flame shooting like a pulling tractor!!!

tjd7869 · Aug 1, 2014

so i was out sort of late mowing and noticed a faint glow out of the exhaust. i have had this ol girl shoot sparks out now and then so i thought nothing of it at first. then i started getting into some thicker/taller grass and that is when the ol girl started to work a bit harder (far from dying, just could tell she had a load against her) was looking back to make sure i was not missing anything looked forward to see were i was and the ol girl had a good 4-6 inch orange torch flame shooting out her 2inch exhaust stack!!! i backed her down for a bit working slower and less spirited to finish but, yet even at that once in the thicker stuff she still would shoot flame (just not as much of one).

so has anyone else have this happen? should i be worried? or is this sort of thing "normal" for an older girl?

oh guess i should mention she is a 1972 L-210

Bulldog · Aug 1, 2014

I know a guy that had a Pete truck that would blow a little flame out both stacks if he got the fuel conditioner to rich. I don't believe you should be seeing a flame come out the pipe though. Sparks are not uncommon, probably just little chunks of carbon breaking loose.

North Idaho Wolfman · Aug 1, 2014

On an old tractor like that it's not that uncommon, My uncle's JD AR used to do that all the time. It would blow a constant 2 foot flaming glow out the pipe.
It just means your running a little rich, and a little rich is better than lean.

tjd7869 · Aug 1, 2014

The ol girl didn't sound any different so it didn't freak me out all to much. But was worried about it flaming to much and burning up the valves or overheating. And NIW she dose run slightly rich as she will "roll coal" when under load or heavy throttle. Its not pulling tractor amount of smoke but a good dark gray to black bellow. I think I may try recording a video of day and some more night mowing. Then ill post a link and let all you experts decide and tell me how you think my ol girl is running.

coachgeo · Aug 2, 2014

Run some fuel conditioner in it. I like Lubra Molley Diesel Purge; but it is hard to find. Try a Mercedes or VW dealership with lots of diesel sells. I once got it from a Ford Dealership. I like it cause you dont "mix it" you run the engine off the pure stuff so it gets best clean possible.

Anyway while it is in there do an Italian Tune up.

Rodeo hunter · Aug 2, 2014

I have a gas john deere 720 and the muffler will glow red at night when I've been plowing all day. I mean cherry red. Coming from a person very familiar with pull trucks and my own. Your flame cones from a rich exhaust mix and a high EGG ( exhaust gas temp) which ignites the fuel rich air mixture. My truck will rum 1300 degrees when running balls out as hard as it'll run. That's hot. In daily driving mode it stays around 800 degrees when towing. 1250 is the point aluminum turbos meltdown after extended time at this temp. I think diesel exhaust would combust and burn around 7-900 degrees. Nothing to worry about but a forest fire. Maybe your injectors are going out. I'm not familiar with the mechanics of that model so that's just a shot in dark.

tjd7869 · Aug 2, 2014

well i dont have to worry about a turbo melting down in fact i think the only aluminum on the old girl is the radiator. too her out for a spin around the yard today. she fired right up and blow a bunch of soot out. think that is do to the aftermarket muffler a prior owner put on. i do however believe i am finnally going to get a new tach0meter cable so i know for sure what my rpms are running, as of right now all i can do is back off some from WOT and go with that. was going to take that video but mother nature decided it was time to water the plants

tjd7869 · Aug 3, 2014

Here is a link to a video I took of start up and a short drive, its not the best video but its all I can do with my phone. Hopefully I'll get one of it at night with the flame.

tjd7869 · Aug 3, 2014

http://youtu.be/tRC4ziclkU8

ShaunRH · Aug 4, 2014

Sounds like an old tractor to me! My D-17 throws visible sparks at night and that engine is so tired it can't start without help. It has a similar stack setup to what you have there...

She's a much older 'orange' tractor...

tjd7869 · Aug 5, 2014

uploaded another video, was pushing the limit of capability in this one.

http://youtu.be/nR4WzVLeevU?list=UUpfb_UinuchDTRBOxtcKXqw

North Idaho Wolfman · Aug 5, 2014

If you keep pushing it that hard your soon going to see the insides become the outsides!

tjd7869 · Aug 5, 2014

North Idaho Wolfman said:
If you keep pushing it that hard your soon going to see the insides become the outsides!

could you be a slight bit more specific as to what i am pushing to hard? the engine rpms or the amount of load i am applying?

coachgeo · Aug 6, 2014

tjd7869 said:
could you be a slight bit more specific as to what i am pushing to hard? the engine rpms or the amount of load i am applying?

Think he answered that question at the video where he says

"mowing some really tall wet grass on vary soft ground with my kubota." AKA load

Dave_eng · Aug 6, 2014

I have a 6' Land Pride finishing mower. They are a big user of horsepower when used on terrain that really needs a bush hog. The mower would bog down a 65 hp tractor when cutting the stuff you are working in.
I think you are heading for a big bang. Once the grass is cut like a lawn, then use the finishing mower.
It would be a shame to destroy a good tractor when you could hire some one to cut the big stuff until it is under control.
Mower Deck belts are not cheap and you will smoke yours or break it under those conditions.
Dave M7040

tjd7869 · Aug 6, 2014

mowing that grass like that was actually a one time thing. wasnt doing a whole lot at once just little sections (like the patch i was working on) also with holding the phone and steering i couldn't run the 3pt up and down like i was doing for the rest of it. also the problem with that "yard" is that i have to drive over a hand made bridge to get to it as the neighbor wont let me drive just 4ft over the corner of his yard. the bridge i had was great for a lawn tractor and 4wheeler... was wide enough for the kubota but the support timbers cracked first time i had the mower on the back and took some time before i was able to fix it to hold the kubota as such the grass on the other side went a while without a mowing. and yeah i'll take some blame for asking my old girl to cut the grass wet, it had started raining (down pour) when i was nearly done, then after the rain stopped i went back out and took the video.

North Idaho Wolfman · Aug 6, 2014

When you load a tractor as heavy as you are and bog it down almost to a stop several things happen, the stress on parts is applied unequally, temperatures rise and fall at too great of a rate and it fatigues and stresses materials to the point of fracture.

You can run a tractor under a hard to extreme load as long as it consistent, like plowing a field.

Your doubling your load by trying to brush hog swampy land, not only are you working the cutter with wet grass and water but your also working the tractor to try and pull threw the mud.

You would be much better off draining the land or waiting till it dries to get a good clean cut on it.

Edit: Wrote my reply while you were typing too.

tjd7869 · Aug 6, 2014

alright, i got yeah now.... and i recall being told that before about running hard consistently. and yeah as for the drying out the ground that is a big to-do on the list. this section of yard used to be bone dry for years!!! but recently in the past 2-3 years it has had a creek start flowing right in the middle.... and it comes from further back on the property. i have made a tire rut drain to help keep it maintained in one spot till i get the full plan drawn up for redirecting it all to the other side of the property so it runs into my pond. but that is a whole new mess as it will be a good 800yrd to 1200yrd stretch of ditch work

i do thank you all for your input, and i really should know better when i am pushing the ol girl to hard

but she just loves to work so much

North Idaho Wolfman · Aug 6, 2014

It's all good, just would like to see you keep her going!

I can draw you up a simple 3 point ditcher that would help you tremendously to get a ditch in to redirect the water if you need it, just let me know.

tjd7869 · Aug 6, 2014

i currently have a pond scoop and back blade that works ok... was actually looking to get a plow, subsoiler, middlebuster or some thing of that nature to help break a path, then use my scoop to clear out a ditch.

flame shooting like a pulling tractor!!!

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