CK27 smoke

[86Scotty]

New-to-me Kioti CK27 with just over 600 hours. This is my first tractor but I'm not at all new to engines or diesels, most of my diesel ownership has been with newer commercial and personal vehicles.

I recently bought and fully serviced the tractor with Rotella T4. I also flushed and filled coolant which looked fine and wasn't low. I do know the oil and fluids were several years old but don't know the hours. I get light smoke on startup most days for a minute or so but yesterday I had the first occasion to run down the road a couple miles to pick something up. Literally a couple of miles each way running in high range 4th gear, which is topped out for this tractor. I wasn't pushing it or in a hurry but was near 2k RPM's and noticed some pretty significant smoke after a bit. More when I slowed down and then it cleared.

On my return trip I backed off the revs a little and stayed below 2000 but had fairly steady light smoke. When I returned home I used the tractor on and off for the rest of the day just moving around my property, no heavy work.

Does this mean trouble? Was I possibly just running too high RPM's? Could it have just needed to be run hard and blown out a bit?

Oil and coolant level are normal and temp guage always stays at the normal mark on the low side.

 

[RjCorazza]

Roading puts more of a load on a tractor than people realize. I suspect blowing smoke under load is just how you're tractor is going to be... like most mechanically injected diesels.
There are some experts here on TBN that can discuss injectors and injection pump issues, but that is outside of my wheelhouse.

 

[86Scotty]

I hope you are correct. I honestly have no idea what high RPM's would be for this engine either. The tach goes to what, 3500? and it has no markers.

 

[RjCorazza]

According to TractorData, the CK27 has a rated rpm of 2600.

 

[86Scotty]

According to TractorData, the CK27 has a rated rpm of 2600.

Thank you, I hadn't thought to look at TractorData for that. In fact since I bought my tractor and stopped shopping I haven't looked at any specs on there. I don't think this little guy would rev to 2600 if you wanted it to.

 

[Coyote_CS2220]

Smoke colour?

The colour can tell you much.
What do smoke colours mean?

 

[Billrog]

I put 3,000 hrs. on a CK27 usually ran it 2,000 rpm or more if roading 22 to 2600 . If there was smoke I wouldn't concerned myself .

 

[Robin Veerman]

Hey Scotty, it would be good to put a load on that engine, like bush hogging or similar for a few hours. Helps to clean out the carbon buildup if any. These small tractors usually just putt around. Not really good for a diesel to run it like that. Add a cetane boost and fuel cleaner/lube to the fuel and see if that helps some. You don’t say what oil viscosity you changed it to…but next time go to a synthetic 10w30 or 5w40 diesel rated of course, if that’s suitable for your location. No need to go heavier in my opinion. I’m running a synthetic 5w30 diesel oil in my CK30 and no smoke after 2seconds on an initial cold start

 

[5030]

So, you changed to oil and the coolant but did you bother to check the air filter and / or renew it? Curious minds what the know and your choice of T4 is also suspect. Should have used T5 instead.

No imposed load smoking is indicative of a restricted intake system. Diesels all smoke when under an imposed load, at least pre 4 diesels do. Post 4 engines don't smoke because the smoke is consumed in the catalytic reduction medium and then needs to be 'regened', converting the soot captured into ash. Both my turbocharged tractors emit a little smoke (black) under imposed load, btw.

 

[davrow]

A CK27 with no marking on the tach? My CK27 has a red dot to show when the PTO will be turning at 540.
I have never run it above that point.