In article ws.net, "Ted B." wrote:


Drain the oil. You're going to have a mess - ONCE. Then visit your
friendly neighborhood hardware store, drain plug in hand, and buy a black-steel
pipe nipple with the same thread size as the drain plug, and long enough to
extend past the edge of the mower. You're probably looking for 3/8" pipe, by
maybe 6" long. Get a threaded cap, too. Thread the nipple into the hole where the
drain plug goes, and the cap over the other end of the nipple. Throw the plug in
the trash. Refill the oil sump.

Next time you change oil, put a pan under the pipe nipple and take the cap
off. No mess.

Not a bad idea. I'd need a pipe at least 2' long though (the oil drain
sleeve is about a foot long, but way too short to clear the tractor). Also,
I'd have to drill a hole in the side panel of the tractor (not a big deal).

With a short piece of pipe, an elbow, and another short piece of pipe, you
might be able to bring it out on the bottom of the mower. You'll still have to
do some drilling, though.

It could work. Now the question is, if you thought of it, how did the
engineers at MTD NOT think of it? -Dave

Because they're idiots?

Seriously, though... they probably did think about it, and decided not to.
Adding the pipe and cap would cost several dollars extra per mower, vs. a few
cents per unit for the plastic sleeve. Several dollars per mower times a
coupla million mowers equals some pretty heavy money. If you buy the pipe
instead of them, it's better for their bottom line - and once you find out you
need it, they already have your money.

IMO, though, this is pretty short-sighted thinking... 'cause I'll bet that you
won't buy another MTD mower when this one wears out in another year or two.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?