I have a new Toro lawn mower, Briggs & Stratton engine. Model 20053.
I've been using it since the last week of May.
I mow about 6-8 lawns per week, and last week I noticed that the mower
would let out a think white smoke when I start it, since then I only
prime the mower twice instead of thrice. Now, yesterday I decided to
clean my whole mower, and found that there was gas and/or oil on the
air filter. Now you're probably thinking, that leaned it over on the
air filter side, but I assure you that everytime I've leaned to mower
over, the air filter side was up. So I use a paper towel and squeeze
the oil/gas out of the Styrofoam around the filter. I dry the case,
which is also oily. I mow my lawn, and afterwards I see that there is
new oil around the case, and on the filter.

I figured maybe I have too much oil, so I checked it about 10 times,
and it seems fine, I didn't even put much oil in the machine, it says
it can take 591ml and I put about 500 and it was at the full line.

Any help?
Thanks.
Mitch

On Jun 30, 11:52 am, Meat Plow wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:37:07 -0700, Gabrial.Mitch wrote:
I have a new Toro lawn mower, Briggs & Stratton engine. Model 20053.
I've been using it since the last week of May.
I mow about 6-8 lawns per week, and last week I noticed that the mower
would let out a think white smoke when I start it, since then I only
prime the mower twice instead of thrice. Now, yesterday I decided to
clean my whole mower, and found that there was gas and/or oil on the
air filter. Now you're probably thinking, that leaned it over on the
air filter side, but I assure you that everytime I've leaned to mower
over, the air filter side was up. So I use a paper towel and squeeze
the oil/gas out of the Styrofoam around the filter. I dry the case,
which is also oily. I mow my lawn, and afterwards I see that there is
new oil around the case, and on the filter.

I figured maybe I have too much oil, so I checked it about 10 times,
and it seems fine, I didn't even put much oil in the machine, it says
it can take 591ml and I put about 500 and it was at the full line.

Any help?
Thanks.
Mitch

Oil from the sump is getting blown back into the filter through the carb.
I would expect to see a little of it knowing the heavy use the mower is
getting but it could be a sign of other problems. Does it use any oil or
smoke after that initial puff? Maybe there is a crankcase breather that is
plugged? If it's under warranty have it looked at.

No, just the initial puff, then it runs fine. "crankcase breather that
is plugged" What is a crankcase breather?
I decided I'd post here before driving out the the Toro shop.
Mitch

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:37:07 -0700, wrote:

I have a new Toro lawn mower, Briggs & Stratton engine. Model 20053.
I've been using it since the last week of May.
I mow about 6-8 lawns per week, and last week I noticed that the mower
would let out a think white smoke when I start it, since then I only
prime the mower twice instead of thrice. Now, yesterday I decided to
clean my whole mower, and found that there was gas and/or oil on the
air filter. Now you're probably thinking, that leaned it over on the
air filter side, but I assure you that everytime I've leaned to mower
over, the air filter side was up. So I use a paper towel and squeeze
the oil/gas out of the Styrofoam around the filter. I dry the case,
which is also oily. I mow my lawn, and afterwards I see that there is
new oil around the case, and on the filter.

I figured maybe I have too much oil, so I checked it about 10 times,
and it seems fine, I didn't even put much oil in the machine, it says
it can take 591ml and I put about 500 and it was at the full line.

Any help?
Thanks.
Mitch

Good point about the crankcase breather (Meat Plow).

Check the condition of the spark plug firing end. Compare it to this
chart and see if something is seriously wrong like a valve seal or
piston ring.

http://www.verrill.com/moto/sellingg...colorchart.htm

--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 09:14:56 -0700, wrote:

On Jun 30, 11:52 am, Meat Plow wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:37:07 -0700, Gabrial.Mitch wrote:
I have a new Toro lawn mower, Briggs & Stratton engine. Model 20053.
I've been using it since the last week of May.
I mow about 6-8 lawns per week, and last week I noticed that the mower
would let out a think white smoke when I start it, since then I only
prime the mower twice instead of thrice. Now, yesterday I decided to
clean my whole mower, and found that there was gas and/or oil on the
air filter. Now you're probably thinking, that leaned it over on the
air filter side, but I assure you that everytime I've leaned to mower
over, the air filter side was up. So I use a paper towel and squeeze
the oil/gas out of the Styrofoam around the filter. I dry the case,
which is also oily. I mow my lawn, and afterwards I see that there is
new oil around the case, and on the filter.

I figured maybe I have too much oil, so I checked it about 10 times,
and it seems fine, I didn't even put much oil in the machine, it says
it can take 591ml and I put about 500 and it was at the full line.

Any help?
Thanks.
Mitch

Oil from the sump is getting blown back into the filter through the carb.
I would expect to see a little of it knowing the heavy use the mower is
getting but it could be a sign of other problems. Does it use any oil or
smoke after that initial puff? Maybe there is a crankcase breather that is
plugged? If it's under warranty have it looked at.

No, just the initial puff, then it runs fine. "crankcase breather that
is plugged" What is a crankcase breather?
I decided I'd post here before driving out the the Toro shop.
Mitch

Get the Operator's and Parts' Manuals here*. We don't have the serial
number for the model. At least one of these models has a crankcase
breather. Maybe 2 inches long and 1 inch or so wide.

Look next to the exhaust pipe, but it will be mounted on the block and
not the engine head. This cover is also called a tappet cover and has
a gasket and breather. With the cover off you will see both valves
exposed (good for seeing a stuck/damaged valve.

Clean the breather..

*
http://www.toro.com/home/mowers/supe...ler/20053.html

--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

The crankcase breathers I've seen allow air out of the crankcase
when the piston goes "down", or into the crankcase. When the
piston goes up, the valve closes. This maintains a very slight
negative pressure, and helps cut down on oil leakage.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Meat Plow" wrote in message
...
:
: Crankcase breather traditionally allowed some outside air
through a filter
: membrane of various shapes and designs located somewhere on the
engine to
: mix with the crankcase air during operation. But come to think
of it with
: today's tight emissions, crank byproducts would get
recirculated back
: into the engine via a shunt into the intake manifold. If this
is the case
: then you could be seeing this in your filter because of an
incomplete
: sealing of a valve causing excessive blow back pressure in the
manifold.
:
:

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:55:09 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

The crankcase breathers I've seen allow air out of the crankcase
when the piston goes "down", or into the crankcase. When the
piston goes up, the valve closes. This maintains a very slight
negative pressure, and helps cut down on oil leakage.

Not a pro here, but I've always thought of the breather as the direct
method for un-spent/burnt gases to escape. During the intake air we
don't want exhaust fumes to enter the head.

A clogged breather can prevent the escape of the gases and not vent
the block.


--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:03:28 -0400, Meat Plow
wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 12:41:54 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:55:09 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

The crankcase breathers I've seen allow air out of the crankcase
when the piston goes "down", or into the crankcase. When the
piston goes up, the valve closes. This maintains a very slight
negative pressure, and helps cut down on oil leakage.

Not a pro here, but I've always thought of the breather as the direct
method for un-spent/burnt gases to escape. During the intake air we
don't want exhaust fumes to enter the head.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_cycle

A clogged breather can prevent the escape of the gases and not vent
the block.

Breather allows the crankcase to breath since there is a lot of air moving
around on the non combustion side of the engine also. Like Stormin
mentioned it's an oil conservation thing.

I would not have considered it oil conservation so much. But I do know
not to run the engine without it :-))

I've just always thouht of ventilation as the most important function
of the crankcase breather.


My forte is 2 strokers though. Rebuilt my own durtbike motors down to the
last needle bearing. Used to race unlimited class (360cc and above) in
what they called around here a "Hare Scramble." No money in it or national
recognitions but it was a great way to break bones and the chix loved it
too (watch us race)


I had one 360. The cop finally had to ask. Is this the bike that
out-ran me the other night? No Sir!!


--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:38:11 -0400, Meat Plow
wrote:

I would not have considered it oil conservation so much. But I do know
not to run the engine without it :-))

I've just always thouht of ventilation as the most important function
of the crankcase breather.

And really it is. Especially in a motor that depends on motor parts
splashing the oil around from the sump instead of it being pumped.

If the valves seat tightly and seals - do not leak, there is very
little chance for oil to enter the chamber covered by the breather.

The breather wants to release gases, so they do not return to the
combustion chamber through a valve and or misfire and send a puff of
smoke out the exhaust.

Back when I was racing it was pretty rural here. One county Deputy
assigned to our township who knew better than to chase me

You're not old to enough to have run moonshine :-))

Jr. Johnson went from moonshine to "stock car", now NASCAR.

Movie _White Lightening_
--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

Please supply some more details. Vent gasses from where, to
where? Prevent gas from venting from where, to where? And what is
this "from the block" you mention?

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Oren" wrote in message
...
: On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:55:09 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
: wrote:
:
: The crankcase breathers I've seen allow air out of the
crankcase
: when the piston goes "down", or into the crankcase. When the
: piston goes up, the valve closes. This maintains a very slight
: negative pressure, and helps cut down on oil leakage.
:
: Not a pro here, but I've always thought of the breather as the
direct
: method for un-spent/burnt gases to escape. During the intake
air we
: don't want exhaust fumes to enter the head.
:
: A clogged breather can prevent the escape of the gases and not
vent
: the block.
:
:
: --
: Oren
:
: "I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive
somebody who really loves it."

From what I understand, the major reason for a crankcase breather
is so that the pressure of the piston going "down" doesn't
pressurize the crankcase. The internal air pressure tends to blow
oil out any leaky seal, or gap in the gasket.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Oren" wrote in message
...
:
: And really it is. Especially in a motor that depends on motor
parts
: splashing the oil around from the sump instead of it being
pumped.
:
: If the valves seat tightly and seals - do not leak, there is
very
: little chance for oil to enter the chamber covered by the
breather.
:
: The breather wants to release gases, so they do not return to
the
: combustion chamber through a valve and or misfire and send a
puff of
: smoke out the exhaust.
:

On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 18:22:43 -0400, Meat Plow
wrote:

I'd have to go tear my 6.5 hp Toro Personal Pace apart to be sure but I'd
bet that crank by products are reburned these days because of state
emission laws. Hell they even put cat converters on Harleys sold in
California.

Please don't I had not even thought of Emission Control. After all
the years of owning my power washer I didn't pay attention.


I've seen the movie. And no I'm not old enough but my one uncle who was
born in Byrdsville Ky ran shine. I would never ride with him if my aunt
wasn't with us. Well I lied, I rode with him just once

I really hate to ride with a friend..he is color blind and I'm not
sure what he sees for light colors, etc...
--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

On Sun, 1 Jul 2007 04:40:39 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

From what I understand, the major reason for a crankcase breather
is so that the pressure of the piston going "down" doesn't
pressurize the crankcase. The internal air pressure tends to blow
oil out any leaky seal, or gap in the gasket.

I see I'm lacking the point about the "down" stroke and that pressure
building up.

I've taken that for granted and the "real" purpose of the breather.

I seemed to have been stuck on "ventilation" and by that I mean, if
the engine was seriously flooded the gases would leak into the
crankcase breather chamber (open valve) and would be vented out this
breather. Say a valve was bent or a weak spring or a broken valve
seal; then these fumes/gases may leak into the chamber and be vented
outside. These are cases of engine damage, but where combustibles get
into the breather chamber.

I get the real purpose now... preventing pressure by ventilation :-)

Clear as mud? :-)) NOT!
--
Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."