Rear Finish Mower mower gearbox oil looks watery

[Rocketcaver]

I hadn't thought about the methanol maybe being hard on the seals, that's a good point.
I'll look some more for drain plugs, it might be concealed by crud or something. Or maybe I just wasn't looking in the right place.
Thanks for the extra photo showing the passages between sections. I would think I would have noticed something as obvious as that, but it really didn't jump out at me at the time.
Thanks all for the help.

 

[Soundguy]

I would not be surprised if there are no drain plugs..

soundguy

 

[easygo]

I have an older BushHog FTH 720 finish mower and I found no other drain plug besides the one on the side. I looked hard during my lower (output shaft) seal replacement session and there was none. I thought the side plug was a fill level check and I only filled with gear oil to that level. Can anyone contribute info on that?

 

[Soundguy]

it's common to NOT have drain plugs.. but only fill and check plugs.

soundguy

 

[Rocketcaver]

A very thorough examination reveals NO drain plugs anywhere and NO ports between the two sections (see photo).
It looks like the only way to drain the bottom section is to turn the darn thing upside-down.
It looks to me that the side plug is a level check plug as suggested, though when I originally took the lid off the oil level was almost all the way to the top.
Possibly the level was raised by the water in the oil, but that would take a LOT of water.

 

[Soundguy]

seen it before....

solvate it and suck it all up, then refill and go.

soundguy

 

[Rocketcaver]

I followed Soundguy's recipe for cleaning out the gearbox. Thanks everyone for your input.
I'll keep an eye on that oil and change it again in the spring maybe.

 

[Soundguy]

just keep an eye on it.. each time you mow check the level.. if it looks good.. go.

I doubt you need to change it every year.. maybee 2ys at the most., unless it gets emulsified again.. then change when it emulsifies.

soundguy