I hit a belt off a steel belted tire while cutting grass near the road. It was hidden beneath the tall grass. The engine almost died, but picked up again and began smoking. When accellerating, it makes a sound that I used to get when I used low octane gasoline in my car which needed high test. The smoking was most apparent when I started on higher grass and fogs the neighborhood.

I understand that I probably knocked it out of time. I pulled the cover from the engine and saw that the key was still in place on the shaft so the timing problem must be in the valves. How do I time the valves to the piston?

Thanks, Ken

Hi,
I would investigate further. The stiking of something could easily wrap something around a blade spindle causing a belt to smoke. Does it smell of burning rubber?
Peace,
Clarke