Engine smokes when first cranked

double hunter · Nov 24, 2011

A buddy and I have been looking for a tractor from him, we have looked at several and noticed that some smoke (blue smoke)when you first crank them but quit after they run for a while, what causes this, I have a Ford 1910 that I bought new and it has never smiked when cranked.

Jerry/MT · Nov 24, 2011

double hunter said:
A buddy and I have been looking for a tractor from him, we have looked at several and noticed that some smoke (blue smoke)when you first crank them but quit after they run for a while, what causes this, I have a Ford 1910 that I bought new and it has never smiked when cranked.

Blue smoke is from burned lube oil. Could be due to worn valve guides and seals (oil drains down into cylinder past valve stems when engine is shutdown and burns when the engine starts). I wouldn't consider that a major problem but it indicates a lot of operating hours. What hours show on the clock?

whistlepig · Nov 24, 2011

double hunter said:
A buddy and I have been looking for a tractor from him, we have looked at several and noticed that some smoke (blue smoke)when you first crank them but quit after they run for a while, what causes this, I have a Ford 1910 that I bought new and it has never smiked when cranked.

If it's a diesel blue/black smoke on start up is just some rich fuel burning off. If it quits after running a bit that's normal for a diesel.

USNative · Nov 25, 2011

whistlepig said:
If it's a diesel blue/black smoke on start up is just some rich fuel burning off. If it quits after running a bit that's normal for a diesel.

Mine has 120+ hours on it and it smokes a bit more now on start up than it did new. It does it for just a few seconds and then everything's perfect. I think it's just a sign that my tractor is broken in good now and running normal. No worries here. When working it hard it runs better than it did new. I think I broke it in real well by taking the advise learned by TBN members and not babying it. Don't worry about a little smoke from a diesel on start up all of em' do it a little.

deepNdirt · Nov 25, 2011

Where there's smoke there's fire and means everything working

when the cylinders heat up the fuel burns off and the smoke stops that pretty typical of a used diesel engine, its the ones that don't stop smoking and tend to send suety oil out the stack you should be leery of,

Soundguy · Nov 26, 2011

i'd also go with oil/valve stem seals if blue. unburnt fuel tends to be black, black.. etc.

in any case.. a lil at startup wouldn't phase me a bit.. at least you know the stems won't seize up from lack of lube..

soundguy

Wayne_H · Nov 26, 2011

Not too many diesel engines don't smoke when they are cold and they first start! Unless it is a new low emission engine, it is very likely normal. Have you ever seen a large truck or tractor start up? All the fuel does not burn when it is cold, so you see them smoking until they warm up.

Wayne

USNative · Nov 27, 2011

Soundguy said:
i'd also go with oil/valve stem seals if blue. unburnt fuel tends to be black, black.. etc.

in any case.. a lil at startup wouldn't phase me a bit.. at least you know the stems won't seize up from lack of lube..

soundguy

Mine smokes Black but not very long , that's the normal smoke. I would be a little concerned if it were blowing Blue smoke.

double hunter · Nov 27, 2011

Thanks for all the info, we have looked at several, this Ford is not real pretty, but its runs ok, was concerned about the smoke but looks like this is common, we looked at one Ford 1700 and the man said it smoked a little, if that was a little I'd hate to see a lot, we found a Ford 1710 with a loader on one of the major internet sites at what we thought was a fair price, the salesman said it was ready to go, we made the 6 hour drive and it was a fairly large dealership, you talk about a dog, it sounded like it was running on 2 cylinders and absolutely would not turn left, straight or right were the only 2 options, the salesman said it had been thru the shop and was good to go, kind of had to restrain my bud, we're still looking.

deepNdirt · Nov 27, 2011

Double Hunter .... what area/State are you in? are you dead set on a ford?
if local to Ga, and interested in Yanmar .. they're was a YM-2200 come up on the Atlanta Craigslist last evening, Look to be a good buy, for 2-k