Smoking at start up

[timber132007]

I have two new mowers that blow oil smoke when I crank them. One is a Next Lazer Z with 34hp Kawi and the other is a Lazer Z HP with 23hp Kohler. Both mowers are new(less than 100 hours) and have the appropriate amount of oil in them. What causes them to blow smoke when I crank them? Is this is a sign of problems to come or nothing to worry about?

[DT Lawn Care]

You may have gas flowing through your carb to your oil while sitting. Try putting a gas shut-off on your gasline from your gas tanks to the carb, and shut the gas off after you put it away for the day. Unless they already have shut-offs on them. I do this with all of my big equipment.

[browningv308]

my 15hp kawi also does this started at about 200 hours and now with 260 hour it still does it it will smoke for about the first 10 minutes after start up dealer recommended using the fuel cut off but it still smokes run her until it blows i guess

[Thunderbolt]

My 09 Lazer with a 34hp Kaw smoked when I first got it but after about 50 to 60hrs the smoke stopped.:)

[metro36]

My 15 hp kawi blows smoke for a few minutes on the first lawn of the day. I was told it had something to do with the mower sitting then I run it at idle every morning to get it from the shop to the truck. It needs full throttle to clean out the old gas in the carb. The short run from the shop to the truck at low throttle makes it worse than just starting up and running it at full throttle. I cant make much noise in the morning or else my neighbors would not be happy.

[timber132007]

I've got 54 hours on mine so hopefully the smoking will go away. I've read that what I'm experiencing could be the valve stems allowing oil to leak into the cylinder/combustion chamber when it sits. I'm not a mechanic and really don't know but it only does it with cold starts on both machines.

One interesting thing is that I've had three mowers with horizontal shaft engines prior to these that never smoked at start up. Now I have two new mowers with vertical shaft engines that are both doing it. It would be much appreciated if anyone else could weigh in on what could be causing this and whether I need to take them back to the dealer.

[MS_SURVEYOR]

I've got a 30hp Kohler with 14.5 hours. It smoked at start up hen I first got it. I changed the oil at 5 hours. The smoking stopped. It then started blowing a puff of smoke at start up at 10 hours. I talked to puppypaws about it. He said it was normal for Kohlers to blow a puff of smoke at start up. Or for some Kohlers. Then at 12 hours after adjusting the rpms to 3600, the puff of smoke stopped. Beats me??? I'm not using oil!! So I'll just wait and see. Drives me nuts to see smoke at start up on a $2,200 engine!! :dizzy:

ms

[dbroken64]

I have a 26 horse liquid cooled wildcat with a kawa on it and on start up it smokes too. Drives me crazy too. Only about 300 hrs on it.:hammerhead:

[Wizz]

I have had this happen a few times on my new Next LazerZ with 23hp Kohler Command....I'm almost positive it's excess fuel burn-off and nothing to worry about as it only does it if the mower has been sitting, and there is no sign of any smoke on warm start-ups which is a good sign. Maybe using the fuel shut-off located under the seat might prevent it, but to me it's a non issue and nothing to worry about. And if you're choking the motor it will richen things up at start up anyway which will cause fuel to accumulate as well. HTH