L2501 (Or all Standard L's) Air filter

[crashz]

I have approximately 100 hrs on the 2501 and its been an absolute work horse. Great machine.

It gets run a full throttle or PTO speed most of the time, as bush-hogging and mowing is its main chore. It occasionally gets into heavy cutting and puffs a little black smoke when the governor lays on the fuel. Nothing crazy. A little smoke at start-up too. Absolutely nothing I would consider abnormal.

But the exhaust pipe exits at the air cleaner area. And at the 50hr and 100hr service, I have found the air filter to be completely black with soot. You cannot see light through the pleats but not so much that it would shake off. I have not tried to blow air through them, just replaced them. Anybody else run into this? The tractor doesn't seem to run any differently with a clean or dirty filter.

 

[Citydude]

I just changed my air filter on my L2501. This explains why it was a dark grey. It wasn't black though. Sounds like we are recycling our exhausts.

 

[mddorange]

On my L3200 the air filter has just been dusty each time. No soot.

 

[gimmodog]

I would add and extension to the exhaust pipe with maybe a curved end to direct it away from the air filter

 

[Blondie70]

No soot on my air filter on the L2501. You can wash and reused these a couple times with no problems. I just blow them out most of the time with the leaf blower....not real hard.