Anyone know anything about lawnmowers?

AsSiMiLaTeD

I have a Craftsman mower with a 6.5 HP Briggs engine. I start it up this morning and get smoke our of the same side that the oil fill is on.

I checked the oil and the level looks good. So I started it back up and the first 10 seconds, no smoke, then the smoke appears again.

Now I can start it up and get a few seconds without smoke every time, but it starts it again after a few seconds.

Any ideas?

Demiurge

White smoke or black?

venomclan

I have the same Craftsman mower with a 6.75 HP Briggs engine. Mine always smokes white at start up but then stops after a few seconds. How long has it been since it was started last? How old is the spark plug? Near me there are a few hardware stores that do lawn mower tune ups for around $35. If you have that service near you it may be worth it if the mower is a few years old.
Venom

faster100

laWnmower motors are pretty tough, sounds like the rings and its burning oil or loading up with gas... however both those would generally start at start up and then go away, like after it burns the excess oil off or gas.. Id run it if it sounds ok, no knocks

Demiurge

White Smoke = Water
Black Smoke = Oil
Grey Smoke = Unburned Gas

Is this the first time you've started it up this year? Doubtful, but if so, it could be bad gas, which messes up your carburator. Other than that it's likely some sort of a leak.

If I were you I would just take it to a small engine service place and tell them the issue and be done with it.

pfenton

Sounds like you're burning oil. Next time buy a Lawnboy self-propelled. They are expensive, but if you enjoy cutting grass, you'll love the mower.

Holydoc

pfenton wrote:

Sounds like you're burning oil. Next time buy a Lawnboy self-propelled. They are expensive, but if you enjoy cutting grass, you'll love the mower.

So are you saying that the Honda lawnmower engine is better than the Briggs and Straton, or are you saying that the Tecumseh engine is better than the Briggs and Straton?

I just thought that the Briggs was one of the best engines there was for mowers. I could be wrong but since they have 80% of the market, I am not sure your recommendation is warranted.

Toxis

Honda > all. I just bought mine from HD. LOVE IT!!! 6.5hp mower, the only mower with dual blades for better suction and mulching, rust proof deck, adjustable outlet mulching and bagging (to chose how much you want to mulch vs bag, it's awesome!).. and the list goes on. I love it. Sure it cost $600 but I won't buy another mower for 15 years.

PhantomOG

bought a lawn-boy from HD back in Feb on recommendations here. its been awesome.

AsSiMiLaTeD

The smoke is a whiteish color, definitely not black.

I've been mowing all season and just used it a couple weeks ago - guess I'll see if there's someone around me to take it in and look at it.

I actually traded up from a mower with a Honda engine for this one last year when the Honda died...

ninerbj

Anyone in the buisness of selling, fixing, or pushing the damn thing for a living knows that there is only one true mower to own...

ninerbj

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/law.asp

ND13

Holydoc wrote:

So are you saying that the Honda lawnmower engine is better than the Briggs and Straton, or are you saying that the Tecumseh engine is better than the Briggs and Straton?

I just thought that the Briggs was one of the best engines there was for mowers. I could be wrong but since they have 80% of the market, I am not sure your recommendation is warranted.

I've never had a single issue with the Tecumseh engine on my Toro which is on it's fourth HARD season. Mulching is harder on the motor and that's all I do.

PolkThug

Polkmaniac wrote:

The smoke is a whiteish color, definitely not black.

If its blueish at all, its oil.

Demiurge

Polkmaniac wrote:

The smoke is a whiteish color, definitely not black.

I've been mowing all season and just used it a couple weeks ago - guess I'll see if there's someone around me to take it in and look at it.

I actually traded up from a mower with a Honda engine for this one last year when the Honda died...

Good call on taking it in. Might just be dirtied up a bit -- doesn't sound too serious what you're describing.

jcaut

Sounds like this topic has been pretty thoroughly discussed already, but I just have one other thought to add: You say that the smoke comes from the same side that the oil fill is on, and that it doesn't smoke for the first ten seconds or so. Is the smoke actually coming OUT of the exhaust pipe? Is it possible that there's just been some oil spilled on that side of the engine (perhaps onto the exhaust pipe or muffler, perhaps even an oil leak) that's beginning to smoke as it burns off? That's my diagnosis. Smoke coming OUT of the exhaust will usually be worst immediately upon start-up and will generally become less as the engine warms up.

Unless this is a fairly new and/or high dollar mower that you're really trying to take care of, as long as it's running okay and not knocking, I'd just use it. Taking it to a small engine shop will cost you money, even if they just look at it and tell you there's nothing wrong. Most of them will find SOMETHING wrong, however. If it's oil burning off, it should quit after a while.

If it is coming from the exhaust, (I consider a little start-up smoke to be normal) and doesn't quit after a minute or two, then you might have some other problem. Still, as long as it starts and runs, and doesn't make any untoward noises, I wouldn't worry too much about it. That's just me though. If it was my car- well then that would be a different story.