L2550 smoke woes

[ElectronHoarder]

I got a l2550 with 1500hr, had been sitting for an unknown amount of time. Fired right up with new fuel and a new filter. Its now smoking quite a bit when cold. Still smokes when warm but not as much. Blue ish when warm but not the burning oil kind, smells rich and lots of white/gray/black on accel. Minimal blowby. Replaced injectors, tore pump all the way down. Air filter removed, no difference.

Here's what I know so far. This is my first diesel, and I know I made a huge mistake when I first got it. I primed it with starting fluid. Twice. I'm not sure if it smoked before I did this or not, but some older mechanics I know say new ether doesn't damage engines like it used to. I read conflicting information about that on here.

Cylinder leak down tests all cylinders at about 10%
I drilled a 10x1.25 bolt to make a glow plug compression gauge
350psi on all cylinders, ramping up about 1/3 of that pressure on each compression stroke.
Manual says 398-441 Min 313

Is low compression my smoking gun? It seems weird to me that the leakdown is so good if so.

 

[ex-Sea Bee Mike]

Howdy, I have a B1700 that blows blue smoke on a cold start after it's been sitting for a while. Once it warms up the smoke clears up. If I start the tractor and use it often, it doesn't smoke on start up.

I'm thinking that I have a problem with valve seals. When it's sitting for days or weeks, the oil in the head has a chance to migrate into the cylinders. When I use the tractor daily, the oil doesn't migrate.

If it's a ring problem, wouldn't it smoke every start? Hopefully someone has an opinion? Thanks! ex-Seabee Mike

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Howdy, I have a B1700 that blows blue smoke on a cold start after it's been sitting for a while. Once it warms up the smoke clears up. If I start the tractor and use it often, it doesn't smoke on start up.

I'm thinking that I have a problem with valve seals. When it's sitting for days or weeks, the oil in the head has a chance to migrate into the cylinders. When I use the tractor daily, the oil doesn't migrate.

If it's a ring problem, wouldn't it smoke every start? Hopefully someone has an opinion? Thanks! ex-Seabee Mike

Rings!
There is no oil sitting in the head.

Do a compression test that will give you your answer.

 

[ElectronHoarder]

Rings!
There is no oil sitting in the head.

Do a compression test that will give you your answer.

Any advice for me?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Any advice for me?

Advice is do a compression test and that will give you / us a better picture of what your dealing with internally.
If the compression numbers are good, you could do the valve seals without pulling the motor apart, but i highly doubt that is your issue.
A compression tester will give you the ability to pressurize the cylinder and pull the valve keepers and springs and seals and reinstall seals, then reassemble.

 

[ElectronHoarder]

Advice is do a compression test and that will give you / us a better picture of what your dealing with internally.
If the compression numbers are good, you could do the valve seals without pulling the motor apart, but i highly doubt that is your issue.
A compression tester will give you the ability to pressurize the cylinder and pull the valve keepers and springs and seals and reinstall seals, then reassemble.

Perhaps you didn't see the original post? I did a leakdown and a compression test.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Perhaps you didn't see the original post? I did a leakdown and a compression test.

Sorry, this happens when 2 people post problems on the same thread,. I missed that the people changed.

Where did you get the injectors?
A bolt for a glow plug adapter isn't the best because the glow plugs seat on a taper not the thread.
and if the depth was wrong that will throw off the reading.
Your compression numbers don't look terrible but they are low.
Also a good compression result still does not rule out a bad / stuck oil control ring.

You could try and replace the valve stem seals and see what that does for you, but I don't think it will make the issue disappear.