L4240HST Noise

[chim]

My L4240HST started making a noise today while mowing. It has made a similar noise in the past, but today it was really loud. It happens when accelerating AND when I leave off the hydro pedal and the tractor slows itself.

Previously it made a noise when there was a load on the trans, mostly at low RPM''s. One example is climbing the short ramp into the shed in HI gear. Then selecting the lower range or bumping the lever from Rabbit to Turtle enabled the tractor to go up over the ramp.

The noise is much more pronounced with the Response set at slow.

Super UDT2 was changed last Spring and it's full. No roasted smell on the dipstick and the fluid loos clear and clean.

Anyone else run into this?

Thanks

L4240 HST Noise

www.youtube.com

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

EWWWW, that does not sound good.
How does the clutch pedal feel?
I'm thinking clutch disk splines?
Try the same movements, but slip the clutch while doing it.
See if the noise changes.

 

[ddavis83864]

EWWWW, that does not sound good.
How does the clutch pedal feel?
I'm thinking clutch disk splines?
Try the same movements, but slip the clutch while doing it.
See if the noise changes.

Do some HST models have a clutch?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Do some HST models have a clutch?

Yes some do.

 

[chim]

Thank you for the prompt reply!

Update - The mowing was completed yesterday, so there wasn't any work that required running the tractor today. I ran it long enough today to get the engine up to the temp (OK, number of bars) that it normally runs at. There was no noise. I used HI Rabbit to climb the short ramps into the shed, did a number of forward and reverse moves while getting off the hydro pedal quickly. No noises. Runs like a new one.

Other info:

* When I put it away yesterday the trans oil filter was too hot to touch. That was after a couple acres of RFM usage. Kicking myself now for not shooting it to get the real temperature.

* With the engine warm, I shot the trans oil filter and it was 85F. I'll need to check it when I mow the next time. Not much of a load on the trans driving it around.

* Clutch adjustment looks OK. There's around an inch or so of freeplay.

* Both screens in front of the rad and cooler are clean. Couldn't find my blowgun to blow the fins

* Both hydro filters changed within the last 200 hours, engine oil more recently than that.

* Super UDT2 show slightly overfilled on the dipstick.

* Sometimes after mowing I need to drop a range or tap the lever into Turtle to climb the shed ramps. Walked right up several times today in Hi Rabbit.

I'm wondering if blowing the fins real well, changing the trans filter and removing some fluid may help?

 

[Dieseldonato]

I agree with Wolfman, that sound like slipping splines or a clutch dog skipping over itself. Have you tried disengaging the clutch? Any odd noises? Does this model lock into 4x4 when the brakes are applied?

 

[lugbolt]

Probably clutch disc

take the clutch housing drain out of the clutch housing. IIRC 27mm hex. Now, look at the drain closely-is there any metal on it? If there is, probably gonna have to split it and put a clutch in it. If not, see if you can run a magnet up inside the clutch housing and if any metal filings stick to it, same deal.

 

[chim]

Another update.

Found the wand to the air hose and cleaned things up. Mowed 3-1/2 acres today and it ran without making that awful noise. I'll monitor it and report any changes.

THANK YOU ALL!

 

[D2Cat]

Chim, just curious if you followed Lugbolt's ideas to check for metal bits. Pray it keeps going without problems. Keep us posted either way.

 

[chim]

Chim, just curious if you followed Lugbolt's ideas to check for metal bits. Pray it keeps going without problems. Keep us posted either way.

I do plan to check into it more, including Lugbolt's suggestion. Thank you.

 

[chim]

Didn't want to start a thread and not update it.

I've checked for bits, but haven't found any. The tractor has been working well for a month. I picked up a couple pails of Super UDT2 and both filters and plan to service it shortly. I'll be looking at the fluid and filters for anything abnormal. So far it appears that maybe the fluid was overheated(?)

Thanks again!

 

[chim]

Hopefully the last update. As mentioned before, it bugs me when someone doesn't provide the last chapter in a story. Everything seems OK. I did the SUDT2 and filters today.

The old fluid was darker and a bit cloudy compared with the new fluid. No real quantity of shiny particles in the bottom of the pan I drained it into. It didn't smell exactly like the new fluid, but didn't have a burnt smell either.

The right side filter did have a little crud on the magnet as seen in the picture. It rubbed off so easily and didn't act the way I thought ferrous particles would.

I'm wondering if the problem was initiated by simply overheating of the fluid? I did get a whole lot of "nerf" out of the fins using a modified HF compressed air blow gun.