320 DTC Normal Operating Temp.

[Bayouownbeer]

What is the normal operating temp for the 320 DTC. When the dummy guage is half way it is running 180 I checked this with a tempature gun on the botton side of radiator. My consern is that when I bush hog expecially when it is hot out the temp gets close to the last of the normal operating range on the dummy guage right before the red which is over 200 degrees. And the radiator cap starts to release pressure. I does take about 30 minutes of cutting for it get that high. If i stop cutting and high idel it comes down. Any ideas Thanks

[Lineman North Florida]

I've got a 360 DTC and anytime mine starts acting like it wants to run a little warm during heavy bush hogging, I remove the screen in front of the radiator and take my air compressor and blow out the radiator fins, they are usually filthy, once I do that I can put it right back out cutting thick tall weeds with no problems. What size mower are you using with your tractor?

[Bayouownbeer]

It's a 2005 with 630 hours. I bought it brand new and have Been using a 6 foot bush hog ever since. I keep the radiator washed out with water hose so that's not the problem. It seems to have just started running hotter than normal. I really don't know what is to hot for these engines. It gets to 200 before its even out of the white section of the gage. Also I dot topically cut very long grass just about 6-8 inches at the most if I let it go

[Clint S]

X2 on the radiator. Sometimes water will not get it clean, not enough pressure. Has it done this since new or is this a recent thing, if I read correctly recent. Considering you need around 5 hp per foot of mower you are running on the outer limits of what you machine can handle as a 320 has 28.5 pto hp. How hot does it get doing other things??? Have you ever serviced the coolant and flushed it out. If it is releasing pressure it is too hot. Could be as simple as a bad radiator cap not holding pressure to a head gasket.

[Bayouownbeer]

Yeah I figured I'm pushing it with the 6 foot bush hog. I have flushed the radiator and changes coolant. I don't think it's the cap being that it is over 200 when the cap opens. It always did rum on the upper side of the normal temp range on the temp gauge but would rarely cause the cap to vent. It mainly does it whrn u idle down cause decreased air flow into radiator. It runs fine when I use box blade or what ever else. It may just be the border line size cutter and the outside temps down here. What gets me is it is at 180 when temp gauge is on the center mark. I will try the compressed air. I thought about removing the battery from I front the radiator to see if that would help Air flow.

[Clint S]

If it runs fine otherwise and this is not a "new" issue chalk it up to too hot outside and a cutter that may be a bit on a big size. Moving the battery could help.

[trac]

Chalk it up to the manufacture not putting enough radiator in the tractor. That motor was sold to Farmtrac by Daedong(3A165) and is used in Kioti DK 35. It has a bigger radiator.They don't have near the issues.