RTV 900 idle noise

v10rick

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After climbing a hill to my mail box, with the engine idling, there is an intermittent vibration sound from around the front of the engine.

Sounds rotational, like an alternator or water pump bearing. But I pulled the belt and spun both, there is no end play or pulley binding, the belt is snug without cracks.

Its most noticeable with the hood up, it goes away or is masked by engine noise when the rpms are increased.

The plastic panels around the seat are secure, the radiator fan is not running.

I am reluctant to leave as is until whatever breaks and leaves me stranded in the woods.

This RTV has no issues other than this noise.

Is it wise to run this without the belt (temporarily) to help isolate this?
 

bordercollie

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I had the seat belt clicker (the orange button) vibrate on mine (2011 RTV 900). It was like a buzz, but then I put my hand on it and it quit instantly. It still does it occasionally.
Look at the heat deflector ... I had the heat deflector near the muffler, vibrate. It vibrated so intensely that a crack formed in it and it literally broke off at that crack . That solved that noise problem for me. before it bit the dust, I'd have to bend it to silence, because the noise was so annoying. ( I think it said "HOT" before it broke off.) bordercollie
 

bordercollie

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Is it wise to run this without the belt (temporarily) to help isolate this?

When my fan belt broke last year, my battery quit charging because of it. The temperature started climbing and neared the red zone right as I got home. I knew it had broken because my warning lights came on for the battery and I saw the gauge climbing- was sure glad I was near home. Not sure how long it was off the pulleys since I noticed the warning indicators when the battery was going out. This baby has to last me a long time unless I win the lottery so don't want it running hot. bordercollie
 

v10rick

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When my fan belt broke last year, my battery quit charging because of it. The temperature started climbing and neared the red zone right as I got home. I knew it had broken because my warning lights came on for the battery and I saw the gauge climbing- was sure glad I was near home. Not sure how long it was off the pulleys since I noticed the warning indicators when the battery was going out. This baby has to last me a long time unless I win the lottery so don't want it running hot. bordercollie

Thanks!

Next trip up the hill I will carry wrenches to remove the belt at the top.

What is puzzling...when I return home and pull into the garage this sound is not heard.

Could it be engine panting from climbing hills?
 

bordercollie

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My RTV's engine has never panted nor made weird noises while going up a hill it just slows down in speed some. I put my pedal all the way down but just get normal engine noises.
I know you said you thought the noise was coming from the front of the engine,You mention it was most noticeable with the hood up, do you mean the cargo bed ? My machine also had a chock that goes on the cylinder shaft to avoid it failing and falling down while working on the machine. It resides when not in use on the upper frame that the bed rests on across from the engine. make sure there is no vibration there. I've also had a piece of wire wrapped around my tires alxe more that once and caused rotational vibs.. I was sure relieved to find that !
Do you use Kubota fluids when changing the transmission? I have heard of whines when using off brands. Most important what year model is yours? Some of the more recent year models changed the location of the fill port for the transmission so it can be missed. Many posts on here about that but you said noise coming from front area of engine so probably not that. Scratching my head... bc
 

v10rick

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My RTV's engine has never panted nor made weird noises while going up a hill it just slows down in speed some. I put my pedal all the way down but just get normal engine noises.
I know you said you thought the noise was coming from the front of the engine,You mention it was most noticeable with the hood up, do you mean the cargo bed ? My machine also had a chock that goes on the cylinder shaft to avoid it failing and falling down while working on the machine. It resides when not in use on the upper frame that the bed rests on across from the engine. make sure there is no vibration there. I've also had a piece of wire wrapped around my tires alxe more that once and caused rotational vibs.. I was sure relieved to find that !
Do you use Kubota fluids when changing the transmission? I have heard of whines when using off brands. Most important what year model is yours? Some of the more recent year models changed the location of the fill port for the transmission so it can be missed. Many posts on here about that but you said noise coming from front area of engine so probably not that. Scratching my head... bc

This RTV is a 2005.

The sound is not heard with the cargo bed raised, its most noticeable with the hood or bench seat tilted up.

I never serviced the transmission, just confirmed the fluid level.

Been occupied with other machine activities but will research further the next decent weather day.
 

bczoom

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You said it sounds like it may be engine related but throwing this out for your consideration and review.
Could it be a driveshaft rattle? It was a very common issue for this vintage RTV.
Search the forum for "driveshaft rattle". There's many threads on the issue. For a nice detail on it, go to https://www.cornejo.net/rtv900/
 

v10rick

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You said it sounds like it may be engine related but throwing this out for your consideration and review.
Could it be a driveshaft rattle? It was a very common issue for this vintage RTV.
Search the forum for "driveshaft rattle". There's many threads on the issue. For a nice detail on it, go to https://www.cornejo.net/rtv900/

I recall reviewing this site, many moons ago. Never thought the drive shaft would be an issue while parked. I will check this before wrenching anything and update this thread.
 

bordercollie

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Zoom is right, the driveshaft rattle has driven many of us about crazy on the early models. There is a lot of play when the cast yoke of the shaft wears and then no longer fits tight on the steel shaft coming out of the transmission and front end . Next time you hear the noise, and are parked with the brake on (lawyer talk) , see if the noise is quietened when you put your hand on the yoke of the shaft under there. This would explain why you hear the noise better with the hood up. collie
 

v10rick

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Update...

Today I carried a crow bar, on the trip up the hill to the mailbox. It was long enough to hook the differential drive shaft, with the seat raised.

No vibration sound while idling in the garage, but once again the intermittent vibration was noticeable at the top of the hill.

When pulling up on the drive shaft the noise stopped!

Returned to the garage, that sound was gone.

What's different...the garage floor is level, the mailbox parking spot is not?
 

bordercollie

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That sounds like a good reason. I drove my 2005 with a rattle most of it's life here on the farm. I did replace the shaft probably 3 x but the steel shaft was worn so after all said and done, it didn't last too long each time it was replaced (I'm talking several hundreds of hours . I did the cornejo fix as Zoom mentioned earlier and that did help with the quietening of it. If I remember correctly, used a piece of split hose with a cable tie or 2 around it where the ujoint and shaft were rattling. This was to take up the slack without putting much pressure on the seal . I think remembering a large washer put there for protection of the seal. The cornejo fix though with Zooms link is a way to fix it for a good while if you use it much and it bothers you. I put 600 hrs on avg a year on my RTV . I sold my 2005 in 2011 with 4200 hrs on it and got this 2011 RTV 900, It has the one piece updated shaft and as of 3900 hrs no loud rattle yet.
Good luck and so happy you found the issue . :) collie
 

v10rick

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Along with this rattle the squeak (in 4wd only)has resurfaced.

Don't normally use 4wd but it was required to haul short logs out of the woods.

I discovered the U joint on the output shaft to the front differential is very loose.

Lets see if a replacement resolves the squeak and rattle.
 

v10rick

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Check that carrier bearing too. It's where the front and rear shafts join together. It is only on the earlier models with the 2 pc shafts. collie

edit check the post dated 3- 30- 10 for a picture of mine that was on the 2005 I once had. this is the link to that post. http://www.nettractortalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12734&highlight=carrier+bearing

Thanks...this bearing has a slight amount of side play. It will be next on the list if the squeak remains.

My RTV symptoms are the exact opposite of the OP in the attached thread. There is no squeak in 2WD it goes away immediately when shifting from 4WD to 2WD.
 
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