TomOfTarsus
Silver Member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 219
- Location
- North of Pittsburgh near Airport
- Tractor
- 1999 New Holland TC18 HST
Hello, all!
I'm finally starting to get some real use out of my little TC18 (see avatar & sig). So I'm in the seat mowing yesterday, really enjoying taking down stuff that had gotten ahead of me and would have been a bear to mow by hand.
Before I started, I cleaned the removable screen in front of the radiator, etc. did my usual "preflight" walk around and off I go. We've had plenty of rain, so the grass was lush and while it was dry, still fairly heavy and moist when you cut it.
I mowed at the very most an acre, likely less. I was about finished, and had pulled up to clean it off before I take it back to the garage, and I noticed antifreeze dribbling out. That's when I saw dry grass almost completely blocking the air intake screens built into the hood, and when I lifted the hood, the screen in front of the radiator was a good 60-70% plugged, also with fine, dry grass.
And I'm stumped. I made very few backward passes, usually just very short for turning around. The ground is not dry, the grass lush. The mower discharge is out the side slightly to the rear as usual for a belly mower. How in the world did that much dry grass get airborne and around the front of my machine AND sucked onto the screens so much as to cause me to overheat? Is this a common experience? I sure don't recall a lot of stuff swirling around as I mowed.
I posted this here instead of in the NH owning/operating because I wanted to get a cross-brand representation of answers. Looks like from now on I'll have to get off and have a look once in a while!
Well, thanks all. I don't think it overheated until I stopped it, but I'll have to watch the temperature gauge more closely and I'd probably better change the oil.
Best to all,
Tom
I'm finally starting to get some real use out of my little TC18 (see avatar & sig). So I'm in the seat mowing yesterday, really enjoying taking down stuff that had gotten ahead of me and would have been a bear to mow by hand.
Before I started, I cleaned the removable screen in front of the radiator, etc. did my usual "preflight" walk around and off I go. We've had plenty of rain, so the grass was lush and while it was dry, still fairly heavy and moist when you cut it.
I mowed at the very most an acre, likely less. I was about finished, and had pulled up to clean it off before I take it back to the garage, and I noticed antifreeze dribbling out. That's when I saw dry grass almost completely blocking the air intake screens built into the hood, and when I lifted the hood, the screen in front of the radiator was a good 60-70% plugged, also with fine, dry grass.
And I'm stumped. I made very few backward passes, usually just very short for turning around. The ground is not dry, the grass lush. The mower discharge is out the side slightly to the rear as usual for a belly mower. How in the world did that much dry grass get airborne and around the front of my machine AND sucked onto the screens so much as to cause me to overheat? Is this a common experience? I sure don't recall a lot of stuff swirling around as I mowed.
I posted this here instead of in the NH owning/operating because I wanted to get a cross-brand representation of answers. Looks like from now on I'll have to get off and have a look once in a while!
Well, thanks all. I don't think it overheated until I stopped it, but I'll have to watch the temperature gauge more closely and I'd probably better change the oil.
Best to all,
Tom