FAQ: My Garden Tractor Has White Smoke When Starting?

What does it mean when your lawnmower is blowing white smoke?

An excess of blue or white smoke could mean that oil has a pathway into the combustion chamber through worn seals. It could also be a blown head gasket, which will soak the air filter with oil. Unless you happen to be a small engine mechanic, these problems need a professional lawn mower repair.

What causes engine to smoke on startup?

The most common cause of blue exhaust smoke is oil leaking past engine seals and into the cylinders where it then mixes and burns with the fuel. Blue exhaust smoke only at start-up can indicate worn piston seals or damaged or worn valve guides which may also cause a rattling noise.

How do I know if my lawnmower has a blown head gasket?

If the mower is dropping out or not starting and you do notice the oil leak, you have a bad gasket. If the mower shuts off when you turn corners, but there is no oil leak, you may still have a bad gasket since the pressure to keep the combustion going is not strong enough.

Why is my John Deere tractor blowing white smoke?

White or blue smoke may be emitted during the initial break-in period of a new John Deere lawn tractor. Breaking in the engine seats piston rings and burns off residual oil that may have coated parts during assembly. The company also warns that the mower may consume oil during the break-in period.

How do I fix white smoke from my lawn mower?

White or blue smoke may indicate an oil spill on the engine. The smoke may look disconcerting, but it’s completely harmless. Solve the problem by restarting the mower and allowing the spilled oil to burn off.

How much does it cost to fix a blown head gasket on a lawnmower?

In this manner, how much does it cost to replace a head gasket on a lawn mower? The average pricing for a head gasket replacement is from $1200 to $3000 +.

Is a little white smoke from exhaust bad?

White Smoke From Tailpipe Coolant being burned up in the engine typically points to a leaking head gasket. Eventually, this could cause the cooling system to run out of coolant, allowing the engine to overheat and sustaining even more damage!

Can low oil cause white smoke from exhaust?

White smoke most likely would indicate that water or coolant is getting into the combustion chamber or exhaust port. Another cause of the smoke could be that the oil originally in the engine was a mineral oil but was replaced with a synthetic oil, which has a greater cleaning effect on varnish and soot deposits.

Can a bad O2 sensor cause white smoke from exhaust?

When operating properly, the O2 sensor cannot cause your engine to smoke. If your car runs excessively lean for an extended period of time, you could cause serious engine damage, resulting in black, white or blue smoke from the exhaust, but usually you will be alerted to other symptoms first, such as rough running.

Will a lawn mower start with a blown head gasket?

Really depends on how blown head gasket is. If it’s totally blown, you may not have compression so the machine won’t start at all. If there is a simple head break, the engine may actually run but you may see some serious smoke coming out of the muffler.

Is it worth repairing my head gasket?

Is it Worth Repairing a Blown Head Gasket? In a word, yes. You cannot ignore a blown head gasket and expect to keep your car running in good condition. If a blown head gasket is not repaired in a timely fashion you risk a cascade effect of damage.

What causes a blown head gasket on a small engine?

Blown head gasket causes The extra heat results in the cylinder head and engine block expanding too much which results in a failure in the head gasket. Detonation is another cause of head gasket failure because it damages the armors or fire rings, allowing cylinder pressure to leak past the armors.

What does it mean when a diesel engine is blowing white smoke?

White smoke occurs when diesel fuel isn’t reaching the temperatures required to burn, causing it to come through the exhaust intact. Clogged Fuel Filter. 2. Incorrect Injection Timing (due to a bad injector pump, worn timing gear, or a compromised crankshaft keyway)

What causes white smoke to come out of the exhaust?

White smoke from the exhaust: This could be steam caused by condensation in the exhaust pipe or a more serious issue caused by an engine coolant leak. Blue smoke from the exhaust: Oil is entering the system. It could be excess oil being burned or may point to worn valve seals, piston rings or turbochargers.

What causes oil to come out of exhaust on a lawn mower?

Oil. Oil can seep into the exhaust system if the piston rings are worn or if you turn the engine on its side. If you’ve had the engine turned over, the oil may burn off after running the engine a while. If it continues to leak from the muffler, you may need a ring job.