My mower is smoking. How to Fix a Smoking Lawn Mower: 3 Causes & Solutions

How to Fix a Smoking Lawn Mower: 3 Causes Solutions

Have you ever been in the frustrating situation where you are mid-mowing your lawn, there’s still half the lawn to go, and then your mower breaks down and starts smoking?

Not only is it frustrating, but it is also alarming when smoke suddenly starts clouding the air around your mower.

If this is a problem that is troubling you and your outside work duties, just know that there are ways to fix a smoking lawn mower.

We will go over how to fix your smoking lawn mower no matter what the cause of the smoke is.

Why Does Fixing a Smoking Lawn Mower Matter?

When your lawn mower starts smoking, that means that something is wrong with it.

Maybe the oil is leaking and burning as smoke, maybe the internal machinery is getting too hot, no matter the reason, it’s causing damage to your mower.

Using a broken mower is both unsafe and will only damage your mower further. If you keep trying to push it to finish up your lawn and mow beyond that, you’ll eventually wind up with a mower that is completely unusable.

Then you have to spend so much more money having to get a new lawn mower when buying any materials to fix it would have been much cheaper.

Even if the color of the smoke indicates that the issue in your lawn mower is minor, it is still better to be safe than sorry.

How to Fix a Smoking Lawn Mower

Different reasons will cause a lawn mower to start smoking. To know how to fix the issue, you first need to know what the cause is.

Each cause of the smoke, and each color of smoke, will lead you to a different way of fixing your lawn mower.

Burning Oil

The first problem that you might occur with your lawn mower has spilled and burning oil.

This will create white or blue smoke that will Cloud around your lawn mower. This usually happens because there was an overflow of oil and it got spilled out through the movement of the mower.

To fix this problem, first, let the mower completely cool down so you don’t burn yourself.

Go to the oil reservoir, you should see some spillage if this is the problem. Remove the oil dipstick from the tank and reinsert it to see how full the oil is.

If it is still way too full, you can remove a little bit of the oil. If the oil spill is small, the problem should resolve itself on its own.

If the problem doesn’t go away and the mower is still smoking, it is likely that the spilled oil got into the engine and is causing problems there.

This happens when there is a crack in your engine. At this point, it is best to go to a professional so they can replace the parts on your engine.

Many mowers have a warranty that allows them to get and get fixed.

Black Smoke from A Dirty Air Filter

You might run into a situation where your lawn mower gives off black smoke.

This usually happens because the air to gasoline ratio is out of balance, causing too much gasoline to be burned at once which gives off a gross black smoke that is unpleasant to breathe in.

One reason that this balance can be thrown off is that the air filter needs to be replaced.

Lawn mowers have air filters that keep the proper balance of air to gas in the machine. Over time, it becomes dirty from gasoline byproducts.

If it gets too dirty, then it stops doing its job properly and prevents the proper flow of air into the machine.

This is an easy fix because you just need to go into the machine and replace the filter. Look at the side of your lawn mower to see what kind of filter you have.

Disposable filters should be thrown into the trash and replaced. Both paper and foam filters can be cleaned off. Use compressed air to clean a paper filter and soap and water to clean a foam filter.

After you give the filter a good cleaning, your lawn mower should stop producing smoke. If there is still a lot of smoke, continue to the next section.

Black Smoke from Carburetor

If cleaning the air filter on your lawn mower wasn’t enough to stop the smoke, the issue is probably from the carburetor.

Sometimes, this small part of machinery needs to be adjusted because there isn’t processing the proper airflow.

You can either bring your lawn mower into a repair shop to have the carburetor adjusted or you can do it yourself by following the video below.

When Is the Problem too Big for Me to Solve?

Many of us want to solve problems with our machinery ourselves. It can save money and make us feel more in control of our tools.

However, sometimes we don’t have the specific skill set to be able to make the fixes that our machinery needs.

First, the problem is too big for you to solve if you don’t have the right tools. Not everyone has the tools to adjust a carburetor or fix a broken engine.

If you know that you don’t have the proper tools to make a fix to your mower, it is better to take it to a repair shop where they have the proper tools.

The problem is also too big for you to solve if you are worried that you are going to break your mower trying to fix it.

If this is your first lawn mower you are taking care of, getting into the grit of your machinery may be above your current skill set.

There is nothing wrong with getting help from a repair shop to make sure that your mower is in good hands.

Tips and Reminders for Fixing a Smoking Lawn Mower

When you take on fixing any sort of machinery, there are some tips and reminders that you should keep in mind.

These can help you with the process or give you some direction for your next lawn mower step.

Always Check the Manual

When you are facing any sort of problem with your lawn mower, your first stop should always be the manual.

Not only will the manual help you figure out what is the specific problem with your lawn mower, but it will also go over some of the steps on how to fix the problem.

Not every lawn mower is the same so some online how-to videos may not work for your specific machine.

Always see what the manual says before messing with your lawn mower. The manual knows all, and it will tell you when it’s time to see a professional versus what you can do yourself.

Let Your Mower Cool Off

This really should be a given, but so many people get antsy to check what the problem with their lawn mowers is that they risk seriously burning themselves.

Any machinery gets super hot when it is being used, especially when there is the case of spilled oil.

Getting your hands on your mower too quickly puts you at the risk of getting a terrible burn.

Then, if your hands are badly burned, you can fix your mower anyways. It is better to give your mower time to completely cool down before trying to look at the inside of it. Your hands will thank you later.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Your Mower to a Repair Shop

There may come a point where you are at a loss of what to do. The manual isn’t giving you the direction that you need, and your mower is still smoking.

At this point, you will want to consider taking your mower to a repair shop. There is nothing wrong with this. It is always better to get your lawn mower fixed than to leave it broken and rotting away in your garage or shed.

Have Towels with You

This may seem a little silly, but whenever you are working with gasoline and the inside of machinery, have some towels with you so you can clean both your hands and the mower.

This is necessary if you are dealing with an oil overflow as you will be able to wipe up some of the spillages.

Final Thoughts

Don’t worry too much if you find your lawn mower smoking. You now know some of the causes and how to fix those problems within your lawn mower.

If there is ever a point where you think you should take your lawn mower in to get professionally fixed, don’t be afraid to do so. It will always be cheaper to fix your mower than to replace it.

If you use this information to fix your lawn mower, let us know how it went in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев!

If you have any more tips that you want to share, don’t be afraid to comment on those as well.

About Justin Stewart

With a deep knowledge of plants, landscaping, and sustainable gardening practices, his engaging content offers practical tips, creative ideas to help you transform your backyards into thriving green havens. Get ready to unlock your backyard’s full potential!

Lawn Mower Blowing Blue Smoke: Reasons Behind it and Fixes

Lawn mower blowing blue smoke is an issue that can happen due to several reasons, like tilting the mower beyond fifteen degrees, filling the oil beyond the marked level, oil being in the wrong compartment of the mower, and the mower being overused without proper maintenance.

If you need to know which of these reasons applies to your riding mower, our lawn-mower experts are here to help you.

Read on as we inspect each of these reasons individually and their fixes to help you solve the causes once and for all.

Why Is The Lawn Mower Blowing Blue Smoke?

The lawn mower blowing blue smoke is due to tilting your machine incorrectly, and when you have overfilled the engine oil. On another note, it would also happen when there is oil in the fuel compartment, and if the engine has gotten bad.

If your mower emits blue smoke, it usually means burning off the excess oil. It is also important to know the exact cause causing the oil burning. The smoke mostly lasts for ten to fifteen minutes; if it exceeds this limit, seek professional help as soon as possible.

– Tilting Your Lawn Mower Incorrectly

When the oil has escaped its compartment, it creates a huge mess, and at least a major chunk of the oil will burn off, leading to the emission of smoke, mostly blue. Remember that many other incidents can occur if your mower tilts beyond 15 degrees.

It is one of the most common ways that allows the oil to reach places it is not meant to be. The mower is tilted to examine the lower side of the deck or when there is a need to replace the blades. When you want to cut the grass of your lawn on a steep slope can also cause the oil to spill. Most mowers are designed in a way that they need to be tipped to one side only and not the other.

Burning oil is when the engine would cause blowing blue smoke is hard to miss, but if you think you will not be able to notice the light-colored smoke, keep an eye on the air filter in this case, because you don’t want to harm it. First, it will show some white-colored smoke from the mower is harmless until you inhale the mower smoke a nd is quite common when the oil leakage is because of tilting the mower. If the oil leaks because of this specific reason, there is a chance that the air filter is soaking in oil.

– Overfilling Engine Oil

Fuel is food for the engine, and this is such a common reason why most people would aim to fill it more than the necessary amount. Hence, the engine does need its fuel, but it is within a specific amount. Even though a lawnmower needs half the amount of engine oil as a car, but it is equally important, but the engine will suffer if the oil is either less or in excess, because the amount would leave such an impact on the functionality.

Since you need to change the oil often, there are increased chances of the oil pouring in than the required amount. We usually add or change oil to the mower when it shows that it is low on oil, but we do not know that it is one of the factors that lead to blue smoke emission. You can always check if this is the reason for the smoke by quickly checking the dipstick.

The new mowers are just as capable of blowing white and blue smoke as overused or slightly used ones. It happens so because oil has leaked into the engine. It is common for oil to spill when you add or change the oil, when you overfill the crankcase with oil, or when you add oil to the mower when it is in a tilted position, leading to smoke emission when it reaches parts like the spark plug.

– Oil in the Fuel Compartment

This issue is subjective to your mower’s engine, and in a two-stroke engine, there is only one compartment where the oil and fuel go together. But if your mower has a four-stroke engine, there are two separate compartments: oil and fuel. Different mowers that you invest in would have a different way of needing fuel, for instance, the Briggs Stratton sae 5w-30 synthetic small engine motor oil needs it sufficiently, but not more than its required amount.

Still, smoke, blue or white, can emit from both kinds. A two-stroke engine produces blue-hued smoke if you mix too much oil in the fuel, and as the engine runs, the oil burns off with the gas, such a mower would be the Briggs Stratton lawn mower oil 18 oz 100005 case.

In these cases, you must carefully look out for a bluish smoke if you add fuel to a four-stroke engine with oil and gas mixed in it. This affects the lawnmower’s performance, and the engine might get damaged, because this smoke is a sign that something has gone wrong.

This can be the same case for a new mower. The engine of a new mower also smokes when turned on for the first time. But it is not something to fuss over. Sometimes there is residual oil in lawn mowing machines, leading to smoke emissions. Some common oils used for mowers include the Countyline lawn mower oil, or the super tech conventional sae 10w-30 lawn mower oil, and even Powercare premium-grade 20 oz. 10w-30 lawn mower oil.

– The Engine Parts Have Gone Bad

Over-worked or mishandled lawn mowing machines are equally the causes of the emission of smoke as the rest of the above three reasons. The damaged head gaskets, or a blown head gasket. piston rings. spark plugs. and cylinders are the most common engine parts that cause the engine to blow white or blue smoke.

If you are wondering why is my lawn mower smoking white, it is because you are dealing with a small engine size is easy to work with. With larger engines, you often poke around to find out the cause of the smoke.

If you have gone through the rest of the possible causes, and you think none of them is the cause, it is very likely that one of the engine’s parts holds the sole responsibility. Furthermore, the engine parts go bad in the cold season too.

This would also be possible if you see white smoke too, and the leaked oil reaches places that ought to be far from its reach. You may ask, is white smoke from lawn mower dangerous, and yes, the mower blowing white or any other smoke harms your health and your mower’s health. Do not inhale the smoke from burning oil; a quick lawn mower white smoke fix.

How To Fix it?

To stop the lawnmowers from blowing blue smoke, first clean the oil and the air filter, and drain the excess oil out. After that get the oil out of the fuel, but if you are still seeing this, then you should take some help from a professional

Most of the solutions are quick fixes, and you only need help from a professional if things progress. The solutions are all based on ways to help you make sure that the excess oil escapes the lawnmower.

– Clean the Oil and Air Filter

In such a case, the best you can do is wipe away any excess oil and then allow the remaining oil in the combustion chamber or the other inner parts of the engine to dissipate as the motor runs. Once this oil has burned off, you should not see any blue-hued smoke.

over, if you are sure that this is very cause of the smoke, check for a dirty air filter. If it has lots of oil on it, consider replacing the air filter and this would help in the process because there would be no dirt or debris stuck. While you are at it, check your carburetor as the oil could have sneakily leaked there as well and can be why the lawn mower blows white smoke and then dies.

– Drain the Excess Oil Out

Dipsticks tell that the crankcase is filled with oil, and it is time you drain the excess oil out. This task can be simple or difficult depending on the make of your mower. Either way, the best way to go about the situation is to completely drain the oil and then refill the oil filter according to the suggested amount, and then let it out as much as you can, make sure you would invert it and keep it still.

After you have added the oil, double-check if it is according to the specifications. Although a number of people assume that a bit of extra oil is harmless, but that is not necessarily the case. While under-filling is a bit of work, excess oil leads to more smoking and more work for the engine, because you don’t want to go through that trouble again.

– Get the Oil Out of the Fuel

If you have a two-stroke mower, and there is too much oil in the fuel, but not much fuel left behind, you can get around to using the mower until the remaining fuel burns out. Two-stroke engines are mostly made to burn an oil or gas mix, and as a result this makes the odds of you getting into any trouble fairly low. But you must remember that if you have a four-stroke engine and oil is in your fuel, you must be very careful.

You have no option but to drain all the contaminated oil out of the fuel and add fresh oil or gas. The same applies to a two-stroke mower. After doing everything you can to drain the contaminated oil, check the oil level again and replace any leaked oil. A little smoke still comes out as the residual oil burns off.

If you have turned on your mower for the first time, allow it to run for over 10 minutes so that it would adjust to the circumstances. But, if still smoke does not stop, then it might be more of a serious problem, which means you can now return and replace your new mower is the best choice in this case.

– Take Help From a Professional

You need a description or a manual to fix the engine’s internal parts. If you have a limited amount of engine knowledge, and you are that it is not the other causes that cause the smoke, we recommend getting a diagnosis done by a mechanic and then working your way towards the repair.

A professional can pinpoint the exact cause that led to all this mess and then guide you on your next step and suggest keeping your mower well-maintained so that you do not have to deal with such issues in the future.

Conclusion

Understanding why your lawn mowing machine is blowing blue smoke is simple now that you have given our article a thorough read, and you have even learned how to avoid and solve the underlying causes.

Before you leave, let’s quickly summarize the key points we discussed so that you are fully prepared to help your mower:

• Always read your mower’s manual before tipping it to any side. You will do your future self a huge favor.
• Refrain from filling the oil reservoir. Dipping a dipstick is an easy and fool-proof way of telling if you have overfilled the oil.
• It is very important to know about the type of mower you have. The number of compartments varies in the two-stroke and four-stroke engines, so be careful where you put the oil.
• We often overuse our mowers without realizing that the engine parts must also be looked after. Overworked engines lead to the lawn mower blowing smoke.
• If things look out of your control, there is always time to take advice from a professional by taking your mower to your nearest repair shop.

After going through our recommendations, you can save your mower in so many ways, especially by taking precautions so that it does not blow out smoke.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking? (White, Blue or Black Smoke Explained)

It is worrying to see a Cloud of white, blue, or black smoke from your lawn mower. While it could be minor, some cases imply a serious problem that needs to be inspected and fixed by an expert. Let’s get down to why your lawn mower is smoking and how to stop it.

Your lawn mower is smoking for several reasons depending on the color of the smoke. White or blue smoke is usually linked to an oil spill on the engine. On the other hand, black smoke implies a problem in the fuel system and the combustion chamber.

Why is my Lawn Mower Smoking?

A Cloud of smoke around your mower’s engine is something that should not be ignored. There could be a major problem behind it which can lead to severe damage to your machine.

The following are potential reasons for this problem:

Lawn Mower Blue/White Smoke Meaning

A Cloud of white or blue smoke from your mower usually indicates an oil spill on the engine. The oil will then burn to form a white or blue smoke Cloud. Oil is an important addition to the engine; it minimizes friction and wears between components. Some types of oil are also designed to clean engines.

Oil spills to the engine usually happen during servicing as the old oil is removed and a new one is added into the crankcase. Overfilling the reservoir with oil can also result in leaking due to pressure. For every engine, there is always a mark at which oil should not go beyond.

Oil can also escape the crankcase when mowing on a slope greater than 15 degrees angle. The same can happen when a mower is tipped to the side during storage, cleaning the mower deck, or sharpening lawn mower blades.

No serious fix is required for this kind of problem other than just letting the oil burn until the smoke disappears.

Other reasons for oil spills on the engine include damages to the crankcase, a rapture in the breather tube, or worn-out cylinders and/or piston rings. A blown head gasket will also lead to an oil-soaked air filter.

Lawn Mower Smoking Black Meaning

Black smoke from your lawn mower means that the ratio of gasoline to air is not met for proper combustion. In other words, black smoke shows that your mower has more fuel than the air required for complete combustion.

Dirty air filters are usually the main reason for insufficient air in the combustion chamber. Cleaning or replacing air filters can help solve the problem.

If this does not help, then the carburetor is not supplying the right air/fuel mixture to the engine’s combustion chamber. A dysfunctional carburetor needs to be adjusted by a professional dealer.

Lawn mower smoking black could also happen due to low-grade fuel or impurities in the oil. Lawnmowers are recommended to use fuel with a minimum octane rating of 87 and with less than 10% ethanol.

Black smoke from your lawn mower is also a sign of bad spark plugs. They produce the spark that ignites the air/fuel mixture, creating the explosion that makes the engine produce power. If they are worn out or damaged, then a lot of fuel will escape unburnt in the form of black smoke.

How to Stop a Lawn Mower from Smoking

You can stop your lawn mower from smoking as follows:

Avoid overfilling the oil/fuel reservoir

Always check the level of oil using the provided dipstick on the reservoir. To do this, wipe the provided dipstick with a rag, reinsert it into the reservoir and remove it to check the oil level. Ensure it is not exceeding the ‘fill’ line on the stick.

Avoid tilting your mower

When storing or servicing your lawn mower, avoid tilting it. If this happens when mowing on slopes, ensure the spark plugs are facing upwards. This will help prevent oil from escaping the crankcase and getting onto the engine.

Use a recommended fuel

Always use the right type of gas for your lawn mower. Most four-stroke lawn mower engines require fresh unleaded gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 87 or higher and containing up to 10% ethanol. Two-stroke engines will use the same type of fuel but with the addition of 2-cycle engine oil in a recommended ratio.

Check the condition of the piston rings, cylinder, and the head gasket

It is normal for piston rings, cylinders,s and head gaskets to wear out. These parts should be inspected, especially during servicing, and be repaired or replaced where necessary. Professional service will be much helpful in inspecting and replacing the worn-out or damaged parts of your lawn mower.

Clean or replace air and oil filters

Filters help ensure that impurities are trapped in air and oil before getting into the engine’s combustion chamber. Dirty or clogged filters become dysfunctional, and this affects engine performance. Always replace or clean your lawn mower filter as directed in the manufacturer’s manual.

Adjust the carburetor

A carburetor provides the right air-to-fuel ratio before the mixture is taken for combustion in the engine. If your lawn mower is smoking black, then try to adjust the carburetor as directed in the user manual.

Clean or replace spark plugs

When servicing your lawn mower, you should also remember to check the state of your spark plugs. Clean or replace them to avoid high fuel consumption, stop black smoke from your lawn mower and increase your engine’s power.

Proper storage during winter

Lawnmowers are only deployed when the grass is actively growing. During cold seasons, little or no mowing takes place. Always winterize your lawn mower before storing it for winter. This will give you an easy start when the mowing season comes.

Final Thought

A black, blue, or white Cloud of smoke from a lawn mower should be inspected, even if it doesn’t mean something serious. You could end up replacing the entire engine by ignoring this. If you don’t have the skill to deduce the problem, an expert should be able to help.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking? 7 Possible Reasons

It is common to see smoke pour out of your lawn mower when you start it up, especially if you haven’t started it in a long time. The smoke can be alarming. How much smoke is too much smoke? Why is my lawn mower smoking? Is something broken? These are common questions that run through any owner’s mind when this happens.

There are many reasons why your lawn mower might be smoking. Most of the reasons are entirely harmless and have simple explanations or solutions. Here are seven possible reasons your lawn mower might be smoking.

The 7 Possible Reasons Why Your Lawn Mower Smoking

Oil Reservoir Was Overfilled

One of the most common causes of smoke coming from a lawn mower is simply an overfilled oil reservoir. When pouring new oil into a lawn mower, it is easy to accidentally overshoot the fill line and put too much in. If this happens, do not worry, many oil reservoirs have a line that siphons off excess oil in the case of an overage. The smoke is the result of the excess oil being burned off and is harmless. The smoke should only last a couple of minutes at most if it is the result of too much oil.

Gas or Oil Spilled On Engine

Another common cause of smoke coming from a lawn mower is simply spilling gas or oil onto the engine. This happens all the time when people go to refill their machines. When you are pouring the liquid into the often tiny holes, there is a chance that oil and gas will slosh out of the can and hit the engine. If you start the engine right after spilling, the lawn mower is going to burn off the gas and oil from the surface, which can sometimes cause smoke. This is also harmless as it is just some spilled liquid being burned off when the engine starts.

Lawn Mower Is Used On Steep Slopes

Your lawn mower might produce a lot of smoke if you mow on steep hills a lot. Some people have very sharp gradients in their yards that need to be mowed. When a lawn mower is used on a hill, the liquids run downward and can pool in areas and run out of their respective reservoirs. This will cause the lawn mower to burn off the excess liquids as smoke, similar to what happens if you overfill the tanks.

Bad Oil Seals

One of the more serious causes of lawn mower smoke is bad engine seals. When the seals in the engine erode and crack, it can cause oil to leak into the combustion chamber, which will create smoke. Corroded engine seals are a problem because they will cause oil to continuously drip into your engine, which is bad for its long term health.

It will also cause the oil to slowly burn away, leaving your engine without the important lubricant it needs to function properly. If your lawn mower is producing smoke for longer than a couple of minutes and produces smoke regularly, then you might need to have your seals checked.

Clogged Air Filter

Surprisingly, a clogged air filter can cause a lawn mower engine to smoke. When air cannot properly flow to the engine, it can throw off the fuel balance, which can cause smoke to form during use. Clogged air filters can also let debris fall into the engine, which will burn up and cause smoke. If you have small amounts of smoke coming from your engine intermittently and you did not spill any liquid on it, you should check your air filter for signs of dirt and grass.

Damaged Engine Components

Sometimes the engine components themselves can get damaged and cause smoke to form. Persistent smoke could be an indicator of a cracked crankshaft. If air gets into the crankshaft, it can cause the moving parts inside the engine to start smoking. There could be a crack or leak in the fuel lines. You might also have erosion around the pistons in the engine, which can cause oil to seep and burn. A damaged engine will often require the services of a professional small engine repair mechanic to fix.

Dirty or Ill-Adjusted Carburetor

A dirty carburetor can also be source of engine smoke coming from a lawn mower. If a carburetor is filled with grime, that build up can flake off and burn, which then causes smoke to appear. A poorly adjusted carburetor can also cause this problem. You can clean the carburetor with carburetor spray that you can find at your local auto shop or home improvement store. Consult your owner’s manual to find out how to adjust your carburetor so it is in pristine working condition.

There are three different colors of smoke that often come out of an engine, blue, white, and black. Each color is the result of a different issue that could be taking place within your lawn mower’s engine.

Blue

Blue smoke or bluish smoke is the result of oil or fuel being burned in the engine. It is not uncommon to see puffs of blue smoke come out of your lawn mower during operation. As long as you are not seeing a constant stream of bluish smoke emanating from your lawn mower, you should be in good shape. Blue smoke is the most common color of smoke that will regularly appear around your lawn mower.

White

White smoke is often an indicator that your lawn mower is burning oil. In many cases, this is not a severe problem. It is not uncommon for oil to spill or seep from one area of the engine into the other. If you do not see white smoke regularly, you have nothing to worry about. You only need to worry about white-colored smoke if it occurs all the time or comes out in a long persistent stream that lasts more than five minutes.

Black

Black smoke often denotes a fuel issue. Old or dirty fuel can cause black, oily smoke to appear. Black smoke also happens when you leave the choke on for too long. If the engine is not getting enough air, it will throw off the fuel mix, and it will start burning too much fuel, which will cause black smoke to build up. This can also happen if the air filter is dirty or clogged. Not enough air can lead to black smoke coming from your lawn mower.

When Should You Be Concerned About A Smoking Lawn Mower?

Belching, smoking, and sputtering are all common occurrences with small gas engines. In most cases, these behaviors are normal and completely harmless. You do not have to worry about smoke coming from your engine unless the smoke lasts for longer than five minutes or if your engine is producing an abnormal amount of smoke. Small puffs, initial clouds, and small short-lived streams of smoke are all common.

If your engine is producing a massive Cloud of smoke that fills your face or garage when you turn it on, something could be wrong. Similarly, if you start up the lawn mower and start using it for ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes at a time and the smoking does not stop during regular use, then there could be a problem.

If you run into an issue where your lawn mower won’t stop smoking, you might need to take it into a repair shop to get it checked out. Leaving an engine problem unresolved can severely decrease the lifespan of your lawn mower.

You should now have the tools to properly identify and diagnose what your lawn mower’s engine smoke means. In most cases, you should be happy to find out that the smoke is not a sign of a serious problem, but even if it is, you should be able to spot the warning signs before the problem becomes more severe. All small engines smoke a little bit. It is all about determining why and adjusting from there.

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking – 5 Reasons Why!

Mowing your grass can bring great pleasure to us lawn connoisseurs and is a great way to keep your yard looking neat and tidy. It can be frustrating when your mower might not want to keep up its end of the deal, though, and especially you start seeing smoke.

Why is my lawn mower smoking you ask? Here are five common reasons why.

• Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking?
• The wrong fuel type
• Fuel and oil getting onto your mower
• Built-up grass is burning
• Dirty air filters.
• Engine problems.
• Summing it all up.

Why is My Lawn Mower Smoking?

The wrong fuel type

There are three types of push mower motors available for everyday folk to purchase; Electric motors, two-stroke, and four-stroke.

Two-stroke and 4-stroke are the two combustion engine types. Here’s a quick explanation of the difference between the two. So why is my lawn mower smoking?

Because the engines work in different ways, they require slightly different fuels.

• 2-stroke engines need their oil mixed into the fuel to keep the motor lubricated.
• 4.stroke engines get their oil from a separate reservoir in the mower, and they run on regular unleaded fuel.

If you use a 2-stroke oil and fuel mix in your 4-stroke engine, there will be too much oil during combustion, and your mower can billow with smoke.

If you use regular unleaded fuel in your 2-stroke engine, there’s no oil present, which causes your engine to struggle, strain, and seize.

You can also get too much oil in your fuel if you use the wrong ratio when mixing your 2-stroke fuel.

As a side note, electric motors should never smoke unless something catastrophic has happened. You should immediately stop work and take your electric mower to a repair shop if you see any smoke when using one.

Fuel and oil getting onto your mower

Another possible reason why your lawn mower is smoking again comes back to fuel and oil.

When filling your mower with fuel or oil, make sure you don’t spill any. Not only will spilled fuel kill grass, or stain anything it’s spilled on, it also runs the risk of igniting when your engine gets hot.

If you’ve ever seen fuel or oil on fire, you’ll know that it’s a smoky affair.

If you do happen to spill anything when refueling, wipe it off as best you can with a rag. Always give your mower a visual check over before mowing to check for any leaking fuel or oil as well.

Built-up grass is burning

Depending on where you live, dry grass and leaves that get caught up in between the engine and the body of your mower can catch fire and begin to smoke.

While not a common scenario, it can be a reason why your lawn mower is smoking.

Dry organic matter that is pressed hard against a hot combustion engine can begin to smolder and smoke as you push your mower along. If it catches fire it can cause grease and oil on your mower to ignite. This can then even begin to melt any plastic parts of your mower.

To help stop this, always wash or blow down your mower after use. Having a nice lush green lawn, and avoiding mowing on hot dry days can also help stop this from happening.

Dirty air filters.

Your combustion engines run by igniting a fuel and air mixture via the spark plug to make the motor turn your mower blades. But why is my lawn mowing smoking?

Oxygen gets into the combustion chamber through air-intakes in your mower. The engine sucks in air for use in combustion as it turns over. Air intake inlets are covered by air filters, which stop dust and grit from getting inside the engine and causing damage.

If your air filter is dirty and is becoming blocked, your engine won’t get enough air, and the air-fuel mix with be too rich with fuel. This will mean that the fuel won’t burn properly. Too much fuel in your mix will cause the engine to begin to smoke, and eventually, it will stop running.

You can help solve this by removing and cleaning your air filter regularly. You can also have your mower serviced by a mechanic every year.

If you’d rather keep it to DIY, you can easily find replacement air filters for your mower.

Engine problems.

Obviously, smoking mowers can be from something more serious and harder to fix than just some poor fuel or a bad air filter.

Internal components of your mower that become worn or damaged over time can have smoking as a symptom.

Damaged piston rings, carburetors, exhausts, or head gaskets can all cause smoke to waft out of your mower.

Unless you’re a mechanic, a lot of these issues will need professional repair. To help avoid your mower getting to this point it’s important to do proper lawn mower maintenance. It also really pays to get your machines serviced by a professional regularly.

Summing it all up.

If your asking yourself the question “Why is my lawn mower smoking” consider these five things.

Make sure you’re using the correct fuel for your mower. Two-stroke engines need fuel with oil mixed in. Four-stroke mowers need regular unleaded but need their oil added to a separate reservoir.

Check that your two-stroke fuel blend is the correct ratio for your mower.

When filling up your fuel or your oil, make sure you clean up any spills so that they can’t ignite and smoke while you’re mowing.

Clean your mower after each cut to make sure no caught grass can dry out and build up in the nooks and crannies of your mower body. If these get stuck against a hot part of the engine, they can begin to smolder or even catch fire.

Have your air filter checked, cleaned, and replaced regularly to ensure that the engine can get the correct airflow for proper ignition. Blocked air filters will cause your engine to sputter, smoke and stall.

Get your mower regularly serviced to keep on top of any issues before they become serious.

Internal problems like worn rings and seals, damaged carburetors, and exhausts can cause smoking.

So over to you? Do you have any other reason why your mower might be smoking? Let us know below!

Posted on Published: March 5, 2022. Last updated: April 5, 2023