Loose push rod

[Jeepyweepy]

Hi all, a little background… mowing a field with my BX2370 and the tractor suddenly quit. I could hear the radiator bubble due to over heating. Let it cool and found a plugged screen. When it started, it had no power and pouring white smoke. Assuming head gasket, I began tearing it apart. Once I removed the valve cover , I could see one of the push rods was no longer under the rocker arm. I removed the rocker arm and put it back together in hopes of an easy fix. But.. still running rough and white smoke. Any idea what caused the push rod to pop out like that? Before I pull the head, I thought I would post here and see what you all think the problem may be.
thanks All!!
Bobby

 

[D2Cat]

So you have a 10 year old machine? How many hours on it, what maintenance and when, etc. Just need more clues.

 

[Jeepyweepy]

So you have a 10 year old machine? How many hours on it, what maintenance and when, etc. Just need more clues.

Hey, it has 380 hours. Just the routine oil changes etc..

 

[The Evil Twin]

Collapsed lifter, wiped a cam lobe, bent pushrod, sticking valve........could be any of em. Or a combination.

 

[007kubotaguy]

Due to overheating something in the head seized. Lifters on your machine are not hydraulic so no issues there. Most likely you will find the cylinder head cracked. Kubota's generally don't blow head gaskets. If it got that hot most likely it will need piston and rings as well. Good luck with your project.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Likely that either the valve in question is stuck or that you dropped a seat from overheating.
Make sure the valve is able to move up and down freely.
No? There's your problem. If you can manage to get it unstuck carefully and it's not bent, it might run ok. But it really ought to be replaced.
Yes moves freely? Check the height of that valve compared to others on same tract (intake or exhaust). Is it a little bit shorter? Dropped seat. Will have to be replaced. If you have a way to check compression on that cylinder it would show up as little or no compression in either of those cases.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Cracked head!
And it's cracked through whichever valve popped the push rod off.

 

[Jeepyweepy]

Hey, it has 380 hours. Just the routine oil changes etc..

Hi all, a little background… mowing a field with my BX2370 and the tractor suddenly quit. I could hear the radiator bubble due to over heating. Let it cool and found a plugged screen. When it started, it had no power and pouring white smoke. Assuming head gasket, I began tearing it apart. Once I removed the valve cover , I could see one of the push rods was no longer under the rocker arm. I removed the rocker arm and put it back together in hopes of an easy fix. But.. still running rough and white smoke. Any idea what caused the push rod to pop out like that? Before I pull the head, I thought I would post here and see what you all think the problem may be.
thanks All!!
Bobby

thanks guys! Appreciate all the feedback. I’ll pull her apart and share findings…
Bobby

 

[Jeepyweepy]

Check out the bottom valve. When push rod came out of rocker arm, the tappet fell on top of the lifter. That cylinder was full of water. The metal gasket is pulling apart. Am I safe to assume that’s not normal and just get a new gasket? Push rods are all straight and all valves move freely.

 

[Torinodan]

You have a valve stim tappet floating around in there too.

 

[Jeepyweepy]

You have a valve stim tappet floating around in there too.

I retrieved it with a telescoping magnet

 

[Workerbee]

Is the piston coming up to the same height as the other two? That water in there could easily bend a rod

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Did you find the missing valve cap?
You need to check the head for cracks, take a picture of the bottom especially around the valves.
The head gasket delaminating could be an issue, but they do that sometimes when you pull them.
Coolant could have been trapped in the head when you pulled it and just dumped into that piston.
As others said, you need to check for height of that piston as coolant in a piston will bend the connecting rods and or damage the piston and or rings.

 

[hagrid]

Yeash! Pics of combustion chambers, plz. With detail of the area betwixt the valve hades.

 

[Jeepyweepy]

Did you find the missing valve cap?
You need to check the head for cracks, take a picture of the bottom especially around the valves.
The head gasket delaminating could be an issue, but they do that sometimes when you pull them.
Coolant could have been trapped in the head when you pulled it and just dumped into that piston.
As others said, you need to check for height of that piston as coolant in a piston will bend the connecting rods and or damage the piston and or rings.

Thanks guys!! I did find the cap. No damage. Here is the bottom side..

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

None of the sealing surfaces look good.
This looks possible?

 

[Jeepyweepy]

This looks possible?

What you mean “looks possible “

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Re read, attachments didn't previously attach.

 

[Jeepyweepy]

None of the sealing surfaces look good.
This looks possible?
View attachment 122328

Thanks!! Here is a closer look at that one.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Ok that looks better.
You really need to resurface the head.
I use a huge piece of sandpaper glued to a piece of very flat hardwood plywood.
Or you could send it to a machine shop to have it done.