Diesel motor flushing

If you've got full flow filters, I would just change the oil and filters and use a good diesel engine oil for a short drain interval, maybe 10 first, then fifty or a hundred hours if you can get them on the tractor in short order while working it hot and hard. I would do this short interval a few times, assuming that your oil is probably cutting some of the crud out of the engine, and then go out to regular 250 hour intervals.

Your tractor may have been maintained very well with good oils used, and not have significant buildup of sludges in the engine. The amount inside the valve cover would be a good guide to what is probably in the rest of the engine.

The moisture will go away with hard work, so I wouldn't worry much about that. Just make sure the thermostats will keep the engine temperature up where it's supposed to be.

I'd drain the oil, and spray the internals down with a kero gun, then refill with clean oil and new filters and crank her up, and get her well and truly warm. Operating temperature will soon drive out any remnant moisture, and the new oil has additives to neutralize water, acids, corrosion, and all the other nasties that build up in engines.

If the tractor is stored outdoors, a simple covering to keep rain and snow off is a good idea. However, don't cover a tractor to the ground with a tarpaulin of any type that doesn't breathe. Plastic, and other synthetic materials will trap condensation under them, and create worse corrosion than just leaving the tractor out in the open.

Its important to run tractors up on a regular basis, and preferably to operating temperature. Every 3 to 6 months is a good idea, it drives out moisture that forms from condensation, and throws a film of oil on all surfaces that need protection.

I also pulled the side covers/inspection covers off the D2 and there was more white stuff so moisture is there as well. I have all the oil drained and will hose it down with kerosene. The maintenance manual said I could pull the "Bell" off the oil pump. This I assume is the strainer for the oil pump. I have gone this far so I figure I might as well go as far as I can short of dropping the oil pan.

Pulling the suction bell and screen and cleaning them is a good idea. The bell and screen are the collection point for all the debris that falls inside the engine, and all the chunks of worn metal, gasket goo, and other internal debris that falls off or wears off in operation.
A good clean will improve oil pump flow, as the screen often gets coated in gummy oil residue that creates drag on the oil pumps ability to pump oil.

In addition, you can check on any debris you find and see if there's any possible indication of engine problems. Sometimes you find chunks of bearing metal that are warnings of imminent failure. The worst part is finding a nut or washer in the sump section of the crankcase, and trying to figure if it fell off the engine in operation or was accidentally dropped in there .. 😞

That white crud is emulsified oil and water. Get it hot and the water will cook out of the emulsion. If you leave it that way much longer it will develope into real sludge which includes rust, carbon loosened by the water, particles settled out of the oil, etc. You don't want sludge.

I'd say pull off the side cover from the pan and take a look at the strainer. If you don't have a bunch of sludge in the sump and the screens look OK, go with the change, run to full temp, change again, etc. as already recommended. If it's real foul in there you'd better do whatever is necessary to be sure it's cleaned up, again as already recommended.

See if you can run your fingers up into the front sump (I'm not sure you can do this on a D2) also and check it for horrible stuff. It's a small sump that doesn't drain when you change oil, so if it's a mess you need to mop/flush it out or pull the pan (I hope not!).

I got all the milky stuff out of the pan and there really wasn't any thick or gooey stuff. I am having a bit of a problem with the oil screen though. Any suggestion as those two bolts are not in a good place.
Thanks....Bill

I've never tried to remove a screen except when the engine was out for major repair. It's not just the bolts in a tough spot, but I believe there's lock plates that Cat will have on them so you need to be able to flatten the plates before you can get a wrench on the head, and you will need to reset them when you put it back together. Are you sure you need to remove the screen?

And how about the front sump screen? It will be even tougher to get to. How about some concentrated solvent washing maybe? Or is the system fouled with silicon sealer? That crap won't wash out for anything.

Jack,
The D2 maintenance book says to remove if any accumulation of sludge is found as a part of regular maintenance. But I ask before I venture into the unknown as I have done things when restoring older cars that I wish I had asked about first. I will look for the lock tabs....Thanks !

A quart or Automatic trans oil will cut a lot of gunk out of a engine. add one and run 6-10 hrs and dump oil and do it again. you can make the inside of a dirty engine shine after a couple of oil changes. It has lots of detergents in it to keep automatic trannys from gumming up. Hopes this helps, keep an eye on filters if it's realy dirty you can fill them fast.