The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Did search, sounds like maybe oil but wanted a more educated answer and you guys are the place.
55 New Major Diesel with a 59 Power engine...
Was doing a bunch of slow backhoe work, probably about 1/4 throttle.. Notice the tractor smokes a little more at this speed but black/grey smoke. When I was done, maybe 8hrs I noticed black fluid on the starter which I traced back to coming from the exhaust. It feels slightly oily and is pretty much odorless.. The type of digging I was doing (mature live pond) never labored the motor at all so I certainly didn't work it.. I brought the throttle up near full for a bit and while the paint on my new muffler certainly smoked, this liquid on the exhaust elbow never did..

Engine has fresh oil (but 15-40, not single weight which I now find would be better).. Oil pressure is normal.. Tractor is pretty new to me and have yet to time injection pump etc..

Anyway to tell if this is engine oil vs excess diesel? I do notice much less black smoke at higher RPM's so it leaves me wondering if it pushes through too much diesel at lower RPM's thus the wet exhaust or if it is blow by or possible bad exhaust valve seals..

Or should I just live with the fact that side of the motor will have this stuff unless the old girl is actually worked harder...

Greg

Two signs that could show you a direction:
the oil level is rising: unburned fuel goes into the oil system and parts of it goes with the exaustgas ,
an analysis of your motoroil shows you exactly what is added to the system, costs about 50 € each sample, but gives god advice.

The oil consumtion is pretty high, on older engines higher than 3-5% of the fuel consumtion, can show you problems with the liners and/or the pistons

If the problem occures only at lower rpms, can show a Problem with the injectors.

The problem is light work and is normal for all diesel engines which are not working hard.

I would be running 30W HD or 20/50 Multiuse.

If it starts OK and runs OK other than the oil out of the exhaust then the timing will not need setting.

Get her some hard work and all your problems will disappear.