5 Reasons Your Lawn Mower May Be Smoking

A lawnmower that emits smoke, regardless of its color, should be checked by a professional. Occasionally, if your lawnmower blows smoke, it may not be indicative of a serious problem, but it will not be attended to. When your lawn mower starts to emit smoke, you may be concerned.

In the aftermath of spotting damage, one’s first reaction is to assume that fixing it is most likely to be costly. You can prevent smoke from developing in the engine of your lawn mower by performing routine maintenance on it.

When a mower is flipped over, white smoke results. Customers turn their mowers over when they need to clean or unclog them. You turn your lawn into a disco when oil burns in the cylinder. Mufflers leak oil sometimes. The only positive side effect is that bugs stay away from burning engines.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking

There are a lot of instances in which the engine of a lawn mower will suddenly blow fumes because oil has gotten on it. Some of the oil has spilled out. It might be that you slopped some oil or overfilled the tank when you added or changed the oil. The mower might have been turned upside down or on its side for maintenance, or you might have turned it over. Mowing on a steep slope can cause this problem. It’s common for mowers to have leaky lubrication systems, and there usually is an overflow oil reservoir at the back.

Difference Between Blue and Black Smoke in Your Lawn Mower Engine

You might be able to tell what kind of engine problem you have based on the color of the smoke that is coming out of the engine. Here is a quick list of items that could be the cause of smoke coming from your appliance if you go through the checklist above to narrow down the issue.

Black Smoke

When the engine runs too rich, it usually displays this color as a result. First check the air filter. Clean or replace it if there is more fuel burning than air. Look for another air flow restriction if this is not the issue.

Blue or White Smoke

Engines burn excess oil when this happens. A buildup of carbon and smoke results from excess oil in the engine. As a general rule, if you follow the steps above, you will be able to have a much better chance of finding the root cause of the problem. This will begin with checking what’s wrong with the engine. You should check your engine oil level and air filter before mowing to avoid expensive repairs in the future.

Here is a checklist that you should follow before you mow your lawn every time. In order to maintain a healthy lawn, your mower is one of the most significant pieces of equipment you can own. Keeping your grass healthy and looking its finest will depend on how often you keep it at the right height and at the right interval.

Reasons Why Your Lawn Mower May Be Smoking

1.  Air Filter System is Plugged

Dirt and grit build-up, which has the capability of getting into the inner section of a small engine, is without a doubt one of the biggest killers of these engines. This is an item that will be going to the scrap yard on a one-way ticket. This leaves you with a lot of pieces that you need to pick up to replace it, since there will be a need for a replacement engine.

There is a reasonable chance that this could be prevented by ensuring that a lawnmower’s air filter is working properly. Air filters, which are fitted to mowers, help trap dust and other types of dirt from entering the engine before they can easily enter the engine. A clogged air filter is a factor that contributes to the engine being less protected, as it becomes clogged over time. It is fortunate that there is a way to clean or replace the air filter.

By using air filters, you can prolong the life of your lawn mower engine while keeping it completely free of debris. Air, fuel, spark, and compression, along with the right combination of these four things, are what makes an engine function. The lawn mower’s air filter should be cleaned or replaced if it appears brown or black.

2.  Insufficient Engine Oil Level

You will then check the engine oil if the air filter is not the problem. There might be a moment in your life when you are tempted to wonder why you should check your oil so often. There are several factors that can cause a vehicle to smoke if the engine oil is low or high from the recommendations of the manufacturer.

• Low Oil Level

A lawn mower is an essential piece of equipment that you require if you want to maintain a neat and tidy lawn. The only thing to keep in mind is that if you are intending to use any type of machine, it is imperative to ensure that the oil level is kept at its optimal level.

Your lawn mower will not run if there is not enough oil in it. It is sometimes too late for this simple solution to work at this point, but you can try adding fresh oil to see if it stops smoking. There is a possibility that it won’t work.

Checking the oil level before starting the lawn mower is a necessity, as low oil levels can damage the engine, which may further damage the lawn mower. Start the lawn mower again if the oil level is low.

• High Oil Level

Have you overfilled your lawn mower with oil? Oiling a lawn mower too much may seem insignificant. Nonetheless, it is a dangerous practice that could cause catastrophic damage if not performed correctly. Using too much oil on a lawn mower can do a lot of damage to it.

If you make an error like that, then the mower will not work at all. It is imperative to keep a lawn mower well-greased as it is just like any other machine that requires maintenance. When you oil your mower you will not only get maximum efficiency out of it, but you will also get a longer service life from it. This will give you more time to enjoy it.

3.  Bad Engine Gasket

Engine smoke is caused by a damaged gasket or a muffler leaking oil. The problematic gasket will need to be located and replaced in order to fix the problem. There may be a misconception that this is an easier process than it really is. As the location of the worn gasket changes, it becomes increasingly difficult to replace it.

4.  Piston Ring Problem 

A series of rings, known as piston rings, are located inside the engine of your vehicle in order to operate the engine. As mentioned above, these rings assist in regulating the amount of oil consumed by the engine as well as the amount of oil pressure.

The piston rings would wear out or be damaged if they got damaged or worn out. Despite their small size and low cost, piston rings are vital to engine operation. Remove the plug with a 3/4″ or 5/8″ socket. It may not give us a lot of insight into the type of engine problem you have merely by looking at the spark plug, but it may tell us if you are having issues with the engine’s internal components if you remove the spark plug and analyze the excess oil built up on it.

Smoke will be produced during the use of this device. Some white smoke was produced (not tons), but the engine still ran well. After filling the tank with fresh gas and adding Stabil to it, I ran it at high speed for 10 minutes in preparation for winter. Once the engine was oiled, I put it away and changed the oil. Taking a look at the dipstick, it appears that the oil is a bit overfilled, though it’s not by much. Smoke will be produced during the operation of this device. This situation may require engine replacement.

5.  Valve Train Problem

It is not always a problem to have valve train problems. Performing a leak-down test or removing the head of the cylinder is the only way you will be able to detect this. A small engine mechanic is the most qualified person to do this kind of work. As a result of overheating the valve, the valve may get damaged, which causes the valve train to have a problem.

Due to the amount of heat that is being generated, the edges of the valve begin to crack. It is usually called a burnt valve because of the appearance of the damage. When the muffler glows red from heat while the engine is running, you can also suspect you have a burnt valve or timing problem. It is necessary to grind the seat and replace the valve. In order for the combustion chamber to be completed, the valve must contact the piston block on the seat in order for it to fit properly. 

Final Thoughts

In order to address any smoke issues you have with your Lawn Mower May Be Smoking as soon as you notice them, it is very helpful to deal with them as soon as you notice them. For the general public, mower smoke is one of the most dangerous and concerning situations they can find themselves in.

This is because they do not understand the problems resulting in their mower blowing smoke. It is often due to minor issues that can be resolved quickly that the mower blows smoke. You should let the smoke from the white and blue mowers run for a while. Smoking usually stops after a few minutes in most situations, as long as you do not inhale any harmful toxins.

As a matter of course, please follow these directions as well. Your mower will last much longer if you take care of it, and you will have a pleasant time with your neighbors and your lungs once you do