4110 overheat problem - cannot locate fault

[skipmarcy]

I agree with wrenchturner, 200 degrees is not overheating, it is a perfectly normal operating temp., especially in hot weather. Water doesn't even boil until 212 at sea level and at atmospheric pressure. In a pressurized system water doesn't boil until upwards of 225 and up, depending on pressure. My 2001 4110 requires the radiator blown out good every couple hours when cutting - more or less depending on how dry it is and how much chaff is being blown around. A water hose is about the worst thing to clean it with, just makes mud inbetween the cores, needs to be shop air or a pressure washer. The oven cleaner trick might work OK eating up the organic materials but I would be afraid of it deteriorating the metal fins & core tubes. I haven't done the battery tray swap but that would help a little bit with airflow but when mine starts running a little high on the gauge a quick cleaning with the air hose gets it right back down, additional airflow from moving the battery isn't going to change that at all, just make it easier to get the screens off. Every so often I take the battery out and the screens off and use my pressure washer on the radiator for a good cleaning. When I'm doing a quick clean with the air hose I start blowing from the engine side first, then from the front and back & forth like that a couple times.

 

[Keith_B]

2.5 hours of work given the summertime heat and the tractor is just then reaching 200 isn't overheating, IMO. It sounds to me like the radiator just needs a good cleaning, as mentioned by others. You can have a radiator looking clean as a whistle and blow some compressed air through it and get a lot of debris out.

 

[swines]

This is going to sound overly simple...but - have you checked the radiator cap? If it doesn't seal properly, the system won't pressurize and the engine won't cool properly. I'd also vote for the hoses. Replacing them is inexpensive and easy. As stated in a previous post, sometimes they'll collapse and you can't see it from the outside.

 

[JerryG]

Who ever said above that the water would make the chaff stick in the fins is exactly right. If you use water it needs to be run at a higher RPM while sitting to dry the core out before getting in the weeds, grass or dust again. The oven cleaner will really clean the fins. But, use it only on brass radiators never on aluminum ones. Spray it on, wait about 4-5 minutes then wash it out with a hose real well. If the water is black coming off the fins, repeat. The fins will be spotless. I have used oven cleaner for years on brass radiators.

 

[GIJOE]

If your radiator is aluminum, you can go to an a/c supply and purchase a can of coil cleaner. It is safe to use on aluminum, copper, brass and plastic and imo works better than oven cleaner. It is a little more expensive though.

 

[aries12345]

Thanks to everyone who has responded.

The point I was trying to make about the 200 degree overheating is that the increase was a steady rise with no indication that it would quit rising and that for 6 years it would stay at about 170 degrees regardless of what I was doing. This would indicate something has changed.

Thanks for all the info about the radiator cleaning and radiator cap. I mentioned my inability to test the radiator cap in a previous post. I have ordered a replacement cap just to be sure. I will pick up some of the coil cleaner. I was leary about using a pressure washer for fear of damaging the fins.

Again thanks for all of the help

 

[Nightrain1]

You say it's been 6 yrs now and it's starting to rise? Maybe it is inside the radiator that needs a good flushing and some additives?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Thanks to everyone who has responded.

The point I was trying to make about the 200 degree overheating is that the increase was a steady rise with no indication that it would quit rising and that for 6 years it would stay at about 170 degrees regardless of what I was doing. This would indicate something has changed.

Thanks for all the info about the radiator cleaning and radiator cap. I mentioned my inability to test the radiator cap in a previous post. I have ordered a replacement cap just to be sure. I will pick up some of the coil cleaner. I was leary about using a pressure washer for fear of damaging the fins.

Again thanks for all of the help

did you cure the problem. What was the cause?
larry