Mower shut down on its own plus smoke

Upgrayedd08

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EDIT: FALSE ALARM - I just checked the oil, and there's barely in there. I'll fill it and try again. Sorry for wasting your time, lawnmowerforum.

Hey,

I've got a regular Craftsman mower. It's got power that goes to the front wheels.

Today I was mowing for about 5 minutes when the engine slowly shut down (20 seconds). I looked at it and saw some smoke coming from the upper part. I opened the oil lid and there was a little smoke coming out of it. It stopped smoking. This all happened 15 minutes ago.

I wasn't on any steep inclines. I didn't hear any abnormal sounds. It just sounded like I ran through some thick grass and eventually it shut down (except the grass was quite short, although moist.) Moist grass usually doesn't stop it, though.

Is a mower less expensive to replace than to fix? It's just an average mower.
 
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KennyV

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Hey,


Is a mower less expensive to replace than to fix? It's just an average mower.

That depends what is wrong with it... ?
If you ran without oil, It (May) have got hot and expanded everything to the point that it couldn't make enough Hp to keep running... If it didn't destroy anything, you might get lucky, let it cool down & put some 'good' oil in & try to light it up... You will not have helped it out any... but you might be fine as is...

I would switch to Synthetic, (NOT because you can run with no oil after using synthetic)... BUt because oil carries away heat... If you run low on oil, the ability to remove heat is lessened... things get hotter and eventually what little oil that may be left is baked... at that time it will quit acting like a lube...
synthetic will stand a LOT of heat, it will keep lubricating the parts and as things start expanding, there is a lessor chance of gaulding if moving parts can remain lubed, while friction causes them to stop...
How did the oil level check?? :smile:KennyV
 

Upgrayedd08

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Thanks for your reply, Kenny.

I have a new problem. When I tug on the start cord, it's free for the first 5 inches and stops. It's not a gradual stop either; it just stops and doesn't budge. It's like something's snagged.

Obviously the engine could be done based on everything that happened. But I don't know enough to make that call or not. Anybody have any ideas?
 

reynoldston

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I know no one want to hear this but this is just the reason to check oil each time before using your mower. It takes less then one minute. Maybe the oil was OK the last time you used it but who knows? It is just a good habit to get into. When I was young working on the farm it was a rule that each time before you ran any tractor the oil was checked first and I guess it always stuck with me.
 

KennyV

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...Anybody have any ideas?

Yes...
First remove the spark plug...
Then put an ounce or two motor oil in the spark plug hole...
Leave the spark plug out & using the mower blade as a lever ... try to move the blade CW and CCW to free it up... DO this with New Clean oil in the Crankcase....
Again if you have cooked the bearings it could be toast... but if the damage is not severe it may free up and continue...

IF the oil was low.. DO NOT just add more oil... the stuff that is left in there is no longer oil... it is cooked down to a nasty stuff that you will not want in the crankcase ... Drain it and put in fresh clean 'good' engine oil... then try to free the binding parts, using the blade for leverage, Spark Plug removed... :smile:KennyV
PS... and like reynoldston said... it's a good habit to always check fluid levels...
 

reynoldston

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If you can't free it up as to what Kenny told you chances are its not worth fixing. If this is the case go to a lawn mower salvage yard and find a used engine. If this is not your thing I would say new mower time.
 

benski

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It's my guess that your mower motor is probably done.:frown:Either another motor, or another mower is probably in your near future.
 
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