Rattling noise in engine compartment

[Downeaster]

I purchased a second hand Kubota BX1880 last Sept with 80 hours on it. I have come to believe it was one of the local Kubota dealer rentals. They did zero maintenance and service on it. I had to do all the service to bring it up to acceptance, but still had a very annoying noise that sounded like an empty beer can bang around inside the engine compartment. i was worried for awhile, and wondered if I bought a lemon. Seeing as it ran so good, I decided something must be loose. At first I thought of it might have a heat shield on it near the muffler. Nope nothing there. Further checking I determined that it was a loose fan belt. I checked and the belt was loose, so I tightened it up and now the beer can is gone.

 

[85Hokie]

Does it make the same noise with the hood up and open?

 

[Downeaster]

Yes it did. I also suspected it to be the hood hinges, but it wasn't. It was the loose fan belt. Now that I have been doing all my own maintenance, I have noticed that every single bolt, or nut has been tightened by someone with super human strength. So I know they are going to be tough to take off. So i use a small breaker bar... I now write on the side of item a number indicating the size wrench I need the next time i need to work on that part. Tired of going through 6 wrenches or sockets until I get the right one.

 

[Shadetree605]

Yes it did. I also suspected it to be the hood hinges, but it wasn't. It was the loose fan belt. Now that I have been doing all my own maintenance, I have noticed that every single bolt, or nut has been tightened by someone with super human strength. So I know they are going to be tough to take off. So i use a small breaker bar... I now write on the side of item a number indicating the size wrench I need the next time i need to work on that part. Tired of going through 6 wrenches or sockets until I get the right one.

with enough time, you can just look at the bolt head, and tell what size it is ?. pretty much every bolt head on kubota's are all metric. 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm are all the common bolt heads. until you start taking lose larger bolts ?, these will range up to 20mm, 22mm, and so forth. the smaller ones are easy to notice what size they are. but great idea on marking them !.

 

[Downeaster]

I appreciate the comment, because I have been switching back and forth between SAE and Metric. I don't have the eyes to see the difference too much, but knowing most everything is metric sure helps.

 

[Shadetree605]

I appreciate the comment, because I have been switching back and forth between SAE and Metric. I don't have the eyes to see the difference too much, but knowing most everything is metric sure helps.

you are welcome . yep..all bolts on kubota's are metric..that is..unless '' someone '' changed them to SAE at one point in its life ?.

 

[DustyRusty]

with enough time, you can just look at the bolt head, and tell what size it is ?. pretty much every bolt head on kubota's are all metric. 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm are all the common bolt heads. until you start taking lose larger bolts ?, these will range up to 20mm, 22mm, and so forth. the smaller ones are easy to notice what size they are. but great idea on marking them !.

I used to be able to do that with SAE, Metric, and occasionally Whitworth, but being away from turning wrenches for almost 50 years, I no longer can tell the difference. I no longer own any Whitworth wrenches or sockets, and I always hated those English cars.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

you are welcome . yep..all bolts on kubota's are metric..that is..unless '' someone '' changed them to SAE at one point in its life ?.

That's not 100% true... Some assemblies and parts are SAE, one example are lug nuts and bolts.
Just when you think you have a handle on it they up and change!

 

[jyoutz]

you are welcome . yep..all bolts on kubota's are metric..that is..unless '' someone '' changed them to SAE at one point in its life ?.

I don’t think that’s true for the loader mounting bolts. I recall tightening them with an SAE wrench.

 

[Shadetree605]

That's not 100% true... Some assemblies and parts are SAE, one example are lug nuts and bolts.
Just when you think you have a handle on it they up and change!

ok..let me rephrase my statement a tad..'' most '' bolts on kubota's are metric, but not everyone of them. lol

 

[Shadetree605]

I don’t think that’s true for the loader mounting bolts. I recall tightening them with an SAE wrench.

FEL are optional, which would explain the SAE bolts maybe ?. from the factory, '' most '' bolts on kubota's are metric, but not every one of them, from what little time i've worked on my b2100 ?. i've had to use metric sockets and wrenches.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

FEL are optional, which would explain the SAE bolts maybe ?. from the factory, '' most '' bolts on kubota's are metric, but not every one of them, from what little time i've worked on my b2100 ?. i've had to use metric sockets and wrenches.

The older the tractor the more Metric it is, the newer the model, the more it gets all muddled around with both.

 

[DustyRusty]

Wheel studs and nuts are SAE.

 

[Shadetree605]

The older the tractor the more Metric it is, the newer the model, the more it gets all muddled around with both.

now that i will agree on !..lol.

 

[BAP]

Nowadays, they use whatever Billy Bobs Nut and Bolts have in stock at the moment to put the tractors together.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Wheel studs and nuts are SAE.

I think I had to buy a metric tap for my wheel studs and bolts. In those larger sizes SAE or metric often cross, 3/4" and 19mm are real close.

Seems like mid70s American cars were a real mish-mash. If I remember right, my '75 Malibu the engine was SAE, but the rest of the car, including some engine accessories were metric. I may have that backwards, but it was a real knuckle buster.

 

[whitetiger]

On the BX series tractors, the axles and wheels are for North America use only, so they are SAE threads. The only other SAE threads are on the linkage rod from the hydro pedal to the hydro and the loader valve linkage which is only used on North American units.

RTVs also have SAE wheel bolts. Pretty much every other Kubota is all metric.
Kubotas Land Pride attachments can be either or a mixture of both.

 

[Downeaster]

I think I had to buy a metric tap for my wheel studs and bolts. In those larger sizes SAE or metric often cross, 3/4" and 19mm are real close.

Seems like mid70s American cars were a real mish-mash. If I remember right, my '75 Malibu the engine was SAE, but the rest of the car, including some engine accessories were metric. I may have that backwards, but it was a real knuckle buster.

In the mid 70's there was a push for the USA to adopt the European metric system, like the rest of the world. But Americans were to stuck on SAE, 1/8, 1/16 1/4 etc. The American mind just couldn't see it, but I think in todays world we have a lot of metric tools, and it would be good to get away from SAE, as we all have to purchase twice as man sockets, wrenches, etc.

 

[DustyRusty]

I will embrace the Metric measurement system when the rest of the world embraces the dollar and cents system of money. After all, the dollar and cents monetary system is based on 100 cents equals a dollar.

 

[Downeaster]

I will be right there embracing the Metric system. In the long run it is far simpler than fractions.