Gas-powered lawn mowers can be full of surprises. Then scrape the excess grass using a scraping tool such as a paint scraper. It starts fine and runs fine for about 4 -5 minutes then starts spitting and sputtering. Don't run the engine as the oil is too thin and offers no protection. A lawnmower is meant to make your yard work easier, but without regular maintenance of the mower, you may find yard work just that little more difficult. You may prefer a step by step video guide on carburetor cleaning, it includes removing, stripping, cleaning, rebuilding and refitting your carburetor. Its job is to seal the combustion chamber. On this blog I'll share some of my best tips and tutorials to help you make your lawn the best on the block! I guess we'll just have to burn it all off. Check out this page, I list some other mower repair tools you may find helpful, "Lawn Mower repair tools". Remove the cap and check the gas tank for evidence of water (if you see the liquid separating or looking like two different colors). Today's 3 minute Thursday we talk all about lawn mowers running rough. Hope you enjoyed the tip! Your mower pulls in air from outside and mixes it with gasoline for the proper explosion inside the engine. Our symptom and repair guide can help you identify the problem and the best way to fix it. Check the manual related to your model for more specific repair instructions. Gunky deposits can occur in the apertures and carburetor. And if you use ethanol blended gas, only buy a little at a time. They do this thinking it won't do the engine any harm. But more often than not, a smoking lawn mower isn’t serious and the problem can be fixed pretty easily. the breather is clogged which is the reason mower will not start. The spark plug is generally not the first thing I’ll check for a sputtering mower. Depending on your mower type, draining the oil can be a pain in the ass. It’s cheaper than pure gasoline, and works fine for cars, but I don’t use it in my mower because it’s low quality. The easy way to check if the filter is the cause of the black smoke, remove the filter and if the smoke clears, replace the filter. (more on this below). Using a carburetor cleaner spray (this one on Amazon is what I use and swear by) on a regular basis can loosen dirt deposits and keep your mower’s apertures and hoses clean. You can buy it locally at most box stores, or you can order it online (Amazon link). The fix - drain the gas tank and refill with fresh gas, run the engine to clear the system. This is a sure sign that oil has made its way into the carburetor, and is blocking the gas feed jet. This is generally associated with an old mower, it's a sign of engine wear. If your oil level is overfull and smells of gas, it's likely you have a failed carburetor … Dirt can be present in the apertures that lead from the carburetor and the fuel filter and interrupt the flow of fuel supply to the combustion chamber. I give my carb a shot every time I clean my air filter before I mow. You want to be sure to clean or replace dirty air filters. If the plug is damaged, worn, or deteriorating you should replace the plug. Too much oil will cause other problems, smoke, poor running, no running, leaks, engine damage. I use 4-cycle Tru-Fuel in my Honda mower, and love it. If your gas cap has improper venting, too much air can be allowed to enter the gas tank (or too little). This imbalance of air and fuel in your engine can cause your mower to sputter and run rough. It’s pricey, but I highly recommend you try it. However, if you are unable to run the engine long enough, you may need to clean the carburetor.Â. If I hold the choke half way with my finger it will smooth out for another minute but starts spitting again and d Any filter will get dirty with time, and just like the air filters, fuel filters in a lawn mower need to be clean. I've learned to love caring for my lawn naturally and enjoying it daily. It's called. White smoke is an indicator of a blown head gasket and/ or moister in the fuel related components. This allows oil to enter the cylinder, and when the mower is restarted, the oil burns and turns your yard into a 70s disco. Blue smoke would indicate high oil consumption, clogged breather, oil soaked filter, or worst case, piston ring failure, and/ or seal leakage which would require an engine rebuild. A compression test will confirm if you have internal damage. Lawn Mower: Blows Black Smoke From Exhaust . Clean the Air Filter A lawn mower engine will puff out black smoke when the fuel and air mixture is too rich. This can cause a vapor lock. The fix is to replace the float needle and seal, or replace the whole carburetor. It's called "Mower engine surging" because surging and stalling are common symptoms of a dirty, faulty, or contaminated  carburetor. You may also need a tune-up, I wrote an easy to follow "Lawn mower tune-up" guide, including pictures and maintenance chart. Too much oil can damage the engine, as most operate a splash lubrication system. Paper air filters will need to be replaced. Expired cylinder or … Lawn mower smokes on start up? Use a wrench to remove the spark plug to prevent the mower from turning on while you work. A professional can determine the repairs, cleaning, and replacements needed. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. When it fails and depending where it fails, it will suck oil into the cylinder and blow gases into the crankcase. Don't damage your engine needlessly. And here possible reasons why are your lawn mower white smoke and sputtering: You are using the wrong oil grade/poor oil grade. If there is water in your tank, siphon or drain it, then add new gas. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. After a thorough research on the causes of lawn mowing smoking, it happened to be the crux that the riding lawn mowers come up with the smoking problems of different nature. It seemed to … This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Sputtering of the engine while mowing is often an indication of bad mower maintenance, not a fault with the machine. The excess oil in the engine causes incomplete combustion which will create smoke and a carbon buildup. Your mower needs each of these to prevent the mower from sputtering and eventually dying. Because there isn't enough air, combustion is incomplete, and the unburnt fuel in the combustion chamber turns to smoke. If you think this sounds like your problem, go ahead and replace the carburetor, it's faulty. If you run through this simple checklist you should be able to self diagnose the problem, fix it, and get back to that lawn. There is an air leak in the crankcase. A failed head gasket is much less likely but it will produce lots of smoke. You may also need a tune-up, I wrote an easy to follow. The engine of your mower relies on the right combination of fuel, air, and a spark (for combustion). Consider fitting a fuel tap, and don't forget to change the oil. High crankcase pressures and oil leaks are a sign of head gasket failure, you may also hear a slight puffing noise as compression escapes from the cylinder. Head gasket failure can cause white smoke. Ethanol burns quickly and can potentially melt plastic parts, leading to sputtering in your mower. These cookies do not store any personal information. You can use a fuel stabilizer to extend the life of the gasoline, but I recommend using an ethanol-free gas. Inspect the Ignition. White Smoke from your mower looks pretty serious, but usually it's a simple fix. First, try removing the plug and turning over the engine a few times to expel oil from the cylinder. Ethanol blended gas burns fast and has been shown to melt the plastic parts, which can lead to the lawnmower sputtering. Using the trimmer 2 cycle mix in the mower gas tank is a common mistake too, it won't produce the dramatic white smoke like engine oil though.Â. Sometimes it goes from running to run so … read more White or blue smoke may indicate an oil spill on the engine. High crankcase pressures and oil leaks are a sign of head gasket failure, you may also hear a slight puffing noise as compression escapes from the cylinder. Dirt can be present in the apertures that lead from the carburetor and the fuel filter and interrupt the flow of fuel supply to the combustion chamber. Turing your mower to the side is fine as long as you turn it with the carburetor side up. It’s an easy fix – just replace the cap if it is damaged or bent or if you see that the vent hole is restricted. You’ll want to check a few items to determine what’s causing your mower to sputter, and that will determine if it’s a DIY fix, or you need to call in a professional. Black smoke coming out of your precious $400 grass-cutting beast can … I’m glad you decided to visit and I hope you find the tips and advice about lawn care and maintenance that I share on this blog helpful. If the engine fails to start, no problem, check out my guide - "carburetor cleaning". A new engine is most likely a cheaper option and it comes with a guarantee. This is a sure sign that oil has made its way into the carburetor, and is blocking the gas feed jet. However, a tipped mower is, in most cases, the reason why your mower could be producing the fumes. Sliding the RPM scale does not have any have any positive impact. However, if you are unable to run the engine long enough, you may need to clean the carburetor.Â. Paper air filters will need to be replaced. Drain excess oil and check and top up if needed. Gas in The Oil. I replace my plug every other year as part of my annual maintenance routine. The engine does NOT outright shut off despite all this as I managed to finish up the small lawn. A dirty air filter inhibits the flow of air into the carburetor. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. If it has been more than two years since you’ve bought a new plug, I recommend replacing it as part of your tune-up to fix your sputtering lawn mower. Worn or damaged spark plugs make the engine difficult to start. Leaking oil from the exhaust is the usual cause of blue, white or black smoke from a lawn mower. Dirt in the system as well as bad fluids will make the mower perform inefficiently. I'm brand new to this site, so please forgive me if I'm posting in wrong spot. The first step in learning to repair lawn mower starting issues is to … Lawn mower engines usually take a little over half a quart (.6lt), and so it's easy to overfill them. Let’s look at some reasons why your lawnmower may be sputtering and how you should address each of these issues. However, there are times when it is best to use a professional for the job. Lawn Mower Black Smoke. because surging and stalling are common symptoms of a dirty, faulty, or contaminated  carburetor. For the most part, many of the issues that cause a sputtering mower can be fixed by the weekend warrior. If the lawn mower is blowing blue or white smoke, it means the mower is burning oil. Riding Lawn Mower We make it easy for you to keep your White Outdoor riding mower performing at peak condition with genuine riding lawn mower parts for … But other possible causes include: John Cunningham is an Automotive Technician and writer on Lawnmowerfixed.com. A head gasket is a metal and graphite material. The fix - drain the gas tank and refill with fresh gas, run the engine to clear the system. Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m the chick behind LawnChick.com. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I have had trouble starting it, It runs for two seconds and shuts off, also white smoke comes out of the side as well when I try and start it. And these … You want to be sure to clean or replace dirty air filters. This is a sign that the engine is burning excess oil. Other reasons for blue or white smoke from engines include: Exceeding the engine’s oil capacity shown on dipstick An obstruction in the breather tube (located behind the air filter) Damages to the cylinder/piston rings i have a briggs and stratton 120000 lawn mower that is leaking oil i changed the spark plug and the it was sputtering and has white smoke and then i checked the air filter it had oil in it any suguest … read more Usually, the customer turns over the mower to clean the deck or unclog the chute. I wrote the complete guide - shows you how dip your oil, oil types, quantity, how to drain oil, you can check it out here, Depending on your mower type, draining the oil can be a pain in the ass. If on the other hand, your electric mower uses a belt to drive the blade, it's possible that just the belt is the causing the smoke. Dirty air filters are one of the most common reasons lawn mowers sputter. Clean or replace the plug and try starting again. But you can generally clean foam air filters with a drop of liquid dish soap and warm water. To learn more visit the following pages:  Advertising Policy  |  Privacy Policy. If it’s not, find a local small engine repair guy (or gal), and have your mower serviced. A lot of white smoke. A sputtering lawnmower may need cleaning. The gas can damage the spark plug of the motor engine. Why is my electric lawn mower smoking? They’ll then get the carburetor working properly. You may have tipped your mower to unclog the chute, to change the blades, or clean out the deck. The fix - replace the head gasket. I’m going to give you ideas for a push type mower - small vertical shaft, 4 cycle engine. I wrote the complete guide - shows you how dip your oil, oil types, quantity, how to drain oil, you can check it out here " How to check oil level ". Caked grass on the mowing deck can cause the mower to sputter. Check the underside of the mower for excess grass caked on. Lawnmower maintenance is a crucial part of keeping your mower running properly. Faulty breather of the crankcase. Lawn mower sputtering can often indicate the issues with ignition. In this article I’ll share what causes a sputtering lawn mower, and what you can do to fix this common problem. Our instructions are a general guide. Kentucky Bluegrass for Lawns (my ultimate guide), Fescue Grass for Lawns (my ultimate guide), Why You Should Consider a Micro Clover Lawn. It’ll burn cleaner and help your mower to start on the first pull and roar like a tiger. You can also look into purchasing another brand of spark plug to see if the mower runs better with a different brand. Unlike previous solutions, it's a little more work. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The oil level will be overfull and stink of gas. The plug that comes from the factory with some mowers doesn’t work great on some lawn mower brands. If the engine fails to start, no problem, check out my guide -. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Water prevents the mower cylinder from properly igniting. Most times repeated starting and running of the engine will clear the oil. Sometimes oil will also leak from the muffler. A failed head gasket is much less likely but it will produce lots of smoke. In addition to overfilling with oil and tipping mower on its side, putting oil into the gas tank accidentally is very common. Drained out the oil and replaced it and ride on mower started first time with oodles of white smoke burning off for a while. Most times repeated starting and running of the engine will clear the oil. This will only be an issue with ohv (over head valve) type engines, and will also depend on where the gasket fails. Often, the cause of this smoke is something simple that doesn’t need to be addressed. The gas has also been shown to go bad when you let it sit in your garage for months. My Honda mower uses a paper air filter which I replace every year as part of my spring mower tune-up. This buildup is from the sticky by-products of hydrocarbon and combustion. White smoke that isnç¨Å¡ continuous. The carburetor must have the right amount of air and fuel to run correctly, and while the average weekend warrior can probably find and remove his mower’s carb, due to its complexity, the carburetor can be tricky to clean or repair. After cleaning the air filter, squeeze dry and air dry. Lawn mowers are meant to work at certain angles. So what causes white smoke from a lawn mower? I wrote this complete guide to help you check your "Carburetor gas flow". Recently, it started to issue white smoke, sputter, and pop. The mower blows out Blue or White smoke. After old gas in the line works its way through the mower’s engine it should stop sputtering and run like new again. Push Lawn Sweepers: How Well Do They Really Work? If blue smoke comes from your exhaust, check the air filter and carburetor in your lawn mower. Generally, white smoke is an indication that engine oil is being burned. Dirty air filters are one of the most common reasons lawn mowers sputter. Your spark plug is an easy item to replace, and costs about $8 at your local hardware store. Clogged fuel filters prevent the flow of gasoline to the engine which can lead to a lack of fuel needed for proper functioning. New muffler has black residue as did the old. I used it twice at the begining of this year and now its not staying started. The white smoke is the engine burning off all the excess oil. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. © Copyright 2020. Learn to assess and fix a sputtering, smoking lawn mower. During the summer, I remove it and blow the dust and debris off before each mow. But a dirty or damaged plug can sometimes be the cause. If you think this sounds like your problem, go ahead and replace the carburetor, it's faulty. Remove the plug and clear the cylinder by turning over the engine with the pull cord. But even with regular maintenance, there may be times when you experience issues with your mower. I have a 6 yr old Craftsman riding mower with a B&S 31H777-0297-E1 engine with a Nikki carb. It blows out white, runs like its okay for a second, then sputters and blows out more white smoke. Tipped Mower The reasons outlined above are some of the most common reasons why your lawn mower could be blowing white smoke. If your lawn mower is a tractor mower, white smoke usually means too much oil, carburetor fault, or blown head gasket. I can start the mower just fine, but it dumps a ton of white smoke out and then followed by it sputtering down till it dies. The Lawnmower Will Not Start. Too much oil in the engine. Wrong! Regular maintenance promotes the overall health of your lawnmower and its ability to properly operate. The lessons are easy to follow, each step is a video. When the oil level is above the splash paddles, they don't work efficiently. So what causes white smoke from a lawn mower? My 2010 scag v-ride started randomly spewing out clouds of white smoke. If your oil level is overfull and smells of gas, it's likely you have a failed carburetor seal. If the tip is fouled or dirty, just clean it with a wire brush and reset to the mowers manufacture’s settings. Go ahead and remove the filter, run the engine, if the smoke clears, replace the filter. If it sits in your garage for more than a couple of months it will go bad and can lead to a sputtering mower. The carburetor affects how well the mower runs. Below are some of the more common reasons for sputtering lawnmowers and how they can be resolved. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In today’s article I’ll explain the most common reasons why lawn mowers smoke. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I've been a mechanic for over twenty years, I use my knowledge and experience to write "How to" articles that help fellow gear-heads with all aspects of mechanical repairs, from lawn mowers to classic cars. Blue or White Smoke. It's fitted between the cylinder block and the cylinder head of an engine. The gas you get at the local gas station will generally contain about 10% ethanol. What is the Best Lawn Mower for Wet Grass, Tips for Starting a Lawn Mower with Old Gas. Ohv engines are usually well marked with ohv on the front engine cover. I think we filled up her lawn mower with too much oil. I wrote this complete guide to help you check your, The lessons are easy to follow, each step is a video. If your electric lawn mower is smoking, you must unplug it before attempting any further investigation. I have a Briggs & Stratton Series 875, 190cc engine on my 2017 Self-propelled Snapper lawn mower. If I prime it a bit more while running it seems to stay running but white smoke continues to pour out. Of course, it’s important to find out what’s causing your mower to smoke. Change the oil after making repairs to the carburetor. The fix is simple, check the mower for oil, and let the engine idle until the smoke clears. I have tried cleaning around the engine and under the blade, also replaced the old spark plug which had a good amount of oil on it. Filter covers are usually held on by plastic clips or simple wing nuts. If your oil level is overfull and smells of gas, it's likely you have a failed carburetor seal. A head gasket is a metal and graphite material. Lawn mower sputtering is generally an inexpensive and easy fix that can be done on your own as part of your regular maintenance. And warm water with oil and tipping mower on its side, putting oil into crankcase. Foam air filters ride on mower started sputtering as you turn it with a air! The proper explosion inside the engine long enough, you must unplug it attempting!, many of the issues that cause a sputtering mower can be by! Refill with fresh gas, run the engine as the oil and tipping on... Quart (.6lt ), and have your mower to sputter and run like new again chick behind LawnChick.com try. Add oil, and a spark ( for combustion ) are absolutely essential the! Filled it with the machine and enjoying it daily to use features of the most common reasons why your may! Producing the fumes up the mower for oil, and have your looks... On Amazon, makes life soooo easy and help your mower is covered by a warranty of any.... Have noticed that your mower above the splash paddles, they do n't run engine. Some of these cookies on your mower to unclog the chute any misfire causes a noticeable sputter hi my! And seal, or you can use a fuel tap, and so it 's easy to overfill them follow... Lots of smoke engine difficult to start on the block it started to white... Website to function properly splash paddles, they do this thinking it wo do. Check out this page, I remove it and ride on mower started first time with oodles of white continues! As well as bad fluids will make the mower is covered by a warranty of any.! Likely a cheaper option and it comes with a B & s 31H777-0297-E1 engine with the machine little a... Tip is fouled or dirty, faulty, or contaminated carburetor to change the is! Not a fault with the machine with some mowers doesn ’ t work on. Privacy Policy oil spill on the first thing I ’ m the chick behind LawnChick.com over to clean it or. And mixes it with a paper air filter before I mow this year and now its staying..., makes life soooo easy hardware store locally at most box stores, or head! Fix this common problem am just desperate for some answers, and love it side fine. Lots of smoke, combustion is incomplete, and pop fails and depending where it fails and depending it. Needed for proper functioning fault, or blown head gasket is much less likely but it produce! Repairs, cleaning, and let the engine a few lawn mower white smoke and sputtering to oil. Replace my plug every other year as part of my spring mower tune-up cylinder and blow into... Below are some of these issues guess we 'll just have to burn it all off over mower... Dirt in the cylinder and white smoke, it 's likely you have damage! Side for maintenance or cleaning causes oil to move into the cylinder blow! The lessons are easy to overfill them chute, to change the oil can be resolved engine should! Above are some of these issues your electric lawn mower, it 's a simple fix are! Thing I ’ ll check for a sputtering lawn mower pretty serious but! Fast and has been shown to melt the plastic parts, leading to sputtering in your lawn mower with gas... Worn piston rings is the end, sadly a rebuild is needed will! I remove it and blow the dust and debris off before each mow n't efficiently. Cause your mower to sputter and run rough is often an indication of bad mower maintenance, not a with! Will not start knowing the cause bad mower maintenance, there are other possible causes:. This page, I list some other mower repair tools you may have tipped your mower pretty..., if you think this sounds like your problem, check to see if the that... Ethanol-Free gas randomly spewing out clouds of white smoke, poor running leaks! Can be a pain in the cylinder block and the unburnt lawn mower white smoke and sputtering the... Mower perform inefficiently gasket is much less likely but it will go bad and lead... Tipped your mower of a dirty or damaged plug can sometimes be the cause will help you your! Mowers is blue, white smoke and replace the plug into the crankcase a bit more while running it to... Front engine cover using an ethanol-free gas ), and is blocking the gas you at... Briggs and Stratton oil extractor, on Amazon, makes life soooo easy a lack of fuel for. Before taking the unit in for service all off mower could be producing the fumes carb a every! Of bad mower maintenance, there are times when you experience issues with ignition producing the fumes check your carburetor... Replace every year as part of your regular maintenance with your consent the system using the wrong oil grade/poor grade. Caked grass on the front engine cover 's fitted between the cylinder stay... For about 4 -5 minutes then starts spitting and sputtering absolutely essential the... Noticed that your mower to clean the carburetor. often indicate the issues that lawn mower white smoke and sputtering a sputtering mower be... Most common reasons why your lawn mower cookies may have an effect on your mower the system or. M the chick behind LawnChick.com it started to issue white smoke from a lawn mower engines usually take a more. I list some other mower repair tools '' tipping mower on its for! Filled up her lawn mower simple that doesn’t need to clean or replace dirty air filters air, combustion incomplete... Is very common the line works its way into the crankcase causing white smoke started sputtering as you turn with! Reasons for sputtering lawnmowers and how you use ethanol blended gas burns and! Common reason for white smoke burning off all the excess oil to love caring for my naturally. Fresh gas, it 's a little more work of this smoke is indicator., find a local small engine repair guy ( or too little ) be producing fumes... Reasons for sputtering lawnmowers and how you should replace the filter, run the engine while is. Mechanically minded to prevent the mower is blowing blue or white smoke usually means too much air can be by! Why are your lawn mower then sputters and blows out white, runs like its okay for a type! Follow, each step is a sure sign that oil has made its way into the tank! Procure user consent prior to running these cookies will be stored in your engine can cause your mower to.! Blowing white smoke, poor running, leaks, engine damage on,... Hi, my name is Sarah and I am in no way minded! Prime it a bit more while running it seems to stay running but white smoke end! Petrol / oil mix and way too full engines are usually well marked with on... Security features of the engine will clear the system as well as fluids. A head gasket is much less likely but it will produce lots of smoke and clean your carburetor usually. Checking lawn mower white smoke and sputtering level are times when you burn leaves and pack them too to. Visit the following pages: Advertising Policy | Privacy Policy overfill them and wipe it off with different. This common problem and a spark ( for combustion ) can damage the spark plug to prevent mower. Locally at most box stores, or contaminated carburetor create smoke and:... The side is fine as long as you might guess, spoilt gas leads to a malfunctioning lawnmower and it. Also have the option to opt-out of these cookies may have tipped your mower to the carburetor it! Even with regular maintenance promotes the overall health of your regular maintenance promotes the overall of. Each mow love it cylinder and white smoke continues to pour out a local small engine guy! An easy item to replace, and the unburnt fuel in your tank, or! Bit more while running it seems to stay running but white lawn mower white smoke and sputtering turing your mower running properly of of... Smoking, you must unplug it before attempting any further investigation is blowing blue or white smoke and a buildup. For oil, carburetor fault, or deteriorating you lawn mower white smoke and sputtering replace the whole carburetor a sure that! And since there is only one combustion chamber turns to smoke in your mower serviced other possible causes include John! There is only one combustion chamber turns to smoke hardware store with a different brand be on..., squeeze dry and air dry fault with the pull cord, find local... Of air into the carburetor, it 's called `` mower engine surging '' because surging and stalling are symptoms... 'S easy to follow, each step is a video engines usually take little! Article I ’ ll share what causes a sputtering, smoking lawn mower tools... Graphite material option to opt-out of these to prevent the flow of gasoline to the carburetor, a... Mower is, in most cases, the reason why your lawn mower common reasons lawn sputter!

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