Is my MF 231 running too hot??

[sawtooth]

Check with Autozone. Maybe you will get lucky.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[sawtooth]

Heres a couple others so you know what they look like.

All of these are basically general coolants plus have SCA's which is a additive package. These additives do wear out after a year or two. I normally buy the test strips to check the coolant annually. If and when it needs refreshing you can buy just the additives to add back in to the system.


Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[Travis_R]

Ok I let it run for a very long time and then tilled with cardboard in front of the radiator. I here is a pic of where the needle on the gage was. Plus the ifrared red light readings.. The radiator was like 120 at the top and 80 at the bottom. Could keep my hand on the radiator. Was barely warm at the top and the middle and cold at the bottom. The metal part where water goes into the top of the water pump was like 170-180. The part where the muffler attaches to the exhaust elbow was 203 or 205.
Opened the radiator cap and still no swirling!

Is it running too hot? Should I change the thermostat??

The ONLY reason I thought it was running too hot was when I bush hog for a while in tall thick grass, the needle would gradually get to the white part of the gauge. Then I'd get off and clean the radiator out.
Maybe the needle has to be completely pegged out in the white part of the gauge before it starts to run hot?? I don't know.

Just sitting and idling or letting it run about 1300-1500 RPMs with cardboard in front of radiator, the gauge is in the middle of the green.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

 

[Travis_R]

Here is the gauge after it's been sitting for a about 15 minutes with the engine killed...

 

[Travis_R]

Regardless if the thermostat is bad or not, I'm changing the antifreeze anyway. I bought the "Fleet Charge" from Tractor Supply. Plus I'm flushing it with radiator flush.

Here are pics of the antifreeze...

 

[TomSeller]

I am not sure you have a problem. I have two MF245s (on two separate properties) which share the Perkins AD3.152 engine with your MF231. One has a front hydraulic pump and one does not. The one with the front hydraulic pump clogs up the radiator with grass seed while brush hogging that comes through the opening in the grille for the pump shaft. When plugged, the engine heats up and the needle will get into the upper end of the meter if I don't stop and blow the radiator out (backwards) with an air hose. The other that does not have an opening for the pump shaft never plugs up the radiator and never overheats.

I have never checked temperatures in the locations you have but they don't seem to be too abnormal to me. The fact that your top to bottom temperature drop on the radiator seems to indicate flow.

 

[Travis_R]

Here is the radiator cleaner and flush that I'm using...

 

[Travis_R]

Ok here is the needle on the temp gauge with the tractor running right at 1800 RPMs for 25 minutes sitting in one spot, no load. Has nothing but water in radiator.... I drained all the old antifreeze and put water because I'm fixing to drain the water and put the flush in it.

I opened the radiator cap with engine running at 1800 RPMs, for right at 30 minutes and no water boiled out.

 

[sawtooth]

This is a diesel engine right? If so I doubt it gets very hot with no load as they normally run much cooler than a gasser. To be safe I would change the Tstat as its cheap and may just solve the issue. I'm not familiar with your tractor but all my Fords and my MF 461 will never over heat even with 1/2 or more clogged radiators on 90F days so sounds to me like you have a issues some where provided the motor is diesel. For example my 461 would not over heat even with the defective Tstat until I put a decent load on her. Once I put a good one in it now it never goes beyond mid range of green on temp gauge. Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[Travis_R]

Ok I ran it at about 1800 RPMs with no water in the radiator, and the radiator cap was off for just a couple minutes. The needle climbed all the way just into the white. Put the laser down into the neck of the radiator fill and it was 215 degrees. The outside of the thermostat housing was like 204 or 205. I quickly added water because I didn't wanna blow the head gasket. When the water was back in it the needle on the gauge came back down very fast in the green just like the pics. The thermostat housing went down to 166-170 depending where I pointed the beam on the laser.

I'm not sure if there's a problem now or not!

 

[Travis_R]

I've bout come to a conclusion that these Perkins engines, at least mine anyway, don't really get hot unless there's a problem or unless it's under a real heavy load.
Drained radiator and flushed engine. Radiator and engine are spotless. Not one bit of rust!

Gonna run it a while with this cleaner/flush stuff, drain it, and put the antifreeze in it. That's my plan as of now.

 

[Travis_R]

With the engine idling at the usual temperature, every hose that is connected to the cooling system is hot except the bottom hose. It's Cool as can be. When I drain the radiator at the bottom hose, the water is warm coming out. But the water is hot coming from the engine end of that hose. Doesn't seem to be much water coming out of the engine back into the radiator though (referring to bottom radiator hose). Seems to be just a little. But it sure is hot though.

Not sure how much or how hot the water is supposed to come out of the engine through the bottom hose... Got me wondering if the thermostat could be opening sum and not all the way??
**** I don't know. Maybe everything is ok and I'm only trying to find a problem with this Massey and just can't seem to find one! LOL

 

[murphy1244]

Don't think you even have a problem.:confused3:

 

[Travis_R]

I am not sure you have a problem. I have two MF245s (on two separate properties) which share the Perkins AD3.152 engine with your MF231. One has a front hydraulic pump and one does not. The one with the front hydraulic pump clogs up the radiator with grass seed while brush hogging that comes through the opening in the grille for the pump shaft. When plugged, the engine heats up and the needle will get into the upper end of the meter if I don't stop and blow the radiator out (backwards) with an air hose. The other that does not have an opening for the pump shaft never plugs up the radiator and never overheats. I have never checked temperatures in the locations you have but they don't seem to be too abnormal to me. The fact that your top to bottom temperature drop on the radiator seems to indicate flow.

Where does the temp gauge on your 245s normally run? Do they have the same gauge that's on my 231 in the pics?
Thanks

 

[TomSeller]

Ok I ran it at about 1800 RPMs with no water in the radiator, and the radiator cap was off for just a couple minutes. The needle climbed all the way just into the white. Put the laser down into the neck of the radiator fill and it was 215 degrees. The outside of the thermostat housing was like 204 or 205. I quickly added water because I didn't wanna blow the head gasket. When the water was back in it the needle on the gauge came back down very fast in the green just like the pics. The thermostat housing went down to 166-170 depending where I pointed the beam on the laser.

I'm not sure if there's a problem now or not!

Wow, I never would have done that but it sounds like kept your eye on it. I really don't see that you have a problem. Your gauge went high when the radiator was plugged and that is what I would expect.

 

[sawtooth]

Again its a $15-30 Tstat. Replace it then you will know. Its a cheap piece of mind. Normally when there is a issue (with clean radiator of course) theres probably 80% chance you have a Tstat thats not fully opening.

Just to be sure your saying it overheats even with a clean radiator correct? Use a flash light to make sure its clear between fins. Unless these engines normally overheat under heavy load (which I doubt) then you must have a issue. All diesel tractors Ive ever used (most are older ones) never come close to over heating. This is because many of the older tractors anyways had the engine hp set back to a very conservative number to protect from these issues. Newer tractors use smaller displacement engines so maybe this is no longer the case and they squeeze every last thing out.

By the way never get a engine hot then add cold water. This is a great way to crack your block.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[Travis_R]

Again its a $15-30 Tstat. Replace it then you will know. Its a cheap piece of mind. Normally when there is a issue (with clean radiator of course) theres probably 80% chance you have a Tstat thats not fully opening. Just to be sure your saying it overheats even with a clean radiator correct? Use a flash light to make sure its clear between fins. Unless these engines normally overheat under heavy load (which I doubt) then you must have a issue. All diesel tractors Ive ever used (most are older ones) never come close to over heating. This is because many of the older tractors anyways had the engine hp set back to a very conservative number to protect from these issues. Newer tractors use smaller displacement engines so maybe this is no longer the case and they squeeze every last thing out. By the way never get a engine hot then add cold water. This is a great way to crack your block. Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

The thermostat for my tractor at Napa is like $8 plus a $3 gasket. It's a 180 degree thermostat. I think the one in the tractor is a 160 degree.... What will be the difference??

I did not know that about the cold water cracking the engine block. I'll never do that again!

The problem with changing the thermostat is I think the fuel tank has to come off. Very frustrating. It will probly be difficult to get the engine started again like it always is when I change the fuel filter. But on the other hand, if I have to pull the tank, mite as we'll go ahead and put a new fuel filter because it'll already have air in the system and the fuel filter is due for a change anyway. Plus I keep plenty extras so I won't have to buy one.

So you DO think there's a cooling problem, or just recommending changing the thermostat?

Thanks again

 

[Travis_R]

Again its a $15-30 Tstat. Replace it then you will know. Its a cheap piece of mind. Normally when there is a issue (with clean radiator of course) theres probably 80% chance you have a Tstat thats not fully opening. Just to be sure your saying it overheats even with a clean radiator correct? Use a flash light to make sure its clear between fins. Unless these engines normally overheat under heavy load (which I doubt) then you must have a issue. All diesel tractors Ive ever used (most are older ones) never come close to over heating. This is because many of the older tractors anyways had the engine hp set back to a very conservative number to protect from these issues. Newer tractors use smaller displacement engines so maybe this is no longer the case and they squeeze every last thing out. By the way never get a engine hot then add cold water. This is a great way to crack your block. Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

I keep the radiator fins cleaned well. Not 1 piece of grass or seeds in them. The fan is sucking air through perfectly.
I'm not actually sure if it's over heating or not. But when it reaches 'normal' operating temperature and I take the radiator cap off, there's no water coming out, no steam, no swirling around, and the radiator is cold on the bottom fins and a little warm on the top fins. But the very top of the radiator at the filler neck base is too hot to put my fingers/hand on. The bottom of the radiator is cold as can be!

How much water is supposed to come out the bottom radiator hose AT THE ENGINE END?

It was hot water that came out that hose (from engine block) but it wasn't much. Just a little stream but was very hot.

Not sure if water from the bottom hose flows FROM the engine or TO the engine??
Regardless, it was just a little water that came out... But it emptied the radiator of course.

 

[Travis_R]

Wow, I never would have done that but it sounds like kept your eye on it. I really don't see that you have a problem. Your gauge went high when the radiator was plugged and that is what I would expect.

But when under heavy load like bush hogging, the needle is right there at the white part WITHOUT the radiator being stopped up with grass and seeds. This is why I have to keep the radiator fins super clean while bush hogging because it'll get into the white in no time if I don't.

 

[Travis_R]

This is a diesel engine right? If so I doubt it gets very hot with no load as they normally run much cooler than a gasser. To be safe I would change the Tstat as its cheap and may just solve the issue. I'm not familiar with your tractor but all my Fords and my MF 461 will never over heat even with 1/2 or more clogged radiators on 90F days so sounds to me like you have a issues some where provided the motor is diesel. For example my 461 would not over heat even with the defective Tstat until I put a decent load on her. Once I put a good one in it now it never goes beyond mid range of green on temp gauge. Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

I must have missed this post... Sounds like I got a thermostat problem