1736 Running Hot

[zdman]

Our 1736 is running hotter than normal. It was about 90 out the other day and I did about an hour of brush hog work. I noticed near the end that the ac was not cooling well (temp was also bouncing from 4 to 5 bars). I stopped and went to the barn. Turned off the tractor and got out and cleaned screens on condenser and radiator. Restarted tractor to park it and the temp shot up to 9 or 10 bars and warning came on and started beeping. Killed tractor and waited. Then blew out the radiators as best I could with compressed air and checked coolant. Next day did about an hour of brush hogging and noticed it up again around 5 bars (normally sits at 3-4 bars). Is there anything else I should check ? Should I remove battery and condenser and try to do a heavier cleaning in radiator?

 

[lpakiz]

In a word, YES! The second (AC Condenser) will collect MUCH more chaff than the first radiator.
When you think you are done cleaning, put a trouble light bulb behind the radiator, by the fan blades. Look in from the front. You should be able to see light thru the fins. If you can't, clean some more.

 

[zdman]

In a word, YES! The second (AC Condenser) will collect MUCH more chaff than the first radiator.
When you think you are done cleaning, put a trouble light bulb behind the radiator, by the fan blades. Look in from the front. You should be able to see light thru the fins. If you can't, clean some more.

Do you use compressed air or water? Also, is very tight in there, is ther a oil that helps get in there to clean?

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I generally don't use anything but water hose pressure on a radiator. Air hoses bend fins over. Before you do anything, while it is dry, spray hot soapy water on it from a squirt bottle. Soapy water will absorb into dry debris. Will not help at all if it is wet. Spray with it dry. I use hot water and powder detergent, like Tide or something. Nothing special, just strong. Let that sit and then the water hose next. You can also use powder dishwasher detergent inside the radiator to flush it. Dish powder does not foam. Then after a few days of running, flush radiator out and see if garbage turns loose. Cooling system maintenance must be done. It is a far cry better than engine rebuild maintenance. Dirty coolant systems get hotter faster and stay hotter longer. Heat is your enemy. I have ran many a tractor on a dynamometer.

 

[Thomas]

You may want to blow out air filter.

 

[zdman]

You may want to blow out air filter.

thanks. I should have mentioned i did this already and do it periodically.

 

[zdman]

I generally don't use anything but water hose pressure on a radiator. Air hoses bend fins over. Before you do anything, while it is dry, spray hot soapy water on it from a squirt bottle. Soapy water will absorb into dry debris. Will not help at all if it is wet. Spray with it dry. I use hot water and powder detergent, like Tide or something. Nothing special, just strong. Let that sit and then the water hose next. You can also use powder dishwasher detergent inside the radiator to flush it. Dish powder does not foam. Then after a few days of running, flush radiator out and see if garbage turns loose. Cooling system maintenance must be done. It is a far cry better than engine rebuild maintenance. Dirty coolant systems get hotter faster and stay hotter longer. Heat is your enemy. I have ran many a tractor on a dynamometer.

Thanks. I will give the soapy water and hose a try. Biggest issue is getting back there as the fan is in the way and then the condenser radiator is right in front of the regular radiator so they really dont give you good access to clean things.
Next to impossible to get water straight into the condenser radiator back to front. maybe if i capped a hose and cut a slit in the side so water sprayed out the side.

 

[lpakiz]

I'm not sure how MY condenser is mounted, much less yours, but I recall from my Diesel Mechanic days that the AC condenser on our 9670 IH semi tractors was mounted in such a way so you could remove the mounting bolts and swing the condenser out of the way, like a door on hinges. No need to unhook the AC hoses. Then you can get a straight shot at the main radiator.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Thanks. I will give the soapy water and hose a try. Biggest issue is getting back there as the fan is in the way and then the condenser radiator is right in front of the regular radiator so they really dont give you good access to clean things.
Next to impossible to get water straight into the condenser radiator back to front. maybe if i capped a hose and cut a slit in the side so water sprayed out the side.

Long piece of small pipe with an ell on the end. Or tubing and bend the end. Adapt it to a ball valve. Adapt the ball valve to fit the hose. Stick it down in there and spray away.

 

[zdman]

The thanks all. Cleaned the radiator and coils good with air, soap and water. Started brushhoggjng and it went up to 4 bars (90 degrees out). Seems like it used to ever get above 3 bars. Does anyone know where it shoukd run (bars/temp range). Not sure if I have a problem any longer or not. Maybe a laser temp gauge pointed at the engine and take a reading??

 

[EdGooding]

Thanks. I will give the soapy water and hose a try. Biggest issue is getting back there as the fan is in the way and then the condenser radiator is right in front of the regular radiator so they really dont give you good access to clean things.
Next to impossible to get water straight into the condenser radiator back to front. maybe if i capped a hose and cut a slit in the side so water sprayed out the side.

I got these on Amazon - work very well to get down behind the radiator: https://www.amazon.com/Radiator-Gen...5b-875a-b351b8da299a&pd_rd_i=B01NAU8J6D&psc=1

 

[zdman]

Thanks everyone. After using an air blowing wand from harbor freight and also using the soap and water combination I was able to get the tractor to running at the normal range I had seen previously. I also had to start and kill it a couple times to get the fan blade to move to another location to get better rear access. They have three coolers packed in there - ac , radiator and what I assume is a hydraulic cooler so it took some time and patience.

 

[rodneyn]

Thanks everyone. After using an air blowing wand from harbor freight and also using the soap and water combination I was able to get the tractor to running at the normal range I had seen previously. I also had to start and kill it a couple times to get the fan blade to move to another location to get better rear access. They have three coolers packed in there - ac , radiator and what I assume is a hydraulic cooler so it took some time and patience.

How many hours on tractor since last radiator internal flush. Not only does the fins need to pass air. The fluid needs to be changed at some interval to prevent fluid from rising pH level that will eventually block off internal fluid passages. If it has over 300 hours with no service you may need to exchange antifreeze. Use what your manual specifies. If no improvement for temp gauge may need to have radiator dipped cleaning internal passages. Before that problem could lie in thermostat sticking and not opening. May need to replace it. Typically cleaning chaff from exterior of the radiator well is first step. If no improvement test antifreeze for pH level. Use ohmmeter DC voltage one probe in fluid one on battery ground. If reading of .4 volts show change fluid. If that does not work replace thermostat. If that does not work have radiator dipped to clean passages internally. If that does not work you have blockage in the water passages in the bock. You need to use flush - boil out material to clean the water passages.

Old timers use to dump the antifreeze use straight water to understand if thermostat is bad. The pull thermostat run tractor with straight water to determine if passages were blocked. This was summer time troubleshooting to understand what was bad in the cooling system. Also check radiator hoses collapsed hose will also allow overheating.

Please tell me you don’t have water boiling out of your overflow canister this is first symptom of head gasket issues. The assumption the head gasket is good you did not super heat the motor from chaff. Unfortunately these compact tractors don’t have large cooling system they are prone to overheating if not cleaning the radiator daily from chaff.

If using water make sure you don’t get cpu wet if this emissions based tractor. Never put cold water on hot motor that is asking for trouble big trouble.

Keep us posted on your findings as you troubleshoot the cooling system.

Oh yes last item to look at is the fan belt and water pump. Typical these compact tractors have sensitive water pump if it goes out it can take the motor with it quickly.

Nothing is simple owning a tractor doing your own maintenance. When they run well they are invaluable for getting work down and soothing for the soul while providing accomplishment of the task.

Keep us posted.