Today was the first time I gave my little Iseki a workout since I purchased it this summer. I was tilling a couple of 400 ft rows where I had pumpkins growing. The ground was tilled in the spring and was clear of debris for the most part. At the end of the second row I noticed steam was coming out of the overflow tube and the engine overheat light came on. The radiator was not leaking, it was definitely coming out of the overflow. I lowered the throttle and shut it down for about 10 minutes to check it over. I could not see anything wrong. I started it back up and the light was now off. I was able to drive it back to the barn with no problems. The radiator is very clean with no dust in the fins. It has antifreeze in it, not water. Is this a common problem with these little tractors? I would not say I was abusing it in anyway. First gear and I was around 3/4 throttle. The ground is sandy loam, easy to till. Do these tractors have a thermostat? I am going to change the antifreeze but not really sure what else to do. Any suggestions?
TX1300F over heating
- Thread starter fpappal
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ptsg
Super Member
Check the water pump/fan belt. It might be spinning which causes the pump and fan to run slower.
If that doesn't fix the problem, it can also be the water pump giving up. But I would do a full flush of the system and put new anti freeze for now and then check it.
If that doesn't fix the problem, it can also be the water pump giving up. But I would do a full flush of the system and put new anti freeze for now and then check it.
Roadworthy
Elite Member
With the engine cool remove the radiator cap. Start the tractor. Look for bubbles in the radiator. These can indicate a leaking head gasket. The tractor may or may not have a thermostat. My Mitsubishi has a bump on the outflow of the engine but there is no room for a thermostat in it. If you have no thermostat you should see evidence of water moving through the radiator indicating the water pump is working. If you see no such movement it may only mean the water is still cool and the thermostat has not yet opened. As suggested, check the fan belt for tightness.
marcelPL
Silver Member
I read a lot of the manuals, but cannot remember them mentioning a thermostat.
Tilling is the most demanding operation in my experience, i have done my milage this summer, but never got it overheated. Even when tilling uphill (15 degrees).
I agree on the belt. I had this issue two times this summer. When opening the hood and running the engine, you can feel the suction of the ventilator, it's (in my opinion) really strong. If the belt is Ok, and the flow of air feels good, it would point to waterpump. Can you connect some thermometer at the in- and outlet of radiator?
Tilling is the most demanding operation in my experience, i have done my milage this summer, but never got it overheated. Even when tilling uphill (15 degrees).
I agree on the belt. I had this issue two times this summer. When opening the hood and running the engine, you can feel the suction of the ventilator, it's (in my opinion) really strong. If the belt is Ok, and the flow of air feels good, it would point to waterpump. Can you connect some thermometer at the in- and outlet of radiator?
seville009
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2007
- Messages
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When the tractor is cool, take a garden hose and direct the water flow through the radiator fins from the back to the front.
You may be surprised how much gunk cones out, even though the fins look clean.
I brush hog about five acres at the end of each summer; takes about three hours. Engine temp is usually towards the red zone towards the end, now matter how much I stop and clean off the radiator screens and fins (I carry one of those long thin dryer lint brushes to clean off the fins), it never goes back to the normal level. After I’m done and the tractor is cool, I flush out the radiator fins with a hose
You may be surprised how much gunk cones out, even though the fins look clean.
I brush hog about five acres at the end of each summer; takes about three hours. Engine temp is usually towards the red zone towards the end, now matter how much I stop and clean off the radiator screens and fins (I carry one of those long thin dryer lint brushes to clean off the fins), it never goes back to the normal level. After I’m done and the tractor is cool, I flush out the radiator fins with a hose
I removed the water pump and upper coolant pipe today. I was surprised as to how easy it was. My machine does not have a thermostat in it so I can rule that out as the problem. The water pump does not appear to be bad, but I am not positive. I ordered one today on ebay for $50, might as well just replace it while I have things apart. I did notice that the belt was in pretty rough shape so that will also need to be replaced. Maybe it was slipping and the fan was not spinning fast enough? Looking down the radiator I can see some scale deposits next to the inner tubes, but nothing bad. I will see about cleaning that out somehow, maybe with some vinegar or CLR. Other than that I do not see any obvious reasons why the machine should have overheated. When I get it all back together I will give it another workout and see how it performs.
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I probably did not need to but I decided to put a new water pump on the tractor. After I put installed it and put everything back together water was pouring out from behind the water pump. Took it all apart and I noticed the gasket that came with the water pump was off by just a little bit. If you are going to replace your water pump make sure you check the gasket!!
No, the water pump is a perfect fit. It looks like when they stamped out the gasket it must have shifted just a bit. I didn't have any gasket material so I just tried some gasket maker by permatex. I filled it up yesterday and let it run until the engine got hot. No leaks. I also added some radiator flush and put a new fan belt on. If this little tractor over heats now I am at a loss. I hope to use it a little bit this weekend and see if I can get it good and hot. I can't see any reason why the other water pump would be bad, it seems to be in perfect shape. The fan belt was in pretty rough shape and possibly the radiator was plugged just a bit.
