Brand new L2501 started making a nasty noise at 6 hours

[auroraproject]

I received my brand new L2501 the Friday before last. It came with a pile of implements and I've been testing each out. I put about an hour on it with the forks, moving stuff around. Another hour pulling my driveway back up onto the hill with a BB2560 in Low/4wd. Some digging with the bucket and using the hydraulic auger to make holes for trees. A couple hours bush hogging. It went straight to work, varying RPMs and nothing over 2200 and trying to not lug it too bad.

At 6.6 hours today, I was moving a pile of dirt around. At around 1800rpm, I pushed into the pile, lifted, then was backing up and suddenly this clacking noise started. I shut down immediately and checked under the machine because it sounded like a branch was in a fan. There wasn't anything and there was plenty of clearance. So I started it back up and the sound was there like it is in the video, a bit subdued from what it was at first. It was loud enough in the beginning to get my gf to come running from across the yard to ask wtf was going on.

I dropped all the implements and parked it somewhere about 20' away where it could get on a trailer and shut it off again. I'm contacting the dealer to have them come pick it up, but I'm trying to figure out what's going on with it.

- Engine was warmed up and had already been running about 30 minutes.
- There are no smells or smoke.
- It hasn't been run more than a minute since this happened, so I can't say if there's a loss of power.
- It moved normally to where it is now parked, and the hydraulics worked file to operate the steering, hst, loader, and 3pt hitch to ditch the implements and park it.
- There is engine oil on the dipstick, though it is a little grayer than I'd like to see.
- I didn't drain any oil from the pan because I didn't want to interfere with the warranty, the bolts are still painted over.
- The fuel bowl is clean, no water in the bottom. Still has the dealer's fuel in it. I bled the fuel system per the manual.
- The sound is directly proportional to the engine RPM.

So what do you all think is the cause here?

Bad timing? Stuck injector? Rod bearing failing?

I'm reaching out to the dealer to have them take care of it. Hopefully it's not something catastrophic.

 

[diesel85]

Have you opened the hood and looked for anything obvious while it's running? Like something hitting the fan or something that isn't tightened?

Would've been a better video if the hood was opened and during the day so we could see what was going on.

 

[atsah]

Sounds like something came loose. Open the hood and try to move things that shouldn't move.

 

[auroraproject]

I had the hood open when I was looking for a stick in the fan, and again after I dumped the implements. I didn't see anything moving that didn't usually move. It's brand new, very clean in there.

 

[Diggin It]

Not familiar with the machine .... does it have a fan on the Hydro Transaxle? If so, did you check that one for obstructions?

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Not familiar with the machine .... does it have a fan on the Hydro Transaxle? If so, did you check that one for obstructions?

If you read the post, that's the first thing the OP looked at.

 

[oosik]

Its brand new - let the dealer tell you what it was - after he fixes it and returns it.

 

[Diggin It]

But he also says ...

I had the hood open when I was looking for a stick in the fan,

... which sounds like the radiator fan rather than the Hydro fan.

 

[ericm979]

Something stuck in a fan would make a noise at many times engine speed. This noise is at engine speed. Unfortunately it's likely to be serious engine damage.

 

[auroraproject]

Something stuck in a fan would make a noise at many times engine speed. This noise is at engine speed. Unfortunately it's likely to be serious engine damage.

This is what I was thinking.

Its brand new - let the dealer tell you what it was - after he fixes it and returns it.

Also the plan.

 

[ccsial]

If it is like my L3400 pushing the clutch in disengages the HST. If you push it in does it still knock? That should separate it between engine and HST problem.

 

[auroraproject]

If it is like my L3400 pushing the clutch in disengages the HST. If you push it in does it still knock? That should separate it between engine and HST problem.

I don't think it does on the 2501. When I took the video the clutch was locked down (disengaged). It does not seem to make a difference.

 

[DaveB2650]

Dealer will take care of this one!
Sounds like something internal to the motor.....which, we all know sucks, but the dealer will handle it.
Can't wait to hear what gave up the ghost so early is one of these!

 

[Shaneard]

Ain’t nothing hitting a fan on that. That’s internal. Sounds like it spun a rod bearing or main bearing.

 

[auroraproject]

Ain稚 nothing hitting a fan on that. That痴 internal. Sounds like it spun a rod bearing or main bearing.

Would that be a defect or is that something I could have caused?

 

[DaveB2650]

Would that be a defect or is that something I could have caused?

100% Warranty item......operating tractor per manufactures specs, and it failed if this is the problem!

 

[auroraproject]

100% Warranty item......operating tractor per manufactures specs, and it failed if this is the problem!

With so few hours would you expect repair or replacement? Would a toothbar affect the specs for the loader?

 

[oosik]

Take a deep breath there - arcli9ht. No, the toothbar did not cause your situation. You have contacted the dealer - let him come and get your unit and fix it. This IS the bottom of the pit - the only way for you is UP now.

 

[auroraproject]

Take a deep breath there - arcli9ht. No, the toothbar did not cause your situation. You have contacted the dealer - let him come and get your unit and fix it. This IS the bottom of the pit - the only way for you is UP now.

Lol, here's hoping. I'm traveling all week and was kept up by the clack clack clack in my head last night. In the five stages of grief I'm currently split between bargaining and fear. I would still need to deny that this is a problem and then get angry about it before I can move on to acceptance.

 

[thekkfan]

There is engine oil on the dipstick, though it is a little grayer than I'd like to see.

I think you answered your problem already. Just wait for dealer to replace, unfortunately. With only 6 hours, I'm not sure I'd be wanting a dealer rebuilt engine.