finding replacement radiator hoses for 7260?

[electrycmonk]

1st off, I know this is one of those "I should be able to solve easily" thoughts in my head but, I'm not finding an easy solution so far.

I have done the garden hose wash out of radiator twice and used the pressure washer on the engine bay(not the rad core) too clean it off good.

here in Northern DFW the heat has ramped up and I have not been able to get more then 30 minutes before the temp. goes up to top of the green "knocking on the red wall". the odd thing is the heat up pattern is as follows.

engage the PTO for mower, bring it up to 2K then to the "run PTO here" marker about 2400PRMs. it'll run 1/3 green to almost 1/2 green for 10-20 minutes then its like it says "I'm done" and the temp needle starts walking toward the red zone. Last time I was about to get to the end of the yard. about 100' before clutching in and shutting off PTO and the needle stopped climbing . IT hovered a needle width from red wall for about 3-5 minutes before it started to slowly drop running it just above idle. once i got it down to about 3/4 green then i shut it off. Not wanting to have static thermal damage.

That hot and the overflow was definitely bubbling, aggressively but, NOT outta control and angry like. (make sense)
once cooled down I checked the water level in rad and it was "just below the cap's neck."

I am about to order the thermostat on amazon and possibly the water pump assembly as well..... I have been to napa and O'rielly and amazon for radiator hoses to no luck. Even Messicks website says the lower hose is no longer available. At O'riellys we found the old school flexi-hoses with coiled wire inside that are at given lengths and the OD is what i measured on the engine but, as i haven't taken them off yet the I.D. of hoses is an educated guess.

I can get those two Gates brand universal flexi-hoses and their prices are reasonable. (my phone has the part numbers and prices - I can add that data later.... trying to get the 2nd warranty replacement phone to "not brick" during activation......

Should I just get those flexi-hoses that are close to the measured length - if slightly longer & get the thermostat and water pump on amazon and get back to life?

 

[electrycmonk]

i took the chorus of advice from this thread:
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/415229-tractor-overheating-mystery.html about the use of a digital/laser thermometer.... Well, if that didn't show some very interesting facts.

So I took it to mow with the f5' finish mower watched it climb steadily toward the red-zone, shut it down and gently idled back to take measurements. All over the block uniform 189-195*F. The water pump was more closely aligned with the top of radiator 170-175ish and the bottom radiator hose. Top Radiator hose was only about 170-172 at the neck of the radiator but, 167 just above the thermostat. the other side of thermostat was a solid 193.

this was about 3-4 needle thickness from the red-zone so, no overflow bubbling yet.

Looks like the thermostat is the original at this point too. So... I think I'll be ordering the thermostat now and see what comes from advice on the hoses before I go for the water pump assembly and hoses too.

 

[Bob_Bainbridge]

It looks to me like the thermostat is working correctly but the temperature sending unit or gauge is faulty.

Bob B.

 

[PhantomOfHeat]

I think the temp probe is bad. Based on the temps you gave before and after the t-stat the cooling system seems to be working. I would replace the probe and the t-stat at the same time since you will be removing coolant.

If the lower hose is not worn or dry rotting I would leave it but you might as well check it when doing the T-stat.

 

[radios1]

It looks to me like the thermostat is working correctly but the temperature sending unit or gauge is faulty.

Bob B.

from the OP "the overflow was definitely bubbling, aggressively but, NOT outta control and angry like. (make sense)
once cooled down I checked the water level in rad and it was "just below the cap's neck." that would NOT happen if the engine was NOT overheating!..

 

[kthompson]

from the OP "the overflow was definitely bubbling, aggressively but, NOT outta control and angry like. (make sense)
once cooled down I checked the water level in rad and it was "just below the cap's neck." that would NOT happen if the engine was NOT overheating!..

Could if radiator cap is bad.

There is so much that can cause a diesel to over heat (assume it is diesel) not mentioned or I have missed. Air intake system will cause it and many don't know that. Check air filter, check for mice and such as wasp next in the air in take. Clogged exhaust system can cause over heating. Diesels need full air flow in and out. If you have hand help infrared thermometer they are good to help locate issues also. They can show you clogged area in radiator as it will be cooler then tubes coolant is flowing through. Can also check for water flow through radiator hoses.

 

[electrycmonk]

This time I was able to take it for a spin and mow some more and got the temp gauge needle all the way up to the line between the long green band & the small red band then cross into the red for about a minute as I brought it back to idle, disengaged the PTO & quickly got it up to the house to use the lazer temp gauge on it.
Once up to the house the needle was 'just into the green band' touching the speration line to the red band on the gauge.

1st thing I was able to look-see with the cool LED wand style flashlight from harbor freight- it showed all across the radiator, from both directions, very clear light and still very clean.
2nd was the lazer gauge.... bingo, we have several hot spots along the tubes for the overflow tank to be bubbling so fiercely; a couple tubes on the far intake side showed 215-232*F; a couple tubes right in the middle showed 220-230*F & 1 or 2 tubes near the exhaust side edge of the radiator showed 217-231*F. The top tank had a couple spots above 215*F as well. The rest of the tubes and the majority of the top tank showed temps 204-215*F; the hose from the thermostat up to the tank was 195-210-215-ish*F respectively. The thermostats housing and just below it was 212-217-ish as I recall. The block I forgot to check as I was so curious as to where & how many tubes could possibly be clogged that when I was called in to eat-(saved by the bell?) I stopped and went inside.

I have some thoughts and will post a new thread in the main/general folder owning & operating because well, it seems logical to me that I should post it there. (shrugs)

 

[radios1]

with the engine cold, remove the radiator cap, and look at the tubes inside for blockage..

 

[electrycmonk]

I will do that tomorrow for sure as I discovered tonight that the mix is now low enough to see the tubes mouths through the top mouth.