DK50SE HST Cab constantly runs hot

[acme97]

I've posted about this before, but wanted to see if anyone else that has the DK50SE HST Cab is experiencing this issue. I have to constantly clean the screens after less then 20-30 minutes of cutting. It doesn't matter what the height of brush, or outside temp. The fluids are all good, belts tight. Would like to hear from other DK50SE HST Cab owners.

 

[grm61]

Areyou/haveyou been blowing the radiator out with compressed air as well?

 

[acme97]

I have. I found that the best thing has been to use the yard blower. Just amazes me that there isn't a better design fix for this.

 

[rjwerth]

No problems here, but loader work and box blading doesn't kick up nearly as much "stuff" as brush hogging. Sorry to hear of your troubles!

 

[chubby]

there are two screens, side by side, one comes out easy without tools the other requires tools...haven't removed the hard one since new but I know its not a wing nut fastener I do most bush cutting with Mahindra I made a radiator cleaner out of a small brake line with a bent and flattened end works excellent in small areas you would not believe what comes out of the radiator after removing both screens and blowing out radiator.....that is your problem remove screens make your air nozzle 12" long with a 1" 90 bend and see what comes out .....I blow out radiator after every 5 acres .... lot easier to do at home instead of the field ....

 

[FatSlob]

I have. I found that the best thing has been to use the yard blower. Just amazes me that there isn't a better design fix for this.

nothing works better than a residential power pressure washer. 2500psi unit. just don't put the nozzle so close to the fins. I have a cat 257 track steer that has the same issue you do while brushhogging. **** fins get plugged within a half hour. compressed air doesn't quite cut it. the pressure washer gets everything out. been doing it for several years. The crap I brushhuog floats in the air and the fan scoopps it right up and gets lodged in the cooling fins. you must be cutting the same garbage type stuff I am.

 

[acme97]

I know what you mean about the screens. I take both out and either brush off or blow off with a lawn power blower. The left one is a bear to get out and put back. I'll have to see if I can do to make a flexible attachment for my air compressor.

 

[acme97]

nothing works better than a residential power pressure washer. 2500psi unit. just don't put the nozzle so close to the fins. I have a cat 257 track steer that has the same issue you do while brushhogging. **** fins get plugged within a half hour. compressed air doesn't quite cut it. the pressure washer gets everything out. been doing it for several years. The crap I brushhuog floats in the air and the fan scoopps it right up and gets lodged in the cooling fins. you must be cutting the same garbage type stuff I am.

I'll have to try the pressure washer.

 

[nc redneck]

I have a Kioti 45 se HST approaching 800 hours. Last year I had overheating only when running 8 foot woods finish mower when temperatures are 90 plus and several hours of mowing. On advice from this website. I removed fan shroud and belt, made a 90 degree compressed air tool as mentioned above. I hosed out the radiator with water and air many times. Also added a 12 volt cooling fan in front of radiator. I have not had the chance to test radiator clean and comparing 12 volt fan upgrade. I would try radiator clean first as I was amazing how much stuff came out of it.

 

[chubby]

my goal was to push the debris out the way it came in not push it further in, a 12" section of brake line put a 90 on the last 2" then flatten the exit end, make other end an air quick disconnect and you will be able to push all back out, and you will be 30 mins the first time, do all three heat exchangers. make sure screens are removed, you will be able to get all around the fan and fan housing.....you really should do this before bush cutting a large area.....you will see a big difference

 

[Coyote machine]

I'm wondering if putting something like cheesecloth or similar fabric in front of the screens might reduce or eliminate the labor consuming task of having to pull the screens so often to clean out all the debris? Maybe even landscape fabric would do the trick. The debris is still going to accumulate, but now one can remove it easily and clean or replace just the outermost 'screen' and change it up with a clean one. Velcro could be used to hold the fabric to the tractor screen assembly and the other 1/2 of the velcro could be attached to the fabric.

 

[acme97]

I'll have to look into making the brakeline air hose tool. I hate that the air intake hose goes right over the left screen and makes a pain getting out. Thanks for the good suggestions. I'll try to keep you up once i do make the tool.

 

[gunmonkeyintl]

there are two screens, side by side, one comes out easy without tools the other requires tools...haven't removed the hard one since new but I know its not a wing nut fastener

I'll have to look into making the brakeline air hose tool. I hate that the air intake hose goes right over the left screen and makes a pain getting out. Thanks for the good suggestions. I'll try to keep you up once i do make the tool.

Maybe I'm mssing something or the DK50 engine is layed out differently. On the DK40, you remove the wingnut on the left-side (from the driver's position) screen, and slide the right side over to the left side, out from under the intake hose, and lift it out - no tools necessary.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'll have to try the pressure washer.

I wouldn't use a pressure washer, it is too easy to get to close and bend the fins. One bobble with it an the air flow will be severely restricted. A garden hose will wash out any dirt and debris just as easily AFTER blowing out the fuzz with an air hose.

 

[ritcheyvs]

Could you use a shop vac to suck it clean from the front side? You could vacuum it dry and then hose it down (from backside) and maybe add a wetting agent (like Simple Green). Then hose it again from the backside and vac it again from the front side after the wetting agent has time to work. I haven't done this but I've had good luck sucking stuff out of carpets with a shop vac.

 

[MotorSeven]

Acme, make sure you don't have a mouse house between the radiator and the aux cooler. I was having the same issue, and someone here said after lots of neck craning they found one down between the two. That area is almost impossible to see, but mine flushed out with a garden hose and a regular sprayer nozzle.

Wing nuts on the pre screens? Nope, not on my '40. Pull the drivers side screen strait out, slide the passenger side one over then pull out....takes me less then two min to clean them in the field. Don't do it while the engine is running because you always knock the chafe off when pulling out the screen and the fan sucks it right into the fins...ask me how i know this.

 

[chubby]

amce97 If you make the air nozzle 12" long it is also awesome for blowing out air filters as well! I just blew out hydro heat exchanger and air filter on my hustler super z and could not believe the junk that came out. This mower only cuts lawns! Full of clogging debris. Then I pulled off the top engine shroud to inspect the alum. fins on the heads and they where also full of debris.

 

[Coyote machine]

amce97 If you make the air nozzle 12" long it is also awesome for blowing out air filters as well! I just blew out hydro heat exchanger and air filter on my hustler super z and could not believe the junk that came out. This mower only cuts lawns! Full of clogging debris. Then I pulled off the top engine shroud to inspect the alum. fins on the heads and they where also full of debris.

BTW, using compressed air to blow out engine air filters is considered a big no no. Thinking is in articles from trade magazines that deal with compact machinery that doing so will irreparably damage the element and render it useless in doing it's job.

 

[rider7767]

How old is the tractor? Most makers of farm equipment overkill the requirements needed in cooling. It should be hard to over heat one doing something as normal as brush cutting. Granted, when I cut weeds I clean my radiator daily, but still, I can run all day with out over heating. If your tractor over heats easy, I would look internally. When was the last time the radiator was flushed? Does the engine have a thermostat, and is it sticking. I have seen lower hoses get weak and suck together because a spring was not put inside the hose. I have seen loose belts cause the fan to slip. The weirdest one was when an impeller separated from the water pump on the inside. I like to never found that one. I sure don't mean to be a know it all and I hope this helps.

 

[ritcheyvs]

BTW, using compressed air to blow out engine air filters is considered a big no no. Thinking is in articles from trade magazines that deal with compact machinery that doing so will irreparably damage the element and render it useless in doing it's job.

I think this is worth discussion. Air filtration is very important to the life of a Diesel engine. My manual says:

"CLEANING AIR FILTER ELEMENT
To clean the element, use only clean dry
compressed air on the inside of the
element. Air pressure at the nozzle must
not exceed 29 psi (2 kgf/cm²). Maintain
reasonable distance between the nozzle
and the filter."

Do the trade magazines indicate why this is bad or provide any supporting data?