4 cycle weed eater smokes heavily - any ideas?

Probably just dumped a bunch of oil into the cylinder while changing the string -- try to keep from turning it upside down or sideways and if do/must, let it sit in normal fully upright uncomfortable :) position for a while before running it again...

Is that a Ryobi? The instruction manual says the valve clearance should be checked and adjusted. I think it's after a couple of years or something like that. I have one (quick link - multi function unit) and it started smoking over the last year. Wondering about the valve clearance, I'm not sure that's something I can handle..

Or some oil got onto the air cleaner and into the carburator from tipping it the wrong way.

Hi Duane,

Wow, I didn't know that you should flip it on its side. I almost always do that. I'll be more careful from now on--thanks for the advice!

Alan

If the valve clearance is wrong, the engine will fade and then die when it warms up. The engine will restart after the engine cools off.

There's a nicotene patch you could try.

Only if the valve clearance is too tight.....if they're set a bit too loose then they'll simply clatter instead.

Either way, it's still not gonna cause oil smoke.

So I just had the same problem and it was really a simple fix there was TOO much oil put in when it was given an oil change

You're a bit late after 16 years.

And since weed eaters haven't used oil since 2011, there is no need for this response. No one who reads it could possibly find it useful.

Wrong! I'm looking for a solution on 6/25/23.