Here's my problem- Doing my 250 hour maintenance on 425 w/ Robin engine and changing engine oil and filter. It's been cold so I warmed it first and then drained the oil and removed old filter. Left it overnight to drain. Put on new filter and plugged drain next day. While filling with oil, inverted bottled. Flow into engine too slow and note spillage out. More careful now and fill slowly until about 1.5 liters go in. Start engine- it runs maybe 10 seconds and immediately stop. This concerns me. Immediately check oil via dip stick and none there! Ahhhhh! Look in fill port and see plenty. Wait until oil starts to show on stick and try starting again. Engine tries but does not start. Note white smoke coming out of exhaust. Take off air filter and see fresh oil all around air intake and choke flapper. Write post to you guys on what to do? Please help.
Oil & Fuel Cold Weather Oil Change
- Thread starter pairodime
- Start date
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More info- The air filter shows signs of oil on it high enough that it would have gone down the air intake. This must have happened while I had the oil container inverted in the opening. Removed spark plugs and they are coated with oil and seem more black than should be (they were new at 200 hrs). The oil now shows on the stick after flowing through the engine.
Am I going to be OK if I just run it until it starts? I can replace the spark plugs if necessary.
Thanks in advance
Am I going to be OK if I just run it until it starts? I can replace the spark plugs if necessary.
Thanks in advance
J_J
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pairodime said:
A low oil sensor will prevent you from starting. The oil filter has to fill, and cold oil does not flow well. Do you have the right amount of oil in it now? If you put to much oil in the engine, the down stroke of the piston could push oil up through the engine breather tube, which suck gases from the engine to the carb. This would allow oil to get on the filter, and be sucked in by the engine, and saturate the plugs.
First, I would make sure you have the oil level correct. Replace the plugs or clean them, and give the engine a shot of either as you try to start.
MossRoad
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You also may want to put a heater in the area with the PT overnight so that the engine metal gets a bit warm and in turn, warms the oil so it flows easier on that first start up. Check the dip stick before starting and adjust up or down, if needed. I, too, would clean or change the plugs. I might also spin the engine over a few times while the plugs are out. Keep the throttle off and choke full open. This will clear any exess fuel that is in the cylinders. Be sure that space heater is off, of course. 
Put the clean plugs back in and start as normal. If it starts and stays running, only run it for a short while. Maybe 30 seconds or so. Stop it and let it sit for five minutes. Check the oil level on the stick again and adjust up or down. If your filter isn't full it could hold half a pint or so. Never seen a Robin filter.
That's one of the problems with cold weather oil changes. If I am forced to do it, I warm the engine up real good and then drain it. Draining for 10 minutes is more than enough time for everything that's gonna come out through the drain plug to come out. Also, I keep the new oil in the house the night before so it is warm enough to flow down the engine's fill opening. Same thing with a new filter. Keep it in the house until ready to use. It is easier on your hands, too.
Put the clean plugs back in and start as normal. If it starts and stays running, only run it for a short while. Maybe 30 seconds or so. Stop it and let it sit for five minutes. Check the oil level on the stick again and adjust up or down. If your filter isn't full it could hold half a pint or so. Never seen a Robin filter.That's one of the problems with cold weather oil changes. If I am forced to do it, I warm the engine up real good and then drain it. Draining for 10 minutes is more than enough time for everything that's gonna come out through the drain plug to come out. Also, I keep the new oil in the house the night before so it is warm enough to flow down the engine's fill opening. Same thing with a new filter. Keep it in the house until ready to use. It is easier on your hands, too.