Bx2350 Engine Knock After Getting Hot

BrandonWerner

New member

Equipment
Bx2350D
Feb 25, 2023
8
0
1
Indiana
I've got a BX2350. The temperature gage doesn't work as I acquired this tractor from my uncle and it was abused. I was pulling a box blade last summer, engine started running rough and blowing white smoke and shut down from overheating. No coolant in the radiator as I obviously blew the head gasket. Tore into it, replaced the gasket, discovered the coolant ports in the engine were clogged with sludge. Cleaned that up and got the tractor running again. Power seems fine and now rough running (haven't tested under a load). Only issue is a very obvious and loud knock that wasn't there before. It sounds like it's one cylinder in particular (cylinder furthest from the radiator). I assume I probably melted the rings and it's the piston knocking the cylinders. If anyone has something else to check for before I tear into this completely please let me know. Thanks in advance
 

JoeR

Member

Equipment
L3010 HST with Loader
Mar 7, 2023
32
18
8
Stokesdale, NC
I'd want to make sure it wasn't injector noise, especially if it wasn't knocking before you turned it off. Kill the cylinders one at a time to see if you can't isolate it to a particular cylinder. If you can, maybe try moving that injector to a new cylinder to see if it stays put or follows the injector. With any luck you got the injectors dirty when you had it apart. If not, you know you're going back into the engine.
 

BrandonWerner

New member

Equipment
Bx2350D
Feb 25, 2023
8
0
1
Indiana
I'd want to make sure it wasn't injector noise, especially if it wasn't knocking before you turned it off. Kill the cylinders one at a time to see if you can't isolate it to a particular cylinder. If you can, maybe try moving that injector to a new cylinder to see if it stays put or follows the injector. With any luck you got the injectors dirty when you had it apart. If not, you know you're going back into the engine.
I did manage to get the tractor started before replacing the head gasket (ran long enough to get it into the barn after it had cooled off) and the knock was there. Is it possible the injector got hot and that's the issue? When we pulled the head and injectors, one injector was blue on the end indicating it got very hot. Could that possibly be my issue?
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Lifetime Member

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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
28,306
4,856
113
Sandpoint, ID
Do a compression test!
And yes a burnt injector can 100% be a knock issue.
Did you actually see the blown head gasket?
As more commonly they crack the heads when they overheat!
 

JoeR

Member

Equipment
L3010 HST with Loader
Mar 7, 2023
32
18
8
Stokesdale, NC
I did manage to get the tractor started before replacing the head gasket (ran long enough to get it into the barn after it had cooled off) and the knock was there. Is it possible the injector got hot and that's the issue? When we pulled the head and injectors, one injector was blue on the end indicating it got very hot. Could that possibly be my issue?
If one was a different color, then play it safe and pull them out of there. Take them to an pump/injector shop and have them tested. I bet you're going to need a couple of tips and one new injector.
Make sure you tell them it has a loud knock. They will most likely be able to tell you if your injectors could be the cause. Of course they don't have a crystal ball to tell you if your engine is hurt or not, but they know a bad injector when they see one.
Joe
 

BrandonWerner

New member

Equipment
Bx2350D
Feb 25, 2023
8
0
1
Indiana
Do a compression test!
And yes a burnt injector can 100% be a knock issue.
Did you actually see the blown head gasket?
As more commonly they crack the heads when they overheat!
When we pulled the head, we didn't notice any cracks but the gasket was quite obviously destroyed. There were bubbles between the layers and one of these bubbles went from the coolant ports to the cylinder. A compression test would be the next step for that
 

BrandonWerner

New member

Equipment
Bx2350D
Feb 25, 2023
8
0
1
Indiana
If one was a different color, then play it safe and pull them out of there. Take them to an pump/injector shop and have them tested. I bet you're going to need a couple of tips and one new injector.
Make sure you tell them it has a loud knock. They will most likely be able to tell you if your injectors could be the cause. Of course they don't have a crystal ball to tell you if your engine is hurt or not, but they know a bad injector when they see one.
Joe
Will look into that! Should I try to isolate which injector first or just go ahead and have them all tested?
 

JoeR

Member

Equipment
L3010 HST with Loader
Mar 7, 2023
32
18
8
Stokesdale, NC
Will look into that! Should I try to isolate which injector first or just go ahead and have them all tested?
One was discolored. Get them out of there and get them checked. Not many folks can get their hands on a diesel compressions tester, but if you can, check the compression before you yank the injectors, as Wolfman says.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
28,306
4,856
113
Sandpoint, ID
One was discolored. Get them out of there and get them checked. Not many folks can get their hands on a diesel compressions tester, but if you can, check the compression before you yank the injectors, as Wolfman says.
eBay, Amazon and Harbor Freight all have the compression testers for fairly cheap. ;)
 

JoeR

Member

Equipment
L3010 HST with Loader
Mar 7, 2023
32
18
8
Stokesdale, NC
eBay, Amazon and Harbor Freight all have the compression testers for fairly cheap. ;)
I'm definitely surprised to see them for $50.00. Wow. The adapters for mine are probably more than that! LOL. What's the thread on the glow plugs, to make sure he can get the right adapter?

Joe
 

JoeR

Member

Equipment
L3010 HST with Loader
Mar 7, 2023
32
18
8
Stokesdale, NC
The new Snap-on ones are almost $700.00 and adapters are all over $50.00 each. I got mine probably 35 years ago, so I bet I paid half that. Like the Chinese torque wrenches, they probably go out of calibration after a few uses, but for $40.00 it sure would work great for the occasional user! Certainly worth it even if you only use it once.
Joe
 

BrandonWerner

New member

Equipment
Bx2350D
Feb 25, 2023
8
0
1
Indiana
I got to some testing this evening and the knock continues at the cylinder furthest from the radiator. I switched the injector from the next cylinder over and the noise didn't follow. Could an issue with the injection pump be my problem?
 

JoeR

Member

Equipment
L3010 HST with Loader
Mar 7, 2023
32
18
8
Stokesdale, NC
I got to some testing this evening and the knock continues at the cylinder furthest from the radiator. I switched the injector from the next cylinder over and the noise didn't follow. Could an issue with the injection pump be my problem?
Anything is possible, but it's really unlikely. Looks like you're going back in.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
28,306
4,856
113
Sandpoint, ID
It's got some damage in that cylinder or rod.
 
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