Gator TS put out blue cloud of smoke

[gunther66]

Hello
I'm not real sure I'm posting in the correct place, but I need some experienced help. Have a 2011 Gator TS with the 10 hp one lung Kawasaki engine.
When it is run at full throttle for a short while it begans to put out a cloud of whiteish blue smoke. Stop the engine...wait a few seconds and restart and the smoke clears up.
I suspect I have a crankcase breather problem but how would I be sure? I can't find the owners manual. Machine only has 150 hours on it.
Thanks for any and all help. G66

[fatercat]

maybe a dealer should check it. I have the 625 fi and love it.

[Lon371]

I would have it checked at the dealer. Did it just start doing it? Blue is usually oil smoke. Maybe bad piston ring. Your crankcase breather could cause it if there is one.If pressure can not escape through the breather, it will go somewhere. Pushing up past the rings is not impossible.
 
Lonny

[Ranger99]

      ^^^ all this^^^
you may want to look and see if you can find
the engine breather hose and check to make sure
it's not clogged. most atv's i've worked on route
the hose into the air filter box. look and make sure
there's not a dirt dauber nest in it, or mud or something.
i'm assuming you've checked the oil, clean and not dirty
or milky? air filter is reasonably clean? is there a
breather screen or filter that's clogged?

[gunther66]

Thanks for the suggestions. There is a short vent line running from the valve cover directly into the carb body. It doesn't seem realistic to me that the oil drains back to the crankcase could be restricted on an engine with less than  200 hours  but this problem did start following an oil & filter change.
My hope was that someone else had already been there and done that.
I haven't taken it to the dealer yet as the only trailers I have that it will fit into are heavy equipment haulers. I guess I'll call JD to come and  haul it to their shop.

[Old Syko]

These engines are very particular about proper oil level.  Being overfull even ever so slightly can cause the problem you're having.  Since this started after an oil change I'd carefully recheck oil level with a cold engine and anything else that could have been disturbed during the service. 


A quick search for 2011 gator ts smoking, gives a good number of other possibilities but all things considered, I'd bet on too much oil in the case or the wrong type of oil.  Kawasaki offers some of the most bulletproof engines made today and it would be a real oddity to see a major failure of any kind with such low time.


BTW also check your air cleaner for oil or an otherwise clogged filter.

[gunther66]

I rechecked the oil level today while the engine was cold. Found the level to be 1/4" over the full mark. Then drove it about 1/2 mile. When I parked it it smelled as if it were burning oil. This is a new development.
I will lower the oil level tomorrow.

[Old Syko]

I think you have found your problem.  Too much can be as bad as not enough.  Good luck.

[gunther66]

I'll post the results.  Thanks for the help.