Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low

   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #1  

AKFord

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Joined
Aug 12, 2004
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46
I have been using my new BX1500 to plow my drive the last two days and even after plugging in the engine heater for 7 hours then running it for a couple of hours while plowing the temp guage still sits at the beginning of the scale or just barely into the scale (above the line). Is this normal for a diesel? Ambient temps have been around 10 F to 15 F above. If that isn't normal, are there any suggestions on raising the temp? Is it advisable to install a higher temperature rating thermostat in a diesel? My HST seems to make a lot of groaning noises especially in reverse and I didn't really notice these sounds a few weeks ago when temps were still around 40 above or more; could the low engine temps be indicative of low HST fluid temps and be creating problems of poor fluid viscosity for the HST? Any suggestions would be appreciate. Thanks for your time.
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #2  
My Deere 790 runs at about ¼ into the green, well below mid way upscale. My old 670 ran at the same temperature.

There had been a thread on this...maybe a year ago. Anyway, most folks reported their tractors ran pretty cool.

It hasn't happened to me, but if you get the grill and radiator clogged with debris (while brush cutting, for example), your machine can over heat or run quite a bit hotter. Just clean your grill as required when you brush cut.

Anyway, you're tractor temp is fine...nothing to worry about.

As an aside....if you look at large truck and school buses during the winter, you'll see quite a few with the grill blocked or partially blocked. That's to help then run a bit warmer. Deisel engines just tend to operate at cooler running temperatures then gas engines do.
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #3  
You might want to search on threads for Super UDT and other related topics regarding the use of these fluids for cold climates. If you look at the manual you will see that a warm up period is required before use. The colder the longer.

My 2200 runs cool most of the time I am snow blowing and or plowing Even chipping 4 inch trees the temp barely gets into the mid-range. The exception is mowing where it runs about mid-range all of the time. Of course that is summer!
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #4  
The temperature gauge on my L3000DT acts the same way. I questioned the dealer if the temp. gauge was working properly or not, after checking it they assured me that it was.

I believe others have reported the same thing. I don't mow with mine or work in very dusty conditions either but I do check the radiator pre-screen every now and then to keep free of stuff that would effect theair flow.

Randy
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #5  
My BX1500 also runs that cool. Only in the hot, humid summer, when really working the tractor for an extended period, does the temp gauge get well into the middle range.
In the winter, when working it hard to move snow (loader and back blade), I've seen the temp gauge get up to 1/4 scale, but that only happened during one snow clearing. Usually, it barely moves.

As an aside, and more or less on topic, especially if your BX1500 is relatively new, you might want to check the tension on your fan belt. I had mine jump off once while doing a lot of bouncing around with the loader. I don't know if it was loose or not. But, the temp gauge started up rather rapidly, which caused me to shut it down and fix the problem.
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #6  
I swear I was about to post the same question and found it had just been asked. I've been on my BX 2230 for about 4 hours today and the temp gauge is nearly pinned to the left. Glad to hear it's nothong to worry about.
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #7  
My needle hardly moves hot or cold. In the winter the hydraulic fluid takes a bit to warm up. I know when I see snow melting on the hydraulic lines that it's warmed up. Even in the warm weather the HST wines a little bit. Perfectly normal for you to hear what you are.
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #8  
I hate to disagree with the pro's......but I think the thermostat is suppose to make these things heat up a little more than that. In my case the cab heater would not ever get confortable if the engine temp never came up. I'll bet the thermostat is open all time. Just my humble opinion.teddy
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low #9  
Though a different rig, I think we're operating under the same conditions.

I idle mine for a few and after just a few minutes plowing it's heated up to where it runs during the summer.

The only problem I had during the last snow was my loader seemed to be "frozen-up" for a while and would not uncurl the bucket untill I moved the loader up and down several times. I did not have this problem last year when I parked the tractor in the garage.
 
   / Engine Temperature Seem To Always Be Low
  • Thread Starter
#10  
AKKubota,

I've been lucky so far in that I haven't had any problems with my hydraulics but I guess I will have to settle for a cold running engine. I let it run for about twenty to thirty minutes before operating but it still stays cool the entire time I use it.
 
 
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