Excessive Heat

[Big_Lug]

Has anyone felt the excessive heat that comes out of the top of the hood area, around the opening by the cowling that houses the gauges. It is where the hood folds. Also around the floor area where your feet sit , there is a large amount of heat that comes from that area. While running the PTO I notice this, while tilling or bushhogging. My feet will bake. The radiator runs normal temp most of the time unless I till for about 2-3 hours at a time then it will rise to the line before the red. Although our temps. here lately have been in the upper 90's, I didn't know if this made a difference or not. I thought about putting some adhesive insulation under the hood to keep it from coming out of the hood, maybe having it vent out of the sides. Just didn't know if this would cause temp. to rise too fast. I tried opening the hood while tilling and it helped out some. Anyone with this problem please E-Mail back. Thanks

 

[wejones]

Reese, I have noticed the same thing on my Century 2535. With the way the engine covers are there is nowhere else for the heat to go. Your feet do get hot. Also remember the muffler and bulk of the exhaust system are completly under the hood. There is a lot of heat coming off of them especially if you are pulling hard while tilling or bushhogging. Be diligent when you are bushhogging to check your front screen and radiator. When clipping fescue I have had mine plug up in a couple of hours. I can tell when mine is starting to plug by simply watching the temperature guage move beyond the normal range.

Another idea is to try operating with out the side panels, although I would not recommend it since the tractors were designed to operate with them on. Maybe some one else has other ideas. Good Luck Willie Jones

 

[SnowRidge]

Do you have a turbo? My 35 HP Branson is normally aspirated, and I have never experienced anything like you described.

 

[Big_Lug]

SnowRidge,
Yea I have a turbo but my previous 2810 did the same thing. I put some "Purple Ice" in the radiator and it helped with the engine temp. by keeping it down. But my real concern was the excessive heat that blows on your feet and face. I noticed on the older Kubota's, before the 2900,3100,etc. the 50 series had the side panels like the Branson's do now, but after looking at other brands I notice that they dont have the bottom of the engine area, toward the driver, covered by anything. Its like it is cutout. I don't know if this helps disperse the hot air or not. I also noticed on the newer Branson's they have more screens on the side panels, I don't know if this helps disperse the heat or not. Please respond.

 

[mudcat]

Does your thermostat pilot light come on when it gets that hot? Dealer says it is normal down here in Fla. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Big_Lug]

Not that I notice. Does yours. Have you had the same signs and symptoms as I have.

 

[mudcat]

Myfather-in-law was bush hogging his property and the thermostat pilot light came on. It was 96 degrees out. The dealer said it was normal here in Florida. I thought it was for the glow plugs? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[MicroPilot]

I bush hogged yesterday, 90 degress here, on a steep hillside going up and down. The engine ran a little hotter than normal. That means that the temp gauge went to the line in the center of the gauge. My "normal" operating temp is about 3/5's to the center line on the temp gauge.

I do notice engine heat coming back on me, but have never noticed that my feet were getting overly warm.

I've noticed similiar heat when using my neighbors Massey 1250. This tractor has an under the hood exhaust also. The side panels on this tractor are open a lot more than the Century/Branson models. I don't think the closed side panels have a lot to do with this.

 

[Stimw]

It was so hot friday (97*) that I tried to "P" and all that came out was steam and a little bit of dust!
I've noticed the hot air from the hood and wondered why. It looks like a vent behind the hood but it's not. It would be great if you had a windshield and winter. I would try removing the side panels, if you are not around heavy dust or flying debris it shouldn't hurt.

 

[Big_Lug]

Stimn, you need to put that on Real TV. Man you must have been dehydrated bad. Tomorrow I am going to put some weatherstriping on the underneath of the hood to try to keep some of the heat from coming back in my face.

 

[rameye]

I've been using my C42 for the past 2 weeks (very HOT), however my engine temps have been normal with no noticeable driver /platform heat.

Things to check..

Is the belt tight ?
Pre-screen and radiator clean? (powerwash gently aamzed what you'll find)
Fluid level?
If it is a turbo, do you have a properly functioning turbo?

The turbo assists in cooling by moving more air thru the engine..even better if its intercooled!

Are the side screen perforations on the cowling plugged?

If it was me and everything checked out (including thermostat) I would pop the hood to help the heat escape.

If hot operation is the norm, it might be time to go synthetic if you haven't already, your turbo will appreciate it.

My .02

ram

 

[Big_Lug]

I used the tractor on Monday,Tuesd., and Wed. and it never got hot. I think that it was just that I was tilling approximately 2 acres and it was just very hot and I was running about 2500 RPM's. I plowed and land leveled all day and had no problems. I am going bushhogging Friday so I will see how things run. We are having a slight decrease in humidity so it will be more bareable. Have a good weekend.

 

[Big_Lug]

This tuesday I was tilling for about 2 hrs, the temp. outside was around 90 with high humidity and I had to end up finishing with the hood up to keep the temp. down. It was running past the mark befor the red. By opening the hood it dropped the temp. gauge quit a bit. It was just so hot on my feet I had to cross them on my seat to keep them from burning. I had tennis shoes on, so it helped out. I was bushhogging the other day with sandles on and I couldn't take the heat on my feet , I had to cross them on the seat once again. I have the old style side panels with the, I believe, 4 rectangle cutouts with the welded screen in it. The newer one's have quite a bit of more area cutout with the welded screen. I was wondering if this helps or not. Does it let out more heat from the side panels or not ? Can anyone comment please.

 

[rameye]

Well if lifting the hood dropped the temp, I guess its just a matter of heat retention, wouldn't you think.

Dont run the olde girl hot, heat is the number 1 killer of diesels.

pop off the side panels..certainly easy enough.

PS hoping the best for you folks down there with this storm brewing....take care

ram

 

[Big_Lug]

Thanks Rameye we are just out of the path, to the West of the projected path of her. We are not even having to evacuate. New Orleans is, but we are further West thank God. I checked my screen and radiater and all are clean, it's just as you say it is haet retention. I didn't try to take off the side panels to see if that helped or not. If it would I really didn't want to run around without them. That wouldn't look too good.

 

[rameye]

I Know it would look dopey...but for the few days you run when she's gonna heat up who cares?

The olde tractors ran without side panels, maybe they were onto something /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Big_Lug]

Just wanted to post what I found out about the excessive heat situation. I brought my 4020 to my dealer for the repair of the fan blade and shroud that had some how came into contact with one another. I told him of the amout of heat I was feeling when using my tiller or bushhog. Any gear driven implement that you use for greater than about 2 hrs or so. I was bushhogging last Saturday, temp. about 68 during the day with plenty of sunshine, I was cutting 5 acres of grass that was about 2 ft. tall, using range 2 gear 3. Halfway through and I felt my feet get hot. I felt hot air blowing from the floor platform area right about your feet area. It feels like it comes through the openings by the lower steering arm. Then comes through at the top of the hood near the dash cowling. I also notice when I till at Range 1 Gear1 the radiator gets hot. I was told that it was due to the "ambient" temp here in Louisiana and Texas by Scott at Branson. If this is so, then I guess Branson's just aren't made to due work here in LA. There sure are alot of Kubota's, J.D. , and other tractors that work fine here. He acted like I had an isolated incident. I told him that as soon as I can I was going to sell it and I guess have to buy a name brand tractor. This makes my 2nd Branson and have had minor problems like this but I find it veryhard to swollowsomeone telling me that it is just too hot where I live. I told him as long as I raise my hood and till or bushhog the tractor runs at a decent temp. My 2810 I had to put Purple Ice in the radiator to make it run normal. I have a brother-in-law that used it and also had the complaint of his feet getting hot. Anyone with a answer, suggestion, or comment please reply. Thanks

 

[wallace]

I do not have a question but I will pass that comment from the Branson employee to the Right people and I will have a answere for you!

 

[Big_Lug]

Rickie, Scott told me that he was going to pass the info. on to the engineers at Branson to try to get somemthing resolved. He said he might have had 4-5 complaints with the same story, but acted like I was just going to have to live with it. I have been loyal to Branson, I like the power and weight of the tractor and the way it pulls but these little problems make it unbareable to operate. Like I said I have had a 2810 and a 4020. The engineers are supposed to be in Georgia on the week of 10/17/05. I hope they take my complaint seriously and don't act like I have to just live with the problem, then I will just have to sell the tractor for another brand. My wife has been complaining that I have had more problems with Branson than my previous Kubota's and New Holland's, and the cost of bringing it back to the dealer for warranty work gets expensive, he is 45 miles away, one way trip. When I bought the tractor I thought it was the last one I would need to buy!!!!!!!!!!! We will see.

 

[JCar]

No excuses but this does seem to be a regional issue, so now we need to find out what can be done to help you, Did you find out why the fan was touching the shroud ? and have you mowed with the side panels off ? The new panels do have a lot more vents, and our weather does not get that hot. Again this a dealer issue, the dealer should deal with Branson not the customer, If the dealers don't step up and take care of these small issues Branson might as well sell direct to the public. Jason