Oil & Fuel BX24 fuel requirements

[Heavy Traffic]

Hi folks,

My 2008 BX24 is my first tractor and I'm a new member here. I have about 85 hours on it now. I've followed the maintenance schedule in the owners manual, which calls for an oil change at 100 hours. Oil level seems fine, although it seems a bit dark.

I've noticed lately that when I start it up there's a small puff of black smoke that seems to be gradually getting larger. At first I worried that the engine oil should have been changed but then after looking at the Trouble Shooting page at the end of the manual it says: Exhaust fumes are colored black: Fuel quality is poor or too much oil or the air cleaner is clogged. I don't notice any smoke during operation, only start-up. Is that normal?

The diesel I've been using is from a national brand gas station that describes it as clean diesel. Am I missing something? Is there a special diesel fuel requirement for the BX24?

I'll check the air cleaner tomorrow but thought I would post this as a lesson in starting a new thread here. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[flatpik6]

Hello Heavy Traffic,

Let me first say that I am nowhere near to being an authority on diesel or tractors. There are certainly some hugely qualified people on this board that will give you great advice. I can tell you though that I just sold my BX24 last week and had it for 3 years.

My thoughts are:

I would never wait for the 100 hour mark to change my oil or filters. But that's just me. I'm a firm believer that the oil and filters are the lifeblood of the machine and I find myself changing them around 40 to 50 hours.

Diesel oil gets very dark, very quick. Not like automobile oil. You really can't judge the remaining life of diesel oil by the color alone. That's why you should always write down the date and hours when you change. I always note on the end of the oil filter in permanent marker.

I found it common to have a very small puff of exhaust smoke at start up but wouldn't expect a huge amount. Please train yourself to use your airhose and just blow off your air filter and filter screen everytime you use the machine. It takes about 90 seconds to do both and allows your machine to breathe.

There are no special fuel or oil requirements for the BX24 aside from diesel. Yes there are varying qualities of fuels on the market and a lessor quality fuel may not perform as well as others but that should not create a problem for the tractor.

 

[dodge man]

The oil in a diesel turns black real easy, thats normal.

The black smoke on start up is normal, it should go away after it warms up a little. You will also notice a puff of smoke when the engine works hard, such as when cutting grass and you hit a thick tall patch of grass. In most places there isn't much choice in fuel, so what your are burning is fine.

I think changing the oil at 100 hours is fine.

I personally wouldn't mess with my air cleaner any more than necessary. They are fairly well sealed on a BX. Every time you open up the system, there is a chance a little dirt will get past the filter, fall off the outside into the sealed area etc.

 

[Heavy Traffic]

Thanks for the reply, flatpik6. I'll take your advice and change the oil and filters before any more projects. It's a nice little machine and I'd like to keep it in top shape. And I'll make sure I blow off the screen and air filter before the next use.

Thanks again for your quick response!

 

[Heavy Traffic]

Thanks to you too, Dave. I'll check the air filter to see how it's doing since I haven't checked it before.

The puff of smoke seems to be growing but I wouldn't call it major. I just wasn't sure if it's normal and/or if it eventually levels off. I'll keep an eye on it.

Thanks again!
Roger

 

[TripleR]

We have seven diesel tractors and black smoke on start-up or under sudden load is nothing about which to worry. Getting worse may be nothing more than a change in temperature, humidity, direction of light etc. You might want to put in some conditioner or Heet in the yellow bottles just to see if you may have gotten something in the fuel, I don't use it, but some swear by it.

We go by the manuals on all our tractors and oil/fluid changes more frequent than recommended is in my opinion a waste of money and resources.

As mentioned diesel oil gets dark really quickly, but means nothing.

 

[radioman]

black smoke at startup? fudgeitaboutit... :thumbsup:
mine does same thing at times.
When I start up my BX24, if I dont bump up the throttle a bit, it will definitely blow black smoke a little and go away.
Also when engaging your pto's, try this: while moving the pto engage lever, stop about one or two fingers away before going all the way and lock in place. wait until the pto starts "catching on" and turning the rear or mid pto and then you can engage all the way. I hardly get any black smoke this way nor lugging of engine.

 

[Grandad4]

One other suggestion regarding the way you operate the BX. Don't putter around at low rpm on the engine thinking you are taking it easy on the machine. Just the opposite is true. The engine and the HST transmission want to be run with the rpm's well up there. You can actually run it wide open without harming it in any way, although something less is OK, too.

 

[LBrown59]

Hi folks,
1*Oil level seems fine, although it seems a bit dark.
2*I've noticed lately that when I start it up there's a small puff of black smoke that seems to be gradually getting larger.
I don't see any smoke during operation, only start-up.
3*Is that normal?
4*Am I missing something?
5*Is there a special diesel fuel requirement for the BX24?

1*That is natural for diesel oil .
2*That's also normal.
3*Sure is.
4*Not a thing.
5*All fuel is ULSD.

6*I would never wait for the 100 hour mark to change my oil or filters. But that's just me.
7*I'm a firm believer that the oil and filters are the lifeblood of the machine and
8*I find myself changing them around 40 to 50 hours.
Diesel oil gets very dark, very quick. Not like automobile oil.
9*You really can't judge the remaining life of diesel oil by the color alone.
10*I found it common to have a very small puff of exhaust smoke at start up .
There are no special fuel or oil requirements for the BX24 aside from diesel.
11*Yes there are varying qualities of fuels on the market and a lessor quality fuel may not perform as well as others but that should not create a problem for the tractor.

6*Anything more or over what the owner operators manual states is a waist of money and resources.
7*I do to but i don't go to extreams with it.
8*That is a waist of money and oil;just do as the book says.
9*Correct the dark color doesn't harm the oil
10*True.
11*About 95 percent of all fuel sold in the U S A is ULSD.

12*The oil in a diesel turns black real easy, thats normal.
13*The black smoke on start up is normal.
14*In most places there isn't much choice in fuel, so what your are burning is fine.
15*I think changing the oil at 100 hours is fine.
16*I personally wouldn't mess with my air cleaner any more than necessary. They are fairly well sealed on a BX. 17*Every time you open up the system, there is a chance a little dirt will get past the filter, fall off the outside into the sealed area etc.

12*Right and it does not harm the oil .
13*True again .
14*Yeah it's all most all ULSD.
15*Sure is.
16*Good point.
17*Something to consider.

18*I'll check the air filter to see how it's doing since I haven't checked it before.
19*I wasn't sure if the puff of smoke was/is normal .

18*Just do what it says in your owners manual.
the things you are asking about and we are discussing here are all covered in it.
19*Like has been said normal .

20*You might want to put in some conditioner or Heet in the yellow bottles just to see if you may have gotten something in the fuel, I don't use it, but some swear by .
21*We go by the manuals on all our tractors and 22*oil/fluid changes more frequent than recommended is in my opinion a waste of money and resources.
23*As mentioned diesel oil gets dark really quickly, but means nothing.

20*I use Power Service.
21*That's what the OP should be doing.
22*You said it!
23*Exactly .

One other suggestion regarding the way you operate the BX. Don't putter around at low rpm on the engine thinking you are taking it easy on the machine. Just the opposite is true. The engine and the HST transmission want to be run with the rpm's well up there.
24*You can actually run it wide open without harming it in any way, although something less is OK, too.

24*True but i don't run mine w o t much if any.

 

[sw03]

1*That is natural for diesel oil .
2*That's also normal.
3*Sure is.
4*Not a thing.
5*All fuel is ULSD.


6*Anything more or over what the owner operators manual states is a waist of money and resources.
7*I do to but i don't go to extreams with it.
8*That is a waist money and oil;just do as the book says.
9*Correct the dark color doesn't harm the oil
10*True.
11*About 95 percent of all fuel sold in the U S A is ULSD.


12*Right and it does not harm the oil .
13*True again .
14*Yeah it's all most all ULSD.
15*Sure is.
16*Good point.
17*Something to consider.


18*Just do what it says in your owners manual.
the things you are asking about and we are discussing here are all covered in it.
19*Like has been said normal .


20*I use Power Service.
21*That's what the OP should be doing.
22*You said it!
23*Exactly .


24*True but i don't do it with mind.

Alot of black smoke is not normal. Alot depends on oil weight, glow plug time and fuel...Not to hard and why does he need to use Power Service. I would not use it ever. Stuff is crap on UOA's.

Also all diesel oils do not turn black asap...Again depends on oil etc..