H60 Tecumseh questions

[305 380]

on a Tecumseh h60 with a screw in dipstick , do you check the oil level after you screwed in all the way in , or with it unscrewed and resting on top of the block? hope that makes sense

also , i'm getting some oil out of the breather tube...was this the result of the oil level being too high? i took the breather apart and the baffle stuff is all there. there is a drain hole in the block and when i checked it with a wire it was clear.

while i had the breather off , i checked the valve clearance. what should it be? both intake and exhaust were around .008-.010

[stevasaurus 23,274]

Not real sure about the rest of your questions, but you check the oil level with the plug "not" screwed in...and too much oil is not good...you could get blow by. :hide:

[Anglo Traction 761]

H60 takes 570ml or 19 fl ozs of Oil. Be sure you are not overfilling it, or you risk 'Crank Slap' on the Oil surface. Too much oil reaching the Valve/Breather chamber and it will be forced out.

Another cause may be Crankcase pressurising caused by worn rings/bore.

Valve clearances are .008"/.012".

[sorekiwi 761]

In my (very small) Tecumseh experiance, Tecumsehs are really picky about their oil level. Put in 1 oz too much, and they somehow manage to puke out about a quart.

Did you check that the tiny oil drain back hole in the baffle was on the bottom?

[305 380]

thank you all for you help. i will check that drain hole. the engine has very good compression and burns no oil , so i was puzzled why oil should be getting there...overfilling was my first thought

[pfrederi 18,628]

Not real sure about the rest of your questions, but you check the oil level with the plug "not" screwed in...and too much oil is not good...you could get blow by.

I beg to differ on the method to check the oil. Kohler K series singles are the only engines I can think of that you check the oil level with out screwing in the dip stick. Kohler KTs and Magnums as well as most all other engines you fully push in/screw in the dip stick to take a reading.

I finally found a specific reference on the HH60 used in my Troybilt tiller it specifically says to check with the dip stick screwed all the way in. No where in any of the Tecumseh manuals did I find anything about doing it with out screwing it in.

Obviously the 19 ozs would be the best method when changing but just topping off I would screw the dip stick in...for 44 years my l107 has always had her H60 oil level checked screwed in.

[stevasaurus 23,274]

Paul, I agree with you on the "K" series Kohlers. The manual actually references the way to check the oil with pictures of how to correctly check the oil level with a screw in dip stick. I, like you, can not find any reference in my Tecumseh/Lawson manuals (and I have a few) that show/tell the correct way to check. My thinking is you get a more accurate reading when you push in the dip stick to the bottom of the plug and pull it out...rather then screwing it in and unscrewing it. If you found actual information on how to check the oil level by screwing in the dip stick on Tecumsehs, then I stand corrected. :hide:

[c175inMA 8]

Not real sure about the rest of your questions, but you check the oil level with the plug "not" screwed in...and too much oil is not good...you could get blow by.

I beg to differ on the method to check the oil. Kohler K series singles are the only engines I can think of that you check the oil level with out screwing in the dip stick. Kohler KTs and Magnums as well as most all other engines you fully push in/screw in the dip stick to take a reading.

I finally found a specific reference on the HH60 used in my Troybilt tiller it specifically says to check with the dip stick screwed all the way in. No where in any of the Tecumseh manuals did I find anything about doing it with out screwing it in.

Obviously the 19 ozs would be the best method when changing but just topping off I would screw the dip stick in...for 44 years my l107 has always had her H60 oil level checked screwed in.

Not to contradict you but my manual for wheel horse b c and d series tractors states that "Dipsticks with threaded plugs should not be screwed back in when checking oil level." :WRS:

[pfrederi 18,628]

screwed all the way

Not to contradict you but my manual for wheel horse b c and d series tractors states that "Dipsticks with threaded plugs should not be screwed back in when checking oil level."

I hadn't seen that. In all probablilty the amount of oil difference is probably irrelevant.

Of course out of all the B,C and D series only the 1974/5 C-120 and 1974 C162 used Tecumsehs....

[stevasaurus 23,274]

Hopefully this stays a friendly discussion. I agree that this all may be irrelevant, but I know this question has been asked a few times before. I just want to hand out the correct information...if anyone is keeping score...I have probably stood corrected more then I have been correct. It is OK...I know I have always learned the hard way.

Anyway, the Kohlers show that the dip stick threaded part rests on top to check the oil. It is the Techy's that , from the books I have, do not show which way is correct. Maybe it just doesn't make any difference after all. :WRS:

[pfrederi 18,628]

I agree it doesn't make much difference. Troy Bilt used both Tecumsehs (HH60) and Kohler K-161 7hp on their tillers. In their (rather detailed) owners manual they tell you to check the Kohlers with the dipstick unscrewed, however for the Tecumsehs it is screwed in. Can't find anything in the Tecumseh literature about right and wrong ways.

This is probably as important as which way you hang the toilet paper :hide:

[pfrederi 18,628]

I must admit that this has bugged me a bit as for 44 years I have checked the oil with the dip stick screwed in on the L107 my father bought in 1967. Found the Tecumseh manual that came with it just now.

It says check the oil level with the dip stick screwed in!

Click thumbnail if you want to read it

[stevasaurus 23,274]

This is probably as important as which way you hang the toilet paper

Don't tell my wife about the toilet paper thingy...she trained me on that 40 years ago...it comes over the top. At my folks house, it still comes from the bottom, that is where I grew up. I lost again. In the end, I think you are right, 40 years of checking it either way has been no problem. But make no mistake, the toilet paper thingy is important to some people. :)