Why is my mower smoking white

If your mower is still under warranty, check with the manufacturer for the location of the nearest servicing dealer; problems stemming from a factory defect or poor workmanship may garner free repairs. If your mower is not covered under warranty, a reputable small-engine repair shop should also be sufficient to get the job done.

Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila. All rights reserved. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. If you own a 4 stroke lawnmower then mixing oil in the fuel of your mower is a big no. A lot of modern-day lawnmowers come with 4 stroke engines because they are more reliable and last a lot longer compared to 2 stroke engines. If the fuel you put inside your lawnmower had oil in it then as the lawnmower starts running it will burn the oil that has been mixed in the fuel and produce a lot of smoke.

And if you keep running the engine with engine oil in the fuel tank it can lead to damage and premature wearing of the engine. Depending upon how much oil got into the fuel tank you might be able to get rid of oil in the fuel tank by simply running the mower till it burns off the contaminated gas and then fill fresh clean gas in it. But if you are not certain about how much oil got mixed with the fuel and you want to be on the safer side then you will have to remove the fuel from the fuel tank and carburetor before filling it with new fuel.

You can remove oil mixed fuel from your lawnmower by following these simple steps:. Remove the fuel line from where it exits the fuel tank by undoing the clip that holds the fuel line in place and pulling the fuel line off. Or you can follow the fuel line where to the shut-off valve and remove the fuel line where it connects with the shut-off valve.

A shut off valve is a small knob that allows you to stop the flow of fuel to the engine and it is pretty simple to locate. After the fuel line is removed the fuel will start pouring out of the fuel tank and you can collect it in a pan to avoid spilling it since spilled gasoline can be a fire hazard so you would want to prevent any spillage on or around the lawnmower. As the fuel tank is being emptied go ahead and locate the carburetor of your lawnmower to drain fuel from it as well.

Lawnmower carburetors have a carburetor bowl located underneath the carburetor which contains a small screw or nut that can be used to empty the carburetor. Simply undo the screw or nut that is either on the bottom or side of the carburetor bowl and let the fuel drain into a pan. Avoid tilting the mower to drain the fuel out of the mower because this can result in engine oil spilling into the cylinder or the carburetor. Simply pour the soap inside the fuel tank and shake it well so the oil that is stuck inside the fuel tank is removed.

Use a can of carburetor cleaner to clean the carburetor by spraying the carburetor cleaner on it. If you try to run the engine without adding proper oil and fixing the problem, you could damage the engine because the oil will be too thin because of the gas. If you run the engine a few times, you will be able to spend that oil, and the smoke will go away.

Then, you can replace the plug and try again. You could also put oil in the gas tank by accident, which is a common mistake. To fix it, just drain the oil and put in the gas. Run the engine for a while afterward, so the remaining oil clears out, and the smoke goes away.

Again, you could clean the entire carburetor. A head gasket is a part lodged in between the cylinder head in an engine and the cylinder block, and it serves the purpose of sealing the area where the combustion happens.

Some common symptoms — other than white smoke — of this problem are oil leaks, more pressure in the crankcase, a strange noise, etc. You can continue to use your mower, yet the engine will eventually lose compression and power. Your lawn mower's oil capacity is entirely dependent on the specific model and it is important that you refer to the manufacturers instructions. Black smoke is generally caused from the burning of more fuel than air and often, the cause of this smoke is simple and does not need to be addressed.

Engines are sensitive to certain angles and when an engine that contains any fluid is tilted, some of the oil can leak out. If this is the case, the oil will burn off and create smoke - this doesn't last long, however the best way to address this is to keep your engine running and allow your engine to burn off any excess.