There is no grease fitting on the homeowner models that I have owned including the 20017 or my newer 20034

Thanks for the Info!

1. My
   reference was, I thought and told the neighbor “we needed to add a grease fitting to
   his gear box.

2. I feel we ran out of time and energy in the 100
   degree heat and planned to add it later???

3. Seeing plenty grease was there but Caked, I
   feel there is another issue. Wrong
   grease maybe??

4. Please share your info on what type of grease is
   recommended. I felt it was strange to
   cake in the box and sealed bearing. I should have some of his to compare with.

   *** Please explain," including the 20017 or my newer 20034"?

Those are models of the personal pac. I also had one prior to the 20017 model but could not tell you the model number. Also there is a recall for the transmission on the 20017 by the way. As to gearbox grease, I actually would point you to adding some 90-140 wieght oil or heavier if you could find some, to ensure some flow rather than the solid grease.

I agree with the “Oil vs Grease” if the gear case is designed for “Oil vs Grease. Caked/Dried and Powdered grease is new to me. Possibly saying there was a problem from heat or Etc from excessive use. I saw no signs of heat on rubber seals or metal, (that makes it all puzzling. Grease turned to powder in a sealed bearing in the gear box was new to me. Why is a sealed bearing in a gear box with grease greasing gears???. Different levels of heat are is all I can visualize and knowing some individuals, equipment has no limits of use…Then there is the quality of grease even if there is miss-use.

As A “Help Your Neighbor Volunteer”, I’ll have to adjust my help. Plus, Technology is pushing me out. I retired in 03 and owed it to myself to slow a little “But Not Completely”!

Have some Fun but not Stress!!!

On my 60's sears tiller and riding mower along with my 80's riding mower i found the same thing- the original grease in the gearboxs\trans was very thick if not hard like a block of fudge. I scraped\chiseled out the original grease. I found a spot on each machine and added a grease zerk fitting for future grease and filled it with new grease. Strange or does grease dry out like that over time??

I found interesting
info on Grease-dry-out-causes and Etc at the address below.
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28517/grease-dry-out-causes

All greases over time will thicken within viscosity due to temp changes , additional variables such as heat or vibration and pressure can also increase this tendency . Moly grade greases are less prone to this occurrence than lithium based products . Newer synthetic grade greases have special additives to reduce this problem . For your Toro product #1 lithium or preferable # 2 moly grease would be applicable Loger !

loger I enjoyed that article. My suspicion is that the toro shaft seals allow the oil to leak away. There is not much to begin with, but once seperation begins, farewell. So..a better grade grease is probably the best answer. Zerck them new with a release hole to flow out the old and pump away.

Loger , further to this oil vs grease dialogue . I have in practice drilled & tapped both my Toro mowers and installed a zerk fittting to eleviate this oil seepage problem . I successfully have replaced 95 Sae oil with Moly #2 with no issues for over 5 yrs . Actually substituted 90 Sae oil in my Toro 826 Blower with Syn Moly #1 for the Auger gearcase . Much better cold weather performance .