Radiator spits via overflow tube

[Gregster613]

Hi guys, I thought I was done with my current projects but wife had other ideas. Ha! Actually it was good for me as I got more seat time in anyhow! But I was concerned about running my beast if it had problems? So after letting it sit overnight... I open up radiator cap - top off water level {to just below neck} - leave cap off while I start up engine and let it idle until warmed up so I could see if'n I could tell if the thermostat was opening or not. Sure enough it appears to be opening after engine gets warmed up. The water seemed to stay smooth while cold and then sort of "burgled" (can't think of a proper name for it) -- it was like bubbles but not with air? So I believe the thermostat is working correctly.
Bob Rip, Flyerdan, and Boggen had it right I believe. The old cap {may} have been getting hung up - still unsure about that, but am using new cap anyhow - and I believe that I was filling the radiator with too much water. That's because while I watched it "burble" it would expand and drain down the overflow tube. So I left it idle and burble for quite some time to ensure no air in system, watched temp gauge closely also and it stays right in the middle where it should be. After it drained down some and I was fairly confident it wasn't actually overheating I put the cap on and went to dig a few more postholes for some trees we are planting. It seemed to run OK! I did shut it off while mounting the equipment and when not actually digging holes - rather than leave it idle.
Long story short, I believe I was adding too much coolant and I am just going to make it a practice to check the water level - as I do the screen & engine oil every time before I start up the engine. These small tractors seem to be much more heat concious than the farm tractors I was used to running. Of course, on these the radiator is packed in behind the tranny cooler, battery, and in a much more compact frame! Thanks so much for the suggestions and ideas!
I still will try to rig up some sort of recovery system and see if that helps retain water, although I am unsure how I will manage to mount it in the confined space available to work with. Whenever I next get to a Harbor Frieght I'm going to get one of those infrared head guns so I can get an actual idea of the # range I'm running at also. Thanks for helping me put a possible overheat issue to rest! Fare well. Greg

 

[EE_Bota]

Hi guys, I thought I was done with my current projects but wife had other ideas. Ha! Actually it was good for me as I got more seat time in anyhow! But I was concerned about running my beast if it had problems? So after letting it sit overnight... I open up radiator cap - top off water level {to just below neck} - leave cap off while I start up engine and let it idle until warmed up so I could see if'n I could tell if the thermostat was opening or not. Sure enough it appears to be opening after engine gets warmed up. The water seemed to stay smooth while cold and then sort of "burgled" (can't think of a proper name for it) -- it was like bubbles but not with air? So I believe the thermostat is working correctly.
Bob Rip, Flyerdan, and Boggen had it right I believe. The old cap {may} have been getting hung up - still unsure about that, but am using new cap anyhow - and I believe that I was filling the radiator with too much water. That's because while I watched it "burble" it would expand and drain down the overflow tube. So I left it idle and burble for quite some time to ensure no air in system, watched temp gauge closely also and it stays right in the middle where it should be. After it drained down some and I was fairly confident it wasn't actually overheating I put the cap on and went to dig a few more postholes for some trees we are planting. It seemed to run OK! I did shut it off while mounting the equipment and when not actually digging holes - rather than leave it idle.
Long story short, I believe I was adding too much coolant and I am just going to make it a practice to check the water level - as I do the screen & engine oil every time before I start up the engine. These small tractors seem to be much more heat concious than the farm tractors I was used to running. Of course, on these the radiator is packed in behind the tranny cooler, battery, and in a much more compact frame! Thanks so much for the suggestions and ideas!
I still will try to rig up some sort of recovery system and see if that helps retain water, although I am unsure how I will manage to mount it in the confined space available to work with. Whenever I next get to a Harbor Frieght I'm going to get one of those infrared head guns so I can get an actual idea of the # range I'm running at also. Thanks for helping me put a possible overheat issue to rest! Fare well. Greg

I think you are right. My tractor is a different brand, but it doesn't have a recovery system either. On it, the fluid is supposed to be about an inch down from the bottom of the cap tube, and given the shape of that radiator, it will do a great deal of air breathing, but won't lose any water.

I am going to attempt to put a homemade overflow bottle, and see if it can become a recovery type system, since I think it may help limit corrosion in the upper radiator area. I recently replaced a cap due to corrosion of the cap...and that can't be good. I'm not advising anyone else to do what I am suggesting.

 

[boggen]

glad to here you have it fixed. on a side note: it has been ages since i actually looked at radiators i have. for the mark. but many radiators have a "line" or kinda of a "dent" that is popped out away from radiator on one of its upper corners. that can be used for max fill line. some times the radiator metal is stamped with min/max with the lines right in the metal. sometimes it is a sticker. again most of the time it is on the side of one of the top corners. but on a couple vehicles i have seen a sticker in the middle upper portion of radiator.

on some radiators all the panels and other things around the radiator, you may not see the min/max line on the radiator. it has been those times when i had to fix something, and had to tear everything off, when i went OH! then a *DUH* so that is the min/max line for fill of radiator. and then wonder what bozo made things so difficult to see the min/max line markings.

 

[EE_Bota]

I don't believe this! :confused2: 250 hours and never a symptom before this. :confused3: How do you guys with thousands of posts over the years survive? :duh: I give up! :banghead: This social networking crap is not for me. :thumbdown: Time to say goodbye.

When a person has a question, we assume he asked it because he wanted to ask. Likewise, we should assume that when a person answers, he did it because he wanted to answer. Since both people did what they wanted of their own volition, there is nothing owed (one to the other.) There should be no other tie between them but best wishes for a speedy conclusion.

"Time is money" but when we give some away, we shouldn't tie strings to it. We are always free to re-jigger how we spend our future time.

 

[Gregster613]

K7LN, I guess I somehow "tweaked" your nerve-endings...and for that I am sorry. I try to always be conscious of what I say on here but I do say what is on my mind at the time. In 250 hours of useage I must have forgotten how high or low the actual level while cold is supposed to be [I have had it over-heat 'via the gauge' twice - due to learning about keeping the screen clean] and I think I now have it adjusted close to correct. I scoured all over my manuals and the radiator itself but could find no markings or explanations as to the proper (cold) level. So, I will for now assume that it's like an auto battery and water should be just over the inner plates of the radiator. Which equals out to approx. 3/4" - 1" below the cap; as EE_BOTA stated. Yet,,,If I'm wrong, I will post again and seek ideas from others as this is how we all learn. Thanks for your contributions to my perplexing dilema and please don't give up on social networking because of an answer I may or may-not have posted. Thanks, Greg

 

[BobRip]

I believe if you overfill it the system will self adjust to a good level. This type of system does have to have fluid added. Hence the coolant recovery systems which loose much less coolant over time.

 

[Gregster613]

Hi Fellas,
Thought I'd come back with a "somewhat" of a fix. I was "sure" I'd cleaned the radiator & screen - - and I had...but...I cleaned it with water several more times and I've even gone to letting engine idle whilst flowing water through the fins allowing the fan to increase the flow through, and it seems to have cleared itself out! Ooohraw!!!

I have run it several more times "in incredible outside heat" (but...not moving dirt or stirring up dust) and it has not [yet] spit again!! So....for now I seem to have regained control of this beast. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed and a close eye on gauges & everything; but am hopeful that I just hadn't cleaned the fins throughly enough. I'll soon see, as when our wetter season comes, then I run the Woods Bushbull rotary cutter often and that sucks up the PTO HP causing engine to snort!

To those who suggested I install an overflow system, I just don't have the room under the hood without severe modifications to fit it in. Good idea though and I've not discarded it just yet. If'n I get a repeat of spitting, I may just have to adapt some sort of a system...although it didn't come with one!

Thanks to all for the many ideas, thoughts, and suggestions! Much appreciated. Greg

 

[Redneck in training]

On my 330 there is a screen between radiator and the oil cooler. That is thething that gets plugged. Since I have FEL installed it is impossible to remove the screen. I clean it such a way that pull/push it many time in and out while blowing air between the radiator and the oil cooler.