies.
end quote

Yep, you're right.. It's not a good thing to over-fill any engine.. On the B&S engine,, you had it over-filled by quite a bit..

[Tx Bohemian]

Don't overfill it. I ruined a brand new 17 dollar air filter as the oil got sucked into the breather from the crankcase.I was about a quarter inch above the full mark stick not screwed in. 10 horse brigg on a snapper rider. I like it cause it still has a backup rope starter if the battery dies.

Amazing, and wierd!!

My father-in-law had the exact mower and the exact thing happened to it!!

He's 87, I think, and under a lot of stress because his wife is nuts.
I think he put gas in the crankcase (both places to fill are close together) cause it was way overfilled, whole lot more than a quarter inch, and really thin, not at all oil like.

It would run for about 10 seconds then belch a ton of smoke and die. Wait 10-15 seconds and start it up again.  It was sucking up the excessive oil/gas mix from the crankcase through the PCV flapper.

Once I figured it out I drained the crankcase put in the proper amount of oil and it ran like a top.

The thing is the F-i-L was so PO'd at it he bought another mower and gave this one to me. I sold it for like $300.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

 A 1/4in over full with the the stick not screwed in would probably put the oil at least a 1/2 to 3/4 of a inch over full if the stick was screwed down tight. Way too much. I learned the hard way.