Perkins Diesel Cooling System?

Travis_R · Mar 27, 2014

Ok I think I may have a problem with my tractor, but not exactly sure. I know, souds weird right?

My Massey 231 has the 3 cylinder Perkins AD3.152 Diesel engine. It has 1,050 hours on the original working meter. At 480 hours when I got the tractor about 7 to 8 years ago, I flushed out the radiator with water and added new 50/50 antifreeze.
I just found out today that I don't think it's cooling like it should and it's been like this for years!!

I was running it for about an hour and a half and decided to open the radiator cap out of the blue once I got it back under the shed. The water temp gauge has always ran close to the "white" color on the gauge. The "green" color on the gauge is the safe range. Well when I took the cap off the water never boiled out or anything! Wasn't swirling around either. I could stick my finger in the antifreeze but couldn't keep it there too long cause it was just a little too hot.

So then I decided to take the grille off the front of the tractor to look at the radiator. It wasn't stopped up with dirt or grass cause I've always checked it regular and kept it clean. I then felt the top of the radiator and it was barely warm. Then I felt the bottom and it was cool as can be. So it made me concerned enough to come on here and start a post.

Do ya'll think there's a problem with the cooling system or not? If so, what do u think it could be?

Thanks to all.

CalG · Mar 27, 2014

Over cooling due to a stuck open thermostat? Put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator and watch the temp guage.

The water/ anti-freeze should just about boil when the engine is working. But there are lots of 185 degree thermostats out there.

MHarryE · Mar 27, 2014

You haven't mentioned anything that is really alarming. The temp gauge runs near the white line but if I understand you right it doesn't climb higher when you work it harder. You don't say it is losing coolant. You have put a lot of hours on the tractor with no apparent problem.

Tractor radiator hotter on top than bottom is normal. Hot coolant in on the top, cools as it flows down to where the pump draws from the bottom. Can't give you an exact number as to temperature difference because it is all dependent on coolant flow rate, ambient temp, power output, etc.

Your engine is smaller than the ones with which I am familiar but the larger ones have a bypass thermostat so the coolant flow bypasses the radiator. Also they don't work right if the thermostat is removed. To get all the coolant to flow through the radiator at all temperatures we use special blocked open thermostats (we need to remove the thermostat from the equation when testing cooling capacity).

Travis_R · Mar 27, 2014

Withe the radiator cap on, it tends to wanna boil out antifreeze thru the overflow hose.

When I'm bush hogging, I have to keep a very close eye on the temp gauge. It will climb almost to the white part of the gauge in a heartbeat. I'm not sure how hot is too hot.

I don't know exactly how to diagnose it, but I'm thinking there is a problem somewhere.

If I get time tomorrow I will take a pic of the temp gauge with the tractor running.

doxford jim · Mar 27, 2014

I would recommend putting in a new thermostat and also a new radiator cap - make sure that they are the correct ones. Then check out the tractor again. it could be simple as the thermostat and/or the rad cap not working properly. That way you know for sure that the rad. cap and thermostat are good and can be taken out of the equation.