A smoking lawn mower requires immediate action. The cause of the problem can be both harmless and serious. Find out about common causes here. This is what to do if a lawn mower smokes and fumes.
Why is my lawn mower smoking and what can I do about it?
If a lawn mower smokes, spilled oil or gasoline, a clogged air filter, or tipping in the wrong direction may be the cause. To stop the smoke, clean the affected areas and ensure the mower is tilted correctly.
Cause 1: spilled oil and gasoline
Does white-blue smoke rise as soon as you start the lawnmower? Then you are dealing with harmless evaporation of oil or gasoline. If small amounts of the substances are spilled when filling, bright smoke is produced as the liquids burn under the influence of the hot engine. How to act correctly:
- Turn off the smoking lawnmower immediately
- Let the engine cool down in a shady place
- Wipe the case with a dry cloth
Cause 2: clogged air filter
If your lawn mower emits black smoke, this is a clear indication of a dirty air filter. As an additional symptom of this cause, the engine starts becoming increasingly difficult to start. You can clean a clogged filter yourself on most types of devices. How to do it correctly:
- Remove the air filter according to the operating instructions
- Clean or replace paper filters
- Clean plastic filters with hot water and grease-dissolving dishwashing detergent
Use this opportunity to also clean the spark plug, including the contacts, with a dry cloth. Contacts that are sooty black or light gray indicate that the carburettor is not adjusted correctly. However, if the contacts are light brown in color, the settings on the carburettor are correct. The manual tells you how to properly adjust a carburettor on your lawnmower.
Tilting in the wrong direction causes the mower to smoke
A mower may not be tilted in any direction. In principle, turn the device so that the spark plug points towards the sky. Otherwise, oil will leak and cause the mower to smoke the next time you cut the lawn. With most types of lawn mowers, you can be on the safe side by tilting the device backwards.
Tip
You can effectively prevent a smoking lawn mower if you are particularly careful when refilling oil and gasoline. Use a funnel to prevent liquid from spilling onto the case. If the mishap nevertheless occurs, wipe the mower thoroughly with a rag.