When the lawnmower sputters and smokes out of the blue, the operator is very frightened. The problem often occurs just after cleaning or maintenance. Here you can find out why this is the case, how to act correctly now and how to prevent it in the future.
If oil gets into the carburetor, it affects the lawnmower
How does the oil get into the lawnmower exhaust?
To protect your health and the environment, the crankcase ventilation on petrol lawnmowers always leads to the carburettor or the intake manifold. If the mower is tilted sharply when cutting the lawn on slopes or for maintenance, engine oil can run from the crankcase via the carburetor path into the intake manifold.
Typical symptoms of the problem are leaking oil from the exhaust and a whitish-blue engine smoking. If a large amount of engine oil has entered the carburetor, the engine will be difficult to start. Instead of air, there is oil in the cylinder, so the starting process requires a lot of effort.
Cleaning action solves the problem - Here's how
If your lawnmower is spitting oil, smoking a lot and is very difficult to start, you can fix the problem with a major cleaning. How to do it right:
- Close fuel tap
- Pull the spark plug connector, unscrew the spark plug and clean thoroughly along with all contacts
- Remove and clean the air filter or replace it with a new filter
- Check the oil level and, if necessary, top up with fresh lawnmower oil using a funnel
- Wipe the cutting deck with a damp cloth and degreasing cleaner
After this cleaning, carry out a test run. If there are no more complaints, you can save yourself the trouble of removing and cleaning the carburetor. If the engine continues to smoke and sputter, you cannot avoid cleaning the carburetor. Numerous manufacturers offer complete repair kits for this purpose, which contain all the necessary spare parts.
tips
A lawn mower should always be tilted in the right direction so that no engine oil runs through the carburetor into the exhaust. If it is unavoidable to lift a petrol mower from the side, the spark plug, air filter and carburetor always point skyward.