Husqvarna lawn mower muffler. Oil Coming Out of Lawn Mower Exhaust? Reasons and Fixes

Oil Coming Out of Lawn Mower Exhaust? Reasons and Fixes

Oil coming out of lawn mower exhaust vents is definitely a sign that something is wrong with your mower. It could be extreme tilting, an overfilled mower, or carburetor imbalance, among others.

Oil coming out of a lawn mower. especially from the mower exhaust. can lead to damage and accidents that you should avoid, so read this guide for answers!

• Why Is Oil Coming Out of the Lawn Mower’s Exhaust?

• Extreme Tilting of Your Lawn Mower
• Overfilled Lawn Mower Oil
• The Air-filter is Clogged
• Carburetor Imbalance
• Worn Valves
• Damaged Piston Ring
• Engine Damage

• Keep the Lawn Mower Upright
• Avoid Overfilling Your Lawn Mower
• Replace Clogged Air-filters
• Correct Your Carburetor
• Repair and Replace Valves
• Check and Remove a Damaged Piston Ring
• Check Damaged Engine Parts for Repair or Replacement

• What Are the Dangers of Oil in Your Lawn Mower’s Exhaust?
• How Far Can You Tilt the Mower Before Oil Starts Leaking From Exhaust?

Why Is Oil Coming Out of the Lawn Mower’s Exhaust?

There is oil coming out of the lawn mower’s exhaust becauseof extreme tilting, excess oil. a clogged air filter. carburetor imbalance, worn valves, or engine damage. While the solutions don’t require an expert’s touch, finding the reason can be pretty challenging.

Extreme Tilting of Your Lawn Mower

Gravity is a serious thing when it comes to lawn mowers. When you tilt your mower the wrong way, you can inadvertently cause oil leaking.

The leak comes from the oil in your lawn mower engine where the crankcase is located. The oil then spills into the cylinders, where it gets pushed through your lawn mower’s exhaust valve. If you notice oil coming out of the air filter. then extreme tilting is the reason.

Overfilled Lawn Mower Oil

When you pour too much oil into your lawn mower, this can lead to oil coming out. It can be further compounded when your lawn mower is tilted.

However, an overfilled crankcase can easily cause an oil leak even at the slightest movement. When this happens, it means that the suggested oil level has been exceeded.

The oil then travels through the engine of the lawn mower and out of its exhaust.

The Air-filter is Clogged

In extreme cases, clogged air-filters can cause oil, or even gas, to spill from the exhaust of your lawn mower. When your lawn mower’s air-filter is clogged, its engine will not have enough oxygen input.

Oxygen is important for the engine as it helps in the gas combustion that powers your lawn mower. When you have oil coming out of your lawn mower’s exhaust, your oil and gas will just be a total waste of resources.

Carburetor Imbalance

When the carburetor of the engine of your lawn mower is out of balance, it can present a problem. The fuel and air will not mix as well as when your carburetor is balanced. This results in oil and gas spills from the exhaust of the lawn mower.

The next time you see black liquid coming out of lawn mower exhaust vents, then this could be due to an imbalanced carburetor. What’s more, it may not just be oil but also gas.

Worn Valves

The engine of your lawn mower has two valves. One is for exhaust while the other is for intake. As your lawn mower goes through its usual functions, these valves eventually wear down.

This condition prevents the cylinders from staying sealed. Unsealed cylinders can cause oil to leak through the mower exhaust.

Damaged Piston Ring

Piston rings help distribute air and gasoline so it can be ignited – or combusted – to make the engine move. It is therefore an integral part of the engine. You should check the owner’s manual as each has multiple rings and there may be unique steps to removing them. You will have to remove them individually and inspect it to see in what condition it is in.

Engine Damage

When you see oil coming out of exhaust vents, then it is also possible that your lawn mower has engine damage. There are several reasons that could have caused your engine to become damaged.

Some of the possible reasons for engine damage can be a blown head gasket. a broken piston ring. or worn valves. These parts require skill and knowledge and, unless you have them, it would be better to ask an expert to check them.

As with air-filters, it’s always best to have an extra head gasket or two. A blown head gasket is no laughing matter, and may even cause more engine damage than you previously thought.

Engine parts can be complex, so a damaged piston ring can be detrimental to your lawn mower. Piston rings can wear away pretty quickly so it’s best to store some in case your lawn mower happens to have a damaged piston ring.

This is especially true if your lawn mower is an older make or model. If this is the case, it’s better to have it looked at by an expert.

How Do You Solve Causes of Oil Coming Out of Lawn Mower Exhaust?

To solve each cause of oil coming out of lawn mower exhaust, you can take various actions such as avoiding titling the lawn mower too much.

Other fixes are to avoid overfilling your mower, solve clogged air-filters, correct your carburetor, repair and replace valves and check damaged engine parts.

Keep the Lawn Mower Upright

Even the slightest degree can affect the title of your lawn mower. When possible, ensure that your lawn is at the most level it can be. Another way to prevent extreme tilting is to keep and maintain your lawn mower on an even surface. This means that the surfaces should be as level as possible for your garage floors and garden areas.

When tilted downwards, the oil in your lawn mower can accidentally escape through the carburetor and the air-filter. If your lawn mower tips downward for any reason, immediately check both parts.

If there’s any oil spillage, clean it immediately. Replace dirty air-filters and wipe off any oil or gas leakages. If there are places that are hard to reach, don’t worry too much about it. The oil or gas spots will start to burn off as soon as the engine of your lawn mower starts to run.

Avoid Overfilling Your Lawn Mower

By simply filling the oil to the suggested amount, you can avoid leaking oil coming out from the exhaust of your lawn mower. Before your pour, test the depth of the current oil content by using a dipstick.

Slowly pour in the soil and check regularly if you have reached the appropriate level. Stop adding in engine oil once you are near full content.

Replace Clogged Air-filters

The solution to clogged air-filters is simple: replace them. When buying lawn mowers, it’s always best to buy engine parts and accessories beforehand.

If you don’t have any, then buy one or two extra and keep them at home. This way, whenever you need to replace the air-filter for your lawn mower, you won’t have to go out of your way to drive for just one item you need.

You might want to think about getting a foam air filter. A foam air filter is known to be better than paper ones, although you may need to check with your lawn mower model if this material is allowed and available.

Correct Your Carburetor

If you know how to clean your carburetor, then you can clean the entire thing by removing the parts one by one. However, it can be a bit tricky since there are so many parts.

On the other hand, you can use a spray carburetor cleaner available in home depot centers. Once clean, make sure that the carburetor is balanced aside from being clean.

Repair and Replace Valves

Most of the time, the valves in the engine of your lawn mower can simply have come loose from constant knocking. If this is the case, you can just simply tighten the valves into their places.

If you are unsure where the valves of your lawn mower are located, you can refer to your owner’s manual. If the valves are beyond repair, replace them. This can help you prevent oil from coming out of the exhaust of your lawn mower.

Check and Remove a Damaged Piston Ring

Use the special tool available to remove and replace the rings – a ring expander. However, you can usually use needle nose pliers to get the job done. You should remove the rings – and since you are replacing them it does not matter if they get damaged – and then clean the piston in the area by wiping the grooves and removing any oil. Also check all of them as they can be leaking from multiple pistons.

Check Damaged Engine Parts for Repair or Replacement

If you are quite familiar with engine works, then you can easily repair your damaged lawn mower. At the very least, replacing damaged engine parts of a riding mower should be an interesting project for any intermediate or expert engine mechanic.

If you suspect engine damage to be the cause of lawn mower oil coming out of breather holes of your lawn mower but are not an expert, then call one. It’s always best to call a professional rather than experiment with repairs yourself.

For instance, you may be unsure about how to clean oil out of a lawn mower muffler for fear of causing engine damage. If this is the case, you may be better off asking the experts and professionals. You can even get some maintenance tips about your riding lawn mower from them at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Dangers of Oil in Your Lawn Mower’s Exhaust?

Dangers of oil in your lawn mower’s exhaust are that white smoke may come from the oil as the motor heats it up. This is not good for you to inhale. The other problem is that it is a fire hazard since the oil can catch fire wherever it is.

How Far Can You Tilt the Mower Before Oil Starts Leaking From Exhaust?

You can tilt the mower up to approximately 15 degrees before oil starts leaking from the exhaust. This means that you will have to make sure your lawn is as level as possible and that you do not tilt the mower unnecessarily when moving it.

Conclusion

Your lawn mower, just like any engine, needs regular maintenance. But even with maintenance, it can still have oil coming out of lawn mower exhaust vents. Let’s go over what we’ve learned in this article:

• Oil can come out of the exhaust of your lawn mower when it is tilted to the extreme, especially when the crankcase is overfilled with oil.
• A clogged air-filter can cause the oil to spill out of the exhaust vent, so simply replace it if this is the case.
• When the carburetor is the cause of oil leaks, you can either clean it or replace it.
• Worn valves can also cause oil to spill although you can just repair or replace them.
• If you suspect engine damage, you can either repair it yourself or have it repaired by professionals.

Remember when you see your lawn mower smoking and leaking oil from exhaust vents, there could be multiple reasons – simply go over the reasons found in this article and apply their correct solutions!

Riding Lawn Mowers Tractors (22 items found)

Make lawn care easier than ever with a riding lawn mower. At Ace, we offer a wide variety of sit-down lawn mowers and riding lawn tractors to meet even the largest yard’s trimming needs.

Benefits of Riding Mowers

A riding lawn mower can turn the most exhausting chore into a breeze. If your lawn is an acre or more, a riding mower can split your maintenance time in half. than that, this equipment makes it more physically comfortable to care for so much yard. Rather than walking back and forth across your entire property with a gas or electric model you have to push, imagine sitting upright and steering a reliable machine to the far reaches of your domain without ever even breaking a sweat.

Our selection features a range of cutting widths that are larger than most walk-behind models, letting you cover more ground in less time. Most riding mowers are designed to easily handle shifts in weight when driven at an incline and they usually have room to haul loads of materials so you can multi-task while you mow!

Zero-Turn Capabilities

Zero-turn riding lawn mowers use castor wheels that allow you to essentially turn your mower around in place rather than needing to swing out and around to make a wide turn. With turn radius of zero, you can get cleaner mow lines, fit around edges and areas of all shapes, and complete large jobs easily and with more precision in less time.

Choosing a Riding Lawn Mower

Yard tractors are also typically more powerful than standard push mowers, and you can select different amounts of engine power based on your needs. Some things to consider when choosing the right type of mower for you include:

• The size of your lawn
• The terrain you’ll be covering
• The activities you’ll be using the riding mower for
• Attachments you might want for growing and off-seasons

Hydrostatic and Electric Riding Mowers

An electric riding lawn mower relies on a heavy-duty battery to power the mower. You just have to charge the battery between uses so your mower has enough juice for the next job. A lawn mower tractor with a hydrostatic transmission uses gas to fuel the mower. With this type, you don’t need to charge any battery but you’ll want to keep gas on hand to refuel whenever you’re running low.

Features and Attachments

Some ride-on mowers and garden lawn tractors offer attachment options like power tillers and snowplows that give you versatility so you can get the most use out of your equipment during any season. The latest models of large and small riding mowers at Ace often come equipped with mulching capabilities, advanced horsepower, multiple speeds, multi-blade systems, cruise control, automatic transmissions and improved fuel optimization.

Always keep your lawn looking its best while saving time and labor with the outdoor power equipment from Ace. Browse our selection of seated garden tractors and riding mowers from all your most trusted brands including Craftsman, Ariens and EGO in our Lawn and Garden department.

A smoking lawn mower is never a good sign. Whether the smoke is blue, white, or black, here’s how to identity and address the issue without the help of a professional.

By Glenda Taylor and Bob Vila | Updated Sep 24, 2020 1:40 PM

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

Q: Recently, my mower started billowing smoke when I powered it up, so I shut it off immediately. Why is my lawn mower smoking? And is it a fire hazard? I want to know how to proceed so I don’t harm the machine.

A: Your lawn mower can emit smoke for numerous reasons—many of which don’t require the services of an expert. A homeowner can usually identify the reason for a smoking lawn mower by gauging the color of the Cloud coming around the engine, then fix it accordingly before lasting damage occurs. Keep in mind that all mowers with internal combustion engines contain the same basic parts, but the configuration of those parts varies widely, depending on manufacturer and model. Consult your owner’s manual if you’re unsure how to access a specific part of your lawn mower’s engine.

White or blue smoke may indicate an oil spill on the engine.

If you’ve recently changed the oil in your mower and the engine is emitting white or blue smoke, it’s possible that some of the oil spilled onto the engine. Similarly, you could’ve spilled oil on the engine by mowing on a slope greater than 15 degrees or tipping the mower on its side. 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. If you tip the mower often for cleaning or maintenance, check your owner’s manual to determine the best way to reduce the risk of oil leaks.

An overfull oil reservoir may also cause white or blue smoke.

Ensure you didn’t overfill the mower by checking the oil level with the dipstick located on the reservoir. To do this, remove the dipstick cap, wipe off the stick with a rag, and reinsert it into the reservoir. Then remove the dipstick once again and determine the oil level in comparison to the recommended “fill” line on the stick. If the level is too high, drain the oil (consult your owner’s manual for instructions), then refill the reservoir with it. Start checking the oil level with the dipstick after you’ve added about ¾ of the amount recommended in the manual. Continue to add small amounts of oil until the level matches the recommended “fill” line. Also note that using the wrong grade of engine oil may cause blue or white smoke. Consult the owner’s manual for the exact type of oil recommended for your mower.

Black smoke may indicate that the mower is “running rich,” or burning too much gasoline.

Your lawn mower’s carburetor regulates the ratio of gasoline to air mixture. If the carburetor isn’t getting enough air, the mixture has a higher percentage of gasoline, which can create black exhaust smoke. It’s possible that a dirty or clogged air filter is preventing sufficient airflow into the carburetor. Try replacing the air filter. (Note: air filters vary by mower model; view example air filter on Amazon.) Next, run your lawn mower for a few minutes. If the black smoke still appears, the carburetor might need to be adjusted in order to increase airflow. Either take the mower to a professional or adjust the carburetor yourself with instructions in your owner’s manual.

Take your mower to a repair shop if necessary.

If the previous steps don’t correct blue or white smoke, your mower could have a more serious problem, such as an air leak in the crankshaft (the cast iron or cast aluminum case that protects the moving parts of a mower’s engine). Continuing blue or white smoke could also indicate that some of the engine’s components or seals are worn out and need replacement. Similarly, if black smoking still persists after you’ve replaced the air filter and adjusted the carburetor, you could be facing a more serious mechanical issue. All of these problems require the help of a professional. If your mower is still under warranty, check with the manufacturer for the location of the nearest servicing dealer; problems stemming from a factory defect or poor workmanship may garner free repairs. If your mower is not covered under warranty, a reputable small-engine repair shop should also be sufficient to get the job done.