BX23S odd noise!

Geonnibravo · May 29, 2019

Today, after I was using my loader to move some Earth and returning up the road to my house a loud noise that sounded just like a small stick got stuck in my fan started and started to get louder and louder. I parked the tractor and lowered the rpm and it kept doing it but got quiet.

I freaked out and checked my engine fan. It was good. I checked my HST fan, and it's good. The noise doesn't sound so loud when I rec it up as when I start moving the tractor. That's when it gets loud. It seems to be coming from behind or below the battery compartment. I've looked at everything I can think of and I do not see what it could be. No bolts seem to be loose and rattling either. I have 10.3 hours on my tractor, so I understand I might need to adjust and tighten some things as I progress through the break-in period, but this has me scratching my head.

Do any of you with experience have any ideas as to what is going on? It literally sounded like a small stick in my cooling fan, but it's clear. And the fan isn't hitting the shroud either.

I do thank you all who do respond. I don't want to have a dealer look at it and it be something simple that I could have fixed. I'm learning about this tractor as it is my first of this brand and size so it's fun, but not when it is so mysterious lol

mike paulson · May 30, 2019

With the tractor in the stopped position but running use your ear to bring you as close to the noise as possible. If you can't locate anything making contact it might be internal and you should have it checked by the dealer

JackyJ · May 30, 2019

Check the rubber boot on the other end of the driveshaft that leads to the fan. Mine shredded itself--I didn't hear it flailing (maybe my hearing protection is too good?), but as it was whipping round it took out some wiring and was working it's way through the fuel line.

Geonnibravo · May 30, 2019

Ok so I got under to check for some bolts coming loose and there was nothing.

So I got nosey and picked around. I found the boot came off the front and worked it way under the guard. I've included pictures.

It looks like something ate away at the area above the shaft in the pictures. Would that be the rubber boots doing it? It would do that much damage?

Since I have moved it down it hasn't made the noise so you would be right on the rubber boots!

Why would it come loose? And should I just cut it all the way off and just keep some grease where the boot went?

I don't have enough posts to put up a link to the pictures. Do I really need that boot? And do I need to worry about the small plastic damage above the shaft? Thank you!!

Geonnibravo · May 30, 2019

I think I figured it out.

Geonnibravo · May 30, 2019

Here we go.

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diesel85 · May 30, 2019

I've seen this with older machines after some time.

Best way to fix that without taking the tractor apart is to get a new rubber from the dealer, cut a slit in it, then use two zip ties. It's just a dust boot.

But it is semi-critical to have that on there.

JackyJ · May 31, 2019

Yeah, you need the boot to keep the cv joint clean. My boot failed after 420 hours. Yours was either a flawed part, or you got really unlucky with a stick getting up there and tearing at it so soon.

I can稚 see the pics, but when the loose boot was spinning at 3000 rpm, it could definitely do some damage. I知 lucky mine didn稚 make it through my fuel line.

To do the repair correctly you need to disassemble that end of the shaft. Access is a bit fiddly, but far easier than replacing the fan on the other end.

I would think think it痴 covered by warranty, but not sure if they might claim it was a stick that got to it. The boot itself is a cheap part, and the process is explained in various fan replacement YouTube vids. (When replacing the fan, you閾ｴe got to disassemble both ends of the driveshaft.)