BrorJace

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

We bought one of these (11528 DLE) early last season.

It saw about  8 hours of use last year (our aging John Deere 1032 is still kickin').

It had some problems, though.  The auger engagement had to be tightened up and the pullys on the engine's shaft had to be better aligned.  To me, these were classic examples of slipshod set-up by the good folks at Home Despot.

I changed the engine oil  after about 2 hours, then again at the end of the season along with the gear oil.  I also ran a little top-oil (MMO & some 2-stroke oil) in the gas for the first 2-3 hours.

It's seen  another 3 hours or so this year so far.  I'll change the oil at the end of the season again, regardless of the total numbers of hours.

Runs great and throws powder 40'+ ... but no way I'd ever get the engine started by hand.  NEED that electric starter.

--- [b]Bror Jace[/b]