The Exmark Lawn Mower Is Smoking

Do you see mysterious white smoke coming from your lawn mower? In that case, you are probably worrying and wondering what on earth is going on. There is even more cause for concern if your lawn mower blows white smoke and then dies. Read this article to learn how to deal with white smoke in a lawn mower and the possible causes of The Exmark lawn mower smoking.

If the air filter is plugged or if the engine oil level is too high or too low, an Exmark mower may begin smoking. If your Exmark mower smokes, it may have worn piston rings, a faulty functioning transmission, or a blown engine gasket First things first: is this serious and/or dangerous?

The Exmark lawn mower is smoking

There is a 99.9% chance that if your lawn mower emits white or blue smoke, the engine is burning oil. From most common to least common, here are the reasons why your engine may be burning oil:

• It was tilted on its side incorrectly, or it was used at an extremely steep angle.
• The lawn mower was overfilled with engine oil.
• There is oil in the fuel of the lawn mower.
• The engine cylinders or piston rings may be damaged or malfunctioning.

To help you figure out which cause(s) might apply to you and your lawn mower, let me explain each in more detail.

Lawnmowers that blow white smoke and die – why?

Your lawn mower’s carburetor may develop white smoke if oil gets into the machine. Usually, this indicates that the gas feed jet has been blocked. It may be possible to solve this problem by running the engine for a long enough period of time until the oil is cleared. However, if you’re not able to do so, your carburetor is probably dirty.

It depends on the type of lawn mower you have and how you clean the carburetor, but if you are handy you can most likely do it yourself. You can find information about how to locate your lawn mower’s carburetor in an article I wrote. The article also provides tips on how to clean the carburetor or replace the whole thing.

Consult your mower’s manual carefully (you can find it online if you do not have one).

Oil fire and white smoke

Burning oil often produces white smoke. Burning oil can be caused by many different things in your mower, including:

Misuse of improperly graded oil

If there is too much oil in the crankcase or if the oil capacity of your engine has been exceeded (your dipstick can tell you this)

The crankcase breather does not function

There is an air leak coming from the crankcase

The head gasket has been blown

The wearing of a cylinder or a ring is required

A tilted or tilted engine is a problem that occurs when you move the engine for an oil change or storage (or for another reason).

The breather tube is obstructed (the breather tube is behind the air filter).

You need to know what kind of engine your mower has when calculating its oil capacity.

In addition, if you don’t have the original manual, you can search online for your lawn mower’s name and model number plus “manual” for more information.

The smoke may be blue or white

Smoke that looks black is caused by burning too much fuel compared to air. In contrast, smoke that looks blue or white is generally caused by the combustion of too much oil. There are many times when the source of smoke is something simple that doesn’t require any attention. Whenever an engine is tilted or turned over, some oil can leak out of it. Engines have certain tolerances for angles of operation, and some oil can leak out while the engine is tilted or rotated. Oil will then burn off, creating smoke as a result. Turning off the engine will just make it smoke when you restart it. You are much better off letting the engine run so that it can burn off excess fuel. Oil reservoirs can overflow as well, and the solution is to blow them out.

Usually, when this is not an intermittent problem, it means that something more serious is going on. Inspect your crankcase for air leaks, as these can allow more air into the crankcase than is necessary. The oil mist can be higher than the mist from your crankcase breather handle. As a result, it ends up being burned off. A skilled mechanic will, unfortunately, have to diagnose any leak that is not visible. This will result in poor performance. Engine crashes. This hue often results from blown head gaskets, worn cylinders or rings, or inoperative crankcase breathers. These will require professional assistance.

You don’t need to replace your mower if it is smoking – just give it a bit of attention. Take a close look at the color and smell of the smoke before taking it to a technician – it could mean the difference between buying a low-cost air filter or spending hundreds on parts and labor.

 

Your Exmark Lawn Mower May Have Piston Ring Problems

You need to determine if your Exmark smoking is caused by an internal engine problem if your air filter and oil level aren’t the issues.

The most effective way to identify an internal problem is by identifying its type, but it won’t indicate exactly what the problem is. Testing your engine and tearing it down will be necessary in order to find the root cause.

Remove the spark plug from your Exmark engine with a 3/4″ or 5/8″ socket to check for signs of oil, which can indicate a problem with the internal engine.

Your spark plug may show oil if you have problems with the piston rings or valve train. Scoring in a small engine’s cylinder wall often allows oil to enter and burn off in the combustion cham

What Does Blue Smoke Mean?

Blue smoke coming from your lawn mower’s exhaust is mostly caused by the same factors as white smoke. When filling the crankcase, people sometimes overfill it or spill oil on other parts of their mower. 

Also, blue smoke may be generated if the lawn mower has been tilted too much, so make sure the spark plug is tilted when mowing a ditch or hill.  

I’m sharing this amazing video from Steve’s Small Engine Salon.

Conclusions

When you see a smoker on your lawn mower, take action immediately. It is never fun for the operator or for your neighbors. Besides prolonging the life of your mower, it will also benefit your neighbors and your lungs The Exmark lawn mower is smoking.

Two non-gas options that you might want to consider are a reel mower or a corded electric mower.

Feel free to leave a comment or question below if you have any specific questions about your mower.