Hi everyone..i have a Craftsman LT1000 Lawn Tractor (Model #917.272670) w/17.5 briggs & stratton IC OHV & i just went out to mow the grass & when i fired up my rider it started a little ruff & after i put it in gear it sputtered really bad & almost died & then it picked back up spewing out a ton of white smoke & got back up to high idle speed then about 30 seconds later it did it again then got back up high idle speed & kept doin it over & over until i turned it off...i checked the air filter (which was filthy) & cleaned it & checked the oil (it was a little low but not that low) & tried again & it did the same thing. any help would be greatly appreciated
oh yea when i went to start it yesterday the battery was dead so i put a trickle charge on it over night...& now when its running the amp meter is reading high not in the middle where it usually sits...could i have over charged the battery & if so could that be causing the problem?
lol...yea the names suits me in this instance for sure...lol....im not too sure what yr it is...i think its around a 2001 or 02...the gas is maybe a month old since its been so damn hot & dry lately the grass has been more dieing then growing so havnt needed to mow it...lol...it was maintained well for 1st 5 or so yrs we owned it until my father died & to be honest i have been slackin a bit on the maintenance...but its been running good with no problems to speak of until now.
#5
midnite rider
Sounds like your battery may have an internal short or wiring to battery may be shorting to ground. I would first check wiring and make sure that it is not exposed somewhere causing a short. You can take your battery to most Auto Parts stores to have it checked out for free. Hope this helps. :smile:
ok so checked the battery & as much of the wiring as i could & everything seems ok...checked the spark plug it looks almost new so wiped off the lil bit of oil/gas & put it back & fired it up again & its still doin the same thing =/
Hi everyone..i have a Craftsman LT1000 Lawn Tractor (Model #917.272670) w/17.5 briggs & stratton IC OHV & i just went out to mow the grass & when i fired up my rider it started a little ruff & after i put it in gear it sputtered really bad & almost died & then it picked back up spewing out a ton of white smoke & got back up to high idle speed then about 30 seconds later it did it again then got back up high idle speed & kept doin it over & over until i turned it off...i checked the air filter (which was filthy) & cleaned it & checked the oil (it was a little low but not that low) & tried again & it did the same thing. any help would be greatly appreciated
White smoke is excess water and/or moisture in the combustion process. Black smoke is too much fuel (rich condition). Blue smoke is oil.
I have seen with my own eyes a ton of white smoke coming out the exhaust and causing the same engine running problem you are experiencing from a riding lawnmower caused by the float needle being stuck open and filling the crankcase with gasoline while the engine is off. The oil/gasoline mix, much to my amazement, will burn white and look like exhaust from cars on cold wintery days. However, in your case you mentioned that the oil was actually low but does the oil smell like gasoline????? If the oil smells like gasoline you need to stop and change the oil before attempting to start the engine or you could do a lot of damage to the engine, but before do that, you need to shut off the fuel supply to the carburetor and fix the float/needle valve problem
Is it possible that the color you thought was white is actually a bluish-white smoke? To me, this would make more sense, since the oil is low, that the engine is burning oil and that is the cause of the smoke. What do you think, dumbass?
yea it mighta been a bluish white smoke & it does smell a bit like oil/gas...i cant see how it could water in it its garage kept so it never gets wet....& just went out to & smelled the oil dipstick & DOES smell like gas...how hard is it to fix the float/needle valve problem?
#10
Garacuda
Wow! I also own an LT1000 that does the exact same thing! It's my wifes mower and she fusses about it evertime it happens, and I don't know what to do about it. It doesn't do it every time tho. I always said it was white smoke too. It seems to do it as she engages the PTO most of the time. It will sputter and cough and spray a plume of smoke and then clears up. I used to think it was because my mower shed has a slight grade to it and I was parking it with the engine downhill. But now that I back it in the shed it still does it, but maybe not as often. Mine is about the same age as the other Dumbass mower. :laughing:
I'm going to replace it soon anyway so I'm not all that concerned, unless it's a simple fix. Wifey always has something else to fuss about anyway
yea it mighta been a bluish white smoke & it does smell a bit like oil/gas...i cant see how it could water in it its garage kept so it never gets wet....& just went out to & smelled the oil dipstick & DOES smell like gas...how hard is it to fix the float/needle valve problem?
As far as smell goes, it would have a very strong gasoline smell not just a little but that is subject to one's sense of smell. Usually if the float/needle & seat are leaking the oil level is way, way overfull but in your case the oil level is low so that leads me to believe your problem is oil consumption.
Perform a fresh oil/filter change and bring the oil level to just under the full mark and start the engine for at least 30 seconds. Shut the engine off and wait at least two hours. Come back and check the oil level. Add oil, if necessary, to bring the oil level exactly to the full mark. Take your time and add just a little bit at a time to ensure the level is right on full. Use the mower as usual and check the oil level before each use. If your engine is consuming oil the level will drop from the full mark according to how severe the usage problem is.
The above test make take some time but it's worth it. If an engine gets enough oil in the combustion chamber it will not perform properly and will puff bluish/white smoke out the exhaust. Next, we'll have to determine why your engine is using oil. You may also have a fuel/carburetor problem so let's see what happens after the fresh oil change.
yea i think i saw yer post earlier Garacuda mine doesnt seem to want to clear its throat tho like yours seems to do...
& ok Lawnranger thanx i will try that & see if that does the trick....i just find it odd that its starting to do it now out of the blue...i never had a problem with it as far the engine goes..i had a problem where it threw the drive belt but that was an eazy fix & havnt had that issue again...ill get some oil & a new filter tomarrow & hopefully she will be back to purrin like a kitten...lol
my friend has the same problem with his it will start right but has no power changed the plug, didn't help, need to change the filters (air and gas), it smells like it is running rich but no black smoke just no power. i took the carb off and blew seafoam through it and air but it didn't help. the battery cablesv were loose but they are tightened now, didn't help. oil looks ok no gas smell in the oil just too much in the carb below the airlfilter. the mower is a 04/2014 with a 420cc mtd motor init at least that is what it says on the motor. it is a head schratcher because i cannot find any adjustment for the carb. it is over head engine maybe the valves are out of adjustment?
