"Engine Shipped Without Oil"

I need to install an invisible fence for the dog. I bought a gas powered lawn edger from Home Depot to cut the channel. I figured that by the time that I got the whole job done, rental fees would be about the same as buying one.

Assembly took less than half an hour.

The box is marked "Shipped Without Oil".

The directions say "Shipped Without Oil".

In two separate places, the engine is tagged "Shipped Without Oil".

The oil capacity is 12 ounces. There is a 12 ounce bottle of oil included in the box.

I leveled the engine, inserted a funnel and dumped 12 ounces of oil into the oil fill / dipstick hole. Some quantity of oil, probably close to twelve ounces but it's hard to measure at this point, spilled out across my clean garage floor.

Closer inspection shows that the dipstick was wet with clear, clean oil when it was removed, presumably for the first time.

Also, it appears that it will be nearly impossible to drain the oil without removing the engine.

Shipped without oil. Sold WITH oil.

My new 9800 watt Rigid generator was marked "Shipped Without Oil".

It came with a liter of Oil.

There was a big sticker on the pull handle indicating that one should fill it with 1 liter of the provided oil.

I leveled the engine, inserted a funnel and dumped 1 liter of oil into the oil fill / dipstick hole. Some quantity of oil, probably close to 1 liter but it's hard to measure at this point, spilled out across my clean garage floor.

I did not have to remove the engine to drain it but I did share a few expletives with the neighbors at having to clean up the mess.

I think this is a case where it's fair to return it and let them deal with it, in exchange for another.

Woody wrote: ...Also, it appears that it will be nearly impossible to drain the oil without removing the engine.

Isn't the edger small enough to tip on its side, or are you saying that the oil won't/can't drain out the same port where it was added?

Like I said above, I think you're fully in the right to return it and get another.

kb58 wrote: I think this is a case where it's fair to return it and let them deal with it, in exchange for another.

At this point, it would be more of a PITA to return it and assemble another one.

The drain port is directly behind the front wheel assembly and the bottom of the frame is dished.

What if you tip it on its side?

I cant believe I didnt think of using the edger to lay the fence. Im in the middle of that now, but I ran the wire through the links in the fence. only 1/4 of the way done, so thats coming out and i'll try the edger.

lnlogauge wrote: I cant believe I didnt think of using the edger to lay the fence. Im in the middle of that now, but I ran the wire through the links in the fence. only 1/4 of the way done, so thats coming out and i'll try the edger.

Excess oil has been removed.

Initial test indicates that this is going to be awesome for the job that I need it to do.

I use MightyVac to remove excess fluids, slip the hose down the oil fill tube, pump away.

I bought a helical drive skill saw from HF (nice saw really) and it came with a tag on it that said "No Oil", and did not come with any oil.

I opened the oil fill plug and used a small funnel to pore some compressor oil I had in (figured that was a reasonable choice), it took a fair amount, didn't spill any.

A co-worker gave me a really nice Cub Kadett push mower. Honda engine. He had pulled the carb, and screwed something up. It took HOURS for me to figure out that to drain the oil, you removed the fill plug, and rolled the darn thing over. The people that have "engineered" drain plugs off stuff that takes fluid should be sterilized so they stop polluting the gene pool.

wheelsmithy wrote: A co-worker gave me a really nice Cub Kadett push mower. Honda engine. He had pulled the carb, and screwed something up. It took HOURS for me to figure out that to drain the oil, you removed the fill plug, and rolled the darn thing over. The people that have "engineered" drain plugs off stuff that takes fluid should be sterilized so they stop polluting the gene pool.

Agreed. My push mower and power washer are the same way. Genius.

wheelsmithy wrote: A co-worker gave me a really nice Cub Kadett push mower.

And it's name shall be Oliver

If you ever have to remove the oil again, in a pinch you can use a straw. Stick straw in hole, put finger over tip, pull straw out, remove finger and oil runs out the end of the straw. I use this technique to get water out of pipes pointing vertically before I solder onto them. Always carry a straw in my tool bucket.

Briggs flat heads had drains fore and aft. If this is OHV, possibly not?

Use one of these to get out excess oil. It's how I do changes on all my small equipment Oil extractor

In reply to motomoron:

It's not a Briggs.

I ended up using one of my favorite garage tools. It's essentially a disposable medical grade Mighty Vac, designed to suck vomit out of someone's mouth as you do CPR on them. We opened it on a medical call, but never needed it because the situation had either gone very well or very bad at that point, I don't remember which. Once the package was opened, it was no longer sterile and it had to be removed from service, so into the shop it went. It's been very handy for removing brake fluid from master cylinder reservoirs and rebuilding Miata shift turrets. I was able to get the oil out and accurately measure the volume removed.

Old photo from the Miata Wintercrosser build:

Mighty vacs rock, but not everybody has one. Everybody has a straw.

Woody wrote: In reply to motomoron: It's not a Briggs. I ended up using one of my favorite garage tools. It's essentially a disposable medical grade Mighty Vac, designed to suck vomit out of someone's mouth as you do CPR on them. We opened it on a medical call, but never needed it because the situation had either gone very well or very bad at that point, I don't remember which. Once the package was opened, it was no longer sterile and it had to be removed from service, so into the shop it went. It's been very handy for removing brake fluid from master cylinder reservoirs and rebuilding Miata shift turrets. I was able to get the oil out and accurately measure the volume removed. Old photo from the Miata Wintercrosser build:

Is that silver car in the background a Cayman

fireball123 wrote: Is that silver car in the background a Cayman

It's that or a Boxster.

Could have been worse. I was told and convinced that mine was filled with oil in spite of the warnings.

Good thing they took it back and exchanged it.

mck1117 wrote:

fireball123 wrote: Is that silver car in the background a Cayman

It's that or a Boxster.

It's a Cayman with Boxster side grills.

It's also going to be for sale very soon.