Possible cause 1: In some models, when you tip the mower, fuel can leak into the carbon in the cap, which restricts the venting of the fuel system. This can cause the engine not to start, or only run for a few minutes, then quit. If there’s black smoke exhaust coming out of the mower, this is likely the cause.Click to see full answer. Consequently, what happens when you turn a lawn mower upside down?Possible cause 1: In some models, when you tip the mower, fuel can leak into the carbon in the cap, which restricts the venting of the fuel system. This can cause the engine not to start, or only run for a few minutes, then quit. If there’s black smoke exhaust coming out of the mower, this is likely the cause.Likewise, can a lawn mower explode? Lawn mowers can explode as a result of catching fire or unauthorized changes and modding of the engine and the fuel system. Under normal use, chances of a lawn mower exploding are very low, but this can be further prevented by regular maintenance and service. Subsequently, one may also ask, is it bad to turn a lawn mower on its side? There is no information in the manual saying on which side to put it. According to MarionMowers, It says: If your lawnmower is four stroke (which it is), tip the mower so that the spark plug is pointing skyward, never tip it on its side with the spark plug to the ground.How do I fix white smoke from my lawn mower?The white smoke is the engine burning off all the excess oil. The fix – drain the excessive oil, and idle the engine until the smoke clears. This may take 5 minutes or so. Depending on your mower type, draining the oil can be a pain in the ass.