Kubota M4900 Overheated

[DoughyMidget]

I was turning compost yesterday when my tractor started overheating. I've had it get hot before when the radiator screen got clogged with compost, so I try to be good about watching it, but it snuck up on me. I looked down and the needle was right on the edge of (maybe in) the red. I turned it off immediately and could hear the coolant boiling. I have not idea how long it was that hot for. I'm pretty sure the dash has a warning light that wasn't illuminated, so I wonder if I caught it just as it was getting there.

Anyway, I'm about to walk back out with a bottle of coolant to see how she's doing. I've read that I can look for any fresh oil leaks as signs of damage. Are there any other precautions or inspections I should perform before trying to start her again?

I checked the radiator screen right after, and it was clean, so I'm not sure why she overheated this time either.

 

[Roadworthy]

It's good your radiator screen was clear. How about the radiator fins themselves? Sometimes small stuff (dust, etc.) will make it through the screen and build up on the radiator. Blow from back to front with air or water to push any dust back out the front of the radiator. It's also possible your thermostat stuck closed.

 

[Liquidsilver]

I had something like this happen on my M5400. The fan belt had snapped and I didn't notice until I heard the furious boiling in the radiator. I'd just check the fan belt along with the radiator fins.

I also had my M5400 get super hot while bush hogging. I couldn't guess why she seemed to be struggling so much... until I figured that I was bush hogging with the parking brake on. Coulda hit myself over the head with a coconut for that one. DOH!

 

[DoughyMidget]

It's good your radiator screen was clear. How about the radiator fins themselves? Sometimes small stuff (dust, etc.) will make it through the screen and build up on the radiator. Blow from back to front with air or water to push any dust back out the front of the radiator. It's also possible your thermostat stuck closed.

Got it back, and the fins are mostly clear too. Ran it and continued the same work I had been doing yesterday to watch the temperature a bit more closely. The temp did rise a bit above normal and then held until I stopped and idled. Then it started to climb. I put her into 2nd gear to cruise home and with bit of continuous speed (and air flow I'm guessing) the temperature dropped back down. She was overheating at the peak heat of the day yesterday, and it was quite hot. Hotter than this morning when I was testing things out.

Didn't see any new oil leaks, so hopefully I didn't do too much damage with the heat.

I'll test out my thermostat and see what's going on there, but it seems to me like it just wasn't regulating temperature well - not that it was failing to regulate at all.

 

[drizler]

I don’t cut an awful lot of field . When I do though my Massey gets cLogged up usually in the fins of the radiator. I watch for the graduL rise. Then hit it with high pressure air.to clean the rad fins and screens, just be careful not to fold over those fins. Don’t forget to blow out the air cleaners as well. Those get super gnarly But clean up great with air.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have to deal with this all the time during haying and field mowing.
I think it would be great if tractors could have an optional belt driven air pump/compressor and tank. This could be used with a hose & blow gun for field cleaning radiators, airing up tires and other maintenance tasks.