Engine smoking

[ChrisR]

Hi Everyone

Today I noticed that when I first fire up my L35, It blows a puff of smoke with the first compression stroke, and also when I was operating my loader under load it also blew smoke until I eased off, it's a grey colour smoke. I changed the engine oil and filter, and cleaned the diesel filter about twenty hours ago. The engines done 673 hours with services carried out as per book.
Anyone got any ideas ? (should I worry ?)

Regards

Chris

 

[Bird]

Chris, how long have you have that tractor, and is this the first time it's smoked like that. My tractors always put out one little puff of very dark smoke when they first fire off, and it's not unusual for any diesel to put out a little bit of smoke when it loads up, although it's not enough to even notice on my B2710. I'm no mechanic so maybe someone else has a better answer, but I'm wondering if this is something new for yours to do this or whether it's always done it.

Bird

 

[snowman]

My B7500 always has black smoke when I first start it.

Also get smoke when I lug the engine using the loader when I'm digging into a pile of dirt or something like that; the backside of my loader bucket and the loader arms on the side next to the exhaust have a good cover of soot on them.

 

[ChrisR]

Hi Bird

I've had the tractor for over a year now and this is the first time I've noticed the smoke, of course that doesn't mean it hasn't been doing it for a while, but now I've seen it, It's all I see, hence the concern !!!

Regards

Chris

 

[rbargeron]

Chris: Have you recently put in fuel from a different source than before? I have noticed that my Kubota diesels show different smoking habits depending on which fuel I use. I've had some diesel that seemed to smoke more - especially if the engine idled for a while and cooled off - on powering up again there might be some smoke, but it goes away as the combustion chambers heat up. Some of the diesel I've gotten from my local Sunoco station seems to smoke less.

Grey smoke is often just normal. Smoke from engine wear wouldn't be expected until 4000 hours or more, unless ther was poor maintenance. Another factor in visibility of smoke is the relative humidity at the time - part of the exhaust stream is water vapor so that can add to the visual effect.

Cheerful refund if info is bogus.

 

[Bird]

Chris, like I said, I'm no mechanic, but I don't think you have anything to be concerned about.

Bird

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I agree with Dick's line of reasoning... a recent fuel fillup, with "dirty fuel", "contaminated" fuel, stirring something {debris} up inside your fuel tank, excess condensation/water in the tank, etc.... going through this tank of fuel and a fresh tank should prove that out...

Or an injector/s sticking with erratic fuel delivery...

Also both of these problems can cause poorer/longer startup than usual...

 

[GlueGuy]

Chris,

That sounds pretty normal to me. My B7500 also smokes when first started, but it disappears almost immediately. It will also give out a little "puff" when initially going up a steep incline, or anytime the load is suddenly increased.

The GlueGuy

 

[njrqs]

Chris

My L1501 (L185) blows black smoke when first started, then dissapears. Also puffs when loaded uphill or something like that.

Mine is dropping oil from the water relief hole in the exhaust outlet. Something my mechanic says is a winter problem as I haven't been loading the engine, rather idling around everywhere. Says it should clear up with some good slashing over summer.

Mine is 20+ years old with less than 500 hours on it.

Cheers

<font color=blue>Neil from OZ.</font color=blue>

 

[PaulT]

One thing that is normal during startup is a puff of white "cold smoke". Check out this link to chevron for a description of cold smoke. Basically it is vaporized, unburned fuel. According to Chevron its normal during colder weather. I don't know about the grey smoke under load induced by the FEL, but reading a little about diesels on that web page may shed some light on it.

PaulT

 

[frank_f15]

chris; my b2400 always gives a brief puff of grey smoke on start up. nothing to worry about, also sometimes when digging in hard it will give a puff of grey, but if it is constant u might might want to have it checked out. also don't forget that u may have gotten a different fuel mix or slightly contaminated fuel.

 

[kubmech]

Chris, Don't sweat it. Diesels smoke a little at startup till they get sufficiently warmed up to provide an efficient burn. The older direct injection Kubota engines would scare you to death. Smoke under load is also perfectly normal as a result of the governor action on the fuel rack providing more fuel for the demand. (ever notice a semi going up a hill or accellerating?) A puff of smoke when initially putting the engine under load is normal, if the smoke continues as well as a steady rpm drop off, it's an indicator that your overloading the engine (lugging), and is not good. If you back off on the load, the rpm's should rise, and the smoke should clear up. The HST guys should be pretty familiar with this scenario. Chances are you just never noticed this before and possibly you're working the machine a little harder than usual.

 

[ChrisR]

Thanks for the information everyone.

I feel a lot happier now I know it's quite normal, I probably just didn't notice it before, as I tend to be in a world of my own when I'm driving the tractor (or thats what my wife says anyway).

Regards

Chris

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ChrisR on 10/20/01 06:41 AM (server time).</FONT></P>