b2920 running cold

[B2400]

If they start getting real warm, they will push anti freeze out of the overflow. The B7100's didn't have a water pump, but utilized the "thermo-flow" principle and had a whistle on the overflow tube!. If you worked it till it whistled, you'd just disengage pto's, drop it to mid rpm and let it cool and then return to working her!!

 

[easygo]

What bothers me about this is what if the engine is really overheating but the temperature gage is showing normal or cold?

It is a reasonable point but sometimes people do post questions about overheating. Those cases seem to show the needle getting mighty close to the red. I think gauges are fairly accurate otherwise they would be all over the place, but it is reported consistently on the just above the cold mark. Mine is like that too, unless I mow flat out with the 72" deck on a hot day. Then it goes close to the 1/3 point.

 

[taos]

I checked today the temp of upper rad hose after running( light load )for 1\2 hour 110 f and lower rad hose 60f also remouved rad cap to see circulation in rad ,none I could see, the gauge hardly mouved up but still in the cold area, it was cold out 10 f or -12celcius, and there was little load (i just went and get a bucket full of firewood) but engine ran the whole time at idle for 5minutes then 1400rpm for 5minutes then up to 2000rpm for 2 minutes then back down to idle for 15 more minutes,in the summer no problem temp rises about 1\4 of the way up to a 1/3

 

[easygo]

Idle speed will hardly warm it up at colder temps. Even if you worked it hard and it did warm to 1/4to1/3 and then you put it back down to idle (800-900rpm) in a few minutes you will see the temp gauge dropping back down. That is just what they do when it's chilly out there. When I cut firewood (winter is best for that) I shut the tractor off while dropping and delimbing a few trees. When I restart the tractor 20-40 min later I always let it run for a couple minutes around 1300-1400 rpm to get the thing warmed properly before I start pulling logs.

 

[taos]

I ran the tractor this morning it was warmer outside aprox 28 f or -3celcius ran it for aprox 1 hour ,did some snow remouval , 3" aprox ,and noticed gauge showed aprox 1\4 inch above cold mark, then let it idle for a few minutes and noticed temp dropped to cold, that rad fan realy cools things down, I supose its normal

 

[devildog1]

It's normal , I remember when I had my BX23TLB and I was using a 48" Bush Hog Squealer cutting about 3 acre's and the temps were upper 80's. It ran cool as a cucumber. as did my B3200TLB and now the Grand L, Kubota cooling system does a find job.
DevilDog

 

[V1Rotate]

What about putting a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator during cold weather? Just big enough so the temp runs in the green zone on the gauge.

 

[taos]

The only thing about putting a piece of cardboard in front of rad is the hydrolics get cooled by a heat exchanger in front of rad (must make sure not to block the air flow for exchanger(cooling pipe in front of rad)

 

[BotaBigot]

Is this new condition, if so, needs investigation...if not, normal...temp gauge for relative not absolute temp.

If problem, usually sticking thermostat, but could be temp sending unit...

 

[SandburRanch]

DO NOT put cardboard in front of a radiator. There is no control to regulate the temperature, you're not a good enough guesser as to size of cardboard and you'll eventually regret it. Just don't ask why I had to change the head gasket on a 65 ford pu when the average high ambient temp. was 12°F.

Before doing anything, check temperatures in and out temps. with a temperature sensing device rather than guessing so you know where you are from square one. For all we know your gauge and sending unit may be calibrated celsius. For those with thermostats, install a Stant Super Stat and correct the temperature problem the right way.

Sure we see the big rigs with louvers and tarp material on the grill. Those are people that just don't know how to fix it right.