If you own a lawnmower, then chances are at some point you will experience smoke coming from it. While this experience isn’t a guaranteed one, more often than not, lawn mowers produce white smoke.
There is no need to panic as most times, lawn mower white smokes mean that your mower needs a little time out. There are various ways to handle the white smoke issue.
This article provides you with the necessary information you need to fix your lawn mower and get it back on your lawn in no time.
What Causes Lawn Mower White Smoke?
There are plenty of reasons why is the lawn mower blowing white smoke and dies after few minutes and smokes continuously from their exhaust. Some of them are included:
- A worn out engine
- Overfilled oil
- Failure or blown head gasket
- Tipped mower
Tipped Mower
The reason outlined above is the most common reason to lawn mower blowing white smoke and won’t start.
However, a tipped mower is in most cases the reason for producing fumes. You may have tipped your mower to unclog the chute, change the blades, or clean out the deck to solving this issue.
Steep surface
Another cause for lawn mower smoking would be using your mower on a very steep surface. Both of these scenarios may cause the cylinder to fill up with oil. Once your cylinder fills up, restarting the mower causes the oil to burn, making your mower a chimney.
Fixing this issue is simple: Clear the mower off any oil and let it idle for a while. Allowing it to idle enables the lawnmower engine to rest, and the smoke will eventually clear itself out. If you are unaware of the correct way to tip over your mower, you can always check in your manual.
It is also advisable to avoid surfaces that are steeper than a 15-degree angle.
Overfilled Oil Reservoir
Oil change regularly is a part of the maintenance of the mower. However, it is always advisable to know the right amount to put in and the fuel mixture ratio.
Putting in less than the required amount can be a disaster while putting in excess can also cause you problems. The former causes friction due to a lack of enough lubrication. The latter causes the oil to enter the cylinder and causes burning along with the fuel.
Too much oil in the lawn mower also poses the risk of an oil leak, which isn’t good news.
Additionally, excess oil can also result in the crank set getting damaged, thus hindering its motion. Overfilling the engine with oil isn’t as bad as under filling it since, as mentioned above, under filling causes a lot of friction.
The way to fix this issue is to refer to the guide while refilling your engine oil to know the exact amount needed to avoid overfilling. Before that, you need to remove the dipstick cap carefully and reinsert it after doing the task.
Most lawn mowers usually require not more than 20 ounces of oil – Use a dipstick to measure the oil.
After getting to ¾ of the recommended quantity, add small amounts of the engine oil until you get to the quantity required. If you have put in excess oil, then the only thing to do is to drain the excess.
However, essential to note that using the wrong grade of oil can also cause white smoke or in other cases, blue smoke.
A Damaged Head Gasket
The head gasket is a metal used to seal the cylinder. It is fitted to close the combustion chamber.
A puffing noise and a high crankcase pressure are usually an indication of a head gasket failure in addition to the white fumes.
A faulty head gasket means that there is no seal on the cylinder and therefore oil gets sucked into the combustion chamber. As a result smoking lawn mower is common at this stage.
As the engine oil starts getting into the cylinder, it can cause burning hence producing white smoke. If a lot of oil rushes to the cylinder, then the engine block may fail altogether. The fix is usually to replace the gasket with a new one.
Gaskets aren’t repairable, and once damaged, they need to get replaced. If you have no previous experience with small engines, then it is advisable to call an expert to fix it.
A Failed Carburetor
In case you’ve adjusted or fixed all the above, and there is still smoke coming from your mower, then you would need to adjust the carburetor. Changing it ensures there is a much leaner fuel to air ratio. A gas smell is a sure indication that your carburetor is damaged.
How do I fix white smoke on my lawn mower?
- Check the oil level. If the oil is low, top it up and check for leaks.
- Inspect the air filter. If it’s dirty, replace it with a new one.
- Clean or replace the spark plugs.
- Drain any accumulated water from the gas tank.
- If the head gasket is damaged or blown, it may need to be replaced.
Related Queries: lawn mower white smoke problems & solving
Why does a lawn mower smoke after being laid on its muffler side?
If a lawn mower smokes after being laid on its muffler side, the oil may have leaked into the engine. This can damage the engine and create a fire hazard.
Why does my lawnmower give a huge white puff of smoke when it slightly tilts?
This happens when the oil in the mower’s engine is overfull. As result when the engine tilts, the oil can start to leak into the combustion chamber and cause a smoky mess.
Can too much oil in a lawn mower cause white smoke?
Yes, too much oil in a lawn mower can cause white smoke. Also, too much oil can damage the engine and create a fire hazard.
is white smoke from lawn mower dangerous?
No, white smoke from a lawn mower is not too dangerous. But you should not use it without diagnosis this problem. Because it may lead to another major problems later.
Conclusion
There are many potential causes of white smoke coming from a lawn mower, including a dirty air filter, bad gas, or a faulty carburetor. Sometimes the problem can be fixed by simply cleaning the air filter or carburetor.
Similarly, persistent black smoke could indicate critical mechanical issues. All these issues would require you to get a professional to intervene.
Reference and Data Source:
- Head Gasket: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_gasket
- Engine Oil Over Filled Cause: mechanics.stackexchange.com/
