Driving with blades engaged, a huge cloud of white smoke came out of the exhaust, engine still ran. I cut it off and checked the oil, it was a little high, turn engine back on with no problem, minutes later it did it again, it seems going up hill does it ran another fifteen minutes and ran fine. What is going on mower is two years old with thirty hours.

SOURCE: TRACTOR BLEW WHITE SMOKE, AND STARTS TO SPUTTER

Start with making sure your oil lever is not over full. If it is it may be getting into the crankcase breather hose that goes to the carburetor hence the white smoke. Sometimes also you can blow a gasket in the breather system and it will do the same. Check for oil leaks in the breather system. Hope this helps. donnyb60

SOURCE: Knocking in mower deck or belt clutch when engaging blades, motor bogs / slows down

YOU MAY HAVE A BENT BLADE OR EXESSEIVE BUILD UP UNDER THE DECK

Wade Mobley

• 513 Answers
• Posted on Jun 28, 2009

SOURCE: Craftsman riding mower blades will not engage

maybe the safty switch under seat might be starting to go out if that switch doesn't work the blades wont come on at all for safety

SOURCE: mower made huge cloud of white smoek and shut off

Check for spark at the plug.
If the engine has points and condenser . check to see if the points are good.
If electronic ignition, then it is likely the ignition module is the cause

SOURCE: i have a bolens 38 inch riding mower. it cranked

did you try depressing the clutch to disengage everything regardless of being in neutral? and it sounds like a pulley bearing went bad.try to spin the pulley with your hand and see if it moves.take the belt off to the mower deck and that should keep them from turning when you go to start it.

Testimonial: "thanks. at least i can crank it and get it to a trailer instead of pushing it. i really appreciate it.......cb"