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Posted by Steve on July 2, 2008, 3:18 pm
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>
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> > In article
>
> >> I'm writing this via Google Groups because Time Warner Cable decided
> >> we no longer need Newsgroups. What a pain.
>
> >> I was on here a little while back asking about getting a new belt for
> >> my Pony model. The belt from NAPA down the street worked just fine.
>
> >> New problem.
> >> I bought this tiller used 15 or more years ago. The gear oil always
> >> looked good. I check it every year and top it off when it needs it. I
> >> only use it probably less than 2 hours a year on the average. When I
> >> check the oil, I tip it so a little spills out the hole. It generally
> >> looks clean and new. I think I have only ever done a complete change
> >> once.
> >> I used it a few weeks ago and checked the oil level before I put it
> >> away until fall. The oil didn't look clean this time. It didn't look
> >> right at all! I drained all the oil into a pan. I could best describe
> >> it as looking just like mud. A light tan mud. Even though it has never
> >> leaked any oil in storage, I have to think that soil got past a seal
> >> and contaminated the oil.
> >> One thing was different this year. During the off season I bought a
> >> "hiller- furrower" attachment. I used it that last day to make a
> >> raised row. The soil was a little too wet for it and the attachment
> >> pushed a lot of soil up under the cover above the tines. I bought some
> >> new oil but I'm going to see what you all have to say before I refill
> >> the gear box.
> >> As far as seals go, the only mention in the owner's manual is that oil
> >> will leak out if one fails. Follow me on this... the tines are on a
> >> shaft. That shaft passes through a housing which must contain gears.
> >> Even though those gears are pretty far from the gear box with the oil,
> >> I assume that area is lubricated with the same oil. Would the seals
> >> near the tines be up high enough that oil does not leak out even
> >> though dirt can get in?
>
> >> Steve (In the Adirondacks of northern NY)
>
> > Might be time to look for a local small engine repair guy in your area.
> > I live in the boondocks and 2 miles away a small engine guy does lots of
> > good stuff. Mowers, chain saws , tillers and sometimes just about
> > anything that uses oil and gas.
>
> Water contamination of oil will turn it a tan color.
Yeah, I was tempted to say (in my original post) that I have seen
water contamination in the lower unit of outboard motors and it was
always more milky white, not so brown. Still, that's the first thing I
thought of when I saw that oil.
I have always hosed the tiller completely clean after each use. This
is the first time the oil looked bad. It seems to come back to a bad
seal somewhere.
Maybe I'll talk to the local repair guy. If I get no advice or
encouragement there, maybe I'll just fill it with the new oil and hope
for the best. (I would be watching for leaks and checking the oil
quality after each use.)
Steve
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