How to Fix White Smoke from a Lawn Mower
White smoke almost never means your engine is dead. In nearly every case it means oil ended up somewhere it does not belong and is now burning off.
- Overfilled engine oil pushing past the crankcase.
- Mowing on a steep incline, which tips oil out of the sump.
- Tilting the mower air-filter-side down, spilling oil straight into the muffler.
Step-by-Step: Clearing the Smoke
- 1Turn the mower off and disconnect the spark plug wire before touching anything.
- 2Check the oil dipstick and drain the excess if the level sits past the full line.
- 3Inspect the air filter for oil saturation and replace it if it is soaked.
- 4Start the engine in an open outdoor area and let it idle 5–10 minutes to safely burn off residual oil in the muffler.
Always tilt a mower with the air filter and carburetor facing UP. Tilting the other way is the number one cause of a smoking engine.
How to Unstick and Rewind Trimmer String Line
A trimmer that will not feed line is usually not broken — the line has welded itself together inside the spool.
- Overheating causes the plastic line to fuse into a solid mass.
- Line wound in the wrong direction jams against the feed eyelets.
Step-by-Step: Respooling Trimmer Line
- 1Pop off the bump-head cover and remove the spool.
- 2Unwind the fused line and discard any brittle or melted segments.
- 3Measure 10–12 feet of fresh line, anchor it in the spool notch, and wind it tightly in the direction of the arrow stamped on the spool.
Busted Misconceptions
Myth: White smoke means the engine is blown.
Fact: Blue-white smoke is burning oil, not a failed engine. Once the excess oil clears the muffler the smoke stops on its own.
Myth: More oil means better lubrication.
Fact: Overfilling is a leading cause of smoking, hard starts and blown gaskets. Fill to the dipstick line and no further.
