Overheating

JimR · Dec 6, 2004

Al, I would think that adding water to seeds would make them expand and make them harder to get out.
Isn't boiling out for the inside of the tubes? I can remember having this done to tractor trailer truck radiators years ago because they were plugged internally.

BigAl · Dec 6, 2004

Hi Jim,
Yes a "boil out" will help clean up the internal part of a radiator ,but only a certain extent . If a radiator is plugged up "internally" enough to create a cooling problem I would fore go the "boil out" and go to the "rod out" which is actually taking the radiator apart and cleaning it right . A "rod out " includes a "boil out" in the cost . Most "boil outs" will only clean the tanks and down a dirty tube about 3/4" inch internally. A "rod out' will clean it all the way . A "rod out" in my shop use to run $20 more than a "boil out " cost . You don't want to do a "rod out" unless the radiator really needs one as this will fatigue the radiator to a certain extent .
Better radiator shops have a machine called a "Flow Meter " . It tells us exactly in "gallons per minute" what the radiator is flowing under operating conditions . We can "cross reference" that GPM number to a "tech flow chart book" which tells us what the GPM flow was when it was new . If we ended up with more than a 20% difference we always recommended a "rod out" . It also saved the customer a possible "rod out " charge if he did not need it done .
"Boil outs' help get the oil, dirt,or whatever to loosen up . We than used a special "water /air combination tool" to finish blowing off the radiator .
Another trick to see how clean you got your radiator fins is shine a light ( at night) on the radiator fins and see how much shines through the other side .
Big Al

Judy_in_NC · Dec 6, 2004

Don't get mad but between your tractor, your truck, and your trailer you seem to be a very high maintenance woman!!!

Ha! Ha!
No, just a very hard working one. I do all the maintenance and repair work around out place. We have a family of 11 and I grow most all of the food our family consumes - meat, vegetables, fruit, I milk our cow, we have chickens etc.

Have you ever heard the old saying, "When it rains, it pours".

The van is 9 years old - it earned some trans repairs. The trailer - I was having to haul it back and forth to our property we are preparing to build on until we got a building (an old commercial chicken house) secured to be able to lock the tractor in between work days. The tractor - well, like I said first off - I had some serious bush hogging to do - I kept the screens in place and cleaned off - I don't know what more I could have done to protect the radiator except if I had known in the beginning which was the proper side to clean it from, I could have saved this trouble.

I really work hard at saving our family money - I've taught myself how to do plumbing, elec. repair, etc., etc., etc. That was my reason for checking on here before possibly paying for an unnecessary repair.

Several years ago when I bought a Ford 9N tractor I had the chance to learn how to repair its hydraulics. I find these things to be a challenge, and for the most part fun to learn.

Thanks again for your response!

Judy in NC

JerryG · Dec 6, 2004

Judy,
The easy way to clean a radiator that has the dust etc compacted in the fins is to use oven cleaner. Spray the cleaner all over the front of the radiator and as much of the backside as you can. Let it set about 5 minutes. Then wash the fins out with a water hose. You will be amazed at how dirty the water is that comes out. If it is really bad you might have to do it twice. Just be sure that you rinse it off really well when you are done. I have used this on many radiators and it has never failed. I don't know if it is all right to use on aluminum radiators or not, I have always used it on brass core radiators. The cheap $1 cans of over cleaner works just as well as the more expensive name brands.

Judy_in_NC · Dec 6, 2004

Judy,
The easy way to clean a radiator that has the dust etc compacted in the fins is to use oven cleaner. Spray the cleaner all over the front of the radiator and as much of the backside as you can. Let it set about 5 minutes. Then wash the fins out with a water hose. You will be amazed at how dirty the water is that comes out. If it is really bad you might have to do it twice. Just be sure that you rinse it off really well when you are done. I have used this on many radiators and it has never failed. I don't know if it is all right to use on aluminum radiators or not, I have always used it on brass core radiators.

Does anyone else out there have any comment about this method? Is it safe to use on Mahindra radiators?

Should I try to get the radiator warmed up first as you would an oven before using oven cleaner?

Judy in NC

JimR · Dec 6, 2004

How time flies, Yes , It was a Rod Out that we use to do to radiators.

JerryG · Dec 6, 2004

Just follow the directions on the can, except use it on the radiator instead of an oven. Does your tractor have an aluminum radiator or other?

BigAl · Dec 6, 2004

I would make certain that your radiator is ,in fact, a copper/brass one and not a aluminium one before spraying with oven cleaner . Most aluminium radiators are not painted black and this might help to know what you have . Just don't hit the hoses with the oven spray. I did this once , to the engine compartment on a old dodge pickup, I had umpteen years ago . I figured , why buy "Engine Degreaser", when I could just steal Mom's oven cleaner. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I started breaking rubber hoses ,it seemed like every week after that, until I had replaced every hose . /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Was it just a coincidence? I don't know .
Big Al

JerryG · Dec 7, 2004

I started breaking rubber hoses ,it seemed like every week after that, until I had replaced every hose . Was it just a coincidence? I don't know . 
I have never had any problem with hoses.

thegreatrandini · Dec 8, 2004

I am ashamed of my behavior!!! I am so sorry! Good luck. I don't know if you can on your tractor, but on old cars that overheated we used to remove the thermostat and watched how they ran without them. I am not convinced your radiator is clogged since you kept your sceens up? Try the towel trick, then the thermostat trick.....

RanchMan · Dec 8, 2004

( I am not convinced your radiator is clogged since you kept your sceens up? )

My 4110s radiator clogs up while using the bushhog in the summer all the time and I have all the protective "screens" on it. I will not go so far as to call the radiator shielding a "design flaw" but instead say it could use some "design improvement." Since her overheating problem only occurred after bushhogging, I have no reason to believe that the problem is anything other than simple radiator clogging.

When mine gets clogged up, I use compressed air and a "air wand" to blow it out from the fan side. The wand comes in handy as it allows you to get in to tight areas. Depending on the type of vegetation and state (like if it has gone to seed or not), I can find myself having to blow out the radiator several times in an afternoon. Not fun, but required.

thegreatrandini · Dec 9, 2004

Well that sounds simple enough! How hot does your tractor run when the radiator clogs with trash?

RanchMan · Dec 9, 2004

( How hot does your tractor run when the radiator clogs with trash? )

With the type and amount of junk that gets in my radiator, when it is clogged I notice a slow but continuous needle rise over time and consequently go in and clean it out before it gets too high. If I didn't stop I am confident the rise would continue until it would be in the "H" or "red" zone.

When I am doing other work that puts a heavier load on the engine but the tractor has a clean radiator, while there is a rise in temp, the rise stops and does not continue to go up as with the bushhogging with a clogged radiator.

Bluecheck546 · Dec 9, 2004

Any of my vehicles, including my tractor radiator get the screen treatment..... While back, I bought a roll of window screen material to re screen the patio door. And the leftover is used to cover front of the radiator, it stops everything, never have problem with overheating even on hot humid southeastern Georgia days. Hope this helps someone. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Judy_in_NC · Dec 12, 2004

Someone suggested to me trying to fan a small torch rapidly (so as not to overheat it) on the front of the radiator to try to burn out some of the embedded seed/plant material.

Do you know if this would be dangerous to try on the type of radiator that the Mahindra has? Does it sound like something feasible to try?

Bird · Dec 12, 2004

Judy, you undoubtedly know how thin those radiatior fins are. Now I don't say it can't work, but no way I'd get near any of my radiators with a torch. It's my guess that if the torch were close enough, long enough, or hot enough to burn out any seeds, it'd also melt part of the radiator.

wallace · Dec 12, 2004

Judy,I know it's been awhile since this post was started but I just have one question.
When you said your tractor was get hot or overheating, Did you know this because the needle showed that or was the motor / raidator boiling?
Reason for this question is,
On the 4110 Mahindra tractor which has the same chassis as yours the battery drop plate kit was also installed and the temp. quage was off so that had to be changed also.
So maybe you are just getting warm but not overheating.
I would check with your dealer and see if he had heard about this update.

Lucysdad · Dec 13, 2004

My turn? I've been following this post because (1) I've developed an interest in the Mahindras (red is good) and (2) I also have bushhogged with Lucy (Our CC 7275) and had heating problems. My solution (70 miles from home and the air compressor) is to carry air tanks and spray nozzle and when the temp needle gets close to the red, stop and spray the chaff out.
That said ( and Judy, we love you dearly), I'd like to hear what you've done up to now to follow the good advice you've been given here? It really might come down to stuck thermostat. It could be a dirty radiator. It could be a bad heat guage. Don't let it throw ya.
Bring us up to date?