Engine over heating

[Eric_Phillips]

I have a 27HP FarmTrac pulling a 5ft JD rotary mower. I always have a bad time with teh engine over heating when mowing. The screen on teh front of the radiator gets clogged with seeds and those *(^& cotton woods. The screen is not perfect so some seeds end up in the radiator. Of course my air compressor is on the fritz right now so I can't blow out the radiator but this is also a pain having to drive back to the barn every 20min. to blow out the radiator. How do you guys that are mowing miles away from your barn keep you tractors from getting clogged with seeds? Mowing is probably the most demanding thing I do with the tractor. Running a PHD or post driver really doesn't tax the tractor much.

 

[beenthere]

I don't have any trouble like that with my Deere. Never have a heating problem.
There is a good screen system that filters the air coming into the engine area, both on the front and both sides. Just shut the tractor down, and wipe off the cottonwood and dandelion and other floating things with a brush of the hand.

But a compressor is a great tool to dust off everything when done rotary cutting in the fields and woods. Sorry to hear yours is on the fritz.

 

[rmully]

You could put some netting over the front intake area then just untie and shake it out and keep mowing.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Eric in the past when we have had that problem the radiator was in need of a professional cleaning at a radiator shop. The extra load from blocking of air flow from seed should not cause one to over heat with a good cooling system. Of course some tractors are worse than others about sucking trash into the radiator.

Air compressor use over time can make things worse by packing it in tighter and tighter. I took one off and blowed it out but still some openings were blocked so I took it the shop and they cleaned and tested and got a lot of trash out of it.
How old is it?

 

[Eric_Phillips]

It is only 5 years old. I was concerned about packing the stuff in so I try to blow from the back side to blow out the junk the way it came in.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Well 5 years is new like but I would pull it because the price of new engines and take it to a known radiator shop in your area just to make sure there is NO water or air flow problems by design of the radiator.

It should have more reserve cooling capacity than it does.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

The first thing I would do is to check the gauge to make sure it is right. If you have a temp gun take some readings on the engine and the thermostat housing and see if it is really getting warm. Any thing under 205 deg is fine. If you dont have a temp gun steal the wifes meat thermometer and put it in the top of the radiator. Since you have been having this problem since new I would guess the gauge is off.
Bill

 

[tree farmer]

Eric, I have a 2740 Montana, which I believe is the same as yours only in a green costume. 4years old, 3 cylinder Daedong engine. I run a 6' Montana rotary with mine in grass higher than the hood at times, mostly at about 2200RPM. Never had the heat gauge go above halfway. Gotta agree with you, though, the radiator screen sucks, literally. I zip-tied a piece of fiberglass window screen to the front of the grill opening, as it seemed most of the stuff plugging the screen was thistle and dandelion fluff. With the screen on the outside of the grill, it was easy to clean and still allowed airflow to the radiator from other directions. I also blow out my radiator with an electric leaf blower from the backside. Lots of volume and little pressure to drive the junk in deeper. Also, install a new air cleaner element often. These little guys run cooler, longer, and better if they're not fighting for their next breath of air. I can't remember the part # right now, but NAPA Auto Parts has all the filters for these tractors....Dan.

 

[beenthere]

With the various responses posted, makes me want to ask:
What are you observing when you say the engine is overheating?

Are you going just by the temp gauge, or are you also getting some boiling over conditions (steam and/or loss of water)?

The answer to this might lead to the temp gauge, or not.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

I am mostly going by the temp gauge. There is some residue on the end of the overflow tube and on the front axle so I am assuming it has over flowed some. I do need to check the level just to be sure that isn't an issue right now. If it was the temp gauge I would expect to see some high temps even when doing simpler tasks shouldn't I?