Problems with Troybilt

Short version: I assembled my mower following the instructions listed in the owner's manual. The engine died on the fifth use. It is damaged beyond repair. Neither Troybilt nor Briggs & Stratton will accept responsibility.

Long version: we have 3-issues at play

First, the directions in the instruction manual are poorly written. On the phone with Briggs & Stratton reps, and their "Authorized Warranty Service Center reps" I am being told that I should have put more oil in the engine than indicated in the instruction manual. On the phone they tell me, "you should have put the whole canister of oil in the mower prior to using it." And yet, when I ask them, "then why don't the instructions say that?", they say, "well, we don't know how much oil is shipped with the product, so we can't put it in the manual."

So because of a disconnect between B&S and Troybilt, they can't clearly state in the instruction manual:

"FILL THE CRANKCASE WITH 18OZ OF OIL BEFORE USE."

Actually, they could state that whether the mower was shipped with 1oz of oil or 100 oz,...right? But instead the manual essentially tells you to place engine level, clean oil fill area of any debris, remove the dipstick and wipe with a clean cloth, insert and tighten the dipstick, remove the dipstick and check the oil level (it should be at the top of the full indicator on the dipstick), if low add oil slowly into the engine oil fill. Do not overfill. After adding oil wait one minute and recheck the oil level. Replace and tighten the dipstick.

So again, at no point do they actually tell you how much oil to put into the mower.

2nd issue. The manual then says that if you start the engine without oil, it will be damaged beyond repair and will not be covered under warranty. Again, I put oil in the engine (about 12oz initially and I refilled it twice to a reading of full on the dipstick ...being mindful not to OVERFILL) and yet, I am being held responsible and the warranty is not being honored. If the manual properly said, "IF YOU START THE ENGINE WITHOUT ADDING 18oz OF OIL,...." I would have put in 18oz of OIL.

3rd issue. There are grass clippings on my mower from the 4 times I used it successfully. If the mower was shipped without oil in it, clearly I put oil in it to get it to work. Should the mower have become "broken beyond repair" when operating at 3/4 the level I now know was required?

As it currently stands, Troybilt says this is a Briggs & Stratton issue. Briggs & Stratton tells me that the next step is to send the mower to their corporate offices at my expense for further review. As I see it, I bought a Troybilt mower and would appreciate their help in making sure the instruction manual is written correctly, the Briggs & Stratton engine performs correctly and that I receive a new mower or a refund.

Comment On This

You missed the part of the manual that says "Check oil before each use"?