I have a Deere 4045df150 non turbo on a chipper, 1900 hours. Starts a little hard and blue smoke at cold idle. Once it warms up it’s blowing oil out the breather. It loses a quart in 2-3 hours. Oil level is not over filled and oil is clean on dipstick since last oil change 15 hours ago. I’m guessing it’s going to need sleeves and pistons/rings. Am I missing anything obvious before I remove the head to see what’s up?
Where is the breather? Valve cover or ? Simple things first nothing is restricting the breather? Sure there aren't induction leaks? Sucking in dust?
The breather is just a rubber hose attached to a fitting going into the valve cover. No intake leaks since I’ve owned it
So if the breather is just an open hose that is likely your dust intake, all breathers have a filter in or on them.
Leakdown test through the glow plug holes will tell you where the issue is before pulling the head. Just loosen all the rockers to close the valves and run some compressed air in with a rubber tipped nozzle and see where it goes.
My guess is someone fed it to much easy start. Broken rings/pistons. Some other possibilities are dusted engine or way more hours than shown. Like Marshall posted start with leakdown or compression test.
That's funny! I know I always use 1/2 can or so of ether to start the lawnmower...
Stuff is only good for making meth, and ruining engines!
Oh great that just gives em another reason to ban something we all need. If I win the power ball I'm hiring a bunch of chemists to bring back the good stuff.
John Deere ether is the good stuff. I think it’s 80%.
It always amazed me how someone could spend $4 on a can of starting fluid, pop the top and spray a stream into a $15,000 dollar and much more--engine. May as well wipe your- self with stacks of hundred dollar bills and flush.
WD 40 is a better starting fluid, creates the extra compression needed and doesn't dry the bore.
I have a varsol gun that can vaporize transmission oil, if shot into a cranking engine it definitely ups the compression a lot. WD40 is what I normally use, along with a good heat gun at same time. Simon C
I think I have the same can of either, from 20 years ago. Just don’t like the stuff, unless it involves tennis balls. Then it’s the dollar store stuff.
I remember the special ether system that cummins offered back in the day. Yeah hopefully it was only squirting the correct amount. I've never goofed up an engine with it, I have had others mess up head gaskets, as they just go nuts with it. All most a necessity on an old worn out non heated precup D342 in freezing weather.
Story about ether start. Shop I was working back in 88 a Coors delivery driver stopped in saying his truck rattled every now and then going over the hills on I-82 between Yakima & Ellensburg. We strolled out to listen and take a look see. I could smell faint ether in the air, looked under cab and spied the ether cylinder. Climbed up in cab and removed the aluminum invoice register/clip board that was laying on top of ether start button located on shifter floor plate, it was a IH cabover. It ate most of a full bottle, lived another two weeks and turned it into leasing company.
These are a couple of the pistons from the motor. Used Deere overhaul kit and new injectors. Running great now
Is that ether damage or maybe faulty pistons or both? I don't know if pistons can delaminate? I've seen cheap steel plate that delaminated. Cutting it to size with a track cutter and all of sudden the cut screws up.
Komatsu pistons have delaminated a few too many times caused by incorrect injection from the pump or injector fueling incorrectly. Seen some with all the metal gone to the top ring on one side 1/2 inch down. Happens often enough. Simon C
Seems like an opportunity for better aftermarket pistons.
Have only seen one aftermarket piston being better than OEM in all the places I have been, Cat 3204- 3 ring piston by IPD. Most aftermarket have lower quality control in my experience. Some may have different opinions. Simon C
Good thing it was a non-turbo or that would have been trashed also.
Before you tore into it, what tests did you perform & what were the findings? Were you able to determine the cause of the damage?
I pulled the injectors and put a camera down and saw the damage. I’m not sure the cause, I bought it this way. The motor only has 1300 hours on it and was spotless besides the piston damage. I’m leaning towards someone got to excited with the either, but I’m not an expert
Looking at the photos I would wager they likely ran it low on fuel & like you stated got happy with the Cosby sauce. Thank You for sharing.
Being on a wood chipper does not give me warm feelings about the quality or knowledge of the operators.