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Hover mower

Seadin

Hi all I bought a new hover lawnmower last week and was using it this evening on a steep bank. About 30 mins into the job the engine blew out a big cloud of white smoke out the exhaust and I shut down the engine immediately. It will not start well I'll tried but nothing. I take it it's goosed? Bought the mower online and was delivered assembled and there was oil inside it,I checked it before i started. Pretty annoyed about it but is the engine completely goosed? What can I do?

TIA

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blackbox

Can you tell us make and model?

Discodog

That usually means oil has got into the combustion chamber. Is it a two stroke or four stroke engine?

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122158877#Comment_122158877

Cobra 51b air mower.

Seadin

Its 4 stroke. It has separate fuel and oil compartments.

Discodog

You need to check the instructions. A 4 stroke is not ideal on slopes as you can't tilt it far towards the carburettor. If you do then oil will get into the carb. Take the air filter off & clean it, then hopefully the engine will start. It should stop smoking as the oil burns away. You may need to clean the plug.

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122159404#Comment_122159404

The mower can mow at angles up to 45 degrees it said on the manual and the reason why I bought it. There was oil inside the engine when I received it. But when I checked it after I thought it was well over the mark, I need to check later again as the oil be cold now and see if that's the case.

Would engines be difficult to start after they blow a cloud of white smoke? Or would it go again?

Discodog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122159479#Comment_122159479

It should be fine but you need to clean the air filter & it may be difficult to start until it's burn't off all the oil. Check if that 45 degrees is in all directions. The other potential problem is the location of the oil pump & the risk that when it is tipped a particular way that the pump runs dry.

Slope mowers traditionally had 2 stroke engines to get around the problem. The B&S engined version,of that mower, does appear to have starting problems due to not having a carb primer.

Seadin

I drained out the oil to the recommended level on the dip stick. I cleaned the air filter. I got a compressed air hose and blew any grass and oil residue out of the filter. I put in high quality petrol to fuel tank.

I started it up after the 2nd attempt and it started. It was very smokey for the first two mins and then it cleared away and no white smoke could be seen. I left it running for 10 mins to clear out any oil.

I will try to mow with it tomorrow and see if there are any issues. But confident I might have sorted it.

GreeBo

45* down is very different from 45* up when it comes to filters and oil :)

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122164937#Comment_122164937

What way should I use it?. I worked downwards from the bank only didn't cut upwards. Reading through the manual. It said mow across only not upwards or downwards.

I really don't know what way the lawnmower should be facing on the slope.

blackbox

To me that means you should be mowing left or right along the slope, but not up or down. Do a quick check on oil level with mower on flat ground before every use.

Good to hear motor has survived.

GreeBo

Mowers should only be tipped with the air filter at the highest point, so depending on the slope, this might mean you can only mow left to right for example.

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122168437#Comment_122168437

No bother Il try that next time. I got some fright when I saw the cloud of white smoke coming out of it but good to see it started again.

Seadin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122169096#Comment_122169096

No problem. Il try that next time. I was doing it wrong the last time. I say the overfilled oil didn't help either. The air filter is located to the back of engine on my mower.

Thargor

Whats it like to use when its running?