The likelihood is that there is a problem with the lawn mower’s engine if it starts to produce white smoke. But why is my lawn mower blowing out white smoke? While some reasons of a smoking lawnmower are minor, other times it may be an indication of a more significant problem. Today you are going to read the complete Why is my Lawn Mower Blowing out White Smoke?
The most typical color of the smoke that your mower will produce is white. Depending on the sort of mower you have, how recently you may have used it, or any repairs you may have made, there may be a variety of reasons why it is producing white smoke.
White smoke is typically caused by a mower that has overturned. In order to clean the deck or unclog the chute, the client often flips the mower over. When the mower is restarted, the oil burns and transforms your yard into a disco from the 1970s as a result of this opening up the cylinder to oil.
The muffler tends to leak oil occasionally as well. We have investigated the most frequent causes of this. This article will go over the causes of white smoke coming from your lawnmower as well as some prevention measures.
Possible Causes of White Smoke from a Lawn Mower
If you have a lawn mower that is producing white smoke, you could almost certainly assume that the cause is oil smoking in the engine. These are the possible causes of your engine’s oil burning.
1. Titled Engine
The most frequent cause of oil getting into unintended locations in your lawn mower is undoubtedly a tilted engine. That once oil has gone, a large mess is made, and at least some of it will fire off and produce that white smoke. A lot of unpleasant things might happen if your lawn mower is inclined more than 15 degrees in the incorrect direction. If you suspect this may be the situation for you, check your air filter. Burning oil and white smoke are simple to detect. The air cleaner nearly often becomes dirty when oil spills out as a result of improper mower tipping.
The mower should be set straight, the oil in the crankcase should be checked, and the engine should run till the smoke goes away. However, the plume of pollution may not be pleasant for your neighbors, it is a straightforward remedy.
2. A Case of Too Much Oil
Typically, your lawnmower will require just over a pound (close to 0.5 l) of oil. Given how little this is, it would not be surprising if you sometimes overfilled the crankcase. It is typical. Simply check the level and quantity carefully before beginning to mow to avoid it.
Most engines use a splash lubrication system, and it won’t function properly if the oil level is increased than the paddles. In this instance, the engine is going to burn all of the oil, which is why it is emitting white smoke. You may rapidly fix it by emptying the oil and then running the engine until the smoke stops.
You shouldn’t start the engine if the oil smells like gasoline. This indicates that the seal on your carburetor is cracked. In this situation, you should repair the carburetor before changing the vehicle’s oil and starting it up again. You risk damaging the engine if you attempt to start the engine without adding appropriate oil and resolving the issue.
3. Head Gasket Defect
A head gasket is a component that sits between being an engine’s cylinder head and cylinder block and has the function of closing the combustion region. Apart from white smoke, this issue frequently manifests as oil leaks, increased crankcase pressure, odd noises, etc.
Although it is considerably less common, a failed head gasket will cause a lot of smoke. It’s a bit more work than earlier options. Graphite and aluminum make up a head gasket.
It is affixed to an engine’s engine block and cylinder head. Sealing the combustor is one of its duties. Head gasket failure is indicated by excessive crankcase pressures, oil leaks, and maybe a small puffing sound as compression exits the cylinder. Head gasket replacement is the solution.
White smoke may be caused by a failing head gasket. The location of the gasket failure will also determine if this mainly affects OHV (overhead valve) engine types.
OHV is often prominently stamped on front engine cover of OHV engines. It will either spew gases into the crankcase or draw oil into the cylinders when it breaks, based on where it fails.
Repairing a Lawnmower That Blows White Smoke
Since previously said, if you let the lawn mower running for a few minutes, the white smoke problem will go away on its own as this duration will burn up the extra oil. After about 15 minutes of operating your lawnmower, if the white smoke is still there, you could be dealing with a deeper problem.
The combustion chamber’s seals may well have worn down initially, allowing oil to flow into it. This would be the first problem. Another possibility is that the crank case has an air leak, or that the cylinder and rings are worn out.
White lawn mower smoke might be caused seriously by a head gasket issue, which will most likely require expert assistance. Check to see if your lawn mower is still covered by warranty before breaking out the sweat, and if it is, have your local maintenance dealer examine it.
Is the white smoke coming from my lawnmower harmful?
Simply said, absolutely. White smoke from lawn mowers poses risks to both your and the safety of the lawn mower. You don’t need a medical professional to advise you not to breathe in smoke from burning oil. Additionally, if your lawn mower does experience issues that result in oil burning, it is a clear indication that the issue may worsen.
Conclusion
White smoke might be alarming, but it’s typically simple to remedy. The smoke that is blue or black is even more hazardous to your lawnmower. White smoke doesn’t necessarily indicate that a lawnmower is broken, but it may need some attention. When there is white smoke, all that has to be done is to address a little problem and let the engine run until the smoke disappears.
