L3901 White Smoke and Fuel Knock

JJones

New member

Equipment
L3901
May 15, 2015
4
2
3
Pace, FL
I have a 2014 (i think, cant remember for sure and its already dark here) L3901 HST with 504hrs. Tractor has always been great until a month ago. It was feeling down on power so I changed the fuel filter and cleaned out the water separator real well. After that it was back running like normal. Now today I start it up and it was just idling warming up. After about 45 seconds of running it started knocking and blowing white smoke heavy. I shut it down and checked the water separator, it was full and clean still. Had to leave for a bit. When I got back I tried starting it again. It was slow to start but once it fired up it was running smooth at idle. Same thing after about 45 seconds it started blowing white smoke and knocking again. I'm at a loss of where to start with this thing. If funds were better I would just load it up and take it to the dealer but that is not an option right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 

jyoutz

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Jan 14, 2019
2,633
1,717
113
Edgewood, New Mexico
I have a 2014 (i think, cant remember for sure and its already dark here) L3901 HST with 504hrs. Tractor has always been great until a month ago. It was feeling down on power so I changed the fuel filter and cleaned out the water separator real well. After that it was back running like normal. Now today I start it up and it was just idling warming up. After about 45 seconds of running it started knocking and blowing white smoke heavy. I shut it down and checked the water separator, it was full and clean still. Had to leave for a bit. When I got back I tried starting it again. It was slow to start but once it fired up it was running smooth at idle. Same thing after about 45 seconds it started blowing white smoke and knocking again. I'm at a loss of where to start with this thing. If funds were better I would just load it up and take it to the dealer but that is not an option right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Is it doing a regeneration? If so, you need to raise RPMs, not let it idle.
 

whitetiger

Moderator
Staff member

Equipment
Kubota tech..BX2370, RCK60, B7100HST, RTV900 w plow, Ford 1100 FWA
Nov 20, 2011
2,688
1,192
113
Kansas City, KS
Check the fluid level in your radiator, not look at the surge tank but remove the radiator cap and look at the level.
 
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Runs With Scissors

Well-known member

Equipment
L2501 TLB , Grappel, Brush Hog, Box Blade, Ballast box, Forks, Tiller, PH digger
Jan 25, 2023
1,994
2,133
113
Michigan
Did you happen to notice a "sweet" smell to the white smoke?

I know on gas motors a sweet smelling, thick, white smoke is an indicator of coolant being burned.
 

JJones

New member

Equipment
L3901
May 15, 2015
4
2
3
Pace, FL
After further looking at it I think the supply fuel pump has gone bad. Its pumping but not near what it needs to. Thats why it will start then starts falling off. I was listening to it and its no where near the sound it used to be. Have one on order now. The only review on it was positive and for another guy that replaced his for a L3901 lol. Should be here on the 1st
 
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lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,970
1,694
113
Mid, South, USA
it'd be pretty easy and pretty quick to properly diagnose if you had diagmaster. But you're not a dealer, and won't have full access, so it's considered "dealer only" (unfortunately or fortunately--depending on how you look at things).

I assume you mean "lift pump" because you can't check flow from the supply pump without special equipment...supply pump is the high pressure pump mounted to the engine. Pressure from that pump can get up around 28,000 psi depending on what the ECU wants it to have...along with the scv control.

don't forget to check the fuel flow from the tank before replacing the lift pump. I did this years ago before I had full access to diagmaster, replaced a lift pump because wasn't much coming out of it. Wasn't much coming out after replacing it either, found out that the tank outlet was plugged with algae. Fixed that and it worked fine.
 
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