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How do you change/check the oil in a snowblower?

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  • Dec 9th, 2017 5:05 pm
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Deal Fanatic
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Dec 10, 2008
5211 posts
2024 upvotes

How do you change/check the oil in a snowblower?

I have a Toro 826. I want to do an oil change. I did one last year but it was a bit of a guessing game to determine how much oil to put back in.

Here's the issue....

I let the snowblower run for 15min. Then turn it off and drain the oil. The manual says it needs 600ml of oil, so I put that in.

The problem is when I "check" the oil level using the dipstick, the entire dipstick has oil on it because it makes contact with the oil shaft (not sure of the actual name) on the way down. Is there something I'm doing wrong? It's impossible to avoid contact with the shaft walls on the way down and back up.

Do I even need to check the oil level if I've drained the machine and put in the 600ml?
Let's hug it out
5 replies
Deal Addict
Feb 25, 2007
3293 posts
988 upvotes
I have 724 and its 600ml also, what you are doing is right, you just have to wait for all the oil to drip down shaft, give it few minutes, then wipe the dipstick and put ii in, do not turn to tighten it and pull out
Last edited by rogerrabbit168 on Dec 7th, 2017 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Deal Fanatic
Jun 26, 2009
5429 posts
5285 upvotes
GTA
Check the oil when engine is cold (next day). This will allow oil to drip down, wipe the dipstick and check the level. On the side note - make sure you use ethanol free gas (Shell V-power)- it's better for small engines and add a bit of fuel stabilizer, as snowblowers don't get much use (at least till now ;-)
Deal Expert
Feb 24, 2007
15169 posts
2743 upvotes
It sounds like you have over filled it. Try tipping the snowblower backwards with the oil plug completely removed. The oil pan will be slightly pushed underneath the snowblower. The oil level should be somewhere at the top of the MIN/MAX levels of the oil dipstick.
Deal Guru
Oct 6, 2007
11213 posts
10058 upvotes
Kootenays
It's really hard to drain all of the oil out, so you're likely a bit over filled if it calls for 600ml and you've added that. Make sure you check it when the light is very good, like a sunny day on your driveway. Even if you're hitting the fill tube on the way down with the dip stick, usually it won't go all the way across the dipstick. When you read the stick, look for the lowest point it goes across the stick. Make sure it's not above the fill line. If it is, it can be pretty hard on the engine. If you need to draw some out, a fat straw down the fill tube will work.
Deal Fanatic
Mar 21, 2002
6827 posts
1482 upvotes
Manitoba
Tommy74 wrote: Check the oil when engine is cold (next day). This will allow oil to drip down, wipe the dipstick and check the level.
+1
The oil gradually all drains down and settles and then you can get an accurate dipstick reading. The oil may be a bit hard to see when it's new. I usually put a bit less oil than specified and then top it up next day. It's easier to add oil than to take it out.

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