bx23 rattle in engine area

workinallthetime · Mar 7, 2007

anyone else have a metalic rattle noise in thier bx23 that is intermitant and you can feel in the stearing wheel? its an actual engine mechanical noise it sounds like a metal componant hitting another metal object. it might be exhaust vibration speed but i duno, just wondering if anyone else has had this problem?

Volfandt · Mar 7, 2007

Sounds like like one of two common things.
The dreaded broken air filter bracket is pretty common. The air filter should be tight to the engine. If you can move the filter or it feels loose either the bracket is broken or one or both nuts that secure it are loose/missing.
Another source of a rattleing metal sound is a loose radiator screen.
It's caused by not being fully seated in it's carrier or if some of the padding has gotten loose.
Both of these symptoms increase at idle. These 3 cylinder diesels vibrate pretty heavily at idle. I've found that theres a sweet spot just above idle that smooths out the vibration yet still idles low enough for cool down. I never idle at the lowest setting for extended times myself.

HomeBrew2 · Mar 7, 2007

Oh, boy, I sure hope it's the air filter bracket

Sounds just like my "first time"

workinallthetime · Mar 8, 2007

hate to say it but i dont think its the air filter bracket, the thing seems to be on tight, really have to try and move it to get it to move. this noise is real inconsistant, sometimes its there and sounds like its going to come apart but sometimes its not there at all the only common denomiator is the FEL. seems when i use it to really get into something the noise starts. I can shock load the FEl and the noise will go away but the noise is consistant with the engine. It does not sound like a mechanical problem it sounds like something grounding out. Some one go grab their COLD motor and see if you can move it very much in the mounts, mine moves like a car engine, i can pull it to the left side pretty easy. 3 clynders always vibrate due to no counter balance for odd cylinder, i know. im wondering if maybe its the exhaust getting aginst something up front and making the hood vibrate i duno as soon as I get done with the next 3 jobs ill have a deeper look or just take it in if i can get some down time. i still need to have that sseat looked at home brew, lithium greese did help it out though
ill keep you posted bx brothers
im about ready to go bigger though, might be able to get some pretty good cash for it since the new ones are more expensive

escavader · Mar 8, 2007

Before modifying mine,i broke the airfilter strap,and another time the part that bolts to the motor.Check yours to see if one of the ears is broke off it,it still could be held by one but the other could be rattling around
ALAN

HomeBrew2 · Mar 8, 2007

workinallthetime said:
... Some one go grab their COLD motor and see if you can move it very much in the mounts, mine moves like a car engine, i can pull it to the left side pretty easy.

i still need to have that sseat looked at home brew, lithium greese did help it out though ...

OK, checked the motor. (I'm 6'-2, 200#) all I could get out of the motor mounts was about 1/4" travel L-R while yanking it and looking at the muffler ... NOT MUCH! You may have something there ... mine don't move easy and don't move much.

I only hose my BX off when I change fluids and especially hosed the seat mount this past weekend, then shot more DRY lube on it ... then did a lot of rock pickin ... man that seat works better than new now

Cheers!