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I ahve a Craftsman Briggs and Stratton Mower , the mower was given me a hard time starting , I changed the spark plug and she started , but I was having a lot of white smoke coming out of the muffler and a little out of the air filter , I replaced the air filter and changed the oil , the oil was very very black , I started it up , it gives me a hard time starting , I really have to pull it hard , when it started I still have a lot of white smoke coming out of the muffler and now I have some oil coming out of the air filter , I think I my have put a little to much oil in it , it ran for about 5 minutes and then shut off ,I checked the oil , and from the dip stick it looks like I put about a 1/4 of an inch too much of oil , how do I get some out?? and any ideas on why it is smoking soooo much ??? please reply asap , Thanks

Hi, jubie! Welcome to LMF!

I think your problem is definately too much oil. 1/4" is a LOT of extra oil! If the rings are worn, it'll seep into the cylinder, and you can't compress a liquid. Drain some out the way you drained the oil to change it, and re-check.

Hope this works!

BTW, your smoking problem is oil. Even for a brand-new B&S engine, it says it'll smoke if the oil is over-filled. :wink:

Once you get the level right, it should clear up quickly. (It'll take a bit to burn off the extra oil, though....give it a chance.) Let us know!

I am doing that now , , what about the heavy white smoke coming out of the muffler , it was doing that before I changed the oil ??

Sorry I didn't add that to the first response - I replied to that with a second response above. It's oil that causes white smoke. If the problem won't clear up, your rings are shot.

Ok , Thank You again for the reply , I am a newbie to this stuff , can you explain the rings for me ?? where are they ?? how hard to change them ?? how many of them ?? and where can I get them ?? and if I'm searching for these rings on the web , what am I searching for ??
Thank You again for the fast reply

jubie said:

Ok , Thank You again for the reply , I am a newbie to this stuff , can you explain the rings for me ?? where are they ?? how hard to change them ?? how many of them ?? and where can I get them ?? and if I'm searching for these rings on the web , what am I searching for ??
Thank You again for the fast reply

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Piston rings. That requires tearing the whole engine apart. Is it a flathead or an OHV engine? 3.5 horse, or higher?

Piston rings. That requires tearing the whole engine apart. Is it a flathead or an OHV engine? 3.5 horse, or higher?

Like I said I'm a newbie to this stuff , I can tell you that its a Craftsman Briggs and Stratton model 917.388750 its 6.5 horse , so if it is these Piston rings will this have to be something I send out to fix and would it be worth it ???

jubie said:

...Like I said I'm a newbie to this stuff , I can tell you that its a Craftsman Briggs and Stratton model 917.388750 its 6.5 horse , so if it is these Piston rings will this have to be something I send out to fix and would it be worth it ???

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So, I take it that it's a push-mower, right? Is it self-propelled? Yes, I'd reccomend that you take it to a shop for fixing. Is it worth it? That's up to you. You don't have anything into this mower right now, so if its nice, you may wanna consider it. If you can bring it up to brand-new condition for a couple hundred bucks, then I'd consider it. If you're going to use it, I'd consider it. If you're going to fix it up to re-sell - I don't think you'd get your money back outa it.

Will this be your only mower? Or is it a toy you're just messing around with? That could weigh into the descision, too.

So, I take it that it's a push-mower, right? Is it self-propelled? Yes, I'd reccomend that you take it to a shop for fixing. Is it worth it? That's up to you. You don't have anything into this mower right now, so if its nice, you may wanna consider it. If you can bring it up to brand-new condition for a couple hundred bucks, then I'd consider it. If you're going to use it, I'd consider it. If you're going to fix it up to re-sell - I don't think you'd get your money back outa it.

Will this be your only mower? Or is it a toy you're just messing around with? That could weigh into the descision, too.

Well , Its the only mower I have right now it is a push mower and it is NOT self repelled , I'm "not" looking to sell it, but if its gonna cost a couple of hundred , I'd just by another , thats a lot to fix a mower when you can buy a new one , what would happen if I just run it the way it is , will it die fast ??

jubie said:

So, I take it that it's a push-mower, right? Is it self-propelled? Yes, I'd reccomend that you take it to a shop for fixing. Is it worth it? That's up to you. You don't have anything into this mower right now, so if its nice, you may wanna consider it. If you can bring it up to brand-new condition for a couple hundred bucks, then I'd consider it. If you're going to use it, I'd consider it. If you're going to fix it up to re-sell - I don't think you'd get your money back outa it.

Will this be your only mower? Or is it a toy you're just messing around with? That could weigh into the descision, too.

Well , Its the only mower I have right now it is a push mower and it is NOT self repelled , I'm "not" looking to sell it, but if its gonna cost a couple of hundred , I'd just by another , thats a lot to fix a mower when you can buy a new one , what would happen if I just run it the way it is , will it die fast ??

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Also ......... after I take some of the oil out , how long should I run it before the smoke "MAY" clear up ??

jubie said:

Also ......... after I take some of the oil out , how long should I run it before the smoke "MAY" clear up ??

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You can run it that way for a long while.....you'll foul plugs left and right, though....also, if you have neighbors closeby, they might not like the smoke.......

It should clear up (if it's going to) in a few minutes.

Thank You for all the help , and No I don't have anyone near me that the smoke would bother , so , how often do you think I'll blow spark plugs ??, I'm using it for my fathers small yard , he doesn't have much grass , I can cut his grass in 10 to 15 minutes, once a week....... and Thanks again , you REALLY have been a great help.

jubie said:

Thank You for all the help , and No I don't have anyone near me that the smoke would bother , so , how often do you think I'll blow spark plugs ??, I'm using it for my fathers small yard , he doesn't have much grass , I can cut his grass in 10 to 15 minutes, once a week....... and Thanks again , you REALLY have been a great help.

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When it won't start, or loses power......hard to say how long. Just keep a spare handy. Sometimes, you can just clean off the oil off the electrodes with carb cleaner.

Let us know if the smoke clears up, ok?

I empied the oil to where its suppose to be ............... smokes not clearing up , and now it is shutting off after a few minutes of running , right before it shuts off theres like a clunking noise , then it won't start up for about 10 - 15 minutes

jubie said:

I empied the oil to where its suppose to be ............... smokes not clearing up , and now it is shutting off after a few minutes of running , right before it shuts off theres like a clunking noise , then it won't start up for about 10 - 15 minutes

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I'd look for a new mower, unfortunately....your engine has issues that sound serious. Sorry.......

What you can do, though....is get a different mower, and take this one apart...I mean really rip into the engine. That way, for future reference, you know how it ticks....:biggrin: Then junk the pieces, or try to get the rings (and bearings, seals and gaskets, too by the sounds), have the cylinder machined, and try and get it back together again........you'll learn VOLUMES of info that way.

jubie said:

what would happen if I just run it the way it is , will it die fast ??

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No, but you might! Not good to breathe all that smoke. Do yourself and the environment a favor and get it fixed or replaced :thumbsup:

Sounds lke this particular one has issues beyond the oil, but sometimes a full synthetic and not above recommended level will stop the smoking.

Just because I'm curious - how did you fill it with oil ? Did you use the filler hole or the dip stick tube ?
I'm not familiar with this particular engine, but some should not be filled above the neck of the drain hole. It may be still way too full of oil. :confused3:

BKBrown said:

Just because I'm curious - how did you fill it with oil ? Did you use the filler hole or the dip stick tube ?
:

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I think the fill tube and dipstick are one in the same on that mower. But that is a good question, someone may have added oil to the gas tank?
It sounds as though the mower is a victim of neglect. If twall is correct in his assesments it will br a more efficient use of funds to replace rather than repair. If you really want to stretch the last bit of use out of it, try amd find a straight 30w nondetergent synthetic and a new spark plug, less than ten $. See how long it runs or if it will want to start. If that don't work, it's pretty much scrap.

About the plugs.....if they get fouled just spray the electrode with wd40 and clean with a wire brush and they'll work like new

Opposed twin said:

About the plugs.....if they get fouled just spray the electrode with wd40 and clean with a wire brush and they'll work like new

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I did say carb cleaner - that works better...:biggrin:

twall, are you on drugs or just f------ with this guy?:laughing: WD40 has NO place on a spark plug! For that matter anywhere on a mower at all...maybe a throttle cable.

So,Your mower that is producing "white smoke", is what I would call unburned fuel & too much oil in it. The simplest answer is usually the right one, Drain your oil....and refill it to the right level. (use 10w30) Change the spark plug(with a NEW one) and replace the air filter!

CajunCub said:

twall, are you on drugs or just f------ with this guy?:laughing: WD40 has NO place on a spark plug! For that matter anywhere on a mower at all...maybe a throttle cable.

So,Your mower that is producing "white smoke", is what I would call unburned fuel & too much oil in it. The simplest answer is usually the right one, Drain your oil....and refill it to the right level. (use 10w30) Change the spark plug(with a NEW one) and replace the air filter!

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I said carb cleaner (now for the third time)

Sent from my WX445 using LMF

Wd-40 works GREAT on spark plugs and just about everywhere on mowers....if u wanna buy a new spark plugs instead of being smart and utilizing the benefits of wd-40 that's ur loss,,,I've had tons of fouled plugs and sprayed them with it and the engines fire up everytime

Opposed twin said:

Wd-40 works GREAT on spark plugs and just about everywhere on mowers....if u wanna buy a new spark plugs instead of being smart and utilizing the benefits of wd-40 that's ur loss,,,I've had tons of fouled plugs and sprayed them with it and the engines fire up everytime

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Carb cleaner dissolves carbon better than WD40.

WD40 is just about useless for anything. The formula was originally developed for the Army for quickly drying out distributor caps in WWII (correct me if I'm wrong). Thus the name.....Water Displacement 40. It used a propellant and a light oil carrier. People, including my dad, swore by the junk once offered to the public (and dropped swiftly by the US Army). It should have never been offered as a commercial product, IMHO. There are better light oils, better penetrating oils, better cleaners, better anything. The Army abandoned it - but because the Army used it for a bit, the public embraced it. It's snake oil, of the mechanical kind - nothing more - nothing less.

Am I clear on my opinon of WD40? Thanks.

My 2 cents on the subject.

Opp-twin.....
Source: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/17-05/st_whatsinside
What's Inside WD-40?
The Truth Is Out There, and the Nation's Maddest Scientists Are After It
The recipe for this superlube has long been a closely guarded trade secret蓉 until now. Wired sent a can to the lab and got the ingredients.

Mineral Oil
Seriously. WD-40 is mostly a mix of baby oil, Vaseline, and the goop inside homemade lava lamps. "That is NOT GOOD for spark plugs"!!!!!!!:thumbdown: by...CajunCub

Decane
WD-40 contains an abundance of alkanes揺ydrocarbons that match the formula CxH2x+2, usually in a long, zigzagging chain. This one, C10H22, which is also a common ingredient of gasoline, helps WD-40 remain a liquid at cold temperatures. Decane doesn't freeze until around -21 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nonane
Another alkane. One reason these molecules are so handy here: Their hydrogen atoms don't hold a charge, so they can't connect to the hydrogen or oxygen in water, which makes alkanes water-repellent. WD-40, after all, stands for "water displacement, 40th attempt."


Our lab analyzed WD-40 with gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectroscopy (MS). GC separates chemicals based on size, boiling point, and other factors, releasing them one by one over time. MS then blasts the molecules with an electron beam and tells what's what by the mass of the ionized fragments. Tridecane and Undecane
Freeze-resistant? Check. Water- repellent? Check. Contains an alkane that is the major product of the red-banded stinkbug's scent gland? Check! Many alkanes are naturally produced by living creatures. Undecane, part of the pheromone trail left by cockroaches and ants, is present.

Tetradecane
Another alkane! Zzzzzz.

Dimethyl Naphthalene
Here's the thing: This stuff (C12H12) comes in 10 forms, called isomers. One of them is a harmless hormone given off by potatoes. Another is used in high-performance engineering plastics. Our analysis can't determine which ones are present here, but if you're using it as a solvent, as is likely the case with WD-40, they all work just fine.

Cyclohexane
That cyclo prefix means that unlike standard alkanes, which come in chains, this one's a ring. The shape gives cycloalkanes a higher melting point. And huffing them will knock you out cold. (Or so we're told.)

Cajun, you never said 'sorry' for saying I recommended this snake oil.

I will never use it - it's useless compared to carb cleaner, PB Blaster, 3-in-one, Liquid Wrench, and others.....

twall...you changed your avatar, but not you IQ.....:laughing:

twall said:

When it won't start, or loses power......hard to say how long. Just keep a spare handy. Sometimes, you can just clean off the oil off the electrodes with carb cleaner.

Let us know if the smoke clears up, ok?

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This is my exact quote, dammit. The FIRST stinkin time I said it in post frickin 14!!!!!

I found a use for WD-40....you could use it to "RUB ONE OUT":shocked:

CajunCub said:

twall...you changed your avatar, but not you IQ.....:laughing:

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Well, I try to read the entire thread before replying...dumb as I may be.....:biggrin:

CajunCub said:

I found a use for WD-40....you could use it to "RUB ONE OUT":shocked:

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NOW who's IQ is unchanged? Did you read the whole thread yet? Or just respond to the last post? You said I recommended WD40....that was opposed twin.........you are arrogant beyond measure.

CajunCub said:

twall, are you on drugs or just f------ with this guy?:laughing: WD40 has NO place on a spark plug! For that matter anywhere on a mower at all...maybe a throttle cable.

So,Your mower that is producing "white smoke", is what I would call unburned fuel & too much oil in it. The simplest answer is usually the right one, Drain your oil....and refill it to the right level. (use 10w30) Change the spark plug(with a NEW one) and replace the air filter!

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AND BESIDES, IT IS FRICKIN OIL - BASED, SO WHAT IS YOUR ELITIST PROBLEM WITH PUTTIN FRICKIN OIL ON A PLUG TO CLEAN IT?!?!?!?!!?

I know it was OT..I did read the whole thing. I know that you know better, that was meant for him. But I miss seeing you on tha RE JD.....and was just fn with you.

CajunCub said:

I know it was OT..I did read the whole thing. I know that you know better, that was meant for him. But I miss seeing you on tha RE JD.....and was just fn with you.

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I know....:wink:

Just thought I'd 'Snap' at you....(see the new avatar?)...gotta stay consistent.....

And no wd40 was not made for army,it was made for NASA to remove moisture from back areas of the spaceship(I don't recall the exact name and area)

Opposed twin said:

And no wd40 was not made for army,it was made for NASA to remove moisture from back areas of the spaceship(I don't recall the exact name and area)

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Then don't correct me if you don't have the facts in hand.....you are arrogant and ignorant....a dangerous combo.......maybe Cajun can copy+paste the scientific info on THAT, and then tell me I'm stupid....:biggrin:

twall said:

Then don't correct me if you don't have the facts in hand.....you are arrogant and ignorant....a dangerous combo.......maybe Cajun can copy+paste the scientific info on THAT, and then tell me I'm stupid....:biggrin:

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Sir/mam I am not trying to offend you and you can think whatever u want to about me I do not care,i did not say nor did I imply the fact of wether you are stupid or not, have a nice evening!

Opposed twin said:

Sir/mam I am not trying to offend you and you can think whatever u want to about me I do not care,i did not say nor did I imply the fact of wether you are stupid or not, have a nice evening!

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I did address 'Cajun', and we were funnin hard.......we are messin around, dude/dudette........play along! You think my life is so small I care? Well, it is, and sometimes I do, but play along anyhow.......:biggrin: