Why does my cub cadet smoke

This means you get maximum pressure inside the cylinder and if there is somewhere for it to leak it will. The excess air in the crankcase pushes a lot of oily crankcase fume through the breather into the carb then into the cylinder and oil burns with white smoke that comes out of the muffler.

Thank you for the reply. Should I let it run for a few minutes with the PTO engaged? Actually the other day when I was trying to mow, it was running for quite a while.

When I pulled the dip stick to check the oil no smoke came out. Last edited: May 20, Usually a leaking gasket will blow smoke. It also will tend to make a much harsher sound the instant the throttle plate opens. You can do this by pushing the governor shaft by hand.

If the lawn mower engine produces black smoke , this indicates that the carburetor is getting too much fuel or "running rich". If the carburetor float is stuck open, the engine will get too much fuel. Blue Smoke Signals While white and black smoke are related to fuel problems, blue exhaust is a sure sign that your engine is burning excessive oil. This could be caused by worn or broken piston rings, glazed or worn liners, or worn valve guides.

Perform a cylinder compression check to isolate the cause. Your lawn mower's engine can smoke if your oil chamber is too full, or if oil leaked into the exhaust muffler when you tilted your mower to the side. It's simply burning off while the engine is hot. Dirty Air Filter: Clean or replace.

Fuel Not Reaching the Engine: Tap the side of the carburetor to help the flow of gas. If this doesn't work, you might need a new fuel filter. Black smoke emitted from a lawn mower engine is typically an indication that the gasoline to air ratio is too rich. Black smoke is also an indicator that oil has found its way into the cylinder, and the mower is trying to burn it along with the fuel.

In some cases, the mower will not restart. Most small engines need 20 to 24 fluid ounces of oil. Small engines typically use SAE 30 single-weight detergent motor oil service-rated SG or higher, but some can use multiviscosity oils such as 10W or 10W Fill the crankcase slowly.

Keep tabs on the oil level by checking with the dipstick as you add oil. Follow these steps if your vehicle discharges an excessive amount of white steam: Inspect the intake gasket. An intake manifold evenly distributes the coolant or combustion mixture to each intake port in the cylinder heads.

Examine further to check the head gasket. Look for any crack in the cylinder head. Wrong type of oil used? Using the incorrect oil may produce oil expansion or oil foaming, which can lead to oil burning. So make sure the oil is the correct type for the engine. If the wrong type of oil is in the engine, drain it and refill with the correct oil. Click here for engine oil type requirements. Was the unit recently tipped? When a unit is tipped in transport or for cleaning and maintenance purposes, crankcase oil can flow into the combustion area.

In situations where a unit has been tipped, the oil in the cylinder should burn off in a short amount of time and the white smoke should not return. NOTE: If this is the case, check to make sure that any engine air filters were not polluted with oil as a result of the tipping. 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. Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila. All rights reserved. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY.