Tag: lawn mower oil leak

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair, Riding Lawn Mower Repair, Zero Turn Lawn Mower Repair

Lawn Mower Leaks Oil From Crankcase

Occasionally we see an oil leak from the crankcase gasket that seals the two halves of the crankcase together. Or a pinhole develops in the actual casting of the crankcase and oil will seep out of it. Other areas that leak are protrusions through the crankcase such as the governor arm shaft. Head gaskets can be another source of an oil leak out of the crankcase. An oil seal at the crankshaft is another oil leak source.

Note: Be extra cautious during the testing as you are working near a lawn mower blade. You can shutdown the engine prior to checking for where the engine is leaking for safety.

There are some dyes that can be added to the oil to find a hard to find oil leak. You put the dye in the crankcase and run the engine to get it warmed up. Then a black light is used to identify where the oil leak is coming from.

If you don’t have access to this type of testing paraphernalia, thoroughly clean the engine crankcases and then run the engine until it is warm. Look over the areas that you suspect the leak is coming from and look for the slightest weeping of oil. Wipe the area down and continue to monitor it.  Some leaks are difficult to find, but you will eventually find them.

Lawn Mower Repair Tips, Push and Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Repair, Riding Lawn Mower Repair, Zero Turn Lawn Mower Repair

My Lawn Mower Leaks Oil And I Cannot Tell Where it is Coming From

Just how in the world can you tell if you have an oil leak on a lawn mower that is now covered in dirt and dust?

When oil leaks out of your lawn mower, dust and dirt quickly adhere to that oil and make it very hard to detect the exact location of the leak. The first thing you must do is to power wash the engine to remove the dirt and debris. You must take special care to ensure that you don’t get water into vital areas such as the carburetor, fuel injection or air filter area.

Now you can run the engine and search for the leaking oil but you must take care if this is a push or self-propelled engine as the blade will be turning.

Another way to look for an engine leak is to apply some dye to the engine oil and then use a black light to find it. The dye is illuminated by the black light and makes finding leaks easier.

If you are still struggling to find an oil leak in your lawn mower engine or need the leak repaired, check out our Locations page for a lawn mower repair shop near you.