Oil & Fuel HST temperature gauge

Smokeydog · Oct 22, 2019

There have been good discussions on HST operations, fluids, noise and filters.

Has anyone installed a temperature gauge? Best placement for the temperature probe?

Love the operation of both M59 and B26 tractors. Probably don’t let them warm up enough in cold weather before use. Concern of high operating temperature during mowing and bush hogging during the summer.

Used and abused a HST B20 for over 20 years. Barely lift round bales in the winter feeding chores to 6’ finish mower in the summer. Never a HST related problem.

Wormwood · Oct 23, 2019

I've wondered the same thing, bush-hogging with an M62 in the summer was limited to a few hours for me because the hydraulic pto would make the backhoe too hot for me. I took a temp gun to the casing and the temp was 200°F if I remember right.

The answer I got was the UDT fluid performs best at that temp. or at elevated temps. & there is an over temp light should it get too hot. Still it'd be nice to see an actual gauge to know before things became a problem. Placement would probably be better outside the hydraulic circuit like on the closest external pipe after the pump with a thermocouple & RTV directly on the pipe or hydraulic fitting.

Wormwood

Roadworthy · Oct 23, 2019

A temperature sensor and gauge is probably a good idea. People don't generally have a temperature gauge on their engine oil, though it does run pretty hot. Race cars on the other hand do generally have an oil temperature gauge as well as a pressure gauge.

Smokeydog · Oct 23, 2019

It takes NASCAR and demolition derby skills to do the bush hogging I do. Left turns, hilly ground, trees, limbs overhead and hidden in the weeds. Grappling limbs to trees off the track. Groundhog holes and hornets wanting to dethrone you. Leaf litter building up on front grill compromising air flow to radiators has to be cleaned off periodically. Physical sport requiring strength, endurance, practice, problem solving and ingenuity of machine to complete the race. Looking for that edge, tweak or modification to improve the odds of finishing. Satisfaction of completing a job, priceless!

Not surprised by the 200*F temperature. Over 230*F can toast your oil and components quickly. I need to do a better job of taking some non contact IR temperature readings. A gauge would help monitor to adjust your driving demand or check systems to protect your equipment.

Diggin It · Oct 23, 2019

I was having a problem on my riding mowers because of some of the hills I force them to take against their will. Smoked one Hydro in the process. Picked a cheap Chineseum Digital Thermometer off the Bay that has an external probe. Display is mounted under the seat to keep some of the rain off it, but where I can still look down and see it. Probe is foil taped to the top of the trans, near center. Probably not the most accurate place, but it gives me a reading that changes as I use the machine. When it starts to approach 150, I park the machine for a while.

Haven't thought about trying one on the SCUT.

MHarryE · Oct 23, 2019

Both my pickups have transmission temperature gauges. Think it would be just as important to monitor oil temp on a hydro tractor. If for some reason a valve gets stuck, hydraulic oil at relief pressure on an open center system can get real hot real fast.

mwayne · Oct 23, 2019

Diggin It said:
I was having a problem on my riding mowers because of some of the hills I force them to take against their will. Smoked one Hydro in the process. Picked a cheap Chineseum Digital Thermometer off the Bay that has an external probe. Display is mounted under the seat to keep some of the rain off it, but where I can still look down and see it. Probe is foil taped to the top of the trans, near center. Probably not the most accurate place, but it gives me a reading that changes as I use the machine. When it starts to approach 150, I park the machine for a while.

Haven't thought about trying one on the SCUT.

Do you have a link for that? Thanks!