TC29DA overheating?

[barbqranch]

When I mow w/ 5 foot brush hog, the temperature quickly climbs to the middle of the green, but then slowly keeps climbing. I stop mowing when it hits the bottom of the red zone. I would like to use a non-contact temperature gauge to see how hot it really is, so I can see if I can safely go hotter. I don't know where on the engine to measure, and I don't know how hot is safe.

 

[5030]

Try cleaning the radiator with a blower. I use a HF Bauer 20 volt blower myself.

 

[Thomas]

Also check air filter.

 

[5030]

The 3 most neglected items on any tractor are.... 1. starting battery, 2. The air filter and 3. The radiator....

 

[stevem5215]

Sometimes just blowing out the radiator isn't enough. I sometimes had to revert to the water hose or very low pressure power washer blasts. Some chaff gets in there and doesn't want to come out and needs help. Also, be sure your radiator fluid is clean and new and you can't see any plugged passages looking down into the radiator. I've had all of the above and sometimes a new radiator is more important than anything just so you don't overheat and then have to do more work with the engine block when it happens.

 

[ruffdog]

Get a light on the back side of the radiator and see if you can see though it, even in the corners. If light can't get through, air isn't getting through. I would never continue using the tractor like that if it can't maintain the correct operating temperature. My 1999 Boomer had a 12 fins per inch radiator and there was a service bulletin on switching it to a 8 fins per inch radiator because chaff would plug them. I never had a problem with my Boomer but I always blew through the fins from the back side after every mowing.

 

[barbqranch]

I have changed the water/antifreeze, when the water pump failed a few years ago. I blow out the radiator with compressed air regularly. It is hard to blow it out from the back due to the shroud, so I made a long adapter that lets me get behind it.

I have never washed the radiator outside with water, but I will try that now. I have looked down through the cap, and the channels appear open.

 

[dieselscout80]

I took my TC45DA radiator as it had some seepage on the radiator tanks. We the pulled the tanks off some of the radiator tubes were plugged. He did have to solder one tube off.

I wasn’t having major cooling issues considering I pull a 9.5’ bushhog with it, but the cleaned radiator works great.

 

[JC-jetro]

I would make sure dust screen for the radiator is off, brushed and blown with a leaf blower. I usually use a soft bristle brush (plastic) and brush all the fins that I can have access from both sides of the radiator. it will be more difficult next to the fan shroud. I would then blow the heck out of it from both side with my leaf blower. Leaf blower will not damage the fins so I would use it liberally . After that I would use a nozzle on a normal garden hose and clean the coil and the fins. I would not recommend pressure washer as it can damage the radiator fins. 30 to 40 psi with a nozzle would not damage the fins. I would do it from both sides.
I have done it on my Ford every few years. Make sure you have enough anti-freeze, check it with cold engine. Make sure the belt is tight enough so fan blade/hub would not slip on the pulley. Lastly , every 10 years or so I do a radiator flush and engine flush by removing the T-stat. You can check the t-stat to see if it closes and opens. Put the T-stat in a bowl, pour boiling water and it should open up, conversely put it in ice-water and it should close.

JC

 

[dieselscout80]

I would make sure dust screen for the radiator is off, brushed and blown with a leaf blower. I usually use a soft bristle brush (plastic) and brush all the fins that I can have access from both sides of the radiator. it will be more difficult next to the fan shroud. I would then blow the heck out of it from both side with my leaf blower. Leaf blower will not damage the fins so I would use it liberally . After that I would use a nozzle on a normal garden hose and clean the coil and the fins. I would not recommend pressure washer as it can damage the radiator fins. 30 to 40 psi with a nozzle would not damage the fins. I would do it from both sides.
I have done it on my Ford every few years. Make sure you have enough anti-freeze, check it with cold engine. Make sure the belt is tight enough so fan blade/hub would not slip on the pulley. Lastly , every 10 years or so I do a radiator flush and engine flush by removing the T-stat. You can check the t-stat to see if it closes and opens. Put the T-stat in a bowl, pour boiling water and it should open up, conversely put it in ice-water and it should close.

JC

Not sure about the TC29, but my TC45 NH calls for annual coolant changes.