King Kutter tiller-oil change question

[Mean Jean]

Brand new tiller, barely 3 hours on in.
I checked oil level at side gear box, level is fine although the oil is milky.
Should I remove the entire cover (roughly 10 bolts) to get a complete drain?

 

[Wolfy]

I would drain it, then pour in a little new oil with the drain still open. When that drains install the plug, then fill it up.

 

[JC-jetro]

Brand new tiller, barely 3 hours on in.
I checked oil level at side gear box, level is fine although the oil is milky.
Should I remove the entire cover (roughly 10 bolts) to get a complete drain?

yes, absolutely, you don't want any moisture in there contaminating the new oil, watch the gasket condition. may be use a bot of blue RTV when you put it back. Mine is 3 years old and the oil still look good. Next time I change my oil, I'll be taking the cover off will drill out a low hole for oil drain with proper oil drain bolt.

JC<

 

[Mean Jean]

Thanks very much JC-jetro
I was confident that was the thing to do, just needed the reassurance.

 

[r8nger]

Don't use silicone, that stuff is outdated. Use gasket eliminator (562 I think) it works better and doesnt "slip" its in a red tube, apply very thin, hardens under pressure. Or just use a new oil free dry gasket.

 

[Mean Jean]

Cover is off and "oil" is draining.
Looks more link pudding than oil. Thick and yellow.

Re: gasket.
I will reinstall old gasket with a thin coat of red hi-temp gasket maker.

80W90 gear oil alright?


Thanks all for advise.

 

[Mean Jean]

The sludge

 

[Mean Jean]

More sludge.

The upper gear box also has the yellow sludge.
Draining it means I would need to remove a little plug.
All the contents will pour onto the top if the tiller.
Not enough room to slide a proper pan under it.
What a terrible design.
Will need to get greative on this one.

 

[638]

That "sludge" is grease, not oil with water in it. KK uses a flowable grease, 'oo' or 'ooo' I don't remember which.

 

[Mean Jean]

Great feedback, thanks.
I was thinking the seller used tapioca pudding!

Manual calls for gear oil GL5-85W 140 or triple zero grease.
I will leave the stuff in the top box, use 000 in the lower one.

Thanks again for the advise.

 

[JC-jetro]

Great feedback, thanks.
I was thinking the seller used tapioca pudding!

Manual calls for gear oil GL5-85W 140 or triple zero grease.
I will leave the stuff in the top box, use 000 in the lower one.

Thanks again for the advise.

Mine Came dry, and I did use TSC traveller GL5-85w 140 Oil as well. I used it for both gear boxes the same. If you do use RTV Blue or what was recommended then you need to put a thin laye on one side after the edge wiped clean of oil and let it skin a bit before you put the cover on. RTV blue can be put as valve cover gasket replacement and once is skinned and cured it will stay put for a long time.

JC,

 

[nikdfish]

I've got a 5' Tarter, but the design is pretty much the same as the KK II. I found that a suction gun works pretty well on the top gearbox (and makes for less mess). After slurping out the contents with the gun, nothing will drain from the drain hole at the bottom side. I just had to make sure to get tube routed down to the bottom edge of the box.

FWIW, when I drained the side box I did so by rolling the unit upside down via straps around the torque tube & doing the lifting with the FEL ...

I was flushing water contamination from the top box. I drained the side box because I had initially put in 85w90 and wanted to replace it with 85w140.

Nick

 

[JC-jetro]

I've got a 5' Tarter, but the design is pretty much the same as the KK II. I found that a suction gun works pretty well on the top gearbox (and makes for less mess). After slurping out the contents with the gun, nothing will drain from the drain hole at the bottom side. I just had to make sure to get tube routed down to the bottom edge of the box.

FWIW, when I drained the side box I did so by rolling the unit upside down via straps around the torque tube & doing the lifting with the FEL ...

I was flushing water contamination from the top box. I drained the side box because I had initially put in 85w90 and wanted to replace it with 85w140.

Nick

Cool This is my version of "suction Container/gun " using a my shop vac. It is "JC-the tool man" kind with a lot of ooomph

JC,

 

[browny]

That "sludge" is grease, not oil with water in it. KK uses a flowable grease, 'oo' or 'ooo' I don't remember which.

I was going to post a question about this same topic yesterday. I checked my KK tiller out yesterday and the gearbox on top has that sludge in it. If it is grease, would there be any reason to change it? I checked the owners manual and it doesn't say anything about changing any of the oil in any of the gear boxes.

 

[Car Doc]

Brand new tiller, barely 3 hours on in.
I checked oil level at side gear box, level is fine although the oil is milky.
Should I remove the entire cover (roughly 10 bolts) to get a complete drain?

I dont know how yours was stored etc and they shouldn't get water in anyway normally but they come with a white looking grease in them called OO or something like that so it may just be the OEM lube and doesn't need anything?

Fact my manual says the OEM lube is compatible with regular 90wt and its ok to top them off with either fyi.

 

[Runninghorse]

i have a king kutter(i bought used) finish mower,do i put gear lube or grease in gear box?

 

[k0ua]

i have a king kutter(i bought used) finish mower,do i put gear lube or grease in gear box?

I would go to the King Kutter website and download a manual. But in general most gearboxes will call for 80W-90 or similar in them

 

[Baby Grand]

I would go to the King Kutter website and download a manual. But in general most gearboxes will call for 80W-90 or similar in them

^ This.

*When Adding Oil Use Multi-Purpose Gear Oil (I.E. S.A.E. 80w/90 or S.A.E. 85w/140 Multi-purpose gear oil) in Gearbox.
*For all Grease Fittings use TYPE/grade II tube grease.

 

[Clay45]

I've got a 5' Tarter, but the design is pretty much the same as the KK II. I found that a suction gun works pretty well on the top gearbox (and makes for less mess). After slurping out the contents with the gun, nothing will drain from the drain hole at the bottom side. I just had to make sure to get tube routed down to the bottom edge of the box.

FWIW, when I drained the side box I did so by rolling the unit upside down via straps around the torque tube & doing the lifting with the FEL ...

I was flushing water contamination from the top box. I drained the side box because I had initially put in 85w90 and wanted to replace it with 85w140.

Nick

I sure would have liked to witness that. I have the same tiller but it looks too heavy for me to see how to roll it over and then back up again once its lifted off the ground. Lifting wouldn't be a problem but how to roll it around while suspended in the air, letting it drain, and then rolling it back over without damaging the tiller or myself is the question. Sounds like a neat solution and hope you will explain in more detail.

Regards,

Clay

 

[orangeandgreen]

I changed the oil in my 6 footer the same way. Wrapped a strap around the tines and lifted it with the front end loader. Took the fill (drain) plug out with it hanging upside down.