Riding Mower Smoking! QUICK FIX + Cylinder Leak Down Test (Briggs)

John Deere Zero Turn riding mower Briggs and Stratton smoking. How to figure out why it is smoking with a quick fix and cylinder leak down test. This one is a thinker!!

Mower Mike

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[scottp]

Excellent tip on the rusty flywheel and coil. Air cooled Kawasaki twins occasionally have weak coils leading to weak spark. If you pull the plugs and they are sooty and smell like gas check the coil.

[haitzyice]

Dude thank you so much.

- - I was at my Witts end trying to figure out why my Craftsman LT1000 was blowing black smoke and backfiring. - -

Equipped with the Briggs & Stratton intek 18 OHV.

Before I watched your Clip - I did everything from fresh oil change w/ filter, new spark plug, new air filter, new gas filter, new intake gasket …all things that could lead to rich condition and black smoke. Even adjusted the valves - none helped

IT WAS THE END OF YOUR CLIP - Where you showed the rusty magneto when it clicked with me suddenly. I definitely noticed mine was rusty when I was adjusting my valves. The rusty magneto = poor spark = not burning all of the fuel. BOOM!

You’re the man. 🙏🏼 Thank you Sir.

[luvkountry]

Great learning video for the you tubers that like to fix things themselves. Love your instruction on the leak down test. Noticed you are missing one key piece of equipment at your location. " No Beer Fridge"...A cold brew and a toast to a great video is in order. Thank you for sharing your talent.

[keitheades]

I didn't believe it when I watched this video the first time about the rotor being rusty causing smoking. After every ave of fixing n't I noticed mine was about as rusty as the one on video. Took wire brush to rotor an stators, started it up with no smoke and actually runs better. Thanks for the tip

[ScottysVise]

Dude excellent tip on loosening the rocker arms to keep the valves closed. I couldnt figure out how to use the leakdown tester without the piston moving/valves opening. Found an exhaust leak and confirmed by spraying soapy water into exhaust port, and sure enough, the little bastard was bubbling. 😂

[chuckgilbert]

For me the key word is black smoke. That is unburn fuel every time. So next is why. For me I have a lab scope that I can use to see coil ramping and KV signal. (master auto tech) To be honest that rust on the flywheel may have been hard for me to figure. Good job. Next time I see firing problems on my scope I will look at cleaning the flywheel and then check again.

[philliphall]

I enjoy doing the test and looking in to cylinders, troubleshooting is the most rewarding thing 😊😊😊

[mrbrown]

Oh My God...
You removed the engine before checking spark? !
Thanks for the lesson.

[AffectionateSheep-cgpg]

Yes I understand what you say...my question is can I use diesel oil engine

[luvbottom]

Perhaps I can get an answer. My carburetor was flooding the engine to the point gas was in the oil & oil & gas was leaking out of the carburetor. Replaced the carburetor because the float was stuck, changed oil & fires up (sounds like new)but now there’s white smoke coming from the muffler & oil. What could be wrong?

[robloxmaster]

I have a Kohler command 17 on a Husqvarna cz4817 zero turn. It ran great for a while but now it runs for about 5 minutes and dies after it died I took off the air filter and white smoke slowly came out of the intake and was a little wet inside the intake.

[glennyj]

A great and safe way to lock the engine is to turn the crank so the piston goes down to BDC. Then pack the spark plug hole with rope. Then turn over the engine until it locks up against the rope in the cylinder.

[MrCoolBreeze]

Too much oil was in mines, thank you so much for this video 🙏🏿

[chuckgilbert]

Just wanted to share for readers that to much oil can be a stuck carb needle flooding the crankcase with gas. Oil thinned out from gas raising oil level. So use your nose and see if the oil smell like gas. A carb cleaning can also fix it. BLUE smoke in this case.

[josuerivera]

very good video, look, I have a cub cadet 54” cuoler engine, someone bought it new on a suoplay tractor and they returned it because even after I bought it, I found out that it was emitting white smoke after a couple of hours, I returned it to the store, I bought it at a discount from the ones from The store drained the oil, fitted the spark plugs, cleaned the carburetor, turned on and shot white smoke again and turned off but then we tried several times to turn it on and it doesn't turn on anymore, it starts but it doesn't turn on, can you help me find out what the problem could be? ?? Thanks in advance 👍

[rusted]

My craftsman B&S 21hp smokes a lot of blue smoke when warms up. Oil level is fine. Is it the rings? Is it worth fixing? Previous owner said it made noise while the oil was low but i hear no noise. Ill try a leak down test if i can.

[MrBluejames]

THis is a great video and really helped a great deal!

[SantiagoCampos-rzoq]

What is happening if a have a really fine white smoke coming from oil check cap. When these are running is there suppose to be oil flopping from there

[RedFox]

i had people that do that or just put it on the side of the road 1 day i found a push mower they said they could not get it running i looked at it and the carb choke was on back words had tap holding it the spring was pulled to keep it still it was a 5 min fix and now it works and sold it for 50

[dangatto]

My riding mower only blows billowing white smoke when under a load then stops on the flat. I don't think the oil level is too high.