Cooling system

[BadMojo]

After installing the temp and oil pressure gauges on my little 1700 I was alittle surprised. Even after reading about where the temps will run I find it amazing that these little engines will run as cool as they do with no water pump. I worked mine fairly heavy for about 20 minutes with the loader and temps sit between 170 and 190, I was eventually able to get it up to 200 for a short period but it dropped back down as soon as I reduced the work load. Pretty sure they had filled the thing with straight antifreeze, so I drained and refilled with what should be around a 75/25 mix, that got the temps down even a bit lower under load. Still, I'm leary, so I just ordered a water pump kit from Hoye, seems like good insurance if nothing else.

Engine is holding 50psi oil pressure fully warmed up from idle to working rpm! I like that! So far I haven't found anything on the little tractor that doesn't work perfectly, I'm just a bit OCD about new used anything. Being as it's still too wet to get into any real work around here yet I may go ahead and pull the radiator tomorrow and take it over to a friend of mine to have it recored, like I say, OCD.

 

[MJPetersen]

Sometimes these VC rebuilds have new radiators. Mine did. You might check before you go through the expense and time to have it redone. When it is working and up to temp check if there are any areas that are significantly cooler than other areas and simply looking down into the rad will reveal at least a portion of the end to see if it is dirty at all. Was the antifreeze dirty at all? Or did it look like it was just poured from the bottle? One sign that it is a new radiator is that there exists a screen in front of the radiator that is in pristine condition.

Mike

 

[BadMojo]

Installed the new water pump this morning. Everything with the install went smooth as butter until I was putting the lower radiator hose back on and managed to break off the little drain tube! Oh well. I got that all patched back up and have been running it doing some dirt work, where before it ran consistently between 190 and 200 it now never creeps above 160! Best couple hundred dollars I've spent lately if for nothing more than peace of mind.

Mike,

The radiator seems to be ok, definitely not new, but it does appear that it got vatted if nothing else.
And yeah, I'm pretty sure it had 100% antifreeze in it when I brought it home, that is now rectified.

 

[SailorBob]

I knew you would like the water pump. I had my radiator cleaned and rodded at a radiator shop too when i put the water pump on. It never even tries to get hit now unless the radiator gets clogged with chaff when mowing. May sure that you have a radiator screen on it. If you notice the temp starting to rise then you need to clean the screen.

 

[drfter46@yahoo.com]

I have a 1500 that i am in the prosses of restoring, but i would like to put a water pump on it and don't even know if they make one! if any one knows where would be a good place to start looking.
i work this little tractor to death and want to put guages instead of lights on it as well.
any info would be greatly appricated!!!!!

 

[MJPetersen]

There are lots of parts and finishing details available for your little tractor from any of the dealers that frequent this site. However, I do not believe that a water pump conversion is available. You can call or write to one of the dealers like LMTC, tractorernie, EFC, Hoye, and others and they can tell you precisely what is and is not available.

Welcome to TBN. Show us some pictures of your rebuild process.

Mike

 

[HoyeTractor]

There is no water pump available for the 1500. I talked to a guy a year or so ago that was developing one but I never heard back from him. We looked into making one a few years ago ourselves but it was going to be a very costly & complicated kit - not like the easy YM1700 kit. Typically, if you have a new radiator & the correct coolant mixture you should not ever have overheating issues on the YM1500 though.

Hope this helps,
Aaron
(940)592-0181
Parts@HoyeTractor.com