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I was hoping you guys would be able to help me with some problems I have with my push mower. I was mowing the lawn a couple of days ago when I felt it was losing some power. I thought it was clogged so I tipped the mower over and used a broom to move the blade around. It took me maybe a minute to find the broom so the mower was tipped maybe a total of 2 minutes. When I turned it upright again it would not start. I opened the fuel cap and found there was no gas. (probably the original reason why the mower felt weak). So I poured in some gas and then it took me a few pulls to get the mower started. When it started there was a lot of white smoke coming out the exhaust. I turned it off and decided to try again the next day. When I tried it the next day there was still smoke but a lot less. It was also spitting out some oil (see attached picture)



What should I do to get my mower running properly again?

Also are mowers not supposed to ever be tipped over?

Another thing that may be of relevance is that the last time me and my dad changed the oil I accidentally poured a little too much, about a half inch too high. My dad said it was fine so we left it. The first several times I mowed this year it seemed to work fine though, and there was not any smoke.

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate your help.

Check the engine oil level and make sure it is still fine. Then check the air cleaner to make sure isn't soaked in oil. After that start the mower and just let it fog the skitters it has to burn the oil out of the intake, cylinder, and muffler from being tipped.

The safe direction to tip a mower depends on the engine some you can tip on the side opposite the carb, some you can tip back just depends on the engine.

Sounds like a bad case of the perfectly normals. Working under the deck of the mower is something that must be done. Best to tip with the fuel tank empty, and the carburetor pointing upwards. Good time to change the oil too. As for manually rotating the blade out of your way, pull the spark plug wire off the plug first. Not much chance of the engine starting that way. And enjoy that fine lawn.

Normal deal from tipping the mower with exhaust down. I always tip a lawn mower with exhaust up from having experienced the same thing once.

For push mowers it is a hard & fast rule to tip them handle bar down.
Most now have the Victa initates trip on them so fold the handle back and most will sit upright all by themselves.
If not I sit a brick on the bars ( sand bag really so as not to scratch customers handles ).

Hey guys thanks for your replies!

The bottom half of the air filter was soaked in oil, so I removed it and installed a new one. I disconnected the breather tube because I was worried more oil might come through there and ruin my new filter as well. So I ran the mower without the breather tube attached. It smoked for the first few minutes then ran fine.

It is almost time for me to mow again and I was wondering, should I reattach the breather tube? Why do they design it that way in the first place? Would it hurt the mower to not have the breather tube attached? Thanks!

Without the breather tube installed you will suck unfiltered air into the engine.