Help! I'm afraid of my lawnmower

[Supertom]

Hi everybody,

n00b homeowner here. I'm mowing my lawn today when the lawnmower suddenly stops. I figure I didn't put enough gas in it so I top it off, and just to make sure I look at my oil tank and figure it could use more oil, so I pour in some 10-30W (as stated in the manual). While I'm pouring in I suddenly hear a bubbling/gurgling sound as the oil comes up to the rim, then suddenly goes down (wait for it). I try to pull the starting cord and it doesn't pull. I sit around for another 15 minutes, wonder why, try it again and it starts, and suddenly there's thick white smoke everywhere! I panic and switch it off. Later on I look at the mower and see there seems to be oil dripping off the side.

Did I break it? It's a Troy-Bilt 675.

[Gundamhead]

If the oil is a seperate filling point, and you topped it off, you over filled it. Drain most of the oil out and only fill it to the 'full' level on the dipstick.

If you topped the oil off in the gas tank, drain the gas. Some mowers run on a gas/oil mix, that need to mixed before it goes into the gas tank.

[dogsbody]

If you're mowing your lawn today, I have just one thing to say: I HATE YOU!

There's still about 6 inches of snow on my lawn. It had all melted away, but this past Friday, we had a Spring Blizzard that left 3 to 4 foot drifts. I had to get my snowblower out of the shed. It's been warm since Sunday and it's melted a lot, but not all of it.

As for your lawnmower, it sounds like it may be vapor-locked. Wait for a while, then try starting it again.

If this is the first time running it this year, check the air filter. It may just be dirty and not letting enough air into the cylinder.

Is the gas fresh or old stuff left over from last year? When storing gas for long periods, some fuel stabilizer should be added.

Well, that's about all I know about small engines.

Oh, I don't really hate you.

Well, maybe just a little.

Chris

Edited April 14, 2010 by dogsbody

[Two Mikes]

If the starter cord doesnt pull look underneath the mower and make sure your blade isnt clogged with too much grass. If there is a bunch of grass there, clear it out and reprime the motor and start it.

Cheers

Mike

[Supertom]

Thanks everyone, I've tried everything you guys suggested. The mower starts now, but spews thick white smoke, probably a result of oil somewhere dripping. Not sure why it'd leak though, this is only the 2nd time I've used it. I'm going to start wiping off the excess oil and putting a pan or something somewhere.

PS Mike - my buddy hasn't contacted me yet about the kit, I'll keep you updated.

[Alvis 3.1]

Paint it Red with a white shape on the bottom and call it "Snowbirds: Ground Demo Unit 01"

HTH, ok, no it won't.

Alvis 3.1

[Waco]

The smoke is likely excess oil burning off, either from having the reservoir overfilled or from having spilled some onto the engine casing somewhere. Trust me, I've done the same thing myself. It should correct itself eventually, and as long as you haven't coated the exterior of the mower in oil, you're not likely to start a fire or anything. Just give it some time, and the smoking should stop.

If it increases in volume, I'd be concerned.

Alternatively, there's another cheap solution besides the goat:

[crazydon]

Boy...you better hope Bug don't see this :)

Check your air filter too, in case its clogged up

[Ken Middleton]

Thanks everyone, I've tried everything you guys suggested. The mower starts now, but spews thick white smoke, probably a result of oil somewhere dripping. Not sure why it'd leak though, this is only the 2nd time I've used it. I'm going to start wiping off the excess oil and putting a pan or something somewhere.

PS Mike - my buddy hasn't contacted me yet about the kit, I'll keep you updated.

if it keeps blowing white smoke out the exhaust, you may have blown a seal, and oil is getting in and burning.

[yardbird78]

If you are unable to pull the starter cord, it might well be from liquid lock in the upper cylinder. This could be caused by excess fuel, ie flooding or from oil. Remove the spark plug and see if the engine will turn over. The problem should clear itself with 2 or 3 pulls on the starter cord. If the motor is still locked up, you have a serious problem that needs to be dealt with by a professional small engine repair person.

Blue smoke out the exhaust is usually oil getting past the rings and would require new rings. Since your mower is nearly new, this is very unlikely. White smoke out the exhaust could well be oil in the fuel. If you have a 4 cycle engine it uses straight gasoline in the tank and 10W-30 oil in the crankcase just up to the "full" mark on the dipstick. Overfilling the oil in the crankcase will force some of it into the cylinder and cause white smoke. If you have a 2 cycle engine, you need to mix oil with the fuel usually in a ratio of 40 parts gas to 1 part oil. It is best to use special oil designated as "2 cycle oil". Mix the oil and fuel in a container and then put in the mower tank. This 2 cycle oil usually comes in small bottles of 2 to 4 ounces and has a mixture chart on the bottle for various ratios. Too much oil with the fuel will cause white smoke. Dump as much of the oil/gas out of the tank as possible and refill with the correct mixture. It will still smoke for awhile, but should clear itself up by the time you burn up one tank of gas. Your owners manual should tell you whether you have a 2 or 4 cycle engine and the recommended mixture ratio for a 2 cycle.

Darwin

[Steve Filak]

Tom,

The hydraulic lock you're describing may also be a direct result of overfilling the crankcase with oil. The smoke is probably a result of oil getting sucked up through the breather into the carburetor. My suggestion would be to DISCONNECT THE SPARK PLUG, drain the oil, refill it to the proper level, and let it sit for a day. Depending on the mower, you might have a drain plug, or you might have to tip it on its side and let gravity do the work. Once the oil is at the proper level, the hydraulic lock should resolve itself, and you should be able to start it normally. You'll probably still have the smoke for a while, but changing out the air filter might help in that regard.

Once again, before you do anything, DISCONNECT THE SPARK PLUG. Fingers are generally considered to be non-replaceable.

[frankv74]

Here is the way you solve the Lawn mower problem...Throw it out. Then get the gasoline and poor it alover the grass. the take match poof problem solved.

Frank :)

[Fishwelding]

Buy a goat :)

Buy a Gamma Goat. Won't mow your lawn, but you should have one anyway. We all should.

[Supertom]

Alright everyone, thanks. I'm going to look into disconnecting the spark plug tomorrow morning and cleaning the fluids out. I'll let you guys know what happens. I do have to figure out what the deal is with the white smoke though. Like Darwin says, it's not likely the seals but the leaking is quite disconcerting.

[The_Animal]

If the starter cord doesnt pull look underneath the mower and make sure your blade isnt clogged with too much grass. If there is a bunch of grass there, clear it out and reprime the motor and start it.

Cheers

Mike

Oh...and Tom, before you, uh..."clear" out the bunch of grass...unplug the sparkplug cap...and clean the grass out with a STICK! That's the last place you want to stick your arm into.

Alternatively, there's another cheap solution besides the goat:

Only works when you've got a flat lawn. If you've got bumpy patches...you're just going to have a pain in the @$$ trying to shove that manual lawnmower around. Ask me how I know...

...I did professional gardening with my dad when I was in my youth.

Buy a Gamma Goat. Won't mow your lawn, but you should have one anyway. We all should.

Yeah... ~sarcasm~ I had a goat...

I also had a lawn.....

ONCE... After the goat...

Droppings....

Edited April 15, 2010 by The_Animal

[tornado64]

so far it hasn't been asked if it is 4 stroke or a two stroke engine with a seperate tank for mixing the lubricant with the fuel

if a two stroke with seperate lubricating oil tank the lubricating oil is a considerably lighter grade than engine oil

if a four stroke motor and you over fill the gearbox and bearing lubrication sump oil can get drawn up past the areas it is meant to be in

sometimes this can cause damage but in a simple engine like yours it will be pretty unlikely

however it will take a pretty prolonged period to burn the excess off and it is nothing unusual !!

keep an eye on your level as you are working but my gues is once you put it to the correct level and use it till it burns off the excess all should be tikety boo !!

when you store it again also make sure you store it level and not on its side etc !!

[tornado64]

by the looks it is a briggs and stratton 4 stroke so put oil to correct level and run till it clears !!

[Supertom]

Hi Tornado,

Thanks. The mower's got a Briggs & Stratton engine (Troy-Bilt 460, not 675). I'll refill and try again. With some research I think the dripping oil was the result of access oil going out some other intake port of some kind. I'll clean it up and try again.

[Steve N]

I don't know Tommy...after what you managed to do to yourself opening a paint jar I'm not sure you should be messing around with an instrument of potential dismemberment like a lawn mower.

SN

Edited April 16, 2010 by Steve N

[Liberator24]

My "OLD SCHOOL" dad is in town and he was trained on small enigines in FFA...Future Farmes of America.....

You got an issue with the piston. Sounds like when it froze up on you, is when the problem happened and now like the other guys have told you, it is now just a big oil burner. Good luck!

I'd take it to a small engine repair and check the cost.

-Jim

Edited April 16, 2010 by Liberator24

[indydog]

Tommy with a lawnmower.... (shudder).

[Alvis 3.1]

I've only ever had electric lawnmowers, and I'll tell you, when one of those starts to emit copious amounts of smoke, it's pretty well finished.

Yes, twice now. I kinda hard on electric mowers and weedwhackers. Last weedwhacker that died actually emitted flames!

Alvis 3.1, not a friend of electricity!

Edited April 16, 2010 by Alvis 3.1

[crazydon]

Tommy with a lawnmower.... (shudder).

Scary thought....he should be glad I'm to lazy to learn my photoshop program

[Steve N]

I can't help but hear Richard Dreyfuss' voice saying "This was no boating accident!"

SN

[tornado64]

My "OLD SCHOOL" dad is in town and he was trained on small enigines in FFA...Future Farmes of America.....

You got an issue with the piston. Sounds like when it froze up on you, is when the problem happened and now like the other guys have told you, it is now just a big oil burner. Good luck!

I'd take it to a small engine repair and check the cost.

-Jim

shouldn't imagine there is a repair isue if you overfill small four stroke engine sumps bit can cause piston freeze

the lubrication for those engines is a splash lube sump not submerged lube sump !!