# question about oil caps on 536.881550



## georgekatkins (Apr 11, 2019)

I bought a used (2006) 2-stage 6 hp Craftsman snowthrower (model 536.881550). The manual states that the yellow oil dipstick housing at the top is also the location where you add new oil. But I noticed that there are two yellow caps marked "oil", one on each lower side of the engine. The manual does not appear to mention them. Here is a photo showing one of them, at the bottom of the photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18wq7UM1F-TNtolJIfZCXEX-1BbHONHTp/view?usp=sharing

I have drawn a yellow circle around that lower "oil" access cap. So my questions are: 
What are they for if the upper dipstick is also used to add oil? 
Why are there two of these oil caps on the lower part of the engine?

Thanks for any help!

George K. Atkins


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

That is also an oil fill, and some of them may have a dipstick on them or the oil level should be up towards the top of the hole when you remove the fill cap.
The engines are used on many different applications, so that is why they have the different areas to fill and check oil levels. They are manufactured that way, because on some applications certain areas are not accessible to get to in the way the engine may be mounted and have obstructions in a certain area, so the engine manufacturer makes different locations on the engine as to where to add or check oil from.
It is cheaper to build an engine block with many different check spots, than just build separate blocks for each unique application. This way they only have to build one block that can be used on many different applications.


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## georgekatkins (Apr 11, 2019)

Well, THAT'S good to know, thanks very much. I was afraid I'd have to indulge in some complicated process, but glad to see that's not necessarily the case.

Have a great day!

George


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

georgekatkins said:


> Well, THAT'S good to know, thanks very much. I was afraid I'd have to indulge in some complicated process, but glad to see that's not necessarily the case.
> 
> Have a great day!
> 
> George


to expand on that a bit, you will probably also notice that there are several drain plugs in the base of the engine, one of which is designated by the factory as the one you are supposed to use to drain the oil. Your machine looks similar to mine. My designated drain pipe is on the left side of the blower, and the extension is short enough that you cannot drain oil without making a mess, and removing the left wheel.

I bought a 6 inch extension pipe and a cap, and then installed this pipe in the REAR drain plug hole. Now, I drain the oil from the rear of the machine with the bucket tilted up, and no mess at all, goes right in the tray clean as a whistle. Pictures attached for your viewing pleasure.

You also want to make SURE that those two yellow filler plugs are TIGHT. You will probably never use them, but there has been a post or two about one of them coming loose, backing all the way out while the user was blowing snow, and pumping all the oil out of the engine, into the snow and seizing the engine.


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