LS G3038H - Cleaning Rad Screen?

[flingwing1969]

I run a program where our neighbors can bring their wildfire defensible space trimmings to a central site where we unload them and pile the debris - limbs, small logs, leaves and pine needles - for later disposal. I use my G3038h with forks and a hand built debris forks attachment to handle the debris. We do two of these a month during the dry-season so 16 hours or so of tractor time donated each month.

I have found that this work results in my radiator pre-screen getting clogged within maybe three hours of work, blocking air flow and resulting in rising engine temp. I usually keep an eye on the temp gauge and try to clean the crap off before I over heat. Getting to the screen to clean it off is kind of a pain because the air filter housing is right in front of it. I can usually get much of it off with a long rod and simply scraping down but later, when I want to completely clean it and blow through the radiator to clean it out as well, I can't figure a why to get the screen off without removing the air filter assembly.

Anyone figured out how to do this easily or a way of modifying the screen to do it?

 

[leonardo]

i do a lot of brush hogging. screen constantly clogged with seeds, fluff, etc. i use a hand blower to periodically clean the screen. when finished and back at home base, pull screen thoroughly blow out all the junk with hand blower, then use radiator genie to blow out radiator itself. works for me.

 

[flingwing1969]

i do a lot of brush hogging. screen constantly clogged with seeds, fluff, etc. i use a hand blower to periodically clean the screen. when finished and back at home base, pull screen thoroughly blow out all the junk with hand blower, then use radiator genie to blow out radiator itself. works for me.

Thanks. Yes, I do that too when I'm close to home but the site where I work has no power for a compressor, no water supply, and would be very inconvenient to go home. I have an 18 volt battery operated leaf blower that I take with me and it kind of does the job, but then when I get back I really need to remove the screen to get the radiator really clean. The design of the screen implies easy removal - two hook as the top over which a simple eyelet on the screen drop and the bottom simply slides behind a metal bar, but the reality is quite different as the air cleaner is fully in the way and parts have to be removed to get the screen out without crumpling it and tearing it in the process.

I'm going to have to give it a look and see if there is a simple way to do this without the hassle - the screen is very effective at reducing the amount of crap going into the radiator and it would be nice if I could simply unhook it, give it a shake or two and pop it back on - but that is not the case. If I figure something out I'll do a post with pix - just hoping someone else has already done it. Thinking is hard!

 

[robertsa]

i do a lot of brush hogging. screen constantly clogged with seeds, fluff, etc. i use a hand blower to periodically clean the screen. when finished and back at home base, pull screen thoroughly blow out all the junk with hand blower, then use radiator genie to blow out radiator itself. works for me.

Sadly, it sounds like the radiator screen is different between my machine and the OP's so can't help there. I just wanted to say thanks for the heads up on the radiator genie. I have a project on my 'too long to do list' to figure out a way to attach a piece of copper or stainless tubing to a garden hose fitting for cleaning out the radiator from the back side and now I don't have to! $50 on Amazon and I'm done; mocking one up is not worth my time with all the other backed up jobs we've got on the property.

The air wand would have been great for our trips down to Rockport for the Hurricane Harvey cleanup. I had to keep an eye on the temp gauge and was stopping every couple hours to pull the impacted screen and clean it out from all the fiberglass in the air. I can tell you, I was sure happy to have a cab with filtered air coming through the vents for that job! Thanks again friend.

OP, it sounds like the same product may be useful to you. You can blow it out with one of those wands if the screen removal requires excessive disassembly. The alternative is to trade in for a 3135; it's just requires the removal of two threaded knobs on the side, and the screen will slide out. A $50 wand is probably cheaper than trading tractors though

Edit: Just reread OP's last post where you mentioned the no air or power on site. Sorry about that. It is more money so not worth it if you don't use it often, but 12V automotive compressors are a thing and would fit the bill. Alternatively, a small, inexpensive generator would be useful for more than just air.

 

[jaydee325]

I like the looks of the Radiator Genie air wand. The water wand I'm not too excited about. I'd rather blow a radiator out with air than water. If you wet any dirt and not get it flushed out, it will turn very hard and be difficult to clean out later. I've seen radiators plugged up in this maner.

To the OP, you mentioned you have an 18V cordless leaf blower. You may be able to improve its effectiveness by reducing the diameter of the blower hose or tube. For example, if the discharge is 2 inches, rig up some adapters to reduce down to 1 inch. That will increase the velocity and improve effectiveness in this application.

 

[flingwing1969]

OP, it sounds like the same product may be useful to you. You can blow it out with one of those wands if the screen removal requires excessive disassembly. The alternative is to trade in for a 3135; it's just requires the removal of two threaded knobs on the side, and the screen will slide out. .

Trading is not in the cards, I'm afraid. I believe there the issue with mine is the combination of the air cleaner box mounting bracket and the fact that it is an HST with the transmission oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator - the screen is sandwiched between it and the radiator. The real offending part is indeed the air cleaner box mounting brace that blocks the ability to pull the screen out the top in the way it appears to have been designed. Just thought someone might have had a quick and easy way to do it - you never know what a clever TBNer will come up with.

 

[bruceatlam]

I use a gas powered leaf blower on every job site ---- no matter what I'm doing that screen gets plugged up. I'm pretty happy with the results. I wash out the radiator and oil cooler maybe twice a year with a normal old garden hose and spray nozzle. Works for me ------------

 

[flingwing1969]

I use a gas powered leaf blower on every job site ---- no matter what I'm doing that screen gets plugged up. I'm pretty happy with the results. I wash out the radiator and oil cooler maybe twice a year with a normal old garden hose and spray nozzle. Works for me ------------

Yes. I have an 18v battery blower that does the job but I'd really love to be able to pull the screen easily and give it a shake instead. But I guess that is simply not in the cards in spite of that being the obvious intent of having a removable screen, undone by various other brackets.

 

[PILOON]

Recently I looked at a friends B21 rad screen and it was totally blocked, like I have never seen one so bad.
Had him blow it clean and wash it as well.
Based on that finding I pulled his air cleaner and WOW, looked more like 4-5 bird's nests in there.
I wonder how that poor CUT could breathe.
His fuel filter was just as bad.

Needless to say he's deficient in the maintenance department. (but then he is an accountant and counts the pennies)

LOL, his car is the same way.

 

[flingwing1969]

Recently I looked at a friends B21 rad screen and it was totally blocked, like I have never seen one so bad.
Had him blow it clean and wash it as well.
Based on that finding I pulled his air cleaner and WOW, looked more like 4-5 bird's nests in there.
I wonder how that poor CUT could breathe.
His fuel filter was just as bad.

Needless to say he's deficient in the maintenance department. (but then he is an accountant and counts the pennies)

LOL, his car is the same way.

Sad. But certainly a testament to to the B21's forgiving nature. I loved mine and it never let me down - three bad hoses and one flat tire in more than 20 years of service and NOTHING else.