Help! Engine Smoke

A lot of friends come to me with questions about their generator, snow blower, and lawn mower engines. Every so often, I’ll feature answers to my most-received small engine questions.

Help! Smoke is coming out of my engine!

Pause. What color is the smoke?

White or Blue Engine Smoke

If your engine is emitting white or blue smoke, it likely means your engine is burning oil. Maybe your crankcase has too much oil in it or you’re using the wrong oil type. According to the guide to lawn mower oil compiled by the folks at Briggs & Stratton:

• SAE 30 oil is best suited for operation at 40° F and higher (5° C and higher). It’s a good, all-purpose oil.
• 10W-30 works up to 100° F (-18 to 38° C) is better for fluctuating temperature conditions. This grade of oil improves cold weather starting, but may increase oil consumption at high summer temperatures.
• Synthetic 5W-30 -20 to 120° F (-30 to 40° C) provides the best protection at all temperatures as well as faster, smoother starts.
• 5W-30 is best for cold conditions—use it in your snow blower!

Other possibilities include a crankcase air leak, busted head gasket, or worn cylinder. TroyBilt has a great guide explaining how to troubleshoot this issue further.

Black Engine Smoke

Adjust your carburetor! Check out this video on how to adjust a carburetor on a Tecumseh engine.

History of the Small Engine: Lawn Mower Edition!

History of the Small Engine: Lawn Mower Edition!

Lawn Mower Engine picture from Briggs & Stratton

From tanks to tractors, small engines have a storied history. Here at the Small Engine Blog we look at the transformation of the small engine and the various and sundry things that it powered today!

Lawn Mowers: The Beginning

The first formal lawns were thought to be of France in the 1700s, tended to by grazing animals or hand-cut with shears and scythes. In 1830, Englishman Edwin Bear Budding was granted the patent for the first mechanical lawn mower, based on a tool used to uniformly cut carpet and comprised of a series of blades around a cylinder.

Nearly 40 years later, the reel lawn mower came to the United States. Initially made to be horse-drawn, Elwood McGuire of Richmond, IN designed the first widely popular human-powered push lawn mower.

From Horses and Humans to Fuel

In 1902, Ransomes of Ipswich, another English company, produced the first commercial buyable lawn mower powered by an internal combustion gas engine. 1919 brought the first gas powered lawn mowers, manufactured by Colonel Edwin George, and gang mowers, those with multiple sets of blades, to the United States.

Throughout the early 1900’s, steam-powered tractors, many produced by Caterpillar, worked on major projects from the clean-up after major natural disasters to the construction of big infrastructure like the Los Angeles Aqueduct. 

Engine Advancements

In 1953,  Briggs & Stratton revolutionized the lawn and garden industry by developing the first lightweight aluminum engine. This light aluminum engine improved the ease of use of rotary lawn mowers and was further advanced in 1958 with the introduction of Kool-Bore (all aluminum) and Sleeve-Bore engines. Further advancements have been made by Lombardini, a part of the Kohler Group, offering a 20 hp water-cooled gasoline engine.

Engine Lubrication

Grease Gun from Briggs & Stratton

Engine Lubrication

The lubrication system in a small engine is vital to maintaining  top performance and a long life. Most engines made by the big brands - Honda, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, & Kawasaki - are designed to provide the right amount of lubrication under every operating condition.

Why Engine Lubrication is Important?

Although exhaust helps reduce the amount of heat in a small engine, lubrication is very important as it helps to ensure engine longevity and reliability. Oil reduces the engine temperature and friction between the components of the engine. The best way to enjoy an easy, long, and hassle-free life for your small engine is to check and change your oil frequently.

So, How Do Lubrication Systems Work?

Most engines typically run on one of three different types of engine lubrication systems:

Pressure Lubrication

Pressure lubrication is used in many single cylinder engines and provide a controlled flow of clean oil to bearings. This prevents wear and tear and contributes to a longer engine life. Th Pressure Lubrication system takes advantage of a very efficient pump which pushes oil to all necessary areas, such as the connecting rod-bearing surfaces and the all-important crankshaft. The Pressure Lube system uses a premium spin-on oil filter.

Full-Pressure Lubrication

      The Full-Pressure Lube system is not unlike that of a car engine. It's also similar to the system mentioned right above here - the pressure lubrication system. This system provides full pressure lubrication and it also brings oil to necessary engine components through mechanisms which use an efficient pump to pump oil to connecting rod-bearing surfaces and the crankshaft. With this sytem it's best to use a premium spin-on oil filter to ensure durability and remove contaminants. 

Splash Lubrication

This system utilizes a dipper which is connected to the crank and dips into the oil reservoir on the down stroke. Then, on the up stroke, the dipper “splashes” up and onto the engine parts. This gear-driven dipper distributes oil to all the engine’s important components and it prevents small passages from clogging.

Recycle that Oil!

Many brands, like Briggs & Stratton, Honda, Kohler, & Kawasaki have a solution to help you recycle your used oil. These brands offer easy, convenient, environmentally friendly, and free solutions to do this. Typically, dealers of this brand will take the oil off your hands, so go ahead and find a dealer today!

This is a pretty neat video from Briggs & Stratton about engine lubrication:

How to Fix Lawn Mower Pull Cord

How to Fix Lawn Mower Pull Cord

 

Spring is here! Time to take that old push mower out of your garage and craft a beautiful lawn. You move the mower onto your drive and into your yard and get ready for action. You reach down to start it and... the pull cord is broken. This is not so rare of an issue and can be caused by weather damage or heavy use. Below I have outlined some nice tips for how to fix your lawn mower pull cord: 

1. Turn off your lawn mower and wait for the blades to stop moving. Look at the starter to see how it is mounted onto the mower. If it is mounted by screws, you need a screw driver, and if it is mounted by bolts you need a socket wrench. Use the appropriate tool to take off the screws or bolts from where the pull cord is mounted.

2. Put the starter on a clear surface and turn it over to remove the nut. Then pick up the center cap from the assembly.

3. Now you'll want to get rid of the old starter rope's remains. Some of the cord will probably still be stuck inside the assembly. Be sure to take this out.

4. Measure the new cord to make sure it matches the specs of your lawn mower and stretch it around the starter assembly a few times until you have figured out where to cut it, then cut it to size. 

5. Now simply put the new rop into its hole in the lawn mower and tie it to secure it.

6. Now put the cap back on and use your tool to tighten either the screw or nut. Twist the cap counter-clockwise and wrap the pull cord. You should twist the cap until it starts to resist and when you hear it resist you should switch direction and turn it clockwise one turn.

7. Now just put the loose end of the rope through the handle. Knot the pull cord to the starter grip. If you need new starter grips, you can find them at Briggs & Stratton’s lawn mower parts online store, Amazon, or Kmart. There are other places as well, but doing a Google search those were the first online store results I found.

8. Finall, just put the starter assembly back on and use a tool to tighten the screws (or bolts).  Test it out and get mowin'!

For more information I have found some excellent articles that might help. This Replacing the Starter Rope article is excellent as well as the videos an articles found here on eHow and askville.

*The Image is of a  push mower starter part from Briggs & Stratton's lawn mower parts page.