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Old 30-08-2012, 05:45 PM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden
Joe[_19_] Joe[_19_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2012
Posts: 2
Default blue smoke from garden tractor

thanks for your comment- mechanics is not my thing, it's helpful to get some
clue what to say to a local tractor mechanic, so I don't sound too stupid

I don't do much mowing, now that I moved to a property with a much smaller
lawn- but, we're doing a lot of landscaping, planting trees and shrubs-
digging up rocky soil, moving fresh dirt to the sites- and doing that with a
wheel barrow ain't the same for an aging back... I have a nice cart to move
stuff with the tractor...
Joe


wrote in message
...
On Aug 29, 7:17 am, "Joe" wrote:
I have a Craftsman lawn tractor- model 917.272244 I purchased in 2001. It
has always run well, but in recent years it's been burning oil, more and
more lately. It used to be that only when I started it- I'd see some some
blue smoke for a few seconds, then it would clear. Now it's blue smoke all
the time, or-- at least most of the time. Yet, it still starts and runs.
It
doesn't make any odd noises so I don't think it's misfiring. In the past
the
oil level didn't go down much but lately it's going down fast- so, despite
being a mechanical idiot (seriously)- I'm presuming it's burning oil due
to
the seals on the cylinders? If so, does this mean it's near the end of its
life or is it possible to get an "engine job" at a reasonable price? yes,
I
know, I need to talk to local shops that sell and repair GTs. But, before
i
do that, as always, I like to get somewhat familiar with problems online
before talking to a shop person.



Two ways for oil to get burned. Either it's valve seals or
rings. Most likely the seals. That is suggested by the
fact that the smoke initially appeared only at start-up
If it's only 10 years old and otherwise in reasonable shape, having
it fixed is likely worthwhile.