# White smoke



## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

My 67 Ariens is throwing white smoke. I thought it would eventually go away but it’s not. It’s not oil. It smells like gas. Maybe too rich? I hope it isn’t major


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Does it smell like unburned gas, you mean? Typically being too-rich would make black smoke. Burning oil is often bluish. 

White smoke can be caused by burning coolant, I think, but that's obviously wouldn't apply here. 

What happens if you apply some choke?


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

It smells like unburned gas. When I apply the choke it stalls out like what usually happens when it’s not needed


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

does the oil smell like gas?


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

No the oil is fine


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## SayItAintSnow (Dec 15, 2017)

Sticking, or compromised float, so the needle valve never completely closes, would be my first guess.:icon_scratch:


If that's the case, don't keep gas in it for too long, until you find the solution, or if you have a fuel shutoff, make sure you keep it off when you are not working on the machine. Consider too, once you fix it, to change the oil as it may have gotten gas in it.



You'd have to pull the float bowl off and check the operation of the float and valve. Floats can get stuck, needle valves can be worn out so they don't seal properly, hollow plastic floats can crack and fill with gas, etc.
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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

I’ll open up the carb tomorrow and check the needle and float


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

What kind of oil is in it (synthetic/dino, and weight), how much did you put in if you changed it recently? If you changed it, did you tip the machine to make absolutely sure you got all the old oil out, and measured the new oil and put in only exactly what the engine (Tecumseh H series I'd bet) requires, which I believe is 19 oz?

Kinda sounds like it's way too much brand new synthetic oil - and it's actually a very light blue in color.


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

I got the snowblower last week and haven’t changed the oil yet so I have no clue what’s in it


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*White smoke means it is a fuel issue. The valves are off some how. *


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

The exhaust fumes smell like unburned gas


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

Thekidmechanic05 said:


> I got the snowblower last week and haven’t changed the oil yet so I have no clue what’s in it


I'd be draining it as my 1st order of business, drain it into a measuring cup to know exactly how much was in it. Make sure you tip it also to ensure you get it all out, assuming it has a Tecumseh with a drain nipple coming out the right side of the engine.

That way at the very least you know it isn't an over-fill situation, and also can figure out if it's loaded with gas or something else. Now, me personally I would change it after - but at least you can possibly eliminate one possibility with zero cost without tearing into the carb.


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

The oil is in the “ok” zone. And it’s very thick


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

The white smoke from exhaust would most likely be blow-by gases and I would check for worn valve guides after checking breather system. If possible without oil spraying everywhere loosen the dipstick or oil fill cap to relieve crankcase pressures somewhat noting any change in amount of smoke.


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

Ill have to tear it apart tomorrow and see what I can find


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

Thekidmechanic05 said:


> The oil is in the “ok” zone. And it’s very thick


For one...I changed the oil in my HSSK50 on my 922008 recently which was also in the OK zone on the dipstick. I drained 24 oz out - only the spec for the engine was 21 oz. Oh, so THAT'S why it was always a smoky engine. Put in fresh synthetic and exactly 21 oz, no more abnormal engine smoke.

Then my 910965. Drained the oil. Didn't tip the engine enough apparently. Put in 19 oz per the manual. White smoke. Drained the engine, tipped it darn near on it's side this time, 23 oz came out. Poured 19 oz back in...no more white (very pale blue) smoke.

Secondly, if the oil is overly thick yet the engine is warm or hot...change it.

Look at it this way. Unless you had been servicing this machine prior to where you absolutely know what was in it prior, you really don't know what was really in it prior. If you change the engine oil, gas, and auger gear case oil at the outset and you put in exactly what it's supposed to have in all 3 cases, you can eliminate "bad fluids" from any checklist of potential issues.

For all you know, gear oil is in the engine crankcase at this moment.


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

Watch the video I put on my you and see if you see anything https://youtu.be/JlNuuCR0Noc


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

watching the that vid it idles nice smooth
your carb is clogged hi speed thats running awfull when you go full boot


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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

I’ll take the carb out tomorrow and dip it


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## SayItAintSnow (Dec 15, 2017)

Good video. I like how the title refers to the machine as an "antique" from the 1970's.


Since I *graduated* from high school in 1970,I guess that makes me a real antique.....:devil:


I'll tell ya' son, I might not be the best judge of the color of that smoke, because I am color blind, but that looks on the video to be light blue, which would indicate oil.


You mentioned that the oil looked very thick. Do you suppose that the previous owner knew the machine was dropping in compression, and threw in some thicker oil to minimize blowing so much out the exhaust?


Of course one way to find out is to drain that stuff out, and put in the proper weight oil and see if the smoking gets worse. That would at least answer that question. If you can get your hands on a compression tester, you could test it with the current oil, and then the spec'd oil and see if there's a big difference.


Frankly, from what I could see on the video, I imagined the smoking to be a lot worse from your original description, especially for a machine that's been banging away since the 70's!


Good work though getting that rig to run as good as it is right now. You obviously know a he11 of a lot more about power equipment than I did at your age! :goodjob:
Stick with it. You'll get it figured out!
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## Thekidmechanic05 (Dec 4, 2018)

I’ll be getting some fresh oil soon and I’ll put some marvel mystery oil too


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

OK, it's an older unit that you purchased used I'm assuming.


White smoke COULD be. I capitalized could because this is speculation.


It is possible the last person to store the unit used fogging oil. It will smoke a for a bit, a few minutes most, until the fogging oil burns off. 


Could also be something put in the gas for storage.


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

Maybe I'm seeing things and the older H70's carb choke is different, but doesn't the choke lever go all the way to the right for choke on and not all the way left to shut it off once warm? 

On my H70-130067, that's the way "choke off" works, it is supposed to go no farther than the point where the heater box bends towards the front of the machine. And if it's all the way left as far as the lever will travel, the lever bounces exactly what I saw in the video, engine sputters like I saw, etc. It's effectively fully choke on all over again, but the little vertical spring near the lever that contacts against the notches in the lever shaft is no longer making contact to hold it at choke off - so the governor arm bounces the lever trying to keep the engine running.

My hunch is, that lever is going too far left, re-choking the carb. My 910965's heater box cover, that choke lever slot isn't as long to the left and doesn't allow as much travel as my 910962's, so I don't have that issue.

Just spitballing here...but place the lever where the bend on the left occurs on the heater box to where the choke lever travel stops at the box's bend...and see how it runs there. If your carb is like both of mine, it should run wide open "no choke" at that spot.

Look at the two images attached (they're kinda small, crops of full size images). One is my '965's heater box, the other is my '962 rusty heater box and look where the lever is...not nearly as to the left as it can go. Their carbs are exactly the same. 

I have bent the choke lever up a bit on the '962 so it will stop just a tad bit to the left where it sits in the image - it does not "round the bend" any more like I see in this video or it'll run just like this video's engine runs. And I'd say it's running rich cause it's choked too much set up the way it's set up now.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

tlshawks said:


> Maybe I'm seeing things and the older H70's carb choke is different, but doesn't the choke lever go all the way to the right for choke on and not all the way left to shut it off once warm?
> 
> On my H70-130067, that's the way "choke off" works, it is supposed to go no farther than the point where the heater box bends towards the front of the machine. And if it's all the way left as far as the lever will travel, the lever bounces exactly what I saw in the video, engine sputters like I saw, etc. It's effectively fully choke on all over again, but the little vertical spring near the lever that contacts against the notches in the lever shaft is no longer making contact to hold it at choke off - so the governor arm bounces the lever trying to keep the engine running.
> 
> My hunch is, that lever is going too far left, re-choking the carb. My 910965's heater box cover, that choke lever slot isn't as long to the left and doesn't allow as much travel as my 910962's, so I don't have that issue.



I thought the exact same thing when I watched that video. That would make for an easy fix.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

It could be that the engine's just tired and the exhaust smell is just your typical old Tecumseh engine. Even if you get it running correctly, the exhaust smell may not get much better.

I've purchased and sold several 10000 series models and the ones with the original engines had really stinky exhausts, to the point where I'd need to leave the coat I was wearing in the garage to not stink up the rest of the house.

The ones with replacement engines from the 80s and later typically smell cleaner IMO.


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## tlshawks (Feb 9, 2018)

db130 said:


> It could be that the engine's just tired and the exhaust smell is just your typical old Tecumseh engine. Even if you get it running correctly, the exhaust smell may not get much better.
> 
> I've purchased and sold several 10000 series models and the ones with the original engines had really stinky exhausts, to the point where I'd need to leave the coat I was wearing in the garage to not stink up the rest of the house.
> 
> The ones with replacement engines from the 80s and later typically smell cleaner IMO.


When I was rebuilding my 3 machines recently I had to wash my coat weekly because of this. The times I'd be adjusting the carb settings were the worst, exhaust blowing right at me.

I'll notice it during winter also when blowing snow...just the cost of doing the work.


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