445 sometimes smokes heavily when going uphill

[littletractors]

Has anyone had their 425/445/485 etc. (vee twin Kawasaki gas models) suddenly start blowing thick blue-white clouds of smoke when mowing up a slight incline? Mine just started doing this. 450 hours and runs perfectly, but several times recently while mowing up a slight incline the engine suddenly starts smoking like you were pouring oil straight into the intake. It never misses a beat and after about 10 seconds it subsides and all seems normal again. I tried to search for this on the forum but I'm a new here and cannot figure out how to do a multi-word search (i.e. "425 smokes"). TIA

 

[mfreund]

As for the searches you just type it all in the same box, spaces between the words.

Does the tractor run rougher or act funny other than the smoke? Could the choke be half stuck on?(is it fuel injected??) Is the air filter clean? Does the smoke smell like oil? Is there a crank case vent tube going to the air intake?

 

[littletractors]

As for the searches you just type it all in the same box, spaces between the words.

Does the tractor run rougher or act funny other than the smoke? Could the choke be half stuck on?(is it fuel injected??) Is the air filter clean? Does the smoke smell like oil? Is there a crank case vent tube going to the air intake?

Re: searches: tried that... it comes back "sorry, no matches". I'm using the latest version of Firefox. Can't figure it out.

No change in running... well I think I can discern a very slight change in the exhaust note but no change in smoothness or power to speak of. Choke not involved (this is when mowing at full throttle). Yes, it is fuel injected. The filter is clean. The smoke is from engine oil being sucked in and burned somehow--and in a big way. But it just does it for 10 seconds or so then clears away. Crankcase venting appears to be OK, but such items (filter, venting) I would assume to affect operation continuously--not intermittently as this does.

 

[jenkinsph]

Might be a problem with the head, when the engine is tilted the oil under the cover may be running down a valve guide into the engine.

Does it stop smoking after you level out?


Steve

 

[farmeratheart]

I had a problem with a head gasket on a Kohler 25hp engine that started out in the same way. If it's a gaket it will get progressively more frequent as more material 'erodes' away.

 

[littletractors]

Thanks for the input guys. It's strange but it will stop smoking before I level out. Still not sure what is going on. Guess I'll keep mowing and see what happens.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Re: searches: tried that... it comes back "sorry, no matches". I'm using the latest version of Firefox. Can't figure it out.

I did a search and the only thing that came back was "this thread" and a thread about "adding weights" to a 445.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Has anyone had their 425/445/485 etc. (vee twin Kawasaki gas models) suddenly start blowing thick blue-white clouds of smoke when mowing up a slight incline? Mine just started doing this. 450 hours and runs perfectly, but several times recently while mowing up a slight incline the engine suddenly starts smoking like you were pouring oil straight into the intake. It never misses a beat and after about 10 seconds it subsides and all seems normal again. I tried to search for this on the forum but I'm a new here and cannot figure out how to do a multi-word search (i.e. "425 smokes"). TIA

You can read this. Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): John Deere 445 Head Gaskets, john deere 445, jd dealer

Hope that helps.... But it sounds like you may have a bad 'head gasket'

 

[nmu98]

I think that 445's have weak head gaskets from the factory. Mine had to be replaced at 40 hours. I now have 3xx hours on it with no issues, but it was a bad feling when i bought the tractor and started having issues right off the bat.

I would troubleshoot it all you can and get whatever it is fixed ASAP. These are not cheap engines!

 

[4Kings]

I had a Deere 285 with a 18hp v-twin Kawasaki and had the same problem. It was the prelude to replacing the plastic cam gear about a year later.