Is my MF 231 running too hot??

[Travis_R]

Just performed another test..

With the radiator cap on, tractor high idling around 1800 RPMs for about 10-15 minutes, the temp. in the upper radiator fins was around 155F.... The bottom fins read around 85F.... The thermostat housing was reading right at 180F.

I took the wire off on the sending unit and put the infrared light on the brass part of the sending unit. Removing the wire disables the temp gauge completely.
The reading I got was around 143F-147F.... When the wire was plugged back in, the temp gauge needle was still almost to the red (white) just like the previous posted picture.

Again, this is telling me either the sending unit, temp gauge, or both is bad.

Based on the info I posted, does anyone disagree with this?

 

[murphy1244]

You should get a Tractor Mechanic and leave that poor machine alone.

 

[Travis_R]

You should get a Tractor Mechanic and leave that poor machine alone.

If the new sending unit and temp gauge doesn't solve the problem, I will get a mechanic. Until then, I'm not giving up.

I may still need to get the radiator rodded out also. Not sure about that just yet either.

These are all things I can do on my own.

Thanks for your concern.

 

[Travis_R]

After coming back from letting the engine cool completely, I found the bottom radiator hose to be COMPLETELY collapsed. When I opened the radiator cap, the hose immediately swelled back up.

So now..???

 

[CalG]

Just performed another test..

With the radiator cap on, tractor high idling around 1800 RPMs for about 10-15 minutes, the temp. in the upper radiator fins was around 155F.... The bottom fins read around 85F.... The thermostat housing was reading right at 180F.

I took the wire off on the sending unit and put the infrared light on the brass part of the sending unit. Removing the wire disables the temp gauge completely.
The reading I got was around 143F-147F.... When the wire was plugged back in, the temp gauge needle was still almost to the red (white) just like the previous posted picture.

Again, this is telling me either the sending unit, temp gauge, or both is bad.

Based on the info I posted, does anyone disagree with this?

Travis

Your investigation is good and very useful.

You have now "calibrated" your present temperature guage. So now, when you see the needle "almost to the red" you know that everything is fine and normal.

Now do the same thing with the radiator blocked , fast idle (say 900-1000 rpm) and everything stabilized.

The needle should be in the red. Make similar measurements of all the points as you have just done. Write them down! Now you have a second condition of calibration for your present gauge.

Monitor the temperature of the top tank. if it gets above 220F pull off the radiator block, idle down, and let things cool off. DON'T open the radiator cap untill temps are less than 180!

Collapsing hoses on cool down is not particularly significant. Some hoses have a coil of wire in them to hold them open.

If the pipe were collapsed and the system hot and "under pressure", that would not be good.

You could get yourself a new lower radiator hose, I bet the present one is old.

Don't expect a new sending unit and guage to be "accurate". Think of it as an indicator.
Something that has been a theme of the reponses in this thread.

cheers

 

[CalG]

Wether it matters or not, I also wanted to mention that I noticed when the water was cold and the radiator cap off, the water was wanting to rise up in the neck of the radiator. when the engine was high idling. It would have came out if I left the cap off long enough.
...only did this since the new 180F thermostat was installed.

Travis

Have you noticed that on cars there is always a coolant overflow catch tank? But on old tractors there are not. The coolant level rising with temp is normal. It is due to a combination of things ;-)

cheers

 

[TomSeller]

After coming back from letting the engine cool completely, I found the bottom radiator hose to be COMPLETELY collapsed. When I opened the radiator cap, the hose immediately swelled back up.

So now..???

Travis,
Will all due respect, a collapsed hose starves an engine of coolant if closed when the engine is hot and things like that could damage it internally. The lower radiator hose needs to be a non collapsable type, and should have been caught visually prior. The radiator cap could just have well been a screw driver hitting the alternator fins and becoming a projectile killing you or your loved ones. I seriously thunk you need to have a mechanic work on it.

 

[Travis_R]

The hose wasn't collapsed when the engine was running. It was collapsed AFTER COMPLETE cool down.

After reading other threads, I'm thinking I may have installed the 180F thermostat upside down!

Could this have anything to do with the bottom hose collapsing?

What other noticeable problems would I see if the thermostat was upside down?

 

[Travis_R]

Now here is a new problem that I KNOW isn't right.

I took the bottom hose off the radiator (cold engine).. Took radiator cap off and filled radiator up with garden hose through the bottom of radiator. When the water came out the top of the radiator I put the cap back on and sealed the bottom of the radiator opening with my hand.

Well guess what?! No water came out the radiator UNTIL I removed the cap!! Then all the water came out!

This is a brand new aftermarket radiator cap from "A&I Products". I ordered it online.

4) things now...

1) get a new OEM radiator cap from Massey?

2) go ahead and have the radiator checked?

3) take thermostat back out and make sure I installed it correctly!!! (((Good thing I bought an extra gasket huh! LOL)))

4) replace lower radiator hose??

*** hose never gave me a problem til new cap was installed***

Regardless of all this, so far I am still able to do ALL of this by myself.

 

[Travis_R]

Ok now that I think about it, the thermostat is installed correctly.

While I'm into it, I'm probably gonna go ahead and pull the radiator off and get it tested.
After all, the tractor is 16 years old and it's not gonna be difficult to take it off with the hood already off the tractor. Wether it's a problem or not, it surely can't hurt to have it done.