Oil burning, Normal when new?

ACDII

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L4060HSTC-LE, loaded. B2410, L352 Loader, Woods BH70-X backhoe
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I don't know if this is because it is new, hoping it is, or if a ring is damaged. I smell burning oil when it is running. It's my brand new L4060. I have had a lot of new engines and never smelled burning oil, so a bit concerned that a ring hasn't seated. It has a little over 2 hours on it now.
 

jimh406

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I don't think it is normal to smell oil burning. It could clear up in a few hours.
 

fried1765

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I don't know if this is because it is new, hoping it is, or if a ring is damaged. I smell burning oil when it is running. It's my brand new L4060. I have had a lot of new engines and never smelled burning oil, so a bit concerned that a ring hasn't seated. It has a little over 2 hours on it now.
E-mail the dealer now, describing your concern, and attach a picture of the hour meter.
KEEP that E-mail for proof.
When the dealer responds, keep his E-Mail also.
You may need both later!

DON'T phone the dealer?
There will be no record of phone calls!
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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Is there any smoke out of the exhaust?
If there is even the slightest amount of smoke, stop running it and call the dealer as there is a serious issue and the first to fail will be the emissions system.

If the is no smoke, you might be residual oil on surfaces or smelling hot hydraulic oil.
Check both the engine oil and hydraulic fluid levels and keep an eye on them.
 
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ACDII

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Oct 21, 2021
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Next time I start it, if I still smell oil I will do just that. Even though I don't see any external oil, doesn't mean some is on the exhaust somewhere.
 

fried1765

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Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
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Next time I start it, if I still smell oil I will do just that. Even though I don't see any external oil, doesn't mean some is on the exhaust somewhere.
After two hours of running, any external oil should have already burned off.
 

BruceP

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Never forget there is no such thing as a perfect machine. All of those parts have just met each other when they were bolted together. Expect ANYTHING to be wrong until it proves itself. This is why a Warantee exists.

I agree with contacting the dealer so there is DOCUMENTED proof of your concern.

At the same time, it would be wise to monitor ALL the fluid-levels for several months. Also, keep the machine clean and inspected for external leaks. Put a wrench on EVERY bolt and make sure things are tight.
 

85Hokie

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I don't know if this is because it is new, hoping it is, or if a ring is damaged. I smell burning oil when it is running. It's my brand new L4060. I have had a lot of new engines and never smelled burning oil, so a bit concerned that a ring hasn't seated. It has a little over 2 hours on it now.
Others covering it well - but I am curious, are you loosing oil measured on the dipstick?

Or is the smell like a burning smell in general. Many machines I have bought new smelled like something burning - but that smell went away after a couple of hours.

Do you see and smoke or just smell it? I think as WOLFMAN said - it is left over oil that is on a hot surface - and that can be a hydraulic cylinder- that gets hot enough to "smell" too.
 

RCW

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Recall a few folks here on OTT saying the Tier IV engines smelled funny.

Don't recall if just during regen, or regular ops...
 

ACDII

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Oct 21, 2021
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Well, curiosity overcame my general desire of staying warm so I went out and started it up from outside the cab. No smoke on startup and other than the odd way diesels smell today, no smell of burning oil. The first night I had it I did see what looked like smoke drifting in front of the headlights, but today not even a whiff of smoke on start up.

Whatever it was is gone, I hope. All levels (except front axle, haven't checked yet) are full.

Whats funny is I installed a radio in it yesterday, hooke dmy phone to it and played a song to make sure it worked then shut it off. When I started it today, it continued to play the song from yesterday even though the itunes app was closed. So far everything seems to be working just fine.
 

foobert

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Ehhh, I completely get the cause for concern and hyper vigilance on all the details of a brand new machine.

There were 3 distinct burning smell events with my machine: first time it actually got used for a continuous hour at medium RPM doing light duty FEL work, first time opening the throttle substantially and going heavy on the HST pedal pushing the back-blade in reverse, and finally, the first time doing real mowing work. These events were separated by ten-ish hours, but each put successively more heat on the exhaust and that’s where I contribute most of the smell.

YMMV, but, my guess is there’s nothing abnormal going on.
 
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GeoHorn

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New equipment is covered in new paint…. until it’s all scorched/baked/burned-off.
 
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