Is my MF 231 running too hot??

[Travis_R]

How about a pic of your gauge when hot..

Hot?
If it's idling or under a load with the tiller it's still between the "G" and "P" on the gauge.




This was taken the other night. It's in the same position as when using the tiller today. Never went higher.

 

[murphy1244]

Straight up and down, same as before.

 

[murphy1244]

Ok I let it run for a very long time and then tilled with cardboard in front of the radiator. I here is a pic of where the needle on the gage was. Plus the ifrared red light readings.. The radiator was like 120 at the top and 80 at the bottom. Could keep my hand on the radiator. Was barely warm at the top and the middle and cold at the bottom. The metal part where water goes into the top of the water pump was like 170-180. The part where the muffler attaches to the exhaust elbow was 203 or 205.
Opened the radiator cap and still no swirling!

Is it running too hot? Should I change the thermostat??

The ONLY reason I thought it was running too hot was when I bush hog for a while in tall thick grass, the needle would gradually get to the white part of the gauge. Then I'd get off and clean the radiator out.
Maybe the needle has to be completely pegged out in the white part of the gauge before it starts to run hot?? I don't know.

Just sitting and idling or letting it run about 1300-1500 RPMs with cardboard in front of radiator, the gauge is in the middle of the green.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

View attachment 368171

 

[Travis_R]

Straight up and down, same as before.

Definitely not the same as before. Yes, I agree the needle reads about the same in both gauges WITHOUT the engine being under a load. But where the difference comes in is under engine load, which is why I thought the tractor was running too hot in the first place.
It has never hot on me. But I knew something wasn't right when the needle kept climbing under heavy engine load.
I used the tiller this evening under heavy load for a while. The needle never went up.
With the old radiator cap and temp gauge the needle would have been almost in the red.

I'm pleased knowing the problem is now solved. Wasn't near as bad as I thought it was at first, but I knew something wasn't right. I've had this tractor for almost 7 years and the old gauge never read as high when under a load, as it recently did.

 

[murphy1244]

Ok I let it run for a very long time and then tilled with cardboard in front of the radiator. I here is a pic of where the needle on the gage was.

I call that a good load.

 

[Travis_R]

Ok I let it run for a very long time and then tilled with cardboard in front of the radiator. I here is a pic of where the needle on the gage was. I call that a good load.

At that time I let it high idle for a long time. Then made a couple short runs with the tiller. Nothing like I done today.

I know what my tractor was doing. It's no longer doing that under heavy engine load. The needle never moved.

 

[buickanddeere]

Even at high idle but not working with the rad card boarded. Some diesels won't warm up.
Careful with the cardboard. If the fan is traveling through a narrow air stream which loads and unloads the blades. A fan can fatigue crack and bust into flying pieces.

 

[Travis_R]

Even at high idle but not working with the rad card boarded. Some diesels won't warm up. Careful with the cardboard. If the fan is traveling through a narrow air stream which loads and unloads the blades. A fan can fatigue crack and bust into flying pieces.

Yes the tractor takes a little while to warm up now. Noticeably longer than before. I'm done with the cardboard, no longer have to perform tests.
Good info about the fans! Never hear of that before. Thanks.

 

[sawtooth]

Glad you achieved your resolution. Good luck and enjoy your machine.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[Travis_R]

Glad you achieved your resolution. Good luck and enjoy your machine. Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

Thanks for all your help bud. Been tilling all morning under very heavy loads. The needle ain't moved one bit. Stayed between the "G" and "P" the whole time.. Very pleased! Now I know this is how it's supposed to run. No more second guessing.