Lawn mower blowing smoke. Lawn Mower Smoking: Reasons Why & How To Fix Them

Lawn Mower Smoking: Reasons Why How To Fix Them

It can be an alarming sight when you fire up your mower and instead of running smoothly, it starts billowing smoke – especially if it starts sputtering and stalling too. While it’s understandable that your immediate reaction may be to panic, very often the source of a smoking lawn mower or engine is an innocuous issue that will go away on its own or with a simple DIY fix.

When assessing the severity of a smoking lawn mower, the clue is in the color of the smoke. In the majority of cases, a lawn mower smoking white or blue smoke will stop producing the smoke on its own after you let it run for a few minutes. However, if the smoke continues to billow out of your mower and you notice other telltale signs that the mower’s engine isn’t running the way that it should, you may need to address the issue yourself or have it repaired by professionals. A lawn mower smoking black smoke is also a cause for concern and indicates there’s an issue with the inner workings of your mower.

Read on to learn more about the different causes of a lawn mower smoking white, blue, or black smoke, along with step-by-step guides on how to fix each issue at the source.

Before following these troubleshooting tips, make sure you’re using the right technique to start your lawn mower by referring to our guide: How to Start a Lawn Mower.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking White Smoke?

Oil Spilled on the Engine

Mower oil spilled onto the engine can be a cause of the lawn mower smoking white smoke. If you notice your mower smoking after adding oil, you may have accidentally spilled some of the oil onto the engine’s housing. Oil may also inadvertently spill onto the engine if you’ve been mowing on a slope steeper than 15 degrees, or if you’ve tipped the mower onto its side for any reason.

How to Fix an Oil Spill on the Mower’s Engine

The smoke may appear alarming, but this issue is relatively minor and is easily fixed using the steps below.

Restart mower’s engine

Simply restart the mower’s engine and allow the spilled oil to burn off.

Wait until white smoke stops

If the white smoke doesn’t completely dissipate after about 15 minutes of running the mower, it’s an indication that there may be a bigger issue that needs to be addressed. If this is the case, see the following sections where we have gone through the next steps you should take towards identifying and solving other potential causes.

Oil in the Fuel of a 4 Stroke Mower

If you don’t own a 4 stroke mower then you can skip this section. In the case that you do have a 4 stroke mower, it may be smoking white smoke due to oil mixing in with its fuel. Many up-to-date lawn mower models come with a 4 stroke engine, as they are more reliable and tend to have a longer lifespan than 2 stroke engines do. Not only are they more reliable, 4 stroke engines require less maintenance than their 2 stroke counterparts, and don’t require oil to be mixed in with its fuel. If you put fuel that has been mixed with oil into a 4 stroke mower engine, then the mower will burn the oil which causes it to smoke white smoke. If you continue to run the engine of a 4 stroke mower when there’s engine oil in the fuel tank, it may lead to the engine becoming damaged and prematurely worn out.

How to Remove Oily Fuel from a 4 Stroke Mower

You should take care to avoid draining the fuel out of the mower by tipping it, as this can cause engine oil to spill into the carburetor or cylinder.

Find fuel line

Fix lawn mower blowing smoke

Locate the fuel line, which is the part that exits the fuel tank responsible for feeding fuel into the mower’s engine.

Remove fuel line

Undo the clip on the fuel tank that’s holding the fuel line in place and pull the fuel line off. Alternatively, you could follow the fuel line to where the shut-off valve is located and remove the line at the point at which it connects with the valve. The shut-off valve is a small switch that enables the user to control the flow of fuel to the engine, and is easy to spot around the base of the fuel tank. Be aware that when you complete this step, fuel will start pouring out of the tank.

Drain fuel from fuel tank and collect it in appropriate container

After you remove the fuel line, fuel will start pouring from the fuel tank. Use an appropriate container such as a metal pan to collect it and prevent it from spilling everywhere. Spilt gasoline is not only a nuisance, but also a serious fire hazard, so make sure to clean up any liquid that you don’t manage to contain.

Drain fuel from carburetor

As you drain the fuel from the fuel tank, find the carburetor on your mower to drain the fuel from it as well. Underneath the carburetor you will find the carburetor bowl, which has a small screw or nut located on the side or bottom of the bowl that can be tweaked to empty it out. Loosen the screw or nut and allow the fuel to drain out of the carburetor into your container.

Wash fuel tank if necessary

This step is unnecessary if you can’t see any oil stuck to the inside of the mower’s fuel tank. If you do, then you will need to remove the tank from the mower completely and give it a deeper clean with dishwashing liquid. Pour dishwashing liquid into the fuel tank and give it a good shake to remove the oil from the inside of the tank. You can then clean the carburetor using a can of carburetor cleaner.

Overfilled Oil Reservoir

If your lawn mower is leaking oil and smoking white smoke, you may have accidentally overfilled the crankcase. Lawn mowers suffer from having too much oil as much as they do from having too little. An excess of oil in the reservoir can spill into the engine’s cylinder and start burning with the fuel, which can cause white smoke to come from the mower’s exhaust and oil to start leaking from the muffler. Excess oil in the mower can also leak onto the housing of the engine, which causes the mower to smoke white smoke when the engine heats up and burns it off. In addition to creating the white smoke, the excess oil may also drown the mower’s crankset, impeding its motion. If the mower’s engine won’t start, or takes a much longer time than normal to start and you find that it’s difficult to idle it, these are telltale signs that the combustion chamber is burning oil.

How to Fix Prevent an Overfilled Oil Reservoir

It varies between models, but generally speaking, lawn mowers take just over a pound of oil. This isn’t very much, which is why it’s common to accidentally overfill the oil reservoir. Check the manual for your mower to find out the exact recommended amount of oil for your model.

Check current level of oil

Use the dipstick to check whether the oil level is within the indicated amount marked on the stick. If it shows that there’s an excess amount of oil in the engine, follow the next steps to fix it. You may need to seek the help of professionals if the oil is present in unmanageable amounts.

Drain excess oil

Remove the excess oil by draining it out of the engine. Tilt the lawn mower onto its side so that the carburetor is facing upwards in order to prevent oil from spilling into the combustion chamber. Let the oil run out of the mower into an appropriate container, and clean up any oil that spills onto other parts of the mower. Dispose of the excess oil appropriately. Finally, change the oil filter.

Check new level of oil is adequate

Use the dipstick to ensure that the new level of oil is within the recommended amount. Run the mower and wait until the white smoke dies down. If it doesn’t, refer to the next section.

Damaged or Leaking Head Gasket

If neither of the previous two issues are the source of the white smoke coming from your mower, then it could be due to a damaged or leaking head gasket. The head gasket is a seal that functions to keep the engine closed off, and is found in the area of the mower where the cylinder joins with the rest of the engine. When this part of your mower fails to seal the cylinder head properly, it can cause oil to leak from the crankcase into the cylinder. As there is a lot of compression in the cylinder to pull oil from the crankcase, any small crack in the gasket will cause oil to be sucked into the combustion chamber. The oil will start burning as it enters the cylinder, and will cause the mower’s engine to produce clouds of white smoke. If the engine is left running, it will only cause the mower to produce increasing amounts of smoke as more oil is sucked through the damaged gasket into the combustion chamber. In addition to your lawn mower smoking white smoke from its exhaust, you will be able to hear the air that’s blowing from the faulty gasket, and you will notice a reduction in compression which can cause the mower to have a low power output. If there is a large amount of oil flowing into the cylinder, it may cause the mower to die after a few minutes of use or prevent it from starting at all.

How to Replace a Damaged or Leaking Gasket

Only Overhead Valve (OHV) engines have gaskets, so make sure your mower definitely has an OHV engine before taking it apart. Examine the head gasket for signs of damage, such as oil around or under the gasket and on the body of the mower. If the head gasket does appear to be damaged, it will need to be replaced as these parts aren’t repairable once they’re damaged. They are inexpensive so you’ll be able to purchase a good quality replacement for a relatively small amount of money. You can DIY and replace the head gasket following the steps below.

Remove spark plug wire and cylinder head bolts

First, remove the spark plug wire, then use a socket to remove the bolts holding the cylinder head onto the engine block.

Remove damaged gasket

The gasket is found where the cylinder head connects with the engine block. Remove the old damaged gasket. Use a tool to scrape off any remaining spots of hard-to-remove parts of the gasket, but take care not to scratch the smooth surface when scraping off the leftover debris.

Install new gasket

Take the new gasket and place it on the engine block, then replace the cylinder head before bolting the gasket onto it. Reinstate the spark plug wire onto the spark plug.

Damaged Piston Rings

The worst culprit of all that may be causing your lawn mower to smoke white smoke is a damaged or worn out piston ring. Piston rings are responsible for controlling the flow of engine oil within the mower, supplying small amounts of oil to the piston to enable it to move smoothly within the cylinder. The piston rings in your mower also work to expel excess oil out of the combustion chamber and to channel it back into the engine block. When the piston rings fail to work properly, engine oil is able to enter the combustion chamber where it gets burnt up, which is what then causes the mower to smoke white smoke. This is an issue commonly seen in older and worn out lawn mowers, or in mowers that have been poorly maintained. Piston rings can become damaged through a number of different ways, but one of the most common causes is if the mower has a dirty or worn out air filter that has allowed dust and debris to enter the combustion chamber where it has managed to damage the piston rings. Another extremely common cause of piston ring damage is if the engine oil hasn’t been changed on time or has become dirty, as this results in poor lubrication and wears out the piston rings. In addition to the white smoke, your mower will run with little to no power, and will burn through a lot more oil than it should need.

How to Fix a Damaged Piston Ring

Unfortunately, fixing a damaged piston ring is a complicated job that requires the engine to be opened up and rebuilt entirely. If the piston rings in your mower are damaged, it’s likely that the head cylinder will also be damaged to some extent and will need to be replaced too. You would need specialized tools and a lot of experience to carry out this type of repair, so unless you are a lawn mower expert, it’s probably best to seek the help of a professional repair shop instead of trying to DIY it. Alternatively, you can just replace the whole engine, which is probably the best option at this point as rebuilt engines tend not to work as well as new ones.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking Blue Smoke?

For the most part, a lawn mower smoking blue smoke is likely to be suffering from one of the issues known to cause white smoke – read through the previous sections to find out more about the potential causes of blue or white smoke. Other possible reasons why your lawn mower is smoking blue smoke can be due to the use of the wrong oil grade, or if you have over-tilted the lawn mower when mowing on a slope.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking Black Smoke?

Dirty or Worn Out Air Filter

Dirty or worn out air filters are a common cause of lawn mowers smoking black smoke. The air filter in your mower ensures that the air flowing to mix with the gas is clean and free of contaminants such as dirt, dust, and leaves, which would potentially damage the mower’s engine. When the air filter becomes dirty or worn out over time, airflow is restricted and the combustion mix becomes too gas-rich due to the reduced amounts of oxygen. This can cause black smoke to pour out of the mower’s muffler, and may also cause the mower engine to stall after a few minutes of use.

How to Clean an Air Filter

We’ve provided some rough guidance below on how to clean an air filter, but you can refer to your mower’s manual to know the exact instructions for your model. If the filter is severely clogged, it may be easier to just replace the part entirely.

Clean light dirt with compressed air

As air filters are made from a sturdy and porous material, you can use a can of compressed air like the Innovera Compressed Air Cleaner to clean out light amounts of dirt.

Clean heavy dirt with lukewarm water water and dish soap

If the air filter is severely clogged and needs more of a deep clean, you can remove it completely from the mower and hand wash it. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and dish soap, and remove as much of the debris as possible. Let the filter air dry and then replace it in the lawn mower.

Run the engine and check for smoke

Run your mower’s engine for a few minutes and check if it’s still smoking any black smoke. If it is, then the issue may lie with the carburetor instead. See the next section for more information on this.

Malfunctioning Carburetor

If your air filter isn’t the problem, then the next source of the issue could be with your mower’s carburetor. The carburetor and other parts of the fuel system work together to mix oxygen and gas in the right ratio to create combustion, which in turn regulates the flow of fuel to the crankshaft that powers the lawn mower’s engine. When airflow to the carburetor is restricted, the fuel mixture becomes too rich in gas, and this can cause the mower to smoke black smoke from its muffler. Other signs of a malfunctioning carburetor in a lawn mower include the mower’s engine stalling during use or failing to start at all, the engine running roughly during use, and the mower consuming more fuel than usual.

How to Clean a Carburetor

Find the carburetor located on the side of the mower, behind the air filter and on the opposite side to the muffler, and inspect it. If the carburetor appears damaged or worn-out, you may need to replace the part entirely. If it’s just a case of a blocked or dirty carburetor, you can follow the steps below to remove the blockage and get it functioning properly again. If neither of these things seem to be the issue, it may be necessary to adjust the carburetor to increase airflow.

Remove carburetor bowl and its screws from mower

Use a plug wrench to loosen the screws holding the carburetor bowl in place, and remove them along with the bowl from the mower.

Clean carburetor bowl, hole and screws

Purchase an aerosol carburetor cleaner and use it to clean away any debris or residue from the carburetor bowl and screws. Aerosol carburetor cleaners are cans of pressurized air specially designed to clean carburetors, and some brands come with directional nozzles that help get into the harder-to-reach corners of the part – this Carb and Choke Cleaner from Gumout will do the trick. To remove any blockages, use a thin piece of wire or a nylon cleaning brush to clean out the hole that sits underneath the carburetor – we like to use the wire needles in this Cleaning Tool Kit to break through any tough debris.

Replace the carburetor bowl and screws

Take your plug wrench again and use it to reattach the carburetor bowl and its screws. Take care not to over-tighten the screws when replacing the bowl as this may distort the seal.

Our East Coast editor Frank focuses on lawn cutting and maintenance. His experience with lawn mower repair and lawn maintenance is second to none.

He is a lawn mower and fertilizer expert with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He has been providing advice to homeowners and businesses on lawn care since 1990 with his lawn maintenance business based in the small town of Waterbury, Connecticut.

White Smoke From Lawn Mower: Possible Reasons Effective Solutions

It happens a lot when you see the lawn mower white smoke then dies. It’s disappointing and people get frustrated if it happens during the mowing season.

Fret not! It may simply indicate oil spillage on the engine which has a simple fix.

However, you are in the right place to learn why you are seeing the white smoke from the lawn mower and how to solve the problem yourself. so, you will learn how to stop a lawn mower from smoking in the future.

Why Is Your Lawn Mower Blowing White Smoke?

Not just your mower, any motor engine can emit white or blue smoke for numerous reasons. Luckily, you don’t need the help of an expert to figure out such problems and fix them.

I will tell you exactly when you need to take it to the repair shop later in this article.

But before fixing it, you need to know why it happens in the first place. Once you know all the possible reasons, it will be easier for you to take preventive measures.

White or blue smoke from your mower engine simply indicates burning oil. And here possible reasons why are your lawn mower white smoke and sputtering:

You are using the wrong oil grade/poor oil grade.
The crankcase is overfilled with oil.
Faulty breather of the crankcase.
There is an air leak in the crankcase.
Expired cylinder or any rings in there.
An obstacle in the breather tube.
Lawn mower blown head gasket
Engine is operating at more than a 15-degree angle.
For storage or oil change, if you tilt the mower engine on its side. Mowing steep heels may result in the same problem too.
Damaged piston rings or cylinder.
Pouring engine oil in excess of its capacity shown on the dipstick.

Let’s explain each of the problems more elaborately. I will explain what to do to solve or prevent these problems as well.

How To Stop A Lawn Mower From Smoking?

A smoking lawn mower does not mean the end of its lifecycle. There are plenty of fixes when the lawn mower blowing white smoke and won’t start smoothly.

As you have seen, there could be plenty of reasons for white smoke and sputtering, there are plenty of solutions as well. You need to fix that particular reasons.

So, here I have listed some fixes on each of these problems:

You can’t fix the problem yourself. That’s why I started with this one first. This is the most serious reason why the engine is emitting white smoke which may cost you money to fix.

The head gasket seals the area where the combustion happens. You can find it in between the cylinder block and head.

You will notice a lot of smoke of any color like white, blue, or black if the head gasket breaks. Other than the smoke, you may other symptoms like a strange noise, oil leaks, and extra pressure in the crankcase.

A damaged head gasket means there is no proper sealing. Even a tiny leak in the head gasket will result in oil leak into the cylinder from the combustion chamber.

As plenty of oil will rush into the cylinder, the engine won’t most probably start. Or, it may stop running suddenly.

No matter how long you keep the engine running, the smoke won’t go away until you seal the leak. It’s very hard to fix because it’s not repairable and you must replace the gasket.

Luckily, a new head gasket is very inexpensive and you should replace the old one instead of trying to fix repair yourself.

As part of the regular maintenance of your mower, changing the mower engine oil is crucial. But for that purpose or for any other reason, if you overfill the engine with oil, you may end up having a smoking problem.

Of course, your mower needs the engine oil to function smoothly and to keep functioning for a long time. But you must ensure not to overfill it. You should not be putting in less oil than needed to.

When it comes to engine oil, keeping the optimal balance is important. Whereas less oil will result in friction from the lack of lubrication, excess oil will enter the cylinder causes problems like emitting smoke.

Putting less oil is more damaging than overfilling it. But maintaining the optimal level is crucial.

Overfilling the engine with oil will not only result in white smoke, you may even notice the oil is coming out of the engine muffler. But don’t get too scared of it.

The easy fix to this problem is not to overfill it in the first place. Normally your lawnmower should not need more than 20 ounces’ engine oil. But fill it up with the exact amount.

Every now and then, read the user manual of your mower to remember the recommended amount of engine oil needed.

After filling the engine with oil, use a dipstick to make sure the oil level is within the optimal level as indicated in the dipstick. Remove the excess oil if it indicates any overfill.

Removing excess oil is not easy. You have to drain all the oil first, then pour the recommended amount again. That’s why it’s better to get it right the first time.

Read the manual to see whether your lawnmower has an engine with splash lubrication method or not.

If it has the splash method, the engine will splash a little amount of oil automatically on different parts of the engine to keep them lubricated. The rest of the oil will sit at the bottom of the engine.

Mowing the steep lawn or tipping your mower may result in oil entering the cylinder and start burning. When the oil in the cylinder starts burning, you will see the white smoke emitting.

When you replace the blades or want to have a look under the deck, you may unwittingly tip the mower to its sides. So, mowing on the steep heel and tipping over are two common reasons why the cylinder may fill up with oil.

The simple solution to this problem is to keep the engine running idly until all the oil burns up that has gotten into the cylinder.

To prevent the same problem from happening again, I must refer to the user manual of your mower. There you will find exactly how to tip over the mower or whether you can mow on the steep heel.

Unless it is not suitable to mow steep heels, you should not mow on the surface with more than a 15-degrees slope.

If you have to tip over the mower for maintenance work, you should do so by keeping the carburetor and air filter facing upwards.

Of course, this does not apply if you own a tractor mower. Then you have to figure out other kinds of reasons.

Another common reason for having a smoking lawn mower is the failed or damaged piston rings. If you don’t maintain your mower properly and regularly or you have a really old mower, this problem is pretty much inevitable!

There are plenty of reasons why the piston rings get damaged. But the most common reason is the worn-out or dirty air filter.

The worn-out air filter can’t prevent the dust and other tiny particles from entering the combustion chamber which ultimately damages the piston rings.

Having the damaged piston ring is bad news. This is why…

Because the piston rings of your mower control the engine oil. And it supplies the required amount of oil (which is very little) to the piston to keep the moving smooth inside the cylinder.

It also removes any excess oil from the combustion chamber. So, when you got the damaged piston rings, it can’t stop the oil to enter the combustion chamber. Ultimately, it can’t prevent the burning up of the oil and the white smoke.

The reason I said having the bad piston rings is bad news because you can’t repair it yourself unless you are a professional and you have the special kind of tools required for it.

The damaged piston rings mean you have a damaged cylinder issue as well. Repairing the piston rings also means a complete engine rebuild.

If you are hell-bent on repairing it, take it to any professional repair shop. But the wisest decision would be completely replacing the engine with a brand new one!

All the modern lawn mowers come with a 4-stroke engine. Whereas a 2-stroke mower engine can accept mixing oil in the fuel, it’s a big no for a 4-stroke engine.

If your mower has a 4-stroke engine, it means it’s more reliable and requires less maintenance than any 2-stroke mower. You don’t need to mix oil in its fuel. This is where some people make their mistakes.

Mixing the oil in the fuel for a 4-stroke engine will result in burning the oil with plenty of smoke. To make things even worse, running the engine with mixed oil will lead to damage to the engine!

By mistake, if you put the oil in the fuel engine, you can remove the oil simply by running the engine until the contaminated gas runs out. Then you can put the clean gas into the fuel tank again.

Removing oil by running the engine will result in while smoke for sure. If you want to be on the safe side and want to remove the oil without running the engine, follow the below-mentioned steps:

Get a pan to collect the oil from the fuel tank.
There is a fuel line connecting the fuel tank and the engine. Locate that line.
Remove the fuel line from the fuel tank end. You can simply undo the clip holding the line and pull it off.
Keep the pan in place to collect the oil from the tank as soon as you remove the fuel line from the tank. Make sure you don’t have any spilled gasoline scenario. It’s a serious fire hazard.
Now, locate the carburetor to remove oil from there too. Locate the carburetor bowl located right underneath the carburetor.
Unscrew the nut from the carburetor bowl to remove the oil from there and collect it with the pan.

Of course, there will be some leftover oil inside the carburetor bowl. I strongly recommend removing the leftover oil as well. You can find plenty of good carburetor cleaners from online stores like Amazon easily.

FYI: Do not tilt the mower while draining fuel from the tank or the carburetor bowl. It will spill the oil into the carburetor or the cylinder.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Does White Smoke From A Lawn Mower Mean?

Answer: It indicates either a blown head gasket of your mower or moisture in the combustion chamber. You need to replace the blown head gasket ASAP or remove the moisture from the chamber.

How Do I Fix White Smoke From My Lawn Mower?

Answer: If it’s happening due to the blown gasket, replace it immediately. But there are plenty of other reasons for the white smoke. If it’s for the spilled oil, burn off that oil.

Why Is My 4 Stroke Lawn Mower Smoking?

Answer: Most likely you have put mixed oil in the fuel tank. Remove the mixed oil from the tank and from the carburetor bowl and put clean gasoline again.

How Do I Know If My Lawnmower Has A Blown Head Gasket?

Answer: Well, if your lawnmower does not start or is dropping out and there is an oil leak, your mower has a blown head gasket issue.

Will Too Much Oil Cause White Smoke?

Answer: Yes. If you overfill the engine with oil, you will notice white smoke with grey or blue tint. Because the engine will be burning the excess oil that has entered the combustion chamber.

Why Is My John Deere Tractor Blowing White Smoke?

Answer: As per the company itself, you got nothing to worry about. It’s normal that your new John Deere tractor will be emitting white or blue smoke during the initial break-in period because it consumes oil during that period.

Sum Up

Of course, blue or white smoke from lawn mower is concerning. But as you have seen, there are plenty of easy fixes to stop a lawn mower from smoking irrespective of the color.

As long as you know the right lawn mower burning oil fix, you can take preparation for the mowing season in full swing! Share it with your friends so that they can learn what to do when there is mower white smoke and won’t start.

Den Hicks

Traveler, food lover, interior designer, and blogger. I love gardening a lot! I designed my home myself with the help of my beloved wife. You are welcome!

White Smoke From Lawn Mower: What It Means And How To Fix It

If there’s white smoke coming from your lawn mower, don’t freak out!

There are two common causes – spilled oil or too much oil – and both have simple solutions. You’ll either need to burn off the oil on your engine, or drain some oil from your reservoir.

Is your lawn mower smoking? Here’s what that means and what you can do to fix it.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking?

There are a lot of different reasons for your mower to spew smoke. Common causes include excess oil, a blown head gasket, not enough air in the gas tank, or a dirty air filter.

What Does White Lawn Mower Smoke Mean?

For lawn mowers spewing white smoke (or even blue smoke), the likely culprits are an overfilled oil reservoir or oil spilled onto the engine.

You may have overfilled your mower with oil, which then spilled over and caused engine smoking.

Alternatively, if you’ve been mowing on a slope greater than 15º or if you’ve tipped your lawn mower sideways to inspect the mower deck, the oil will spill.

If you’ve accidentally turned your lawn into a DIY rave, there’s no need to panic. White smoke is generally harmless and easy to fix.

Quick Fixes for a Smoking Lawn Mower

Step one, if there’s smoke from a lawn mower, is to shut off the engine immediately. Your safety is the main priority here, so turn off your mower until the smoke clears.

For electric mowers, take out the spark plug so you don’t risk a fire hazard.

After the mower cools and the haze is gone, check the air filter.

For a dirty or clogged air filter, you’ll need to clean it. For a worn-out air filter, you’ll likely need to change it out.

If that’s not the case, replace the parts and restart the mower. Let it run for about 5–10 minutes to burn off any oil that could have entered the lawn mower engine.

If there’s no more blue or white smoke, you should be fine.

How to Fix White Smoke from Lawn Mower

If the quick fixes don’t work and you’ve run your engine for about 10 minutes, then it’s time to get down and dirty. Identify the cause of your white smoke and use the appropriate solution.

White smoke from spilled oil

Oil spills in mowers have a few common causes:

Worn-out seals in the combustion chamber
Cracked crankcase or air leak
Mowing a slope of over 15º incline
Tipping the mower on its side
Overfull oil reservoir
New mower with leftover oil residue

The excess lubricant will leak out onto the mower’s engine, where the oil burns and causes smoke.

In this case, just restart the engine and let it run. Eventually, all the oil will burn off and the engine will stop producing white smoke.

To stop this issue from reoccurring, target the source. Check the owner’s manual for ways to limit oil leaks.

If your lawn has a steep slope, consider levelling it so it places less stress on your mower.

White smoke from too much oil

Double-check the oil level to ensure you didn’t overfill the reservoir.

Use the dipstick to check the engine oil (remember to wipe the dipstick clean first so you get a good reading). Compare the level to the “fill” line on the stick.

Free Smoking Lawn Mower. Not an Engine Issue

If the level is too high, you’ll need to drain oil from the reservoir. Follow the instructions in the owner’s manual for draining and refilling the oil to the fill line.

You may also be using the wrong grade of engine oil, which could cause lawn mower smoke.

Maintain Both Your Mower and Your Lawn

If the smoke problems persist, or you discover a deeper engine problem that you can’t fix, it’s better to take your mower to a repair shop.

You may also need expert help to change the seals on the combustion chamber or fix an air leak in the crankshaft.

For those who hire professional mowing services. keep yourself available in case they report smoke issues with your mower! You can also check to make sure they know these solutions in case a problem arises.

Check your lawn mower regularly to ensure everything is in working order, from the engine lubrication system to the oil seals.

Frequent check-ups let you catch malfunctions or damaged mechanisms before they can cause bigger problems.

Knowing how to tackle white smoke from lawn mower will save you some stress in the long run. Not only will it help your mower last longer, but your lungs will be more thankful – and you’ll get fewer complaints from neighbours too!

Jamie Donovan

Jamie is an Australian horticulturalist and landscape designer. He enjoys writing about landscape architecture, garden design and lifestyle topics.

Why is the Lawn Mower Blowing White Smoke? [2022] (3 Solutions)

Of course, simply understanding what caused your lawnmower to emit white smoke is insufficient; you must also understand how to repair it. So, if you want to learn more about these issues (as well as some other issues that could be causing white smoke), as well as the solutions, keep reading.

CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR WHITE SMOKE

White smoke could be harmful or beneficial. The good news is that you’ll find out soon enough which one it is. The presence of white smoke indicates that the engine is burning oil.

This is usually the result of a spill or an unintentional overfilling of the crankcase. The smoke should clear up and your mower should operate normally once the trace oil that has reached the engine has been burned off.

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When a new mower is started for the first time, it will also emit white smoke. There is frequently oil residue left by the manufacturer, and running the mower to burn off the oil solves the problem.

However, if your mower continues to emit white smoke in either case, you’ve got a bigger problem on your hands. The oil has found a way into the combustion chamber. A ruptured breathing tube, a blown head gasket, or a worn seal are all possibilities. Whatever the case may be, you’ll require lawn mower repair in Ogden, UT.

CAUSE #1: LAWN MOWER TIPPED OVER

Starting with the most basic cause of white smoke in lawn mowers, which is also the simplest to repair. You’ll also know right away if this is the cause. Has your lawn mower been tipped more than 15 degrees? Maybe you stored it that way, or maybe you moved it that way by accident.

The majority of people encounter this problem while cleaning under the deck or emptying the chute. When they do this, the oil moves from the crankcase to the cylinder, and your lawnmower begins to smoke when you restart it. In some cases, the oil will also leak.

The best solution is to turn the lawnmower upside down, check the oil in the crankcase (add more if necessary), and then run the engine until the smoke goes away. It’s a straightforward solution, though the smoke may make your neighbors uncomfortable.

However, if you have a tractor mower, this is unlikely to be the case, so you must look for other causes.

CAUSE #2: OIL ISSUES

In general, your lawnmower will require slightly more than a pound (near 0.5 liter) of oil. This is a very small amount, so it’s not surprising if you occasionally overfilled the crankcase. It’s quite common. To avoid this, simply double-check the level and amount before proceeding with the mowing.

People frequently believe that a little oil can’t hurt anyone, especially the lawnmower, but the truth is that it can be extremely damaging to the engine. Most engines use a splash lubrication system, and if the oil level is higher than the paddles, the engine will not function properly.

In this case, the engine is producing white smoke because it is attempting to burn through all of the oil. You can quickly fix it by draining the oil and then running the engine until the smoke has gone away. It’s a quick and easy fix, just like the first cause of white smoke.

While extracting the excess oil can be time-consuming, especially on some models, you should do your best because it will speed up the process.

However, if the oil smells like gasoline, you should not start the engine. This indicates that your carburetor seal has failed. In this case, you should repair the carburetor and then change the oil before resuming use of the machine.

If you try to start the engine without adding proper oil and repairing the problem, the engine may be damaged because the oil is too thin (because of the gas).

Another possibility is that the oil has made its way to the carburetor, preventing the gas from reaching the jet. You’ll be able to spend that oil if you run the engine a few times, and the smoke will go away. If it doesn’t seem to be working, you should clean your carburetor.

For starters, you’ll have to start your engine and then spill the oil. You can then replace the plug and try again. There are more detailed cleaning procedures for the carburetor, but try them after you’ve tried this because it’s simple and may just solve your problem.

You could also accidentally put oil in the gas tank, which is a common blunder. Simply drain the oil and replace it with gas to repair it. After that, run the engine for a few minutes to clear out the remaining oil and remove the smoke. You could clean the entire carburetor once more.

CAUSE #3: HEAD GASKET ISSUES

If your head gasket fails, you will most likely see a lot of smoke. It’s also less common, but it’s still possible — and more difficult to fix.

A head gasket is a component that is installed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block of an engine to seal the area where combustion occurs. Other than white smoke, common symptoms of this problem include oil leaks, increased crankcase pressure, strange noises, and so on. To repair it, you must replace it.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY LAWN MOWER HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET?

When a lawn mower blows a head gasket, it immediately emits SOS signals that allow you to diagnose its current condition. Let’s look at the three most common symptoms.

The Exhaust Produces Smoke

When black or white smoke begins to rise from your lawn mower’s exhaust, it is usually the result of a blown head gasket, which may indicate problems with the mower’s combustion system. Worn or damaged gaskets are simple to replace and should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid further problems.

The Motor Constantly Shuts Off

A faulty head gasket can cause the mower to drop out and shut down unexpectedly. When you turn a corner with the mower, this may be common. Low pressure in the motor’s combustion chamber is frequently the result of a worn or damaged gasket. In that case, the gasket must be replaced.

The Engine Keeps Leaking Oil

When the engine constantly leaks oil, this is another sign of a blown head gasket. If you notice that you are replacing the oil in your engine more frequently than usual, it is likely that it is leaking from a damaged gasket. You can inspect the gasket for wet or dried oil around the edges. If this is the case, the gasket will need to be replaced.

CONCLUSION

White smoke can be alarming, but it’s usually a simple fix. Blue or black smoke is far more hazardous to your lawnmower. When it comes to white smoke, it’s simply a matter of resolving a minor issue and letting the engine run until the smoke disappears.

Remember that new lawnmowers tend to blow white smoke for a while until they get going and adjust to everything. So, if you see this on your first mowing round with your new mower, don’t be alarmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you put too much oil in a lawn mower?

Too much oil in your lawn mower’s engine can cause it to overheat and cause damage. Too much oil in your engine can cause it to overheat, resulting in seal damage, blown gaskets, or becoming hydrolocked.

Can too much oil in a lawn mower cause white smoke?

When too much oil enters the crankcase of the lawn mower, the oil sump overflows. The operation of the crankcase will be hampered by an overflowing oil sump. As a result, signs of too much oil in a lawn mower include oil splatters all over the muffler, white smoke from the muffler, and a difficult start.

Can lawn mowers explode?

If a lawn mower catches fire or unauthorized changes are made to the fuel supply or engine, it is likely to explode. When used properly, the chances of a lawn mower exploding are almost non-existent.

Sources:

https://www.lawnfertilizers.com/lawn-mower-smoking-reasons-why-how-to-fix-them/
https://denresidence.com/white-smoke-from-lawn-mower/
https://lawn.com.au/white-smoke-from-lawn-mower/
https://sycamorenet.com/blog/lawn-mower-blowing-white-smoke/

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