Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I've got a few hours on a Husqvarna 8527SBE (8.5Hp Tec L-head).   Ever since I changed the oil (2 hour break-in) I see that after using the blower, there is some oil on the left side of the chassis.   The oil is undoubtedly coming from the crankcase tube and is not a lot (maybe 1 square inch of oily stuff).   

I used the recommended viscosity of oil, and I have not over filled it.  Since changing it, the oil level has been halfway between "add" and "full" on the dipstick when screwed in. 

Should I be concerned, or is this normal?

It is a crankcase breather valve, similar to the PCV valve on a car engine.

DNK1 thanks for the explanation.

I might be off base, but with new or nearly new engines, too much oil in the engine is the leading cause of oil coming out of places from which it should not.

You advise, with the dipstick screwed in, the oil level is halfway between full & add. Depending on several factors, it's possible your oil level may indeed be on the high side. Check the operator's manual to see if it says to screw in the dipstick or not when checking the oil. Also, make sure the crankcase is level when checking the oil.   

Loudpedal,

Tec's are with it screwed in, by my manual!!

I'm checking with the dipstick screwed in, on level ground in my garage. 

A Suzuki motorcycle I had previously liked to run with it's oil level just over the "add" mark, and I've been told this was a case for many Suzuki's.  Maybe this is the same for my blower. 

Also, when I clear some of the EOD stuff, I "run" the blower up the bank a bit which tilts the machine back on maybe a 25 or 30 degree angle.  I was thinking that possibly that might be the cause. Perhaps when run on this angle the engine spits out what it thinks is excess oil.   Unfortunatly, there has not been any snow in my neck of the woods for the past 2 weeks for me to run the blower to test my assumption. 

Thanks for the input guys, I'll post any findings. 

Yes, tilting could do it.

We have an olsd John Deere 1032.  I think it's a Tecumseh 10hp engine ... that's seen some really hard use. Anyway, the thing doesn't burn a drop of oil after I started maintaining it.

Suddenly the oil level was low, really low.  I found out my Dad had tilted it up when tackling some snowbank.  Sure enough, I found the oil slick outside on the sidewalk where he had done it ... as well as the breather hole in the  side of the block ... with a track of fresh oil still just below it.

I warned him about it, topped off the oil and the thing has been fine ever since.

You might want to look for a crankcase breather on the side of the block.

--- Bror Jace

snowballdgs wrote:

So sorry about that  guys, false information there .I knew the difference of that . But as jubol said, the dip stick must be screwed in to measure oil on tec's.

Denis,

The purpose of the crankcase breather valve is allow the air in the crankcase to escape. The engine must have  vacuum to operate properly. It has a oneway valve that allows air out but outside air cannot get in. If the air cannot escape the air pressure builds in the base and blows oily/air mist  out of the breather. Thats why make sure that the dipstick Oring is good and tube is tight. There are other possibilities but I don't think that they are your problem, your engine would be to new for this. I hope this explanation helps you.

Loudpedal, 

As brorjace said,tipping the engine to much of an angle on the breather side will cause this to happen.

Here's the update to the oil coming out the crankcase tube. 

I was able to use the blower over the weekend, but there was no EOD hill to run the blower up, which I suspected was causing some oil blow off.  I also rechecked the oil level in the light (usually it's dark when I check it).   The oil level was exactly on the full mark (I thought it was only halfway).

Taa daa, no significant visible oil blow off after use.   As such, I suspect that a combination of tilting the blower back on an extreme angle as well as the possibility that I had too much oil in the crankcase after the break in oil change (maybe not all the original oil was drained due to temperature), was the culprit.

I will continue to monitor.   Thanks for the input guys.

One other thing to mention is since the engine is new you will have more blowby for awhile untill the engine gets broke in. This may make it worse but that is not the main problem. HTH