Recently acquired New Holland skidloader. Not quite the deal I had hoped, but it’s running better and starts reliably now.

Engine is a 3 cylinder, 60HP, no emissions, turbocharged, pretty simple.

Problem is it smokes a lot. Light blue smoke, so it is unburned fuel. It also pushes the same blue smoke out of the crankcase breather. Both are pushing an aggressive stream of smoke. Firehose cone kind of stream.

Turbo is working (relatively new) but seems to be pushing oil fumes(?) into the cylinders. I found a coating of oil in the turbo.

The valves are adjusted, runs smoothly except at idle (720 rpm). Not hearing piston slap when running. If I had to say there seems to be extra noise it is in the top end.

I figure it’s either valves or rings. The turbo is a puzzle.

In your experience, what is the likelihood it is one or the other?

Anything I might be missing?

Turbo has it's own oil feed. Possibly a shaft seal in the turbo leaking?

That’s a possibility I hadn’t considered. Lot easier to fix than rings.

White smoke is unburned diesel. Blue smoke is burned oil. Black smoke is incompletely burned diesel fuel. I’d first look and see if the turbo is feeding oil to combustion by a bad seal. Should be easy enough. Pull it and see if the cold side is oily. A blown turbo seal can also cause crank pressure because charge air will find its way to the crank via the turbo oil return line.

This is all good to hear. The clarification of the smoke colors is big news. Turbo is MUCH easier to service.
Anything else to look for?

Is it dropping a cylinder at idle? Try cracking open each injector line at idle (be careful of snake bite), I'm assuming it's a lower type pressure IDI pump.
One injector partially open could be a problem, the high crankcase pressure is concerning.
Compression test maybe in order.

quote:

Try cracking open each injector line at idle (be careful of snake bite)

Can you explain "snake bite" in regards to injector bleeding please? I'll assume it may be high pressure fuel injected through your skin if against where the bleed fuel comes out.

When high pressure rail systems came out, there was a instructor that died from blood poisoning , cracking a line. the pressure was high enough to inject diesel into his blood stream.
In the tech world it's called snakebite.
You can get the same thing on a high pressure airless sprayer if you use your finger on the nozzle to clear it when operating or with a hydraulic cylinder, checking for leaks with your finger.
Edit to add:
The "Snake Bite" Metaphor (High-Pressure Injection Injuries)Definition: These occur when a mechanic, often while troubleshooting a running diesel engine, suffers a penetration injury from high-pressure diesel fuel escaping a leak in a common rail system.
Why "Snake Bite": The injury appears small, like a pinprick, but the high-pressure fuel is forced deep into the tissue, similar to venom injecting under the skin, leading to rapid, severe, and potentially necrotic tissue damage.
Extreme Danger: Modern common rail systems operate at pressures often exceeding \(30,000\) psi (over \(2,000\) bar). A pinhole leak can easily penetrate skin and clothing, resulting in the need for immediate medical treatment to prevent infection, tissue death, or amputation.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rizzle,

I have pulled the turbo for rebuilding, as the blue smoke and excess crankcase are the exact symptoms I am experiencing.
Once that is done I’ll try checking the injectors as suggested. It does run smoothly with pretty much anything above idle.

All the ideas are good and much appreciated -

Well, I thought that was the old style IDI injection pump system.
It is not, Do Not Open any Fuel Lines when running, do not test the injectors the way I mentioned.

The New Holland 60 horsepower (60 HP) 3-cylinder skid steer loader, commonly identified in modern lineups as the L316 or the updated L218 (starting around 2019), was introduced as part of the 300 Series rollout. While New Holland introduced the 200 Series in 2011, the specific 60 HP 3-cylinder configuration for these medium-frame models was finalized and labeled as "Starting 2019 Model Year" for the L218, and continued with the L316.
Key Details regarding the 60 HP 3-Cylinder Models:Model L316: Introduced as part of the new 300 Series with a 60 HP (45 kW) 3-cylinder diesel engine and a radial lift design.Model L218

Update: The L218, which is often listed with 57-60 hp depending on the year, was updated to 60 HP starting in the 2019 model year.

Engine Specs: These units generally use high-pressure common rail, 3-cylinder Tier 4 Final engines.

Series History: The 300 Series (which includes the L316/L318) features 60-90 hp engines and was introduced to offer greater visibility and vertical lift (on L318) compared to older models.The 300 Series was introduced to replace the 200 Series and features a 60hp 3-cylinder engine in the smallest, most compact models of that

1. I appreciate EVERYBODYS input. This is really helpful and is likely saving me from fixing something that isn’t broken.

2. Rizzle- for specifics about the engine. It is a model 332T, built between 1994 and 1999. Ford built them and then, apparently, New Holland took over and built them too. Some had emissions, some did not. Mine does not.

Let us know how it runs with the rebuilt turbo.
The only thing right now that you may want to research is how to do a compression test on it and where to rent a compression gauge.
The extreme crankcase pressure and rough idle could be a weak cylinder , but I hope it's just the turbo.

Me personally, I fail to see how a defective turbo could cause a dropped cylinder at lower RPM.
I've seen a faulty EGR valve cause some odd diesel running problems, but you say your diesel doesn't have any emission stuff on it.
The compression test is the "KING" of diesel diagnostic testing.
Without all the cylinders having adequate compression, and the compression variance between cylinders also within range, all other diagnostics and parts replacement are likely futile and wasteful with money. Please advise results after replacing the turbo.

My guess is the engine is worn out, piston rings are shot. Maybe a scored cylinder wall.
It can also be a bent connecting rod, cracked piston ring lands, usually from excessive starting fluid.
Do you have a shop/service manual?

You need to do a compression test. Blue smoke is classic of blow by, or oil getting past the cylinder. So is blue smoke coming out of the breather. If the turbo seal was leaking oil, you'd see some evidence of that inside the turbo and wouldn't have any negative running conditions at idle generally. Get a professional to look at it, because you're spending good money after bad. A bad injector "may" also cause this to happen and will eventually kill the cylinder also, but you'd see the oil level rising.

A compression test is on the list of things to do - right after the turbo rebuild.
I have had the hose between the air filter and turbo off several times, once for removing the valve cover, then again for checking free running of the turbo. In the case of the valves they were badly out of adjustment (loose) and getting them even close to correct definitely made starting better. While accessible I noted an oil film inside the turbo on the compressor side. This is where Sigcrazy struck a nerve. The oil supply to the turbo is simple, direct and obvious. The drain line is just as simple. The turbo appears new/almost new. I think the kid(20 something) was throwing money at it in the hopes of flipping it for a profit.

So if the compressor seal is bad, the engine runs, but pressure also goes down the drain tube and pressurizes the crankcase - the same as it does the cylinders - causing crankcase fumes/oil to want out - through the breather. This I can see when running. It looks like a second exhaust pipe, working hard and under pressure. Oil meant to lube the turbine does that AND gets sucked into the compressor and makes that air/fuel mix richer, causing smoke. That would be why the compressor housing has an oil film.

Now I said the compressor looks new. It’s clean, has fresh rust on the casting, clean aluminum on the compressor housing, no oil drips, no crud build up. Definitely not original. New or close to it. I am betting Chinese. I am thinking the compressor seal might even be missing or in backwards. It may have been a problem since it was installed. This is what leads me to rebuilding it. Kit cost for rebuild - $70. New turbo (maybe another import?) $1,000.

Another detail I see I haven’t mentioned and should have (my apologies) the hour meter shows 1572. Pretty low hours. Cleanliness of engine and condition of machine seem to support this.

Another suggestion was to get a manual for the machine. This I have done. Factory service manual and operators manual. Something in excess of 200-300 pages. Probably more.

The manual says for blue or white smoke
-excess engine oil
- engine oil viscosity too low
- faulty injection timing

It also says 10W-30 for engine oil. This is not what I am used to seeing in a diesel. My Dodge Cummins runs 15W-40.

I’m going to think on the dropped cylinder at idle. Idle is all the way down to 720rpm per the display. That’s pretty slow. But sitting and running there (which I don’t need to do) the vibration is pretty bad. Enough so I look at the vibration isolation pads to see that they’re in good shape. They look good and if the hours are correct they should be OK.

Now about the hour meter - the factory manual does tell you how to push buttons and RESET the meter. My take on this idea is that the kid I bought it from didn’t have any manuals, nor did he have someone with access to them. I bought mine online. Real, paper, hard cover manuals.

So I don’t think anybody reset the meter to get a better price. The story goes it came from a landscaper yard where they used it to load mulch, etc. and then parked it. I’m guessing it parked a lot and then was parked for some time and grew green moss on it. It appears a good mechanic never got to it. Basic care, but neglect. Not all banged up.

You guys are right, I don’t want to throw money at it. I think we’re on the right track. I really don’t want to pull the engine and get into rings, pistons, crank bearings, etc. As I’ve mentioned, I do appreciate the input. It’s like having you guys looking over my shoulder and giving me suggestions while I’m elbow deep in dirt, grease and grime. Thanks -

Update - The turbocharger has been rebuilt and installed. Not much to it. Glad I didn’t buy a new one. Nothing obvious came up during the disassembly and assembly. Fit of the parts, particularly the shaft seals, was measured in Thousandths of an inch. I knew this going in. I did break off a metric screw inside the turbo. Metric, but about the size of a 6-32. Locktite had been used on the screws. Finally had to drill most of it out and then use a tap to get the rest.
So - results - it runs cleaner. Less pressure from the crankcase, less smoke. Engine exhaust still blows blue smoke, but less. I spent an hour or so running/working the machine. Less smoke than ever.
My thoughts - all this has improved how the engine runs. Smoother running, quicker starting. I think it will be reliable, but that proof comes with time in the machine.
The fact that it still blows pale blue smoke leads me to think it will need rings in the future.
Other thoughts?

If it makes you feel better, I’ve got an ‘80s vintage Toyota fork lift I bought in 2000 for $1600. It blew some blue smoke then and still does now. But she’s served me well for many years.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris42:
Update - The turbocharger has been rebuilt and installed. Not much to it. Glad I didn’t buy a new one. Nothing obvious came up during the disassembly and assembly. Fit of the parts, particularly the shaft seals, was measured in Thousandths of an inch. I knew this going in. I did break off a metric screw inside the turbo. Metric, but about the size of a 6-32. Locktite had been used on the screws. Finally had to drill most of it out and then use a tap to get the rest.
So - results - it runs cleaner. Less pressure from the crankcase, less smoke. Engine exhaust still blows blue smoke, but less. I spent an hour or so running/working the machine. Less smoke than ever.
My thoughts - all this has improved how the engine runs. Smoother running, quicker starting. I think it will be reliable, but that proof comes with time in the machine.
The fact that it still blows pale blue smoke leads me to think it will need rings in the future.
Other thoughts?

Just put a good fuel additive in it such as one from Power Service and just run the damn thing. Diesels almost always smoke and 1572 hours is nothing for a diesel. Run it harder and run through the old fuel in the tank and it might just clean itself out. Don't go chasing ghosts that don't exist.

I would remove the oil fill cap while running, and check for the current blow-by. If you can see oil fumes being pushed out of the filler cap hole, you probably have tired rings. If you cover the hole with the palm of your hand, and remove it after 10 seconds, it should be fairly clean. If it is covered with oil, rings or cylinders are worn.

Jimmy - the fuel additive is a good idea - I’ll try that in the near future.

C1steve - I am leaning toward this idea of worn rings. The engine block is cast iron, so with the low hours I can’t believe that the cylinders are that worn. I wouldn’t think the rings are that worn either, but I’m running out of options.