4 cycle weed eater smokes heavily - any ideas? (2023 Update)

[SA Development]

Hi,

I have a 4 cycle weed eater (no oil/gas mixing) and yesterday I was using it for awhile, then I had to stop to put a new string on. When I started it back up, it was hot and began smoking badly. I shut it off and waited a bit (did some mowing) and then came back to it to check the oil in it. The oil seemed fine. When I started it back up, there was a little smoke, but when it went on its way again working fine.

Can these things simply get overheated if revved too much?

Is this likely what caused the smoke?

Any other ideas?

I've had it for about 2-3 years now and have changed the oil about a year ago on it...

Thanks,

Alan

[Duane Bozarth]

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...

[as4603]

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..

[Ulysses]

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

[SA Development]

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

[Stormin Mormon]

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.

[FDR]

There's a nicotene patch you could try.

[PrecisionMachinisT]

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.

[Charmed]

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

[invalid unparseable]

You're a bit late after 16 years.

[Jim E]

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.

[Tabanus]

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