Smokin' John Deere

[catfishhunter]

Smokin\' John Deere

I have a John Deere 2020 that blows blue smoke pretty bad. Its using oil. I think I have a stuck ring or bad valve seal. I'm somewhat knoleageable about engines, but don't want to get too deep into a repair myself. I have it at a hobby farm in Missouri so it sits a bit. Does anyone have some ideas on some easy things I can try or test before I take it in? Thanks!

 

[isucrazy]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Just for giggles I would throw some top end lube to it good and heavy. Maybe some of the ol MARVELOUS MYSTERY OIL."spellin" /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Unless its got a sack full of hrs. on it and its time for an overhaul anyway. Dang sure cant hurt ta give it a try, I know the stuff works on rings and valves. Im sure a few will agree and many will disagree. Good kuck eather way hand /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[beenthere]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

It is diesel isn't it?

Sometimes just occasional use and start up and stop without getting up to operating temperature will foul things up so they do some smokin'.

Drop it off at a dealer and have it checked out. If diesel, there may be an injector plugging up, and if gas, they could check out the compression to give you some idea where you stand for the near and far future.

Good luck.

 

[catfishhunter]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Its gas actually. Thanks for the tip on the compression test. I'm going back next month and will give that a try.

 

[catfishhunter]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Thanks for the tip on the mystery oil. A friend of mine recommended that too and I bought some to use. I guess I can put some in the crankcase and a teaspoon in each cylinder. Is that what you would recommend? What other type of "top engine lube" would you recommend?

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

I tried the Mystery oil in two of my tractors. They were both smokin' pretty bad. After that got into the engine (about 3 minutes) things REALLY started hammerin'!!! Shut it down quick. Started it up again and it rattled worse. I drained the oil, put in a new filter and started it back up. It continued to hammer....So I figured that stuff must've gummed something up pretty bad. Sounds like maybe sticky lifters. Sooo I shut it off and grabbed a can of PB Blaster. I squirted that in the oil filler tube and counted to ten. Started it back up and the knock dissappeared, annd the dang thing runs stronger! There's even less smoke now! So I figured, what's good for one tractor is good for the other. Now they BOTH run great!
I don't recommend this. Just sayin' what happened in my experience...

 

[isucrazy]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Outside of diesel fuel M.M.Oil is all I have used myself. Alot of old timers swear by M.M.O. On the compression check, do a wet and dry test. You can get a cheepo comp. tester bout anywhere and do it yourself .

 

[v8dave]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

For a gasoline engine only, not diesel, get an engine cleaner meant to pour through the carburetor. Follow the instructions on the can, which generally is run engine at a fast idle and pour it in the carburetor at a slow rate. Make sure you are outside, this will lay down a smoke screen. I've used this on a car engine and it cleaned it up pretty good.

On a diesel, this will act as a fuel and you'll get a run away engine. That is it will accelerate in engine speed--run up way past the "red line" of the engine. Cutting off the ignition won't stop the engine either. Only covering the intake, to cut off the air, will stop the engine.

 

[ScottAR]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

For **GAS** engines, some auto trans. fluid will clean up any carbon in there pronto. This too will smoke like a chimney. Add a little through the carb and be ready to throttle up as it will stumble.

Use at your own risk, but it's worked for me and a couple friends.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Many seasons ago a friend gave his car, a '61 Ford 390, over to a mechanic to take care of some engine problems. The guy poured water and dried rice in the carb. Kept the engine running/stumbling while doing this. Afterwards, it ran like new! The only thing I could ever bring myself to do was the water trick. That does work well, it just doesn't last very long. On my older cars I used to always run one qt of Rislone in with the regular oil. Alays had great success with that. I wonder just how many ways are there to 'reclaim' an engine? Dried rice? Anything from Stouffer's frozen section? Something from McDonalds?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[normde2001]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

What do you suppose the dried rice added to the mix? Unless I am missing something, dried rice + water + heat = wet rice, soft and mushy.

 

[fishman]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Rice!? In the carb?!!? Surely not!!??

How could all that goop get past the needle and seat?

I just don't see how that could work at all. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Jim_Fisher]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Fishman,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How could all that goop get past the needle and seat? )</font>

You don't put the water through the fuel system. You put it in the air intake as you would an upper cylinder lubricant.

This is the first that I have heard of using rice along with the water. I suspect that the rice acts as a mild abrasive cleaner. Its probably hard enough to shatter carbon deposits when it hits them at air intake speed but much softer than metal.

This is pretty much Model T Ford technology. Not sure what it do to the oxygen sensor or catalytic converter in todays cars.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

That's right, about dumping down the carb vents. By the way, I also heard that crushed walnut shells do as well. (Besides using them for 'sandblasting'.) I, too, suspect that it's acting as a sandblasting/chipping agent. Sure is a rough way to cook a meal, th /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifough!

 

[fishman]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

OK that makes sense now. I guess I was just having a senior moment. Still sounds a little strange though.

 

[gugy]

Re: Smokin\' John Deere

Hi Tim,
I don't know by your post, what engine is in your tractor.I recently I had a two cylinder B&S that smoked real bad. I found out it was a blown head gasket on one cylinder.It was blown between the oil galley and the cylinder bore. This may be your problem or it may be just a tired engine that needs to be overhauled.
Gugy