Alan wrote:

I have a Mountfield Laser Omega 42 HP mower I've acquired recently which is
producing clouds of blue/grey smoke and dripping oil from the exhaust
silencer.

According to the sticker on it it's product code MP88901 made in 1995 with a
2.6Kw Briggs & Stratton engine.

I've only just got this mower and have no idea of it's history.

It seems to start easily enough but is either sucking oil from the sump and
burning it, or may have had a load run into the cylinder from improper
storage?

The oil level is between the dipstick marks, the fuel is fresh stuff and the
smoke / oil dripping is irrelevant of the choke position.

So far I've only run it for a few minutes due to smoking out the neighbours!

Does this sound like a seriously worn engine, or just accumulated oil in the
cylinder that should soon burn off?

If worn engine, what is the solution, will a new set of rings do it (does it
have any??) or is the cylinder likely to be excessively worn?

Thanks in advance,

Alan.

If it starts and runs fine, yet produces clouds of smoke, I doubt the
oils in the cylinder. If it were it would mess with the spark plug too
much. I'm more familiar with cars, and on a car engine the prime
suspect would be a gone oilseal on an exhaust valve stem. If B+S uses
the same sort of valve arrangement then this would be the no 1
suspicion. These seals cost pence, therye a rubber grommet that goes
round the valve stem, with a small spring wrapping round it to keep it
in place.


NT