# John Deere Smoke Cloud



## Don Reid (9 mo ago)

I have a 1996 John Deere 870 diesel I have owned for sixteen years. It has been remarkably trouble free, but now I have a problem. Whenever I try to start the engine it will fire off and stutter along weakly for a few seconds before dying, and while it is doing this an incredible amount white smoke gushes out of the exhaust pipe. I changed the fuel filter, but that made no difference. If someone knows what is happening and what to do about it I would be a very grateful old man to learn what's going on.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

Have you checked to see if you have coolant or fuel in the oil?


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

Don Reid said:


> I have a 1996 John Deere 870 diesel I have owned for sixteen years. It has been remarkably trouble free, but now I have a problem. Whenever I try to start the engine it will fire off and stutter along weakly for a few seconds before dying, and while it is doing this an incredible amount white smoke gushes out of the exhaust pipe. I changed the fuel filter, but that made no difference. If someone knows what is happening and what to do about it I would be a very grateful old man to learn what's going on.


You own a Yanmar painted JD green. It smokes because of a few things need attention. 


Best engine oil for the Japan Yanmar engine is 10W30 diesel. Typically the Rotella T4 10W30 diesel is used. You can shop around for other good brands too. 15W40 makes the engine work harder and traps heat longer.
In all of the Yanmar and Deere manuals for the Yanmar engines, do not let the engine idle for more than 10mins at any given period of time. Soot build up happens.
Drive the tractor around for 15mins above 2200rpms. If the soot and white smoke persists keep going down the list.
Check the air intake filter, canister and housing for any debris and build up. Clean the filter often, ever 50 hours of use or when working in dusty environments. (this right out of the ops manual.)
Clean the radiator screen and the radiator air-centers.
How old is the fuel in the tank? Is the machine in a hot climate? When was the last time the diesel fuel tank was completely flushed clean? Sitting diesel fuel in hot climates will break down due to bacteria causing diesel sludge. This would also make diesel soot badly.
Do a Seafoam intake treatment. Seafoam is originally designed for diesel engines. It will clean the injectors, clean the pistons and rings, purge out the soot, clean the internals and out thru the exhaust. Then do a follow up with the Lucas diesel fuel treatment.
Should any of the prior mention not to solve the issue, a cylinder compression test is needed. New rings on the pistons are needed, but an under lying condition of bad cam bearings could be the issue, thus a bottom end rebuild is required. Best to try the items above before going deep like this.

Hope this helps you now and others in the times ahead.


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## Don Reid (9 mo ago)

bmaverick said:


> You own a Yanmar painted JD green. It smokes because of a few things need attention.
> 
> 
> Best engine oil for the Japan Yanmar engine is 10W30 diesel. Typically the Rotella T4 10W30 diesel is used. You can shop around for other good brands too. 15W40 makes the engine work harder and traps heat longer.
> ...


Thank ya'll very much for the advice. You have given me much to check on and think about. Since my original post I checked both elements of the air filter. They looked clean to me. Also the oil is clean and looks and feels good. I will get busy on it again tomorrow. The fuel is from last winter, but I suppose it could have been old or adulterated when I bought it. I'll figure out how to drain the tank. Thanks again.


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## thedukes (Jan 9, 2022)

Open radiator cap
Start motor....look for bubbles in radiator.

White smoke "can" be an indicater of water in cyl.
Its probly not in the fuel......but check the fuel bowl...it will be in the bottom if there is any.

Smell the smoke.....does it smell like anti freeze?

I forget on the gear drives ..but I think they have glow plugs......I think you can remove those and check compression with the right adapter and gage.

How does it start after warmed up?

If its hard starting ...as in hard to turn over after sitting for 20 min......indication of coolant leaking into cyl. Possibly.

D


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## thepumpguysc (Jan 25, 2015)

The symptoms u described is a bleed back problem..(to me) Starts, white smokes(air in the system) cuts off..
If it has a lift pump, make sure it’s functional..


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

deleted


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

thepumpguysc said:


> The symptoms u described is a bleed back problem..(to me) Starts, white smokes(air in the system) cuts off..
> If it has a lift pump, make sure it’s functional..


Could it be a leaky o-ring at the fuel filter and bowl? On TBN we've heard of a leakage like that. The bowl was just tight enough not to leak diesel and yet enough air to be puled in due to suction. It came down to the owner replacing both the fuel o-ring and the bowel.


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## thepumpguysc (Jan 25, 2015)

Most definitely bmav..
Also check for kinks in the lines..


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

The sealing ring on the fuel bowl is always suspect. The element and spring must be installed correctly or the sealing ring won't seal properly. You always want to wet the sealing ring with diesel before laying it on top the bowl flange and tightening the aluminum lock ring.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

SidecarFlip said:


> The sealing ring on the fuel bowl is always suspect. The element and spring must be installed correctly or the sealing ring won't seal properly. You always want to wet the sealing ring with diesel before laying it on top the bowl flange and tightening the aluminum lock ring.


Now days, they plastic bowls got cheaper, no spring used anymore. They rely on a plastic crush rib on the inside. They last about 3X the uses now. cheap cheap cheap.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

bmaverick said:


> Now days, they plastic bowls got cheaper, no spring used anymore. They rely on a plastic crush rib on the inside. They last about 3X the uses now. cheap cheap cheap.


I wasn't aware of that. Mine have springs, guess I live in the dark ages...


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