What would make an engine with low hours probably less than 100 smoke all the time?
This is an Onan 16 hp twin cylinder horizontal engine.
It smokes at least a little pretty much all the time. Any ideas?

And it seems to be at least partly blue smoke.


????

Oil level to high.

Is it using oil?

Sounds like high oil level to me too. Are you checking the oil while the machine is on level ground? Strange as it may seem, high oil level can ruin an engine. Reason being, whether lubrication is by a slinger on the connecting rod end or by an engine oil pump, the oil level is never to be so high that the crankshaft strikes the oil while rotating. When the engine is overfilled and the crank does strike the oil, this causes the oil to foam and the level increased even more by the increase in volume of the oil which now contains foam. Result, high oil consumption and worse yet, engine parts are not fully lubed by the voids (air bubbles) of the oil film on the bearing surfaces and leading to early engine failure. Tom

What does the oil smell like? Gas?..... gas would certainly thin the oil out and cause overfilling...

thanks for the replys. I will check into it tomorrow and let you all know what I find.

Yep. Quite a bit over full. So thats probably what was causing the smoke. Good thing it didn't have too much run time on it with all that oil in it.

Ok, another update. the engine is still smoking after a couple minutes run time. I guess i could run it longer to see if it goes away. any ideas? suggestions?

Yes run it longer..... I'd also check the air filter for oil on it...

Run it long enough to fully warm it up. Under load if possible. Any darkness to this smoke at all? Could you have a combination of oil smoke combined with a rich fuel mixture?. Recheck your hi sp fuel mixture if it is adjustable. Is the oil getting dirty or smelly as Bugman has previously mentioned? Does it use oil as Hdman has mentioned? lol Tom

Exaust manifolds and mufflers will take a good while to burn all the residue out. If you've followed the previous instructions like change your oil and then double check the level- check your air filter-and clean the airbox if fouled- then run the motor carefully and let all the oil burn off. Oil processed through combustion has a very different odor than non combusted oil smoke created by a fouled exhaust. Most motors will foul like this when upended in shipping or storage or the obvious overfill scenario. It's just another oil fouled insect fogger, be patient let it burn it self out. Any of you guys remember the old Honda GVX 340's with the do not exceed 15% tip angle? Now that was a bug fogger. I can remember some taking 20 minutes to burn off!

Exaust manifolds and mufflers will take a good while to burn all the residue out. If you've followed the previous instructions like change your oil and then double check the level- check your air filter-and clean the airbox if fouled- then run the motor carefully and let all the oil burn off. Oil processed through combustion has a very different odor than non combusted oil smoke created by a fouled exhaust. Most motors will foul like this when upended in shipping or storage or the obvious overfill scenario. It's just another oil fouled insect fogger, be patient let it burn it self out. Any of you guys remember the old Honda GVX 340's with the do not exceed 15% tip angle? Now that was a bug fogger. I can remember some taking 20 minutes to burn off!
quite right..... bigger the muffler, the longer it may take to burn off oil thats in it also....