White smoke!

[rajun.cajun]

my L1500 has recently started lightly blowing white smoke. What could be causing this? I've also noticed what appears to be a small leak around the valve cover. How hard is the valve cover gasket to change and could this be linked to my white smoke issue?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Normally white smoke is associated with a blow head gasket or other events where water is getting to the combustion chamber or exhaust.

With the tractor cold, remove the radiator cap fill radiator to the top, and start engine, look in radiator for bubbles in the water / coolant.

Other options for white smoke are too much fuel (bad or leaking injector)
bad or leaking valve stem seals.

 

[rajun.cajun]

I guess I start digging into it.

I've never done a head gasket on a diesel before, what's the process and what other things should I do while I'm that far in if that's the problem?

When I go to look up those parts they're the same as the L175 right?

 

[kubota L1801dt]

get the torque specs
remove injector lines
remove injectors
remove valve cover
remove rocker arm assembly
remove intake
remove exhaust
drain radiator
remove top radiator hose
remove cylinder head
get the mating surface hospital clean
inspect cylinder head and cylinders
if all is well raplace head with new gasket
DO NOT OVER TORQUE BOLTS