Oil overfill... damage?

[VTtractorguy]

Hi folks. I recently had my 1025r serviced at the JD dealer (oil change, hydraulic change, etc.) I've put maybe 15 - 20 hours on it since. When out mowing last, the engine was running hotter than I've ever seen it. Usually the temp gauge stays right at the bottom, but this time it registered about 1/3 the way up the scale (but well within the operating range.) I checked the coolant and that was fine. The screen in front of the radiator was dirty but not fully clogged. I then checked the engine oil and it was above the full line by about 1/4" I checked it again when cold and it was about the same.

Could this oil overfill cause cooling issues and more importantly, can the engine sustain damage for this amount of overfill for this amount of use?

I could have sworn I checked all fluids when the tractor came back from the dealer (I usually do), but I may not have been so overworked that this may have fallen through the cracks.

Thoughts? Thanks for your help.

 

[cantbeatadeere]

As a 25 year auto tech I can tell you that your temp issue is not related to your oil level.....temp is related to coolant flow and heat exchanging at the radiator. blow the radiator out so its perfect, double check your coolant level and then your into therm. or possibly when it was serviced a coolant hose may have been folded out of the way - not put back in place - and is causing reduced flow(I have seen this happen first hand).....just some ideas for ya...good luck.

 

[brown40]

1/4 inch? Was it foamy or something? They probably added oil to specs without checking for level. If it didn't seem all agitated it was probably still well below the crankshaft--the reservoir is always sloshing around on every grade, and keeping the sump supplied without whipping it up is the big thing. I'd contact the dealer in writing with a picture/have them see, so they know and it's on record with them, then drain a bit off and see what happens. If they did your coolant the mix may be different? I wouldn't worry too much if you aren't seeing actual performance issues. Oil's to keep it lubricated, and cooling system keeps it cool.

 

[CalG]

No! A 1/4 inch over the "full" line can't cause excess heating. If it would, you could never use the engine on slopes of any kind.

Fordson used to sell a "hilly terrain kit" for some models. It was a shortened dip stick ;-)

 

[chevy]

If the grass was dry, the over heating could have been caused by grass clippings building up on the grill & reducing air flow.
When you turn the engine off, the dry grass clippings will fall off on their own.

 

[boggen]

not a clue about your tractor...
TractorData.com John Deere 1025R tractor information min specs

on many tractors there are 2 to 3 coolers.
1 radiator up in front
1 hydraulic oil cooler (depends) this can be for your FEL (front end loader), 3pt hitch, and rear hydraulic remotes. this cooler pending on make/model tends to be directly behind the radiator. and you may need to open a hood / panel or perhaps radiator itself (undo a couple bolts) and radiator folds out some. some times this radiator might be located towards rear of engine compartment
1 last cooler you might have a transmission oil cooler. these tend be towards middle of tractor, / rear side of the engine some place. it maybe less likely having this. but i don't have a clue about your tractor.

point of above... is double check to see if you have a "hydraulic oil cooler" directly behind your radiator. you might need to clean both radiator and the hydraulic oil cooler to get good air flow through it all.

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www.jdparts.com = online parts manual. it might help you identify parts and locations perhaps. not he best diagrams in world (only meant for part look up) but *shrugs* it can be handy from time to time.

double check your coolant level.

you can buy a "coolant" checker. fairly cheaply at most "auto part stores" it might be possible someone did not mix correctly of antifreeze to water ratio doing.

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i am no mechanic by no means... and suggest waiting for others more knowledgeable than myself. something to look into is perhaps "thermostat" to cooling pump for radiator. emphasis on thermostat they can and do go bad. and can get either stuck partial open or perhaps not opening when they are suppose to. and cause higher running temps.

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to note it. a "leaf blower" works nice for general cleaning of things. lots of air at lower pressure. but might suggest getting an air compressor and a long blow gun for it. if you been to any mechanic shop. you might have seen some sort of DIY copper tubing added to a blow gun to help reach in behind the radiator to blow stuff out. for myself i found a fitting and some rubber hose at local hardware store. to help wiggle it into areas, to blow the radiators / oil coolers out.

when things get really bad. i have used air to initially clean things out. then used "kaboom" house hold / kitchen cleaner comes in a spray can. to spray into radiators / oil coolers / A/C coils / heat exchangers, etc... wait a minute or so for stuff to foam up and turn white. and then use a garden hose (NO NOZZLE) and let water pour through stuff. most of the time i can see a large difference of before / after effect between how much things cool more. but this is normally on stuff that was plugged up pretty nasty to begin with.