Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery...

[CalG]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

I don't think I would ever run that low of a percentage on a diesel engine.
I think most sources recommend a minimum of 30% which would give you about a 10% improvement.

I have to ask "why 30%"? The Fordson handbook suggests draining the system when frost is expected. Then refill with clean water prior to use. ;-)

 

[CADplans]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

You probably have something that will repeat itself.

I agree,, I will be looking for a cause, and watching the temp gauge a LOT more in the future,,, :confused2:

 

[Eagleview]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Flail mowers throw the grass clippings forward, they are then sucked up by the fan which coats the front of the radiator with fine clippings . I have to stop at least 6 times a day to clean mine or it will get hot . I have tried insect screen to some good, but it still gets past .

Tip, turn your tractor down wind when cleaning the radiator of clippings, they will just blow away in the wind .
Tip 2, NEVER hose out the core and then work with it still wet, the dust will turn to mud and then heat harden and it is a huge pain to get it out again . Try putting a torchlight on the core in the dark of night and see if you can see the light from the other side . You may need a helper .

 

[CADplans]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

I have never had a clipping or other thing in the grill from flail mowing,,
I think the front of my 584 is WAY too far in front of the flail for that to happen.

I have collected seeds, seed heads, and similar debris from mowing grass that is 4 feet tall.
When that happened, I put the loader back on, and carry the bucket at 18 inches high,, to knock the tall stuff away from the grill.
Like this,,

Grass, and stumps, are treated the same!! :laughing:

 

[Eagleview]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

 

[hawkeye08]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Sorry if already mentioned, but perhaps the fan belt is a little loose?

 

[RustyA]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Possible worn water pump impeller not providing proper coolant flow? Would be interesting to use a non-contact infrared thermometer and take multiple temp readings at different points on the radiator. You may find a wide variance due to lower part of radiator internally filled with gunk? May only be cooling with upper 6-75% of radiator?

 

[CADplans]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Sorry if already mentioned, but perhaps the fan belt is a little loose?

The belt was not totally snug,, I tightened it today,, I think the belt was new about three years ago.,,,

Possible worn water pump impeller not providing proper coolant flow? Would be interesting to use a non-contact infrared thermometer and take multiple temp readings at different points on the radiator. You may find a wide variance due to lower part of radiator internally filled with gunk? May only be cooling with upper 6-75% of radiator?

I do have the non-contact thermometer,, I will check the radiator the next mowing.

With the rain we received in the last two days, I may be mowing in less than 4 weeks,, rather than the usual 6-8 weeks this late in the summer,,
I will be checking it then.

 

[RustyA]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

I'm suggesting not waiting until overheat happens again, just warm the tractor up and measure temps from top to bottom on the radiator. I'm guessing you have either a water flow or a heat transfer concern where the radiator just isn't able to release the heat fast enough.

 

[hawkeye08]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

If you want to wash out the radiator, blow it out as much as possible first and then try to get it dry before going to the field. It can get pretty packed into the radiator fins if it is still wet when the dirt starts getting in...

 

[JasperFrank]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Tractor is just trying to tell you that it was too nice of a day to be working.

 

[CADplans]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Tractor is just trying to tell you that it was too nice of a day to be working.

Actually, it was too hot to do manual labor,, so I was driving around on the tractor so that I would stay cool,,,
the tractor did not like that approach,,,


:laughing:

 

[powerscol]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

On thing you could do is take the radiator to a shop and have it professionally cleaned. They can also check flow rate.

 

[def38]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Water pump impellers do erode with age. I would remove the radiator and have it cleaned and pressure tested. I had mine done (it had a bullet hole in it). While the rad is out, remove the water pump and inspect the thermostat and impeller. I work in the heat (100F.) with a flail mower mowing high bush and grass with the PTO pretty well loaded and the tractor in 3 low. I notice no perceptible increase in temperature when working the Perkins hard. Also, my motor oil shows no signs of high heat. The cooling systems in tractors are designed to shed lots of extra heat. You should not experience any overheating on a tractor with a properly operating cooling system regardless of ambient temperature, the coolant used or how you load it.

 

[Egon]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

I have had the tractor 20 years (it is a total of 40 years old), and yesterday, for the second time ever,, the tractor overheated,,,

I have checked/maintained all the usual things,, I think,,,
Clean engine oil and filter
Clean hydraulic oil and filter earlier this summer,
No phantom hydraulic load from a valve being left engaged (I have done that before,, it makes noise),
Radiator clean, and full,
The flail mower turns as free as usual,

The grass is thick, but, not overly tall, I cut it 5-6 weeks ago,
I was not cutting lower than usual,

I had to cut in 3rd gear, rather than 4th gear, to keep it from overheating.

The temp gauge only moves about an additional 10% of the possible movement (it does not go "full over")

The overheating shows itself as the engine coughs and sputters,, making less power,,
I quickly disengage the mower, and let the tractor idle for 5-10 minutes,
yesterday, it was 93+ degrees when it happened,, so I just put the tractor away when it happened,,
It mowed fine this morning, when I finished up what I had left yesterday. I did stay in 3rd gear.

So could the high air temp have caused the overheating?
I never noticed the mid 90's or less temp causing a tractor to overheat before,,,

Is my 40 year old tractor "just old" and this type overheating going to be the new norm?
Could the new low sulfur fuel be causing the overheating, as compared to what the machine was designed for?

Any help would be appreciated,,, :thumbsup:

Any chance there is a gasket leak into the cooling system? It does not take much and can be hard to find.

 

[buck12]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Many folks think their radiator is clean because they blew off the chaff and everything visible. Really need to spray some "Purple Power" or similar cleaner on the fins and let it set for 10 minutes, then rinse off. When the material gets on the fins it requires soaking to get it ALL off.

I would suggest trying D2Cat advice. Last summer for the first time in 10 years my tractor began overheating on a regular basis while mowing. The radiator looked clean and I could blow air through it with a compressor but after removing the radiator I realized it was plugged with years of seed heads. I used air conditioner coil cleaner. It was amazing what came out of the fins. I have had no problems with overheating since. BTW that is a great looking tractor. That is what a tractor should look like.

 

[CADplans]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

Any chance there is a gasket leak into the cooling system? It does not take much and can be hard to find.

Out of boredom, I will check the coolant 4-6 times a year,, the coolant never drops.

I would suggest trying D2Cat advice. Last summer for the first time in 10 years my tractor began overheating on a regular basis while mowing. The radiator looked clean and I could blow air through it with a compressor but after removing the radiator I realized it was plugged with years of seed heads. I used air conditioner coil cleaner. It was amazing what came out of the fins. I have had no problems with overheating since. BTW that is a great looking tractor. That is what a tractor should look like.

I will be looking at the rad soon, I may have to remove it,, and clean it better,,
it is a good looking tractor, I purchased it 5 minutes after I first saw it,, and the tractor did not even run at that time (dead battery),,, :laughing:

We jump started it, and I drove it almost 30 miles to get it home,,
I was not leaving it there for him to get a better offer, and sell it to someone else!!

 

[Egon]

Re: Tractor OVERHEATING Mystery,,,

If there is a head gasket leak into the coolant the coolant level should not change unless. You have a boil over.

 

[taem]

After you replace thermostat clean screens check your air filter consider a head gasket failure especially if it overheats and then the temp gauge falls and quickly rises again 40 years might be too much

 

[taem]

So, how did the overheating mystery turn out?