Fragile oil drain on GT2542

[JTKub]

Good question Curt, we'll have to get a rental to test that theory out! (kidding) I've had a few engines with the low oil s/d system, but never had a functional test thank goodness. Not sure if it's level or press activated. That plastic drain valve is a scarry pc of equipment. The brass part threaded into the block is fine, it's just there is nothing you can do with it. It's just a wide open nipple without the plastic twist cap in place.

Joel

 

[cager]

When I saw these posts about changing oil...I had to put my 2 cents in too. I have an '05 cc 2554. This machine is everything it's supposed to be and more. I am totally satisfied with it...EXCEPT FOR THE BLASTED PROCESS FOR CHANGING OIL! I'm right at 101 hours on it and getting ready to do the dreaded change. I dread it because when I did the first oil change...it was a total mess. My expectations for a clean and orderly change this time are none existent. But, someway, somehow, I'll get through it and perhaps learn something new...like how to avoid having the oil flow down the crossmember...and how to properly insert the plastic tube.
It is simply beyond me how a design engineer could have gotten paid for creating something so impractical and non-functional. Oh well...its not the end of the world and even with all this fussing about changing the oil...I still enjoy this machine immensely!!!!

 

[Fordlords]

I think a lot of it has to do with the initial design phase. When they are designing the tractor chassis, they aren't really positive what they are going to use for power, and Cub Cadet has been well noted to use a full roundup of small engines from most all the manufacturers, each engine of course has different oil drain and filter locations. After they have selected an engine though, I think they should take the time to engineer a PROPER (in other words device with NO plastic components) system where the oil can be drained without a mess being made.

The engineers should be made to do this and see if it can be done without them getting dirty oil all over their nice white lab coats I for one would not want the oil in my engine being held back by something made of plastic that can fatigue or crack, as these small engines don't hold much oil if that component were to fail while mowing the engine could lose all the oil and be destroyed before you would even notice it.

I think many of these yard equipment manufacturers take owners for granted today treating us like teenage girls instead of the fellows many of us are who actually WANT to take care of our equipment properly on our own without spending a fortune for some shop to maintain our machines for us.

-Fordlords-

 

[JTKub]

For our customers who ask, we hard pipe an elbow and extension into the system to move the drain outlet to the rear of the front axle, away from the muffler.

No mess on the frame, and easy to get at. The valve and hose are a cheaply engineered setup..

Ken, is it just a matter of loosening the 4 engine mount nuts and prying the engine up a bit? Just tyring to figure how much 'movement' you need to get a socket or wrench over that OEM brass drain stub?!? Hopefully the engine end driveshaft coupling has got some give to it.

Joel

 

[bermuda_ken]

Yes, just loosen the 4 bolts and you can re-pipe the oil drain. Our new oil drain kit we are working on will have instructions (and photos) on how to do this (even if it is not rocket science). You can run the drain hose to the front or rear.

I prefer placing the hose to the rear AWAY from the muffler, so the oil drain exit is just in front of the leading edge of the mower deck.

 

[JTKub]

...Our new oil drain kit we are working on will have instructions (and photos) on how to do this (even if it is not rocket science)..

Ken if you get a kit going, I'll gladly mail-order one from you!

Thanks
Joel

 

[Nittany]

Bermuda Ken,

How soon could it be ready? I'm getting ready to service my GT2518 for the winter and would gladly volunteer to beta test your new product, complete with "feedback" lol!

By the way, we'd like thank you for putting this kit together. It sounds like what should have been installed at the factory . . . before the bean-counters at MTD got involved.

Keep up the good work!

Nittany