Lawn Mower Woes and Home Repair Warnings

darqness

Well foolishly I put15 ounces of new oil into my push mower without draining the old oil. Needless to say it started sputtering and smoking blue smoke about 20 minutes into mowing the yard. I knew that the blue smoke meant I was burning oil and saw that oil was leaking from the engine. I emptied all of the old oil and put in 18 oz more. Then I pulled the spark plug (which I'll also be replacing today) and cleaned it with some gasoline and a toothbrush. Now when I start it it shakes a LOT. I'm thinking this indicates oil in the crank case, which isn't good. I plan on taking it apart tonight to get any excess oil out and to replace the spark plug and put in fresh gas. Does anyone have any insight as to if this is the probably issue? And I have NEVER taken apart a mower or small engine, and the manual does not indicate how to do so. So any tips would be appreciated as well.

bowen

Shaking lawnmower can be unbalanced blade too.

darqness

Thanks, I'll check the blade as well. I imagine that would be easier than taking the entire thing apart.

bowen

Yeah by far. Seems more likely that you nicked a rock or a tree root or something than getting oil in the engine block or something like that. Or let's hope.

darqness

Well if it IS shot then it's not too much of a loss, as it was given to me by my mother in law who bought it and didn't use it for 3 years.
It will also give me an excuse to look into a riding mower as well.

bowen

If you've got a big lawn they're amazing.

mts

i dunno, unless you pulled teh blade and stuff off when dealing with oil, the likelihood of a blade going spontaneously out of balance is low especially if it wasn't doing that beforehand

my guess would be spark related

darqness

Fingers crossed that the plug is misfiring and that's the issue. I'll check it out tonight after work.
In the meantime I'm paying a local guy $20.00 to do the lawn.

Xaquin

Try looking online or in the phonebook for a small engine mechanic and take it to them .... odds are if it's a common brand like Briggs Stratton or something the mechanic will be able to fix it for $25-50 or so.

My push mower got water in the gas tank somehow and I called a local man who fixed it for $10

darqness

Xaquin wrote: »

Try looking online or in the phonebook for a small engine mechanic and take it to them .... odds are if it's a common brand like Briggs Stratton or something the mechanic will be able to fix it for $25-50 or so.

My push mower got water in the gas tank somehow and I called a local man who fixed it for $10

Thanks for the tip, it is a Briggs and Stratton. Frankly I had thought about a small engine repair place but figured they charged more than that. I'll replace the gasoline and spark plug, and if that isn't it then I'll see what a shop will charge to go a bit deeper. If it's cheap then I'd rather pay someone else than spend my own time.

Thundyrkatz

the nut on the blade turns opposite of normal righty loosey. Get a small block of wood to brace the blade against the housing with as well so you can get some torque.

mts

Thundyrkatz wrote: »

the nut on the blade turns opposite of normal righty loosey. Get a small block of wood to brace the blade against the housing with as well so you can get some torque.

thats not always true. i am pretty sure (95%) that mine tightens like normal