Should I install, at least, a temp gauge?

[etpm]

My tractor is a YM2310 that I bought about 6 weeks ago. I live in the PNW, about 40 miles north of Seattle. My temperature gauge never quite rises to the center, even any after hours of use. I don't think it is inaccurate, but it is 40 years old, so I'm thinking I should at least add another temp gauge, along with an oil gauge while I'm at it. Opinions?
Thanks,
Eric
P.S.
I have just been visiting here for about a month and have found it to be a great resource for not only a new Yanmar owner but also for a first time diesel owner. So thanks for all the replies.

 

[bmaverick]

My tractor is a YM2310 that I bought about 6 weeks ago. I live in the PNW, about 40 miles north of Seattle. My temperature gauge never quite rises to the center, even any after hours of use. I don't think it is inaccurate, but it is 40 years old, so I'm thinking I should at least add another temp gauge, along with an oil gauge while I'm at it. Opinions?
Thanks,
Eric
P.S.
I have just been visiting here for about a month and have found it to be a great resource for not only a new Yanmar owner but also for a first time diesel owner. So thanks for all the replies.

With the right oil, 10W30 diesel, clean radiator, clean air filter and the overflow bottle filled to the safe zone, the machine should operate respectfully fine. Ideally, use pre-mix old school green coolant. Or the pet-safe coolant equivalent. Those are formulated properly for our older machines.

A temp gauge is rather nice. So is a volt meter. There is a thread here with images showing a few different Yanmar versions too.

As for info on Yanmar machines like yours, the longest and largest group around with over 35+ years is the Yanmar Tractor Owners Group. We started on GeoCities, then Yahoo, and now GroupsIO. Plus, free manuals too! Our group doesn't replace the tractor forums, we actually compliment them.


In my sig below is the link.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

My tractor is a YM2310 that I bought about 6 weeks ago. I live in the PNW, about 40 miles north of Seattle. My temperature gauge never quite rises to the center, even any after hours of use. I don't think it is inaccurate, but it is 40 years old, so I'm thinking I should at least add another temp gauge, along with an oil gauge while I'm at it. Opinions?
Thanks,
Eric
P.S.
I have just been visiting here for about a month and have found it to be a great resource for not only a new Yanmar owner but also for a first time diesel owner. So thanks for all the replies.

Being a new YM2310 owner myself and also in the PNW I have found since I'm operating normally below 70 degrees the temp is pretty much the same as yours. even after running the Flail mower at a constant 2k+ rpms for an hour or more she stays cool.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Keep your factory gauge. Try a new thermostat.

 

[California]

My feeling is Yanmar got it right when they designed these things and there's no point in trying to improve on what they did. The warning lights on the older YM's are sufficient. Replace the senders and the radiator cap if you feel like spending some money on the tractor. Of course test the warning lights if this wasn't an included feature. (just ground the sensor end of the wire and see if the light comes on). The oil pressure sender and the 14psi radiator cap are common for most of the Japanese cars of the era, not expensive. For the water temp sender there are different versions for convection-circulation or water pump models, maybe a third option if you have a thermostat. The water temperature sender is just a warning that the radiator is so hot it that is about to boilover and puke out the coolant overflow, and you will sense a hot engine before it ever gets that hot and goes critical. Money spent getting the radiator rodded out so it cools properly is money well spent (and of course replacing coolant periodically), ignoring maintenance and instead buying a gauge calibrated in numerical degrees is a pointless alternative to maintaining the cooling system properly.

I haven't seen this recently but it used to be a question from every new owner of an old Yanmar - What temperature gauge should I buy? Yanmar overlooked this important feature! No, they got it right, it won't boilover if you keep up on maintenance so don't worry about it. These engines run at full output continually when they power a ditch pump or are used in boats. Another application is the ThermoKing refrigeration units on semitrailers and on ocean cargo containers where Yanmar diesels run for days under load with no monitoring or maintenance. Our intermittent heavy loading in farm use is less stressful than what they were designed to endure.

Ok, rant over.

 

[Roadworthy]

Unless you're dying for one more project or have reason to mistrust the temperature gauge leave it alone. As far as other gauges, most tractors do not have adequate dash space to add a lot of instrumentation. If you have the dash space an oil pressure gauge would be nice information to have but if the oil pressure light goes on when you turn on the key and goes off when the engine is started you're probably okay there.

 

[RickB]

If you have not verified the coolant temperature relative to various readings on the existing gauge you should.
Absent that information you don't have any basis for determining your working gauge is inaccurate.

 

[California]

If you have not verified the coolant temperature relative to various readings on the existing gauge you should.
Absent that information you don't have any basis for determining your working gauge is inaccurate.

The little $12 HF 'non-contact pocket thermometer' is the simplest way to see what's going on.

I posted temperature readings on the YM240 in an old thread about the oil pressure sensor:
"140 degrees on the bottom of the oil pan, 165 at the lower block, and 195 near the injectors, at the upper radiator hose fitting, and at the radiator upper tank. The radiator lower tank was below 100."

 

[etpm]

The little $12 HF 'non-contact pocket thermometer' is the simplest way to see what's going on.

I posted temperature readings on the YM240 in an old thread about the oil pressure sensor:
"140 degrees on the bottom of the oil pan, 165 at the lower block, and 195 near the injectors, at the upper radiator hose fitting, and at the radiator upper tank. The radiator lower tank was below 100."

I have one of those IR thermometers so I will use it to check temps. That's a good idea. I am not wanting to spend any extra money so your suggestion will certainly help in that regard. Since this tractor is the first diesel I have ever owned or operated, and since the tractor is 40 years old, I may be worrying too much. Right now the thing starts so easily, is so easy to use, is so much fun, and was so cheap, I don't want to goof it up.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[etpm]

You know, I really need to say Thank You to all of you that replied. This group is really helping me understand how to operate my first diesel. Your replies truly help.
Thanks Again,
Eric