Started up the Sears ( Murray ) snow blower to let it run for a few
minutes off season and then change the oil. The blower is almost new
and this was to be the first oil change. The Briggs and Stratton 7.5 hp
OHV engine has oil plugs that are not convenient for draining on the
snow blower, so Murray thoughtfully installed a 4 inch extension pipe
into the engine, then put a drain plug on the end of the extension.

The problem is when I take a wrench to the drain plug, the entire
extension unscrews from the engine. They must have really torqued down
the plug onto the extension. I was unable to stop it from turning with
vice pliers because there isn't much to grip. Finally I channeled the
oil as best i could and drained it (removing the extension and all) ,
resulting in a small mess. Unfortunately i don't have a bench vise but
am not sure if that would work to get the plug off.

Has anyone else had this problem? I was thinking of installing a Fram
Oil Sure Drain (quick drain oil plug) although I'm not sure there will
be enough clearance from the top of the snow blower frame, even if there
is a Sure Drain of the proper size.

John R wrote:

Started up the Sears ( Murray ) snow blower to let it run for a few
minutes off season and then change the oil. The blower is almost new
and this was to be the first oil change. The Briggs and Stratton 7.5 hp
OHV engine has oil plugs that are not convenient for draining on the
snow blower, so Murray thoughtfully installed a 4 inch extension pipe
into the engine, then put a drain plug on the end of the extension.

The problem is when I take a wrench to the drain plug, the entire
extension unscrews from the engine. They must have really torqued down
the plug onto the extension. I was unable to stop it from turning with
vice pliers because there isn't much to grip. Finally I channeled the
oil as best i could and drained it (removing the extension and all) ,
resulting in a small mess. Unfortunately i don't have a bench vise but
am not sure if that would work to get the plug off.

Has anyone else had this problem? I was thinking of installing a Fram
Oil Sure Drain (quick drain oil plug) although I'm not sure there will
be enough clearance from the top of the snow blower frame, even if there
is a Sure Drain of the proper size.

A pipe wrench should do the trick while you've got it drained to free
the plug...

"A pipe wrench should do the trick while you've got it drained to free
the plug... "

Or use a friends vice. Or just go to HD and buy another longer nipple
and cap.

This sounds like the classic problem of the idiots who tighten wheel
lugs with an air wrench so tight that you can't get them off with the
usual wrench provided with the spare. A friend of mine had a place
tighten his that way. He discovered it right away and went back. The
service guy tells him that they tighten them to the appropriate ft-lbs
of torque. To prove it, he sets a torque wrench to that number, puts
it on a lug and when it gives at the set number, says "See, it's
right!" The imbecile not realizing that all he proved was that it was
at LEAST the set torque. It actually was torqued to far more.

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 06:57:06 -0700, trader4 wrote:

"A pipe wrench should do the trick while you've got it drained to free
the plug... "

Or use a friends vice. Or just go to HD and buy another longer nipple
and cap.

Good idea, but I went one step better. I bought an elbow and a short
nipple so it takes a right turn and empties in the rear of the snowblower.
I mashed the threads into the elbow on the side facing rear so that's not
a problem. It's easy to take the cap off since it turns at a right angle
to the engine thread. ...unfortunately the transmission bearings failed
in January so I had to buy a new blower. What the heck, it lasted 12
winters and long enough through the season until HomeDespot was blowing
the blowers out.

This sounds like the classic problem of the idiots who tighten wheel
lugs with an air wrench so tight that you can't get them off with the
usual wrench provided with the spare. A friend of mine had a place
tighten his that way. He discovered it right away and went back. The
service guy tells him that they tighten them to the appropriate ft-lbs
of torque. To prove it, he sets a torque wrench to that number, puts it
on a lug and when it gives at the set number, says "See, it's right!"
The imbecile not realizing that all he proved was that it was at LEAST
the set torque. It actually was torqued to far more.

OTOH, my wife had a wheel fall off that was tightened to the "right" FP.
Most garages don't want to take that chance, rotors be damned.

--
Keith

My snow blower has a 4 inch pipe to drain the oil. In trying to remove
the cap at the end of that pipe, I discovered the cap wouldn't budge but the
pipe came out of the engine. I eventually resolved that (man was that cap
torqued tight) and put a 90 elbow with a radiator valve instead of the cap
so I could easily change oil in the future. Unfortunately this valve had a
slow leak and was very messy to use. So I'm looking for a bona-fide oil
quick drain.

Something like this: (Kohler part # 125237)
http://www.jsesc.com/Catalog/Product...d-006097da9b5a

Unfortunately, that is for a 3/8" diameter pipe and mine is 1/2"NPT. (An
adaptor would be too much weight). Is anyone aware of one? A Briggs and
Stratton part number would be ideal. I've heard of B&S part # 5401D but
can't find any information about this, like what its size is.

Thanks!

Note to self, use yellow teflon tape!
Sears snow blower thrower 881750 536.881750 intek ohv 7.5 horsepower oil
pipe 696683

John R wrote:
My snow blower has a 4 inch pipe to drain the oil. In trying to remove
the cap at the end of that pipe, I discovered the cap wouldn't budge but the
pipe came out of the engine. I eventually resolved that (man was that cap
torqued tight) and put a 90 elbow with a radiator valve instead of the cap
so I could easily change oil in the future. Unfortunately this valve had a
slow leak and was very messy to use. So I'm looking for a bona-fide oil
quick drain.

Something like this: (Kohler part # 125237)
http://www.jsesc.com/Catalog/Product...d-006097da9b5a

Unfortunately, that is for a 3/8" diameter pipe and mine is 1/2"NPT. (An
adaptor would be too much weight). Is anyone aware of one? A Briggs and
Stratton part number would be ideal. I've heard of B&S part # 5401D but
can't find any information about this, like what its size is.

Thanks!

Note to self, use yellow teflon tape!
Sears snow blower thrower 881750 536.881750 intek ohv 7.5 horsepower oil
pipe 696683

Stick with the cap. Just put a washer in it (I suppose teflon would be
good). I went to Mobil 1 (5W30) on my air cooled engines including the
blower. Very pleased with the results. Well worth the extra cost on
those engines.

On Sun, 17 Sep 2006 23:04:43 -0400, John R wrote:

My snow blower has a 4 inch pipe to drain the oil. In trying to remove
the cap at the end of that pipe, I discovered the cap wouldn't budge but the
pipe came out of the engine. I eventually resolved that (man was that cap
torqued tight) and put a 90 elbow with a radiator valve instead of the cap
so I could easily change oil in the future. Unfortunately this valve had a
slow leak and was very messy to use. So I'm looking for a bona-fide oil
quick drain.

Something like this: (Kohler part # 125237)
http://www.jsesc.com/Catalog/Product...d-006097da9b5a

Unfortunately, that is for a 3/8" diameter pipe and mine is 1/2"NPT. (An
adaptor would be too much weight). Is anyone aware of one? A Briggs and
Stratton part number would be ideal. I've heard of B&S part # 5401D but
can't find any information about this, like what its size is.

Thanks!

Note to self, use yellow teflon tape!
Sears snow blower thrower 881750 536.881750 intek ohv 7.5 horsepower oil
pipe 696683

Yeah, and some object will get stuck on that radiator valve and drain
all your oil while the engine is running. That will be he end of it.
Just put the pipe in a vice adn remove the cap. Then reinstall it
using anti-sieze compound. Or replace the whole thing, pipe and plug.