Kubota BX2230 engine sound, is it normal?

[FirstKubotaBX2230]

Kubota BX2230 engine sound

Sharing the sound of my Kubota BX2230 with 600hrs. There is a clanking/tapping/clacking sound and I am hoping other Kubota owners can tell me if it’s someth...

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I bought this bx2230 tractor used from my dad with about 400hrs on it. It’s now near 600hrs and it seems like it’s maybe making a knocking/clacking/tapping/knocking sound when I start it. I recorded a video to share with you.

it’s always had oil and changed per recommended intervals. I fixed the thermometer, but there was one day that the radiator belt stopped spinning and the tractor got nearly into the red zone before I noticed it. I am wondering if I possibly did some permanent damage.

Is this sound normal? It does seem to lessen after warming up for a few minutes.

Thanks to anyone who takes a listen and gives some advice. I love this little thing and I’d love to get it fixed if something is wrong, or at least know what I should be concerned with.

cheers!

 

[hodge]

Welcome to the forum!
Before proceeding, I would double check all of the assorted parts in the engine bay. It looks like the air filter housing is moving excessively, for instance. Any loose parts can contribute noise, so I would eliminate that before isolating the engine as the source.

 

[85Hokie]

Listening o it several times - I hear a couple of different noises.

I hear the typical diesel clanking - like a steel ball in a metal pan noise.

But I hear and see the motor flexing - these engines do not like that idle level, they shake rattle and roll.

Tell us more about the overheating problem - "fixed the thermometer?" Explain that please.

I would remove belt and check and see if all things that SHOULD spin freely do - water pump, alternator.

And - if possible I would see if any motor mounts are tight.

 

[lynnmor]

I would clean the engine and then do a valve adjustment. The quality of fuel can make more or less diesel clatter, try fuel from a different supplier and look for the highest cetane rating.

 

[FirstKubotaBX2230]

Thank you all for listening and replying.

1. The thermometer issue, I suppose I worded it wrong, but my dad believed the gauge didn’t work, but all I needed to do was reattached the wire to blade connector on the temperature sensor.

2. the engine does seem to shake A LOT and you’ve noticed. Do you think that could be loose motor mounts?

3. yeah, there is that steel ball in a metal pan sound. Bink, bink, clink, clink. Almost hollow sounding. That is the sound that is most concerning.

4. I should check the belt and pulleys. All I did after the belt started slipping was tighten the top pulley/alternator similar to how I have on a car. Like loosen a bolt or two and rotate it till there is tension. The temperature had stayed low ever since.

5. I have no idea how to do a valve adjustment.

6. i didn’t know diesel had octane ratings!?

thank you

 

[hodge]

Thank you all for listening and replying.

1. The thermometer issue, I suppose I worded it wrong, but my dad believed the gauge didn’t work, but all I needed to do was reattached the wire to blade connector on the temperature sensor.

2. the engine does seem to shake A LOT and you’ve noticed. Do you think that could be loose motor mounts?

3. yeah, there is that steel ball in a metal pan sound. Bink, bink, clink, clink. Almost hollow sounding. That is the sound that is most concerning.

4. I should check the belt and pulleys. All I did after the belt started slipping was tighten the top pulley/alternator similar to how I have on a car. Like loosen a bolt or two and rotate it till there is tension. The temperature had stayed low ever since.

5. I have no idea how to do a valve adjustment.

6. i didn’t know diesel had octane ratings!?

thank you

Diesel has cetane ratings.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Check the motor mounts, it is moving a lot.
Also check the propeller shaft it will rattle like that.
I don't see any smoke so an overheat related issue is more than likely not your problem.
These little suckers are noisy and evaluating noise in a garage is not the best way to evaluate them as they echo like mad.
Your noise is what I would call within the norm of what to expect.
Fuel quality will affect sound, so get a bottle of Stanadyne or any other Cetane booster and see what that does for you, and using it will have no ill effects, only positive effects.

 

[FirstKubotaBX2230]

Thank you all for chiming in. I have been visiting this forum for awhile, but just joined. I can tell I already like it here!

i will start with the motor mounts, pulleys, and propeller shaft as those seem easiest.

I was thinking/worried the sound might be a crack in the engine or exhaust, or maybe a slapping piston. I am glad there is no consensus on that yet. But I will start small and work from there.

Would any of you run it as is?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

FK2230 Reread above post as I made major edits.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Your BX2230 sounds just like my BX1880 with all the shake, rattle, and roll everyone above is describing, right up until you put the camera closer and say "what do you think about that sound". Just then I can here a very high "tick, tick, tick" like a single lifter tapping. I don't hear that on my 1880. Not saying that's what it is but I recognize that sound from my younger days racing Pro Stock and rebuilding engines. Just my 2 cents.

Also check everything bolted / attached etc. as others have noted. I heard an awful rattle on mine after doing some heavy brush work. Come to find out I broke one of the clips that holds the front brush guard and the guard rattles every time I start the tractor until it warms up. I see you don't have a front guard but maybe something else is loose.

Welcome to the forum, these guy are great.

 

[lynnmor]

5. I have no idea how to do a valve adjustment.

This YouTube video will give you the basics, I didn't look up to see if your engine is exactly the same, but you will see how it is done. Video

 

[FirstKubotaBX2230]

This YouTube video will give you the basics, I didn't look up to see if your engine is exactly the same, but you will see how it is done. Video

I appreciate you sharing this, but this is way too much for me to try and tackle on my own. I watched just after he pulled off the valve cover. If I had a second parts machine I wouldn’t mind tinkering to learn, but I fear I would screw something up and waste the $5000 I paid for this thing. I’d better leave this kind of work to the pros.

I could likely take of the valve cover and do a visual inspection. The guy in the video mentions it looks good under his, so if I saw something weird/burnt/bent maybe that could suggest where to take it for service.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I appreciate you sharing this, but this is way too much for me to try and tackle on my own. I watched just after he pulled off the valve cover. If I had a second parts machine I wouldn’t mind tinkering to learn, but I fear I would screw something up and waste the $5000 I paid for this thing. I’d better leave this kind of work to the pros.

I could likely take of the valve cover and do a visual inspection. The guy in the video mentions it looks good under his, so if I saw something weird/burnt/bent maybe that could suggest where to take it for service.

OMG that is the most complicated video I've ever seen to do a simple valve adjustment.

I'm betting that you'll find no valves need adjustment.

If you pull the valve cover that the hardest part.
Once open, the only way to know if there is a problem is to check the valves with a feeler gauge.
Takes about 10 min.

I could explain the process that's much easier and get the right results.

 

[Bee-Positive]

OMG that is the most complicated video I've ever seen to do a simple valve adjustment.

Takes about 10 min.

I could explain the process that's much easier and get the right results.

Couldn't agree more with Wolfman, video was hard to follow, the guy keeps correcting himself, bumbling about, bad camera angles, couldn't see what he was adjusting. I've done many cars before and I was confused!

I glad you know your own limitations, some don't. I think with a little guidance (maybe PM Wolfman), a good set of feeler gauges, a new valve cover gasket, and 30 minutes (max) you could at least rule out the lifters. I was just throwing stuff at the wall based on what I heard and seeing what might stick. Kubota recommends checking the valves at 900 hrs. and your only at 600 so I don't think it's a problem. If you had a bent rod or something broken you'd hear a lot more than a faint tick, all hell would breakout.

Keep us posted at what you find even if it's nothing. I like to learn from everyone, newby or old-timer.

 

[lynnmor]

I apologize for linking that stupid video but it did show the guts just fine.

Adjusting valves is so simple that a 15 year old can do it, oh, that would be me 63 years ago. I did read that others found valves out of adjustment in engines with fairly low hours, so why not remove a few nuts and eliminate that as one source of noise?

I find that you can leave simple jobs to the pros and they will screw it up, I could write a book. Yes, that includes two of the foremost Kubota dealerships in my area doing the simplest warranty work imaginable.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I apologize for linking that stupid video but it did show the guts just fine.

Adjusting valves is so simple that a 15 year old can do it, oh, that would be me 63 years ago. I did read that others found valves out of adjustment in engines with fairly low hours, so why not remove a few nuts and eliminate that as one source of noise?

I find that you can leave simple jobs to the pros and they will screw it up, I could write a book. Yes, that includes two of the foremost Kubota dealerships in my area doing the simplest warranty work imaginable.

I've seen some of the worst mechanic screw ups from dealer mechanics!

 

[Bee-Positive]

I apologize for linking that stupid video but it did show the guts just fine.

Adjusting valves is so simple that a 15 year old can do it, oh, that would be me 63 years ago. I did read that others found valves out of adjustment in engines with fairly low hours, so why not remove a few nuts and eliminate that as one source of noise?

I find that you can leave simple jobs to the pros and they will screw it up, I could write a book. Yes, that includes two of the foremost Kubota dealerships in my area doing the simplest warranty work imaginable.

True

Also true - what I would do

Sadly true too often, I'm fortunate with the dealer near me, so far.

 

[dlsmith]

Sounds pretty much like my 2230. Those little three cylinder engines do shake and rattle a lot at low idle speeds, I rarely idle mine below 1400 rpm. Also I see the air filter vibrating quite a bit, check the mount at the fuel pump to make sure it isn't loose or broken. That's a common problem on that model.
Concerning it overheating, make sure and regularly check the screen at the back of the radiator for debris, and inside the batter compartment also. They tend to suck grass clippings and other debris into that area.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Sounds pretty much like my 2230. Those little three cylinder engines do shake and rattle a lot at low idle speeds, I rarely idle mine below 1400 rpm. Also I see the air filter vibrating quite a bit, check the mount at the fuel pump to make sure it isn't loose or broken. That's a common problem on that model.
Concerning it overheating, make sure and regularly check the screen at the back of the radiator for debris, and inside the batter compartment also. They tend to suck grass clippings and other debris into that area.

Ditto on the radiator debris. Mine sucks in grass clippings faster than a bagger unit. It'll be packed and the air filter will have little to none. Got to blow it out every time I mow.

 

[Grandad4]

I put 1,000+ hours on my BX2230 and will ditto dlsmith's comments exactly.
* Rattles like marbles in a tin can when cold, gets better as it warns up.
* Let it warm up at a fast idle for several minutes, then rev it up to working speed.
* Hydraulic flow (which runs most everything), is weak until you get into the upper engine rpm range. So don't be afraid to give it the beans as you work. Always mowed at max rpm, then let it briefly cool down at lower rpm before shut down. For other things you can back off a little but keep the low rpm idling to a minimum.
* Engine and everything else vibrate, specially at low speeds, another reason to keep rpm's high. The air cleaner brackets broke several times on mine, finally isolated it with rubber mounts.
* Keep the screen and the radiator coils clean to limit overheating. These are great little engines but the don't tolerate overheating very well.
Best of luck with your BX2230!