Old lady needs your help again....MF1250 radiator woes!

[Old Gray Mare]

Not familiar with your tractor, but I cant see a need to remove the FEL to get the radiator off especially if you remove the tractor hood. Most radiators only have 2 bolts on top holding the radiator in. Of course you need to remove the top and bottom hoses and then you should be able to just raise it straight up and out of the tractor. There may be some additional braces to the sheet metal that have to come off but they should be easily removed if needed.

Unfortunately, the side arms of the FEL are in the way to comfortably (somewhat ) get to the hoses and bolts. Being a bit old...lol...I need to get close-up to lift. Old Gray Mare just ain't what she used to be

Thanks for the quidance! It is appreciated!!

 

[Old Gray Mare]

One more thing, most if not all radiators will set in a rubber grommet or rubber "chair" on the bottom. Make sure you don't loose that rubber when you take out the radiator.

Thank you for that tidbit!

 

[Old Gray Mare]

They don't have radiator shops like they used to.

LOL...that can apply to nearly EVERYTHING :laughing:

 

[Old Gray Mare]

You shoud have gotten a manual with the loader that tells you how to remove and remount it. Be careful, the loader is heavy.

Yep, I've got the manual. I'm hoping to get encouragement from someone with experience removing the FEL. It reads as "easy" but sure looks intimidating!

Thanks for posting!

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Just be aware of where the leaking antifreeze ends up as it is sweet and toxic to critters. Fixing the radiator isn't a big deal for a radiator shop, just a project getting it out ! Good luck ! :thumbsup:

Yes...THANK YOU!!

 

[powerscol]

I would get some help if possible. Church, Boy Scouts, fire department, your local COOP or Grange. We have a lot of volunteer groups around here. Needed to move some junk and clean up the place and local scout troop showed up after a call. Of course I fed and made a good donation to them. Made quick work of it too.

It might be possible to find a mobile repair service to help too. Have you called your dealer or the radiator shop. Sometimes they can come and help. Some auto parts stores know of help too.

As for replacing the thermostat, I have never used a torque wrench, but have used the gasket sealant. Just be sure you put the thermostat in the correct way - I got one upside down once.

On edit - does you local high school have an auto shop class? If so call the teacher - sometimes they look for real examples to teach the kids with.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

I would get some help if possible. Church, Boy Scouts, fire department, your local COOP or Grange. We have a lot of volunteer groups around here. Needed to move some junk and clean up the place and local scout troop showed up after a call. Of course I fed and made a good donation to them. Made quick work of it too.

It might be possible to find a mobile repair service to help too. Have you called your dealer or the radiator shop. Sometimes they can come and help. Some auto parts stores know of help too.

As for replacing the thermostat, I have never used a torque wrench, but have used the gasket sealant. Just be sure you put the thermostat in the correct way - I got one upside down once.

On edit - does you local high school have an auto shop class? If so call the teacher - sometimes they look for real examples to teach the kids with.

Thanks for posting!

I wish the help you suggested were possible, but there is no grange, co-op, scouts, of FFA in these parts. FD is volunteer and takes at least 45 minutes travel time to get to this area, same with the Sheriff.

When the tractor wouldn't start a while back, I called a tractor place in Flagstaff (65 miles away) and they wanted $275 EACH WAY to pick it up :shocked: Maybe because they heard a female voice asking the what the charges would be...?!

BTW...I grew up with 2 older brothers and was their "official" parts cleaner when they tore into their 1949 and 50 Fords. I was always getting greasy and could rebuild a carburetor alongside them . I am strong enough to take out/reinstall the radiator, if I can convince myself I won't cause more harm than good lol, since I have 3 horses and move bales of hay, etc. No close neighbors or friends because I prefer peace & quiet

Oh, the radiator has brass top & bottom tanks. I scratched the surface to make sure.

Thanks again!

 

[lmalcomb]

I have a 1250 with the 1246 loader Myself. I would get a stepstool and do it with the loader on. Just make sure You lower it to the ground Don't even think about working under it with the loader raised. Take pictures & make notes it may take a few days to get it recored

 

[holeycow]

sounds like you'll do fine

read the manual carefully on loader removal. Do it exactly as they say, and watch what's going on as you do it...slowly. Make sure to do it on level ground..or it may even help to be slightly uphill or downhill from the loader...it depends. Probably level ground tho. And try to ensure that the loader does not sink into the ground while its off. Its easy to dent your tractor removing the loader.

The only tip I can give is this; sometimes hoses that have been over a pipe for a long time are kind-of glued to the pipe. You need to break the seal, as no amount of pulling will get the hose off. A sometimes good way to make removal easier is to loosen the clamps (obviously) and then use a pair of channel-lock pliers to grip the hose and twist it. You have to be careful not to crush the pipe, so sharp pliers work best as you don't have to squeeze very hard to get enough grip on the hose to turn it slightly.

That being said, the hoses may just slip off easily, but I sort-of doubt it.

You'll get-er

Remember on installation that you don't want anything to possibly vibrate and wear a hole in your repaired rad. The watch-the-rubber pad was a good tip. Make sure it is in proper shape to do its job. Or buy or fabricate a new one. Inner tube makes good material for stuff...

I looked on tractordata...nice little tractor you got there!

oh, and bars-leak is junk. Silver Stallion is better. The best is coarse black pepper, egg whites or dry mustard (or some combination thereof), although that may cause a problem with your coolant flow through your engine block. A proper rad shop will fix the rad like new. The down and dirty way is to use snips to cut out the fins around the tube/s that are leaking and then pinch them off and solder them shut. You may only have one little leak. I don't know how cool your tractor runs, but many old tractors only need 1/2 of their rad. Your tractor is not old, btw. Just you, lol.
I have stopped leaks in several old rads with kitchen ingredients. And I have used bars-leak too, never very successfully.

Anyway, good luck! You'll be fine. Just be careful with the heavy stuff, like the loader. Or maybe you don't have to take the loader off. i don't know.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

I have a 1250 with the 1246 loader Myself. I would get a stepstool and do it with the loader on. Just make sure You lower it to the ground Don't even think about working under it with the loader raised. Take pictures & make notes it may take a few days to get it recored

So nice to meet a fellow 1250 owner How do like yours? Have you ever had any mechanical problems? Have you removed the FEL, and if so, was it difficult? I know to never work under a raised bucket. I am VERY careful when working with the tractor. Read too many horrific stories about accidents. I'm from northern Idaho and had a lot of good advice from hay growers and loggers about what not to do. LOL...if I get hurt who'd feed my horses...

Thanks for the ideas!



Great suggestions to take photos and use a step stool!