A little too hot

[jlbash1]

I've noticed my tractor running a little hotter than normal this season as compared to the last few. It usually always ran right at the mark for the middle on the temp gage. When I'm just puttin around and not working too hard that's still where it runs, but when I am mowing it will get up to about 3/4 on the temp gage. This is a new thing. Today I'm using a plow and it is right up there at 3/4 or maybe trying to get a little higher, so I'm taking a break. I did flush the radiator with the prestone radiator flush stuff, it didn't help.

Any thoughts? The tractor is a L2650GST 4wd with about 600 hrs.

Thanks in advance.

Jarrod

 

[PAexcavator]

Check the radiator itself and the screen in front of it. The screen should pull out. Sometimes fine dust will clog it or the radiator. Get in there with a hose and blast it out.

 

[beenthere]

Just off the top of my head, without any more info, I'd guess dust building up in the radiator fins, maybe from dusty conditions or from washing a lot and then picking up dust before the fins are dry.
And I would try to remove it first with an air blast, not water. But that may just be 'me'. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Larry_T]

Make sure the belt is adjusted ,Larry

 

[frank_f15]

If it never ran that hot before there is something that is making it do so, dirty screen, plugged fins, lose belt, etc. if there is a problem, it will only get worse.

 

[jlbash1]

I checked the screen on the radiator before hand and just forgot to mention it, but i didn't check the radiator itself. I cleaned it out with a waterhose and it seems to be better, but not back to it's old self. i'll try doing a better job cleaning it out and see how that works. I'll check the belt too.

thanks for the help.

jarrod

 

[fig]

jarrod,

When cleaning your radiator out; make sure you go from the engine side out. If something is clogging the fins...it came through the front of the radiator...so push it out the way it came in. If you wash from the front; you will probably just pack it in there worse.

Also, I use compressed air to clean my Yanmar radiator out not water. If you use water and there is lots of dust and dirt in between the fins...you could make mud /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. My tractor does not have a water pump, so I can tell pretty quick when things are getting clogged. Just my 2 cents.

Fig

 

[aloha]

This might help: Re: kubota overheat problem

 

[rdsaustintx]

Sticky thermostat? 'Bout due for a new one anyway...

Russell in Texas

 

[Junkman]

If you have checked the fan belt for tightness, and know that the radiator isn't clogged with dirt, there are very few other things that can cause over heating. A thermostat is an item that is either stuck open or closed when it goes bad. If it is stuck open, the engine will run cold. If stuck closed, the engine will overheat shortly after starting. This leaves only one item left. A defective water pump that isn't circulating the water properly. You mentioned that you had used radiator cleaner in the unit. If you didn't get all the air out, then you didn't get all the coolant in. If your tractor has a coolant overflow tank, make sure that it is at the proper level when the engine is at normal operating temperature. The last thing to check is the radiator cap. If the cap is defective, that can cause the engine to run hot since it will be sucking air past the cap seal. Junk......