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Caterpillar M315 strange engine noise

Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
8
Location
Slovenia
Hi to you all, i have one question about engine noise coming from excavator.

I'm in process of purchasing an old 1999 Caterpillar M315 with cat c4.4 engine, and after testing it, everything works great, hydraulic is strong, but engine is having strong very loud whistling (chaining) noise, which is coming from the right side of engine, where alternator is (noise is not coming from alternator). I know that this engine doesn't have timing chain, but the noise is like timing chain is rubbing on something. The owner is saying that this is normal sound of this engine but i doubt that. Should i be worried?
 

Vetech63

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
6,361
Location
Oklahoma
Is the noise all the time the engine is running from idle through high idle, engine load and no load?
 
Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
8
Location
Slovenia
Is the noise all the time the engine is running from idle through high idle, engine load and no load?

Hi Vetech63, yes, you can hear noise all the time, on idle, high idle and on load, but on idle is not so loud.

Does the engine have a turbocharger.? Could the noise you hear be an air leak somewhere after the turbo and before the engine, or maybe the turbo itself.?

Hi Nige, yes engine has turbocharger, but the noise is not coming from turbo, the turbo is located in the middle of the engine and it's in front of you, if you open engine cover. It's not air leak either, it's hard to explain. I would say, that the noise is coming from timing gears, at least i'm hearing it from timing gear cover. Maybe this noise is normal on this engine, i don't know. The owner is convincing me, that this sound is normal, but if you stand in front of engine with engine cover open and a little higher rpms, you get deaf.
 
Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
8
Location
Slovenia
And thats the machine:

cat-315m-001.png

cat-315m-002.png

cat-315m-003.png
 

mekanik

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Messages
942
Location
Canada's Northwest
Take the oil filter off and cut it open with a tube cutter if possible. curt a piece of the filter
paper out about 3" long and the same width as your vice keep track of which side of the
paper is the outside. squish the oil out of the paper with the vice and dry the paper with a rag.
when you release the pressure from the vice the paper will dry up and you can see if there is
any metal in it.
 
Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
8
Location
Slovenia
Hi do u have a serial number ?

I don't have serial number yet, will try to phone the owner and ask for it.

Take the oil filter off and cut it open with a tube cutter if possible. curt a piece of the filter
paper out about 3" long and the same width as your vice keep track of which side of the
paper is the outside. squish the oil out of the paper with the vice and dry the paper with a rag.
when you release the pressure from the vice the paper will dry up and you can see if there is
any metal in it.

Hi mekanik, thats a good idea, will try to suggest to the owner.
 

Tommy Bondo

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2022
Messages
16
Location
California
Kinda like could you hold the phone a little closer to the engine. I can't hear it from here. In my experience that's a good little engine so without seeing and hearing it in person I wouldn't venture a guess. Be a great service/side gig to provide to prospective buyers for a tractor mechanic if you think about it.
 
Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
8
Location
Slovenia
Kinda like could you hold the phone a little closer to the engine. I can't hear it from here. In my experience that's a good little engine so without seeing and hearing it in person I wouldn't venture a guess. Be a great service/side gig to provide to prospective buyers for a tractor mechanic if you think about it.

Hi Tommy Bondo, that on YouTube is not engine from this machine. I just look for similar sound on YouTube with similar machine. Tomorrow I will ask experiened excavator mechanic if he will have time to have a look at the engine.
 
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