A puzzling phenomenon is causing home gardeners headaches. The lawn mower starts immediately, the engine purrs and yet a cloud of blue smoke rises. This guide highlights common causes of blue smoke and provides tips for effective countermeasures.

If the lawn mower smokes blue, action must be taken

First measure: turn off the lawn mower

If your lawnmower smokes, please switch off the device immediately. This measure applies regardless of whether the device is running smoothly or stuttering. It can be either a harmless or a serious cause. To ensure that your valuable lawnmower does not suffer permanent damage, the problem should be identified and rectified before mowing the next time.

Cause: Oil level too high

If a lawn mower emits blue and white clouds, burning oil comes to the fore as the first cause. If there is too much oil in the crankcase, it will spill over and burn on the hot engine block. How to get your lawnmower fit again:

  • Let the engine cool down
  • Thoroughly clean the cutter deck and engine block with a rag
  • Check the oil level according to the manufacturer's instructions

You can regulate an oil level that is too high with the help of a suction pump or drain off some engine oil.

Cause: Wrong tilt direction

If a lawnmower is tilted the wrong way, oil will spill out. Air filter, spark plug and cylinder head are flooded with engine oil. As a result, blue smoke rises when the lawn mower is started. To fix the problem, you cannot avoid thorough cleaning of the oily components.

To prevent the mishap from happening again, always tilt your lawnmower so that the spark plug is pointing upwards.

Cause: Spilled gasoline or oil

If you spill a little while filling with petrol or oil, the liquid will burn as blue smoke as the engine heats up. Park the lawn mower and let it cool down. Then clean the cutting deck with a rag. With a funnel (€4.85) you can refill petrol and oil without loss.

tips

If a lawnmower smokes, the color alone gives more information about the cause. Black smoke is usually due to a soot-clogged air filter. Fortunately, this component is easy to clean, even for the inexperienced hand. Simply tap out the paper filter. Foam filters can be cleaned with hot water and dish soap.

Category:

Garden design