My new L2250Dt smoking from engine oil filler & overflow

[jhende43]

Short story: L2250dt 762 hrs all fluid levels good smoke coming from engine oil filler cap and overflow tube below oil fill tube. White smoke visible at idle thins out and disappears at high rpm.

Long story: I’ve lurked this forum for decades fixing my bx1800. Love it great info and people here. Bx is great but needed something bigger MANY TIMES. Saved up and shopped around to find a good low hour kubota for my family ranch of 40 acres.

Fast forward to today and I find a L2250DT with 762hrs on working meter. “Tractor runs good no problems accept for leaky loader rams” said seller.
Started nicely and ran good on two separate inspections and negotiations but ran for short periods of time (Loader Rams massively puking fluid onto concrete). Went ahead and pulled the trigger and got it.

Finally get both rams fixed and all fluids checked all are good. NOW that I can run it comfortably i see white smoke from oil filler and overflow tube. Engine oil is not too full. Did I get ripped off? Paid $6000 has loader box discs plows and a tiller.
Website says uploaded file too large x6
sorry no tractor porn BUT I TRIED haha.

 

[JerryMT]

Welcome to the forum.

How hard have you worked this machine since you got it? When engines sit unused or barely used, condensate can form in the crankcase. Combustion products also contain water vapor. When you bring the engine to operating temperature, water vapor will be seen with any blow by at the lube oil filler and the draft tube which vents the crank case. Continued working of the machine at operating temperature UNDER LOAD should minimize any water in the lube oil.
"White smoke visible at idle thins out and disappears at high rpm."
If you had a wear problem or even some engine damage, the white smoke would be worse at higher rpm and will get worse under load.
Here's what I suggest you do:
1) drain the lube oil and replace with the correct oil per your operator's manual. Replace the oil filter
2) Hook up that plow and work the snot out of your tractor by plowing 10 acres.
3) Evaluate the situation when you have completed operating the tractor under load.

 

[jhende43]

Thank you for the welcome

“How hard have you worked this machine since you got it?”

None at all first time up I've had it to operating temp was today when I noticed the smoke.

Great info much appreciated fluids and filters are in the works. I will confirm smoke dissipates at high rpm when changing engine oil.

After changing fluids and filters I will put it to work for a few days and report back with results.

 

[jhende43]

Update
Changed engine oil and filter
Ran for a good day of work and it seems the blow by is getting worse not better. Both at idle and throttled up

feels like power is good and runs and starts nicely but that blow by vapor or smoke is really worrying me.

this is thickest I’ve seen snapped a picture

 

[JerryMT]

Update
Changed engine oil and filter
Ran for a good day of work and it seems the blow by is getting worse not better. Both at idle and throttled up

feels like power is good and runs and starts nicely but that blow by vapor or smoke is really worrying me.

this is thickest I’ve seen snapped a picture

"Ran for a good day of work..... "

Define work.

 

[lynnmor]

Do a compression test to get an idea of the health of the engine, low pressure will show the need for an overhaul but a normal result may not uncover the issue.

 

[jhende43]

That “good days work” consisted of clearing a brushy rocky half acre of our property using loader a lot to dig out and move rocks pushing brush out at the root and piling said rocks and fire piles all while box scraper grading. About 3.5 hrs consistent work

Finally stopped once I noticed the white blow by smoke getting worse.

Again I am a diesel novice and know only basics. My concern was doing more damage, do you all think smoke increasing is ok and keep running it to see if clears as said before or stop here and compression test first?

 

[jhende43]

“Do a compression test”
I will search here on the forum and YouTube for how to. Is test done from glow plug or injector port or ??

sorry for delays in responding we are off grid 4500’ elevation
satellite internet only no cell phones

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME

 

[Flintknapper]

Coolant level and operating temps OK?

Possible headgasket issue?

 

[jhende43]

“Coolant level and operating temps OK?“

Yes coolant level topped off during initial service and op temp stayed just below mid range entire time no fluctuations. Antifreeze did look dirty but engine oil was not milkshake like

 

[Flintknapper]

“Coolant level and operating temps OK?“

Yes coolant level topped off during initial service and op temp stayed just below mid range entire time no fluctuations. Antifreeze did look dirty but engine oil was not milkshake like

Good news then

 

[Pau7220]

I will search here on the forum and YouTube for how to. Is test done from glow plug or injector port or ??

Most use the glow plugs …Harbor Freight diesel tester seems to be the most popular. Do not use oil in the cylinders for the test. Not sure which one will fit, the cheaper one is listed as a new item.

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Since you have no real history, you don't know what you’ll find. Last guy could have used starting fluid and broken the rings or ring lands. I’ve seen wrist pins come loose and gouge the cylinder wall, broken rings, stuck rings, broken pistons, or just plain wear. It is pretty low hours for an excessive wear issue unless abused. What did the air filter look like? Any cracks or leaks in the air induction tubes between the filter housing and the engine? Compression test is the starting point which should help point you in a direction. Good luck! Keep us in the loop.

 

[Vlach7]

My civic radiator overflow had an oily residue in for years, then it started overheating with significant bubbling into the radiator from the engine, even when cold, milled the head, lapped the valves and new head gasket, runs like new.

 

[jhende43]

Finally getting the money after the holidays to invest into a compression test kit for Diesel engines and what may come afterwards. I need this tractor to work so I will keep updating.

What size is the glow plug for my kubota 3 cylinder
I posted a kit I’m looking at with sizes it has

 

[jhende43]

Does M10 x 1.25 sound correct for my l2250dt glow plug size?
Info from Steiner tractors
That size is included in the kit I attached pic of. Thank you again to EVERYONE

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Does M10 x 1.25 sound correct for my l2250dt glow plug size?
Info from Steiner tractors
That size is included in the kit I attached pic of. Thank you again to EVERYONE

That sounds right.
Just match the length to the glow plug.

 

[jhende43]

“That sounds right.
Just match the length to the glow plug.”

Ok bought the tester and spent a day getting it cleaned and torn apart.

Wolfman, On length, the kit had two glow plug adapters right width and thread but both were too short.. PIC ATTACHED

Both yielded the same pressure results on each cylinder (harbor freight tester keep in mind

)

Forward cylinder 280 psi
Middle cylinder 345psi
Rear cylinder 265 psi

 

[jhende43]

Thanks to everyone as always for your time and help !

So questions of the day are:

Is this range of compression acceptable (265 psi low 350 psi high) or are my young un educated concerns reasonable in this case? what are my best and worst case scenarios?

with these numbers in mind what is my course of action with the still smoking engine oil filler spout?? I saved up to get this beauty so I hope hope hope all is ok but my heart says near 100 psi is not a good difference between cylinders…

ugh

 

[Flintknapper]

Thanks to everyone as always for your time and help !

So questions of the day are:

Is this range of compression acceptable (265 psi low 350 psi high) or are my young un educated concerns reasonable in this case? what are my best and worst case scenarios?

with these numbers in mind what is my course of action with the still smoking engine oil filler spout?? I saved up to get this beauty so I hope hope hope all is ok but my heart says near 100 psi is not a good difference between cylinders…

ugh
View attachment 95059

http://www.engineprofessional.com/TB/TB030915-1.pdf

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yep sadly you need a rebuild!
You have one cylinder that's doing most the work the other 2 are dead and just along for the ride.

With this kit you'll have to have a machine shop / engine builder remove, reinstall liners and bore them to size.

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