new JD 2520 white smoke, help!

[duppa43]

anyone with knowledge , please help!! Bought a John Deere 2520 last year, from out of state. (got a great deal, and didn't have to pay taxes in PA). My tractor has only 35 hours on it, and I mainly use it to cut 4 level acres of grass.

about 2 weeks ago I noticed the tractor making more than usual smoke while cutting grass, extra smoke under any load. Then just today, I cut about an acre, noticed the increased smoke, then stopped to get a beer, when I cut the throttle down to half, the engine started bellowing out white/blue smoke. Now even at an idle, the tractor bellows out white smoke, enough to smoke my entire driveway.

starting out with simple ideas, I checked and cleaned my air filters. I drained the fuel and changed the fuel filter to no avail. still the same.

at an idle, I get a constant white smoke with about every second a miss and a LARGE puff of white smoke.

problem is, there arent any JD dealers in my area, and as previously mentioned, I bought my tractor out of state(about 2 hours away). I plan on taking it in for service, but anyone have any ideas, or thoughts please help

thanks in advance!!

 

[Travis_R]

Sounds like a blown head gasket to me- FROM THE ENGINE RUNNING HOT.
Check the fluid in the radiator. Also, check to see if the engine oil level is overly full. Look at the dipstick's full level mark and see if the oil level is past that. If so, there is coolant mixed in with the oil- meaning a blown head gasket. Your radiator may be stopped up with seeds and grass. Your radiator may need to be rodded out by a machine shop (about $50). Could your fan belt be broken? Does your temperature gauge work? If not, DEFINITELY get it fixed.

Look in the "yellow pages" in the back of the phone book for diesel mechanics/ tractor repair shops/ dealers, etc.. They'll be able to fix you up.

Also, DO NOT RUN THE TRACTOR ANYMORE UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FOUND AND FIXED! Hopefully you haven't caused any other damage.

You may get more responses if you contacted a moderator on here and had this thread moved to the "John Deere Owning/ Operating" forum.

Travis R

 

[duppa43]

thanks for your reply, Oil level is good, no evidence of coolant, coolant level good, no evidence of loss of level. radiator clean, fan working well. still a bunch of smoke.

 

[duppa43]

btw, did I mention the tractor is like new!!! only 35 hours on it!!

 

[GrowingRocks]

btw, did I mention the tractor is like new!!! only 35 hours on it!!

That's good... sounds like this is not going to be a small thing. While I am not familiar with the JD specifics, the general rule when troubleshooting diesels is that black smoke is unburnt fuel (like when a pump is turned up or chipped on the diesel racing trucks), grey is what you might see if the glow plugs weren't working but will go away quickly, and white is water vapor indicating head gasket or larger problems. Does the smoke smell like diesel fuel or is it sweet smelling like antifreeze?

Either way if this tractor is under warranty, I'd be loading it up on a trailer and taking it straight to the dealer for some work. And as Travis said, don't run it any more than you have to in order to get it loaded.

 

[psj12]

The white smoke needs to be examined to see if it is water vapor or or fuel. White fuel smoke can result from unburnt fuel vapor due to low/no compression, blown injector tip or several other causes. If the vapor does not dissipate and stinks like fuel it is probably not your head gasket.

 

[irwin]

btw, did I mention the tractor is like new!!! only 35 hours on it!!

Like still under warranty? or like out of warranty?

Vast amounts of white smoke usually means head gasket failure, but possibly it's a unburnt fuel issue. Either way don't run the engine unless you have to, to load it on the trailer ( as already stated by Travis and GlowingRocks). If it's a head gskt failure damage from overheating, or coolant in oil is very possible. your statement of misfiring with a belch of smoke is telling you the failure (what ever it is) is getting worse. Get it to tractor mechanic ASAP. If under warrany get it to a John Deere dealer. I'd not mention why you bought out of state BTW.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

 

[duppa43]

thanks for your replies, I think the smoke is unburnt fuel, it does smell like fuel, and does not dissapate (until it makes it to the neighbors house). I plan on taking it to the nearest dealer tomorrow. Hopefully it isn't anything major. The tractor is like 14 mo. old, I am pretty sure warranty is for at least 24 months, but if anyone knows for sure, please let me know

 

[Typhoon]

Another possibility, which is more common than you would think, is bad fuel. I once experienced the same problem that you are. I drained my fuel and found that there was alot of water in it. The fuel was fresh too, from the pump the day before. I drained the fuel, put new fuel in, and it ran perfectly. Hopefully that is all that it is. My guess is that it is something minor. Lets hope!!
-Brad

 

[duppa43]

was my first thought too, however, I drained the tank, replaced the fuel filter, and bought new fuel from the busiest truck stop in town. so , no go... I hope it isn't anything major...