White smoke

James Edward · Nov 14, 2015

My farmall h has recently started producing white smoke. It doesn't smoke until it is warm approximately 15 minutes after start up. It runs like nothing is wrong. Also small amounts of oil come out from the exhaust. I recently rebuilt the carb and had someone tell me that it may be from over fueling. Any advice or place to start looking?

RalphWD45 · Nov 14, 2015

Might be steam! Check your radiator for bubbles, It don't cost nothing to look!

Gary from Muleshoe · Nov 14, 2015

If the white smoke is exclusively from the exhaust pipe, a leaking cylinder head gasket would be a suspect. If this is the case the coolant
would end up being heated in the combustion chambers and blown out the exhaust.

2underage · Nov 14, 2015

I believe you would be seeing dark smoke if it was an over fueling problem. Keep an eye on your coolant and if you notice that you are losing some then it could be a blown head gasket.

D beatty · Nov 14, 2015

I think the white smoke your seeing is the oil burning since you said that oil is coming out of exhaust. Does the smoke smell like oil burning or coolant. You can smell the difference.

Geo-TH,In · Nov 14, 2015

I have a 1950 Farmall C. It will puff white
smoke for a few seconds for years. It
doesn't burn oil. If I leave choke on too
long all my lawn mowers will do the same. I
have the carb mixture screw all the way
out, to lean as possible. I think it's carb
design, remember the tractor was designed
to crank start.

JRSutton · Nov 14, 2015

General rule of thumb; blue is oil, black is too much gas, and white is water.

ed will · Nov 14, 2015

Hi, I believe you have a blown head gasket. You
may have some oil floating on rad water. Ed will

Determined · Nov 14, 2015

Does the white smoke dissipate fairly fast, if so likely coolant getting into cylinder, often a sweet smell if you have antifreeze in it.
It can take a bit for the engine to warm up and build enough pressure in the cooling system to get coolant past a failing gasket.
If it is whitish blue and lingers around before dissipating then it likely is oil, it takes a while for the exhaust system to get warm enough to burn it off.
A quick check is pull your spark plugs and see if 1 or 2 are spotless clean, if so you are taking on coolant.

bteny10 · Nov 14, 2015

I had a 5010 with white smoke an it was antifreeze every year i added stuff to the radiator an got along fine hope that helps
don't remember what the additive was though but add that an it should stop

James Edward · Nov 14, 2015

Thank you for all the replys. I went outside and looked at a few things mentioned. The radiator had little bubbles in it. Cylinder one spark plug was clean but 2 3 and 4 were dirty looked like oil residue. The smoke didn't exactly smell like coolant burning but it had a little bit sweeter scent. The smoke doesn't dissipate when and tends to linger around. How much and how long are we talking if it is a head gasket? And is there anything I should specifically check to help you help me? Thanks again

Steve@Advance · Nov 14, 2015

If the white smoke is a result of coolant getting in a cylinder, isn't really smoke, it's steam. How long it
hangs around depends on the temperature, humidity, wind, dew point, etc., so it's really going to be
variable.

It does sound like coolant getting in #1 cylinder from the plug difference and the bubbles. Since it's
causing those symptoms, other things will also be happening, like mystery coolant loss, milky condensation
under the oil cap, inside the valve cover, and inside the crankcase vent tube.

Another test is to fill the radiator, put it under pressure if possible, let it sit overnight. Then pull the
plugs, crank it through, see if water blows out any plug holes.

Determined · Nov 14, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:23:14 11/14/15) Thank you for all the replys. I went outside and looked at a few things mentioned. The radiator had little bubbles in it. Cylinder one spark plug was clean but 2 3 and 4 were dirty looked like oil residue. The smoke didn't exactly smell like coolant burning but it had a little bit sweeter scent. The smoke doesn't dissipate when and tends to linger around. How much and how long are we talking if it is a head gasket? And is there anything I should specifically check to help you help me? Thanks again

The spark plug from #1 cylinder you said was clean.
Did it look like a brand new spark plug, insulator clean and white?
If so then you definitely are getting coolant into that cylinder.
How does your oil look, clear or milky?
You mentioned small amounts of oil coming out of your exhaust, is it watery black carbon like or more like dirty slippery grease in the end of the exhaust pipe?
If you run it long and hard does it clear up or does the amount of smoke stay consistent?
How is the coolant level? Have you needed to add?
How is the oil level? Do you need to top it up often?
Oil bath air cleaner? Are you over filling it?

fixerupper · Nov 14, 2015

It looks like you found your problem in cylinder #1. Coolant burning in a cylinder will burn out the carbon. That's why the spark plug is clean. There is no good that comes out of a cylinder burning coolant except it does make things nice and clean in there.

tomturkey · Nov 14, 2015

This thread reminds me of something from my past. In the Air Force we distilled water that was injected into C-130 and C-141 engines. I was told it gave them a thrust or hp boost. Can anyone shed a little more knowledge on injecting water. just rememberin gobble

Janicholson · Nov 14, 2015

Running an engine with coolant in the top will end up with coolant in the oil getting past the pistons. After sitting for a day, crack the oil drain plug and loosen it )over a pan) till a sample comes out. if it is green, it is coolant. Running it with coolant in the oil will destroy the engine in short order. If it just started, all is not lost. If no coolant in the oil, it may just need a head gasket and the head checked for cracks. Jim

todd hamilton · Nov 14, 2015

Anti freeze has a sweet smell when released as
steam. You're gonna have to tear that engine
down, at least take the head off of it. If lucky head
gasket has failed. If unlucky the block has a small
crack in the vincinty of cylinder 1 which may or may
not be repairable.

w1ebb · Nov 14, 2015

Hi Tom,
Its called water injection. I had a hot rod engine in years past, that when I cranked in more initial timing with the distributor, it clattered the valves. Water injection cured that. The water injector had a sensor that measured manifold vacuum. When the manifold vacuum fell low enough that the valves clattered, the water injector would spray a fine mist into the carburetor to "cool" the gas mixture and this would stop/prevent the valves from clattering. But of course this was back in the 70s and early 80s, before computers took over our vehicles.
I understood that radial piston aircraft engines relied on water injection to keep from self destructing at high altitude, but I don't have first hand knowledge about that.

Scott

Deutz Lover · Nov 14, 2015

If you have a head leak and coolant is being burned it will have a distinct celery like odor if the antifreeze contains ethylene glycol.

James Edward · Nov 15, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:48:32 11/14/15)

(quoted from post at 11:23:14 11/14/15) Thank you for all the replys. I went outside and looked at a few things mentioned. The radiator had little bubbles in it. Cylinder one spark plug was clean but 2 3 and 4 were dirty looked like oil residue. The smoke didn't exactly smell like coolant burning but it had a little bit sweeter scent. The smoke doesn't dissipate when and tends to linger around. How much and how long are we talking if it is a head gasket? And is there anything I should specifically check to help you help me? Thanks again

Click to expand...

The spark plug from #1 cylinder you said was clean.
Did it look like a brand new spark plug, insulator clean and white?
If so then you definitely are getting coolant into that cylinder.
How does your oil look, clear or milky?
You mentioned small amounts of oil coming out of your exhaust, is it watery black carbon like or more like dirty slippery grease in the end of the exhaust pipe?
If you run it long and hard does it clear up or does the amount of smoke stay consistent?
How is the coolant level? Have you needed to add?
How is the oil level? Do you need to top it up often?
Oil bath air cleaner? Are you over filling it?

The tractors smoke seems to clear up for the most part when under any load. The spark plug looked very clean. Oil kinda smells like it might have gas in it? But just looks like it's a little dirty. The coolant level doesn't drop noticeably at all. Oil bath is right where it should be. And I found that I had a little more "oil" than I added and had to drain some a couple of times but this last time it is a little low.

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