Noisy 134

[Joe_R]

I've got a 1955 640 with a very noisy engine. It starts great holds over 50 lbs. of oil pressure at an idle but chatters loudly. I've adjusted the valves last winter and even taken the hydraulic pump off to see if it would make any difference. Nope, still chattering. Sounds kind of low in the block and you can hear it from both sides. I've even replaced the crank and timing gear, and the pump drive and driven gears to no avail. I am currently using the tractor as is on a finishing mower. But would appreciate any of your expert advice as to what else it could be. I as told from the previous owner that the engine only has a few hours on the rebuild. It is not the original engine. But it is an industrial 134 from the same year. Thank you.

 

[Welding man]

Just went through the same thing on a 2000. Customer said it was the hydraulic pump. He took it off brought it to me. I rebuilt it, he put it back on and said it was the same thing. Decided it was the engine. He brought me the engine, Tore it apart. Engine had already been bored .060. and the pistons were slapping again. Had it bored and sleeved back to standard and completely rebuilt it. Purrs like a (red) tiger now. In you case I would drop the oil pan and check for a connecting rod issue, soon, it won't likely get better.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

Was it doing this when you bought it or did it just start this racket?

Pull the plug wires one at a time while idling… may help pinpoint the problem area.

 

[Joe_R]

Just went through the same thing on a 2000. Customer said it was the hydraulic pump. He took it off brought it to me. I rebuilt it, he put it back on and said it was the same thing. Decided it was the engine. He brought me the engine, Tore it apart. Engine had already been bored .060. and the pistons were slapping again. Had it bored and sleeved back to standard and completely rebuilt it. Purrs like a (red) tiger now. In you case I would drop the oil pan and check for a connecting rod issue, soon, it won't likely get better.

Thanks. I never thought of that. It makes complete sense. When I bought the tractor last summer the guy said the engine had been gone through several years earlier and never used. But he didn't know exactly what was all done to it because he got it from a guy who owed him money. I got it cheap enough and restored most of it and installed a Jackson power steering kit. So, I really enjoy using it. Got about a dozen hours on it now but the chatter noise hasn't changed. It's not a knock or rattle. Just a thrashy kind of chatter. Thought it was valve train. But it sounds the same on both sides of the block. It does start and run great with great oil pressure, but I have a feeling your right that they did a cheap cylinder clean up and reused the stock pistons with new rings. Thus, the piston slop noise. The noise is consistent along the block from front to back, so it makes real sense that that's what it is. Not sure what I'm going to do about it. But thank you again. I really appreciate your Insite.

 

[Joe_R]

Was it doing this when you bought it or did it just start this racket?

Pull the plug wires one at a time while idling… may help pinpoint the problem area.

Yes, it was noisy right from the start when I bought the tractor last summer. I did the plug wire pulling. But it didn't change anything. If you read the above reply I got from Welding man, I think I know what is going on. But thank you Fritz for the reply. I appreciate you guys helping each other with your years of experience. Even at 70 I'm still learning things that either I didn't know, or forgot....

 

[Lynn Patrick]

I had a 960 that had 2 loose cylinder sleeves jumping up & down, but the noise was definitely a "knock" & not "Just a thrashy kind of chatter".

 

[Joe_R]

I had a 960 that had 2 loose cylinder sleeves jumping up & down, but the noise was definitely a "knock" & not "Just a thrashy kind of chatter".

I didn't know they could actually move once the head was on. Amazing the things a learns from others.

 

[Destroked 450]

Unlikely to be the issue but pull the valve cover and see if it makes that noise with the valve cover off
I reringed dads 850 years ago at 16 years of age, it had a clattering noise when I fired it up, took a while to find the problem but the o-ring on the oil supply tube that goes from the cam feed to the rocker shaft had slipped out
Every time the cam rotated and feed oil thru that tube the pressure made it jump up and down and tap against the block and valve cover

 

[Joe_R]

I have actually heard of that happening. Now that you mention it, I believe my brothers Jubilee had that issue many, many years ago. I think my problem is more than that. But I'm going to order a new gasket, pull the cover like you said and check it anyway just to make sure. Thank you for the idea.