L3940 HSTC

[kuboman]

It has to have something to do with the way these things are set up, our L5740 is like everyone else s, but out L5030 didn't smoke nearly as much and started much smoother.

They are set up different now. The engine timing has been retarded for emissions. Retarding the timing effectively lowers combustion temps which lowers nitrous oxide levels. Bump the timing up and it gets rid of the annoying smoke on start up.

 

[TripleR]

They are set up different now. The engine timing has been retarded for emissions. Retarding the timing effectively lowers combustion temps which lowers nitrous oxide levels. Bump the timing up and it gets rid of the annoying smoke on start up.

My mechanical abilities do not extend beyond routine maintenance, but my brother's do and it's out at his shop right now getting a new seat; what would you recommend as a setting?

Thanks

 

[The Fred]

It's tricky to set. Manual shows in full detail changing shims around under the fuel rack. Time consuming unlike moving the distributor in the Chivvy tree-50. Those were the days.

Fred, still testing.

 

[TripleR]

It's tricky to set. Manual shows in full detail changing shims around under the fuel rack. Time consuming unlike moving the distributor in the Chivvy tree-50. Those were the days.

Fred, still testing.

Thanks, I will order a WSM for it. Yeah I remember the good old days and use to work on my own cars and trucks as well as help my brother, now all I can do is stare and scratch my head while he spends an hour or more just getting enough shrouds and such to actually get to the engine in a car.

 

[milkman]

All you hear is the freeeking hydro whining worse than me obsessing over the whiny hydro. You can only hear the turbo at idle or high idle.
The straight pipe is temporary. I like quiet and will get it right, I need a muffler of some type.

I put a vertical exhaust on my BX2200 and used an IH Cub muffler, way too loud so finally found a muffler for "97 Honda Civic that is small and quiet. 1.5" in and out so might be too small for yours.

 

[wmonroe]

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=352622"/> I put a vertical exhaust on my BX2200 and used an IH Cub muffler, way too loud so finally found a muffler for "97 Honda Civic that is small and quiet. 1.5" in and out so might be too small for yours.

Very cool BX. Never seen front and rear dual on a scut, are they for stability or low ground compaction?

 

[Chilly807]

It has to have something to do with the way these things are set up, our L5740 is like everyone else s, but out L5030 didn't smoke nearly as much and started much smoother.

If mine smoked like that on startup, I wouldn't be able to keep it in an attached garage like I do now. Incomplete combustion in a cold engine is what causes grey smoke like that. Might be worth fiddling with timing a bit, my only concern is what effect it would have on the egr over long term. That's the trouble with tuning, is knowing what else was changed when something like an egr, dpf, or turbo was added to a given engine. Could be different pistons, cooling jets, cam duration and timing, valve material, fuel volume and timing... list goes on and on.
We've learned the hard way at work about inadvertently changing injection timing by changing injector nozzles and opening pressure at the suggestion of the OEM. When a V-16 twin turbo diesel breaks rods and spits pieces through the side of the block it gets interesting. We lost 6 engines, I think, before someone figured out what was happening. Turns out combustion was starting BEFORE tdc, not after.. very hard on an engine.
I doubt the engines we have in our tractors are that touchy, but still...

Sean

 

[TripleR]

If mine smoked like that on startup, I wouldn't be able to keep it in an attached garage like I do now. Incomplete combustion in a cold engine is what causes grey smoke like that. Might be worth fiddling with timing a bit, my only concern is what effect it would have on the egr over long term. That's the trouble with tuning, is knowing what else was changed when something like an egr, dpf, or turbo was added to a given engine. Could be different pistons, cooling jets, cam duration and timing, valve material, fuel volume and timing... list goes on and on.
We've learned the hard way at work about inadvertently changing injection timing by changing injector nozzles and opening pressure at the suggestion of the OEM. When a V-16 twin turbo diesel breaks rods and spits pieces through the side of the block it gets interesting. We lost 6 engines, I think, before someone figured out what was happening. Turns out combustion was starting BEFORE tdc, not after.. very hard on an engine.
I doubt the engines we have in our tractors are that touchy, but still...

Sean

Thanks for the heads up, my tractors live in barns and sheds, so maybe I need to leave it alone, I have a good relationship with our dealer's shop foreman, so I will run it by him before doing anything.

 

[Member]

Holy smoke.. literally. I remember seeing another GL starting, and it was similar I think, but it's been a while.

[...]

It may have been me:

L4240 White Smoke and Stumbling Idle on Cold Start - YouTube

It's still doing it, only in winter. Power Service doesn't help. If you figure it out I'd love to hear about it.

 

[milkman]

Very cool BX. Never seen front and rear dual on a scut, are they for stability or low ground compaction?

Getting wood on my hillsides.

 

[Chilly807]

Thanks for the heads up, my tractors live in barns and sheds, so maybe I need to leave it alone, I have a good relationship with our dealer's shop foreman, so I will run it by him before doing anything.

I wasn't referring to you specifically, TripleR, just commenting in general. The trouble is, with new restrictions on emissions, it's hard to tell what changes were made internally as well, if any.
The first engine of ours that blew up, there were a lot of raised eyebrows. We were all thinking "Never saw one do THAT before.." We'd had failures, but usually piston seizures, never a rod breaking. So, after the 2nd and 3rd, we're saying, "Ok, something's changed, but what?"

Sean

 

[DK35vince]

I personally don't see a problem with that bit of smoke on startup when cold.
These machines are staring up fine. They may puff for a few seconds when cold, but they clear right up and run fine.
Where's the problem??

 

[TomSeller]

I personally don't see a problem with that bit of smoke on startup when cold.
These machines are staring up fine. They may puff for a few seconds when cold, but they clear right up and run fine.
Where's the problem??

I am with you, I don't see an issue. They seem to start up when cold reliably and run like a top after a few seconds.

 

[TripleR]

I guess some of us older guys need to get use to all the smoke, we are just use to running tractors that started with less smoke, noise, stumbling etc.

 

[TomSeller]

Inside these nice barns and sheds why not just plug in block heaters? If not already on the tractor, they are simple to install.

 

[DK35vince]

I guess some of us older guys need to get use to all the smoke, we are just use to running tractors that started with less smoke, noise, stumbling etc.

I've been working around diesel engines nearly every day for the past 30 years.
Many/most of them would smoke and sputter a **** of a lot more than that when started in the teens and single digit temperatures.

 

[TripleR]

I've been working around diesel engines nearly every day for the past 30 years.
Many/most of them would smoke and sputter a **** of a lot more than that when started in the teens and single digit temperatures.

Yep, our winters are just not all that cold here. I lived in northern Missouri for about a year and a half; man what a difference, sure took some getting use to and I head south as soon as I put my time in.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my 2003 L5030 started much smoother, less smoke under the same conditions that makes my L5740 smoke, cough and sputter.

 

[Chilly807]

Here's a video of my '09 L3400 this morning in my garage at 40* F. 5 seconds of glow plugs and turn the key. I notice a little more "whine" in the starter at colder temps, and a bit harder "fuel knock" but not much other than that. I moved it outside to clear some snow later, I'll let it sit for 3-4 hours and do another start video later at colder temperature. It ran for maybe 2 minutes this morning, so it certainly won't still be warm later today! It's -15 C here this morning, cool weather for early January by our standards. I don't like doing cold starts any more than I have to, normally I'd plug the block heater in if it was sitting outside. Not that it won't start, but it's easier on everything starting a warmed engine.

Kubota L3400 cold start @ 40* F - YouTube

I don't recall what the temps were in the other cold start videos in this thread, but there's quite a difference in how the engine acts.

Sean

 

[wmonroe]

I personally don't see a problem with that bit of smoke on startup when cold. These machines are staring up fine. They may puff for a few seconds when cold, but they clear right up and run fine. Where's the problem??

I don't have an issue with the smoke and like you said it starts reliably for me. I just like to tinker with engines and sometimes can't help myself. Posts like this that remind me that I am happy with it overall help me wait a little longer before I change something, makes my wife happier too. Lol

 

[wmonroe]

Inside these nice barns and sheds why not just plug in block heaters? If not already on the tractor, they are simple to install.

I let the dealer talk me out of a block heater when I bought it and regret it now (luckily the only part of the purchase I regret), but installing one is on my to do list. I think with a block heater it would start with little to no smoke and sputter.