L3200 Overheating while Mowing

[gogo]

Hi Guys,
I've had my Kubota a couple years now and I love it. I was mowing my brush last weekend and I noticed the temp gauge was nearing the red so I shut her down. There was still antifreeze in the reservoir but I could hear the water boiling. I let it cool off. I popped the hood and checked it over and it all looked good. removed the radiator cap after a while and it was hot. Next I took out the air filter and cleaned it with my compressor. So I go back out and start mowing and it got to the red zone again! Within 10 minutes! I shut it down and this time antifreeze was spewing out the reservoir line and the water was boiling out of the radiator and into the reservoir. I let it cool around an hour. The weather was around 75 degrees and breezy. Not a hot day.

Next I removed the mower and put the gannon on, thinking that the mower was causing the overheating.

I used the gannon for about 40 minutes, all the time, keeping an eye on the temp. After around 40 minutes the temp got up near red but not like before. I turned it off and it was not overheating or boiling over.

So now tonight, I am going to check the radiator for screen being full of grass and stuff and wash it off before I start it tonite before dark. It has run with the mower and auger in the past and never overheated. I'm hoping that a washing of the front of the radiator will do the trick.

Is there another thing to check if this happens again tonite? I'm not familiar where the thermostat is on the tractor but I have the owners manual. I'm writing this now because I have a couple hours drive to get out to the ranch. Hopefully by the time I get there, someone can chime in. I'll check my email when I get out there around 5:30 PST.

Thanks in advance.
Tom

 

[C4Ranch]

Clean the screen. Blow in corner of fan shroud with compressed air.

Usually always it.

 

[nybirdman]

Your machine may have two screens;lift the hood,side panels and remove and blow out the screens and radiator(s).I use a long air wand.Almost guarantee that this is your problem.No way it should over heat at 75 degrees.

 

[Fallon]

My L3200 got hot when mowing a fair bit. Every time the screen was plugged, or stuff got through the screen (often when cleaning the screen while running, which is a bad idea because of the fan sucking crap through) & the radiator itself got plugged. Sometimes especially with the radiator plugged rather than the screen it was hard to see the crap on there. There is a pile of gear obstructing your view in front of the radiator.

I don't think there is a screen for the hydraulic cooler (which may only be on HST machines). So you need to keep an eye on that & keep it clean as well.

Gentaly blowing with compressed air usually works to clean the fins. Be careful as going hard & close with a blow gun will bend that weak aluminum that makes up the fins. Occasionally hose it down with water to flush it out as dust cakes on & air alone won't dislodge it. Keeping it wet for a little bit will let it go from hard cake to soft mud & get washed out.

 

[Oldoak]

If any of the afore mentioned doesn't solve your overheating problem, I would be looking at the water pump.

 

[gwstang]

Remove radiator cap (be careful not to get burned) and run the engine to see if the coolant is circulating. You may have to get it a bit warm for the thermostat to open. You should be able to see the coolant moving.

 

[gogo]

Hey Everyone,
Thanks for all your input. I had to work yesterday late so I will be heading out around 2pm to do everything that was suggested. I had used the tractor for an entire day the week before with no issues so i'm thinking its the just the screen being plugged. The brush was extra tall and thick this year due to the rains here in So Cal. I'll update tonight after I run the tractor. Thanks again for all your help.
Tom

 

[big bubba]

If any of the afore mentioned doesn't solve your overheating problem, I would be looking at the water pump.

or thermostat

 

[aczlan]

My L3200 got hot when mowing a fair bit. Every time the screen was plugged, or stuff got through the screen (often when cleaning the screen while running, which is a bad idea because of the fan sucking crap through) & the radiator itself got plugged. Sometimes especially with the radiator plugged rather than the screen it was hard to see the crap on there. There is a pile of gear obstructing your view in front of the radiator.

I don't think there is a screen for the hydraulic cooler (which may only be on HST machines). So you need to keep an eye on that & keep it clean as well.

Gentaly blowing with compressed air usually works to clean the fins. Be careful as going hard & close with a blow gun will bend that weak aluminum that makes up the fins. Occasionally hose it down with water to flush it out as dust cakes on & air alone won't dislodge it. Keeping it wet for a little bit will let it go from hard cake to soft mud & get washed out.

We had that issue on our B7500 and BX2660, in both cases washing the radiator fins out with water fixed it.

Aaron Z

 

[mddorange]

The very first time I was bush hogging it got hot after about 6 hours. It was a dirty screen but I was also surprised how much got past the screen and on to the radiator. Both had to be cleaned, so now I always keep an eye on the gauge when using the tractor for anything.

 

[JWR]

or thermostat

Agree. Every small (under 30hp) Kubota I have been around runs too close to the red zone when using a belly mower and/or other power consuming attachments. The hotter the outside air temp the worse the disease. Yes, you have to keep the screens clean and, yes, you need to flush the radiator both inside and out, etc. All good advice. HOWEVER, I am convinced that Kubota puts water pumps on these things that simply do not move enough water. Larger tractors never have this problem and you almost cannot find a way to drive them into the red zone. This was completely unheard of on very old tractors. Our 1954 MH Pacer was never overheated in the last 63 years and its poor little 16hp Continental engine was far worse overloaded many times than what a mere belly mower would do ! The radiators are plenty big for the size of these small diesels. The fans run like crazy and have plenty of flow. These complaints are WAY WAY too common. Sure we can live with them by using kid gloves but it reeks to have to do so. They ought to be designed with a huge amount of overkill on cooling capacity and they are not. In my opinion it is mainly undersized water pumps.

Anyone know of similar issues with comparable sized small diesel John Deere or Massey Ferguson machines ?

 

[Fallon]

Following up on my earlier post...

My L3200 was always solid with the needed half way up the gauge... Unless things were dirty or plugged. Even when mowing in the summer. That's in Colorado where we are noticably lacking in air for cooling & burning.

Also lift your loader way up before cleaning stuff of you can only get the screen out half way on each side. Which is annoying to have to slide it half way out in each side.

 

[gogo]

Well, The radiator was clogged! I just got done cleaning it from both sides with a leaf blower then a water sprayer to finish it off. It was around 80% blocked. Thanks for everybody's advice. I will sleep good tonight.

 

[s219]

That's the first thing you should check when mowing!! In fact, check it periodically as you mow.

 

[nybirdman]

Well, The radiator was clogged! I just got done cleaning it from both sides with a leaf blower then a water sprayer to finish it off. It was around 80% blocked. Thanks for everybody's advice. I will sleep good tonight.

Plan on cleaning at least once a day when bush-hogging.

 

[teg]

Plan on cleaning at least once a day when bush-hogging.

I mow in the dead of winter... I have to clean it out 3-4 times a day.

Also, Fallon, Older standard L's... Our screens come out the top!! We have to remove the air cleaner to remove the screen!!! What a butt pain.

 

[Fallon]

Well, The radiator was clogged! I just got done cleaning it from both sides with a leaf blower then a water sprayer to finish it off. It was around 80% blocked. Thanks for everybody's advice. I will sleep good tonight.

Good to hear. Annoying, but the nature of the beast. Can't really call it a design flaw. Driving through brush & dust all day does have consequences. Pretty easy to remedy with proper screen cleaning & occasional gentile washing of the radiator.

 

[gogo]

Well, The radiator was clogged! I just got done cleaning it from both sides with a leaf blower then a water sprayer to finish it off. It was around 80% blocked. Thanks for everybody's advice. I will sleep good tonight.

Here's a picture of the blockage/Users/home/Desktop/Radiator.pdf

 

[Baby Grand]

gogo,
Very common problem that you experienced. Luckily, just a clogged screen & inexpen$ive to fix.
For future reference, one of my favorite tools for tinkering with overheating/underheating engines and wood stoves is an inexpensive infrared thermometer that I picked up at Harbor Freight.
Keep up frequent cleaning that radiator & screen so you don't have to go thru what I did with a used machine that had not seen much cooling system mainteneance:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-lawn-garden/343265-g5200-cooling-system-2.html?highlight=g5200
Now get back out there & cut some grass!
-Jim

 

[teg]

Here's a picture of the blockage...

THAT does not look like it has a Screen in front of the radiator... The photo looks like JUST the radiator!!!

Did you buy this tractor new or used?

Couldn't find a photo on internet will take a photo of mine.... (see next post)