New clicking noise just showed up. L2501

[Tornado]

54 hours on machine. Never had an issue. I worked i t perhaps harder today than I ever have. Most of my 50 hours have been loader work, lots of heaving lifting and moving, some usage on a disc harrow. Today however I broke gound on a brand new garden spot for next year. It was former horse pasture so was planted in Bahia grass. Made many many passes over the ground to break it all up, and ran at nearly full RPM the whole time. maybe a full hour of back and forth breaking the ground. After I was finished I pulled off under a shade tree and throttled down and then I heard it - click, click, click. Its not super loud, and at higher RPM the engine drowns it out so you cant hear it, but if I listen close its still clicking even at higher rpm, and the clicking is in time with the engine. As the RPM goes up, the clicking is faster. The clicking is coming from right down between my legs, in the hump on the L2501. Right behind the Hydraulic fluid window gauge somewhere. I crawled under there and cant see anything. sounds internal. Its never made this sound before. Tractor appears to be fine otherwise however. The clicking is NOT under the hood. Engine sounds fine. I shut the tractor off and came in to get some water and decided to post this. Going to head back out and investigate further after its cooled down some. Any ideas what this could be? Again, it sounds internal, right below the Hump between your feet on the L2501. Not a really loud click, but loud enough you can hear it good at idle. If you increase RPM the engine noise increases and you cant hear it anymore unless you got down near the floorboard and listen close, and you can hear it.

EDIT: important and forgot to add - when I press the clutch in the noise stops. When I let off clutch clicking resumes, in time with the engine.

EDIT2: I now have uploaded a video where you can hear the noise: https://streamable.com/1l6t6e

 

[Tornado]

Went back out after 20 minutes and cranked the tractor again. It was still warm. Clicking was harder to hear now but still a noticable. The best place to hear it I found is if I put my head right at the tredle peddle on the right side. I cant hear it very well at all from under the tractor. The sound is coming from right inside the hump it seems there near the tredle peddle. Again, pressing the clutch in kills the clicking instantly, so this isnt just something vibrating or something. After the engine ran at idle for about 5 minutes the clicking almost completely has went away, It just slowly drowned down more and more, and given it is in timing with the natural engine sound, it slowly just kinda washed down into the sound of the engine now where Its almost impossible to hear.

The tilling I did today was some of the hardest pulling ive done with the tractor. I kept going back and forth until the ground was powder and very deep. Had to go into 4wd toward the end as the disc was burying into the soil deep and the tires began to slip. Finished up in 4wd fine. I felt like the engine got hotter than it ever has thus far. The little hump was really hot to the touch. Temp gauge on the dash still showed temperature below half way though..Id say about 35 or 40%. Thats about all the info I can add on it. Tractor appears to work fine despite this. I notice no loss of power or lifting function or ability in the 3pt or FEL. Its just this little clicking. Its a light click, as if you took a paper clip and was just tapping on the little floor hump in time with the engine RPM. It is not a heavy thud sound, and as Ive said its also not a super loud clicking, Just a sublte little tap or click that speeds up with the engine RPM, and can only really be heard well at full idle.

 

[old and tired]

Gear or HST? If HST, the PTO cable might be out of adjustment and trying to engage. (The CAMS hitting each other).

 

[Tornado]

Gear or HST? If HST, the PTO cable might be out of adjustment and trying to engage. (The CAMS hitting each other).

Its an HST. The noise continues with PTO engaged and disengaged. I dont feel like its with the PTO

I drove up and parked it in the garage and began ivestigating more. Inside the garage as I listened I almost feel like perhaps it has always made this noise. I always remembered the noise sounding more like little fast puffs of air though. I guess today it struck me as something new because it sounded more "clicky" that normal, but the more I listened and messed around I began to think this is likely the same thing that ive always heard, it just sounds a tad different or something, or perhaps Im just going crazy. I uploaded a video that allows you to hear what Im talking about. Listen close as I press the clutch and let off on the clutch. Its a really fast clicking noise, typically though it used to sound more like fast little puffs of air or something.

Here is the video:
https://streamable.com/1l6t6e

 

[Nicfin36]

Tornado, I think mine pretty much does that. I was just on mine and wished I had checked it. But, I was running the backhoe and before I got on the backhoe noticed some weird clicks and rattles myself. I think some of it was loose parts on the folded seat vibrating. I also think I can hear the hydraulics make noises when the tractor is running. I'm not sure.

Anyhow, mine does change sounds when the clutch is manipulated. There was a thread on it a while back I remember posting on it.

 

[Tornado]

Anyhow, mine does change sounds when the clutch is manipulated. There was a thread on it a while back I remember posting on it.

Yea I posted in that thread also. I went and dug and found that thread and watched that guys video again. Sounds very much like my video. In that thread I spoke about mine making a similar noise. I think today it just cought me off guard for some reason as it just seemed louder, and the sound seemed more "clicky" than it usually does. It used to sound like a subtle little puffing of air sound. When I heard the clicking today I was thinking I was hearing something new, but I think now whatever causes that little puffing air sound is the same source of this noise. In that thread we are speaking of someone posted that the sound is coming from the transmission and is completely normal. Im going to go with that unless someone has a better answer after reviewing my video. It feels like a benign sound to me. It does seem though that this sound does morph a little at times. It can be more subtle and sound like just a light rattle, or more pronounced like today's clicking.

 

[D2Cat]

If you really want to isolate the sound, pick up a stethoscope from Harbor Freight with the probe on the end. It's come in handy for other problems also.

 

[Henro]

Not sure about your age, but wait 30 years or so and such issues will fade away...but you WILL wish you could hear them again!

 

[Pau7220]

Not sure about your age, but wait 30 years or so and such issues will fade away...but you WILL wish you could hear them again!

Bazinga, +1, Henro speaks the truth... go ahead, ask how I know.

 

[Palmettokat]

Question on this, could it be as the oil heats and depending on the load on the lift could increase the sound? Know on old Ford still in the family it the lift will make such a sound that varied due to the load and how hot it was, course the gear oil it runs is total different than hydraulic oil.

 

[rome64]

Tornado,

Amy update in the ticking? I have a 3301 with the same ticking noise. Actually might be a little louder then yours. The dealership said it sounded normal but it didn't make that ticking sound 10 hours ago. Did you get it looked at?

 

[Mudball]

I think you will be alright with that noise...

L2501 Hydro Clutch noise

What could be the options of noise caused from when the clutch is resting/released and not depressed, while the engine is running ? When I depress the clutch around 2 inches the noise is gone. The noise sounds very similar to that of a rattling, thin sheet of metal, but apparently its internal...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[WillieGipp]

I bought a new L2501 with loader and hoe in November and at 28hrs I heard the transmission clicking sound. It started out faint and as it ran longer it got much louder. Dropped it off at local dealer as it's under warranty. I can't find much on this topic as it's rare as hens teeth.

 

[Nicfin36]

I bought a new L2501 with loader and hoe in November and at 28hrs I heard the transmission clicking sound. It started out faint and as it ran longer it got much louder. Dropped it off at local dealer as it's under warranty. I can't find much on this topic as it's rare as hens teeth.

HST or gear transmission?

 

[WillieGipp]

HST or gear transmission?

I got the HST model. I really wanted the gear drive transmission but after talking with several other tractor owners they talked me into an HST. I've had a gear driven L2950 for years with Zero problems since new in 1990 (Worked two jobs in high school to buy it). I'm hoping sometime this week I'll be contacted by my dealer about my L2501. A Kubota rep is supposed to look at it and let me know this week. Once I hear something I'll post it up as there are some owners dealing with or will deal with the same issue.

 

[Nicfin36]

Well, if it is anything like the sound in the OP's video, I would say it is normal. Several of us have tractors that sound just like that.

Geared vs HST. I would much rather have the HST for what I do. Loader work particularly.

 

[WillieGipp]

Well, if it is anything like the sound in the OP's video, I would say it is normal. Several of us have tractors that sound just like that.

Geared vs HST. I would much rather have the HST for what I do. Loader work particularly.

I agree, I'm happy with the HST after shifting gears manually for years, it's definatly easier and more precise. I just don't feel that the metal to metal clicking is normal. While choosing a new machine, if I heard the clicking and depressing the clutch made it go away I'd ask a service rep about it. If I was told it was normal I'd keep shopping, that's just me though. Hoping to find some resolution soon

 

[KubotaDuluth]

For what it's worth, my new L2501 (14 hours) makes the same noise. I didn't notice it until I started engaging the PTO, because with the HST I never had a reason to depress the clutch while it' running until then. Then like everyone else, the noise went away with the clutch depressed, and came back when I let the clutch out. It also makes that noise, even a little more exaggerated when the PTO is running and the machine is at idle. I was on here looking to see if anyone else had the same experience. Since everyone else has, and since one of the other posters checked other machines at their dealership, I'm not going to think anything of it anymore.....probably. Glad to have discovered everyone else's experiences with the same issue.

 

[Fido Farms]

Just to be sure rule out the pto cams. My 3901 hst would click once and a while and it was the PTO cams. The cable was set a little to tight from dealer/factory and would allow the cams to move enough to click when disengaged. With the tractor off and the PTO off move your pto shaft by hand. Of course it should move without any interference. Now as you move the PTO shaft slowly engage the PTO lever until it starts to click/engage. if It’s really close to engaging u may want to loosen the cable slightly and try it. Of course refer to the manual for the proper cable setting. Also lube the return spring on the arm the cable attaches to. They tend to be stiff and painted when new.

 

[KubotaDuluth]

Interesting. I will do that. Thank you very much.