20 ton MTD splitter white smoke

[crappiemiser]

I bought a used 20 ton mtd splitter and when it is bogging down on a big split it blows a small amount of white smoke. It has a B & S 5 hp engine vertical shaft, this is my first splitter and am curious if this is normal for a 7 year old splitter. Thanks!

 

[crowbuster]

Not normal. Shes headin south on ya. Have the 22 ton. Same problem, got worse, replaced with a Honda I had sittin around. Still runnin strong. Keep an eye on your oil level and she may last a while yet. Not sure how much splitting you do but I chose to replace mine before she gave up the ghost when I needed it most. And welcome, some great folks here.

 

[crappiemiser]

Thank you ! Wish I would've seen it last night when I bought it... Guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for a engine.

 

[svk]

It will probably last a long time still so I wouldn't sweat it. Just keep your eyes peeled for an implement with the same or similar motor to swap it out. My BIL picked up a bunch of small motors for building go carts cheap from a car show swap meet.

 

[sb47]

Mine started to smoke when it bogs down about a year ago. She still smokes but she still runs.
It's gettin worse though. I'm gonna have to start looking for a replacement.
Mine is about 12 years old and has had several thousand cords run through it.
I put an hour meter on it last year and it has over 300 hours since I put the meter.
No idea how many hours is actually has on it.
Run'er till she blows!

 

[Erik B]

Mine started to smoke when it bogs down about a year ago. She still smokes but she still runs.
It's gettin worse though. I'm gonna have to start looking for a replacement.
Mine is about 12 years old and has had several thousand cords run through it.
I put an hour meter on it last year and it has over 300 hours since I put the meter.
No idea how many hours is actually has on it.
Run'er till she blows!

What did you use for an hour meter and how did you install it?

 

[sb47]

What did you use for an hour meter and how did you install it?

I used one like this one. Self powered and you just wrap the wire around the spark plug wire.
Very easy to install (just two screws)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycl...-Hour-Meter-Gauge-0-1HRS-10RPMs-/141892465101

 

[Erik B]

I used one like this one. Self powered and you just wrap the wire around the spark plug wire.
Very easy to install (just two screws)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycl...-Hour-Meter-Gauge-0-1HRS-10RPMs-/141892465101

Thanks. I just put a new engine on my splitter so now would b a good time to start using an hour meter

 

[sb47]

Thanks. I just put a new engine on my splitter so now would b a good time to start using an hour meter

I got mine at a local motorcycle dealer. Try there.

 

[sb47]

I was running my splitter yesterday and she smoked quite a bit the whole time.
Today, no smoke what so ever.
I have noticed it smoking one day and not the next.
I suspect one or two things my be happening.
The first is the valves may be getting carbon buildup and not seating properly.
Then as the carbon breaks away or gets burned off they start to seal properly.
Or, the oil ring and scraper rings are somehow orienting themselves so that the gap is lining up, causing some blow by.
My money is on carbon buildup.

 

[sb47]

I dug out 2 old power washers that had quit working many years ago.
One is a BS 5 HP vertical 7/8" shaft.
The other is a Honda GC 160 5.0 HP horizontal 3/4" shaft.
I tinkerd with them and got both motors to run.
The Honda is puking oil from the breather tube between the carb and block.
The case seems to be pressurizing for some reason.
May be a dirt dobber has plugged a breather hole somewhere. \
Any ideas why the Honda is puking oil?

 

[svk]

It's very possible. Shouldn't be doing that.

 

[Patrick62]

Now let's see here...
It has been awhile since I went to school for engines. Teachy said that oil burns blue, and gasoline burns black. Blow a gasket and coolant will come out as white smoke... Now wait a sec, on a air cooled engine? So what have we gotta work with here to make some white smoke? Gasoline and engine oil and a single cylinder engine. unburned gasoline could produce a cloud of white smoke, but how to get that without running it across the piston and burning the stuff? Maybe if the crank case was loaded with extra gasoline and it didn't want to burn anyway (stale) but getting vaporized in there and chugged thru the vent tube... that could do it.

If the engine is cold enough then I suppose that the diluted oil could make it past the rings and produce a haze, but I would expect it to be a delightful shade of blue. Warm it up enough, and it could clear up rings seating better, or the oil is igniting better in cylinder.

One time I was getting rid of some horrible mixture of diesel and gas in a old chevy, that produced a incredible cloud of smoke. mostly blue, but in certain lighting conditions it could have been white. The 283 did what it could to burn the slop... With that thought in mind it is possible that the fuel is lacking in the more burnable parts of gasoline and the base that is left isn't so easily ignited but can be vaporized with heat and compression, producing white smoke!

Just thinking out loud here...

 

[rarefish383]

Harbour Freight Predator engine, $119 less 20% off coupon. I got mine when the were $99 less coupon. I beat the crap out of it, leave it in the rain and let it set for months. It has never taken more than 3 pulls to start. One of the best small engines I've ever owned, Joe.

 

[sb47]

Well I fixed the honda. There is a little chamber behind the carb where a tube runs from the case to the carb.
It was full of oil boogers and sludge. It quit puking oil and is running good now.
I have had it sitting out in the yard and running at full throttle for 3 hours now and she runs great.

 

[lindnova]

Now let's see here...
It has been awhile since I went to school for engines. Teachy said that oil burns blue, and gasoline burns black. Blow a gasket and coolant will come out as white smoke... Now wait a sec, on a air cooled engine? So what have we gotta work with here to make some white smoke? Gasoline and engine oil and a single cylinder engine. unburned gasoline could produce a cloud of white smoke, but how to get that without running it across the piston and burning the stuff? Maybe if the crank case was loaded with extra gasoline and it didn't want to burn anyway (stale) but getting vaporized in there and chugged thru the vent tube... that could do it.

If the engine is cold enough then I suppose that the diluted oil could make it past the rings and produce a haze, but I would expect it to be a delightful shade of blue. Warm it up enough, and it could clear up rings seating better, or the oil is igniting better in cylinder.

One time I was getting rid of some horrible mixture of diesel and gas in a old chevy, that produced a incredible cloud of smoke. mostly blue, but in certain lighting conditions it could have been white. The 283 did what it could to burn the slop... With that thought in mind it is possible that the fuel is lacking in the more burnable parts of gasoline and the base that is left isn't so easily ignited but can be vaporized with heat and compression, producing white smoke!

Just thinking out loud here...

Or there is SeaFoam in the gas - that burns white. What does the oil look like. Might need to be changed and run some fresh gas.

 

[crappiemiser]

Or there is SeaFoam in the gas - that burns white. What does the oil look like. Might need to be changed and run some fresh gas.

Oil is clean and gas is fresh. Funny thing is I have ran about 2 cords of wood through the splitter and haven't noticed it smoking at all since the first time I ran it.