520H oil drain cap thread/Reducing oil change mess

[Chestnut 315]

I have one specific question, then a general comment.

Can anyone tell me the type of threads on the engine oil drain cap on the 520-H Onan. I just bought a couple of the Stens 125-508 twist type drain valves and I know I need an adapter. The Onan's  have a pipe stub and cap, but they're at my mother in law's and right now I'm not. I think the pipe stub is 3/8 male NPT but I don't want to buy the adapter without knowing. 

My second question is more a comment and invitation to discussion. I think I counted 12 small engines that I maintain between my house, my mother in law's and the lady next door. It's difficult to avoid making a mess in all but one or two of them. The walk behind snowblower has a drain pipe that clears the frame and the push mower has no accessible drain so I just tip it on its side. Works fine if I remember to run it out of gas first. All but two of the rest have plugs that drain onto the frame unless I use something to direct the oil over the side. A cut up plastic bottle works OK. The Cub Cadet (MTD) rider has the same drain valve as the Stens. Works well with a hose attached. The one I like best is actually on my Simplicity.  A short length of reinforced rubber hose with a hydraulic-type tapered fitting and plug. Unlike the Stens it doesn't require another hose to reach the drain pan.

Oil filters also make a mess. They're all horizontal or inverted. I don't have time to do the remote filter conversion on the 520-H's this year but it's on my agenda. Does anyone have tips to prevent spillage? Does anyone puncture the inverted filters to let them drain with the rest of the oil? I never have but I'm thinking about next time.

[ebinmaine 70,939]

I can't answer for your specific tractors but I've been known to take something like a long thin tube of plastic and cut it in half. Forms a channel.

 

Aluminum foil works particularly well for this especially if it's the heavy duty kind.

Tear off maybe six or eight inches and double or triple fold it to create whatever channel you need.

 

 

As to puncturing the oil filter I've found over the years that it's sort of a crapshoot as to whether I make a mess on my hands and the screwdriver or wherever the mess was occurring which caused me to get a screwdriver in my hands....

[stevasaurus 23,098]

Puncturing a hole in the filter to drain before replacement is a popular way to do that...if you can get something under it to catch the oil.  My horses don't have filters on the engine, and I do have 3/8" NPT, but my engines are Kohlers.  I used threaded pipe to get the drain out just past the frame and used a threaded pipe cap...I use Teflon tape on the pipe.  

[lynnmor 7,604]

Your Onan has 3/8" NPT threads.

 

I just remove the filter, tilt it up and the mess isn't too bad.  Easier done without the mower deck on so a large pan can be used.  The shroud has sheet metal that directs the oil to the outside and it only needs wiped out before installing the filter.

[roadapples 6,983]

I use a "Form-A-Funnel". Picked one up at a show for about 10 bucks. You'll have to do some searching though. They are pricey....

[The Tuul Crib 7,338]

Best way would be to pull it out the 

filler tube with a tank and compressed 

air. Seems i have seen one at harbor freight. 

[Chestnut 315]

42 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I can't answer for your specific tractors but I've been known to take something like a long thin tube of plastic and cut it in half. Forms a channel.

Aluminum foil works particularly well for this especially if it's the heavy duty kind.

Thanks, I've cut the corner off milk or cider bottles, even the random tall soda or beer can. Never did a Moxie can though. Always creates another item to dispose of.

38 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

Puncturing a hole in the filter to drain before replacement is a popular way to do that...if you can get something under it to catch the oil. 

I was thinking of doing it on the engine so it would drain into the sump and come out with the rest of the oil. A little concerned about too much impact on the filter mount.

19 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Your Onan has 3/8" NPT threads.

I just remove the filter, tilt it up and the mess isn't too bad.  Easier done without the mower deck on so a large pan can be used.  The shroud has sheet metal that directs the oil to the outside and it only needs wiped out before installing the filter.

Out to the store to get a coupling. The Jungle store couldn't get it to Maine until the 12th and I want to get them changed this weekend. Avoid a trip to the store when I'm there. I don't have the mower deck on either. Getting to the age when changing implements will be a thing of the past. The 60" deck is a bit overkill for my lawn. Probably leave the snowblower on the 520H and use the 52" Simplicity. The other 520H has the FEL.

6 minutes ago, roadapples said:

I use a "Form-A-Funnel". Picked one up at a show for about 10 bucks. You'll have to do some searching though. They are pricey....

I'll be on the lookout. They do look interesting.

[tom2p 2,394]

I use a funnel with a 3 foot (approx) section of heater hose attached 

 

it empties into a pan 

some oil does spill / drip when the oil filter is removed - but will not hit the floor ... the mower deck takes care of that  lol

or - it's possible a piece of plastic or an aluminum pie pan or similar could be used to catch the oil when the filter is removed ... they can be cut and / or formed into a shape so they can be placed in an area to catch the dripping oil ... ??? ... 

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by tom2p

[tom2p 2,394]

9 hours ago, Chestnut said:

 

The 60" deck is a bit overkill for my lawn.

 

A 54" deck for the 300-500 series tractors might have been a better option than the 60" deck 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,203]

This is probably a "Drainzit".

 

  https://www.drainzit.com/

[Chestnut 315]

8 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

This is probably a "Drainzit".

  https://www.drainzit.com/

Sure looks like it. 

Thanks. Tucks right in behind one of the wires when not in use. I may buy a couple for use on the tractors and reuse the Stens valves on the pressure washer, generator, chipper, etc. In the meantime I bought the couplings to put the Stens valves on the Onans this weekend.

[Chestnut 315]

10 hours ago, tom2p said:

A 54" deck for the 300-500 series tractors might have been a better option than the 60" deck 

 

A 54" deck would have been a better choice, but the tractor showed up on CL a couple winters ago for a pretty good price with the 2 stage snowblower mounted and the 60" deck and tiller included. I know it's heresy here but I have a Simplicity with snowblower and 52" deck and bagger. Don't have a bagger for the 520H. I like the snowblower on the 520H better because of the hydraulic lift vs. manual on the Simplicity. I do like the electric chute rotation so I'll probably add that to the 520H. Just trying to figure out a rational way to take care of two properties a mile or so apart and not have to haul tractors back and forth or do attachment changeovers with the machines I've got. 

[tom2p 2,394]

16 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

A 54" deck would have been a better choice, but the tractor showed up on CL a couple winters ago for a pretty good price with the 2 stage snowblower mounted and the 60" deck and tiller included. I know it's heresy here but I have a Simplicity with snowblower and 52" deck and bagger. Don't have a bagger for the 520H. I like the snowblower on the 520H better because of the hydraulic lift vs. manual on the Simplicity. I do like the electric chute rotation so I'll probably add that to the 520H. Just trying to figure out a rational way to take care of two properties a mile or so apart and not have to haul tractors back and forth or do attachment changeovers with the machines I've got. 

don't know why Wheel Horse did not offer 54" deck for the 300-500 series 

42  -  48    -    60

too big of a jump - 48 to 60 ; more tractors would be able to comfortably (or semi-comfortably lol) handle a 54 compared to a 60 

 

[Chestnut 315]

On 5/6/2021 at 12:49 PM, lynnmor said:

Your Onan has 3/8" NPT threads.

 

I just remove the filter, tilt it up and the mess isn't too bad.  The shroud has sheet metal that directs the oil to the outside and it only needs wiped out before installing the filter.

I got to change the oil on both of them this weekend. You are correct that the mess wasn't too bad. I ran into a couple of issues. Neither tractor had a mower deck, but the support pillar for the FEL was a bit in the way.  I decided not to install the Stens valve. I'll hold them for the pressure washer and generator. 

 

[DougC 2,642]

I remove the mower deck on mine which is a little 48 inch and drag it out the side and then slide a drain pan under the Onan and let the mess happen as it will!

I even use the long oil filter that NAPA  has and is always hot when I remove it and carefully tilt it upward as I fish it out.

Brake Clean on sale and floor dry are handy to have around.

That being said the deck is off now and flipped upside down and the blades are removed and sharpened and the deck is scrapped clean of grass and spindles greased. 

If the women don't find you handsome they might as well find you handy and in my case messy. Remember the Brake Clean on sale............