ASV RC-100 With Loftness Head Overheating Problem

[Southern Forestry]

Ok guys, new here, just joined. I have been looking for but I am not too good at searching the internet/forums for stuff.
I recenlty bought a '06 ASV RC-100 with a Loftness 63 CCH Carbide Cutter Mulching Head.
My day goes like this. First thing in the morning, I can run for about 2-3 hrs before Temps get up (220) then I have to turn off the Head, I don't have to shut the engine down, just turn off the head and let it set for about 5-10 minutes, then it will cool down and run for about 45 minutes before it gets too hot again, then repeat. all day. I cleaned the radiator out and the air filter, etc... and keep them clean.

My questions are
1. What ISO/ or viscosity Hyd. fluid shoudl i run in this machine to try to combat the over heating?
2. What can I do to reduce the over heating hyd. fluid?

I think the hydraulic fluid is transferring the heat to my water and that's causing the high engine temps. because as soon as I shut the head down the temps drop back to 195. There has to be a way to combat this other than the $5 external oil cooler??????


Please guys, any help you can give me would be appreciated greatly.

Again I am new here and look forward to getting/giving help and just shooting the breeze with you guys.

 

[kiwi mulcher]

Ok guys, new here, just joined. I have been looking for but I am not too good at searching the internet/forums for stuff.
I recenlty bought a '06 ASV RC-100 with a Loftness 63 CCH Carbide Cutter Mulching Head.
My day goes like this. First thing in the morning, I can run for about 2-3 hrs before Temps get up (220) then I have to turn off the Head, I don't have to shut the engine down, just turn off the head and let it set for about 5-10 minutes, then it will cool down and run for about 45 minutes before it gets too hot again, then repeat. all day. I cleaned the radiator out and the air filter, etc... and keep them clean.

My questions are
1. What ISO/ or viscosity Hyd. fluid shoudl i run in this machine to try to combat the over heating?
2. What can I do to reduce the over heating hyd. fluid?

I think the hydraulic fluid is transferring the heat to my water and that's causing the high engine temps. because as soon as I shut the head down the temps drop back to 195. There has to be a way to combat this other than the $5 external oil cooler??????


Please guys, any help you can give me would be appreciated greatly.

Again I am new here and look forward to getting/giving help and just shooting the breeze with you guys.

How hot is the case drain line getting coming off the head?

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Try the following in order.
1. How are you cleaning the radiator? Need to remove from machine and pressure wash with high psi
2. Check hyd filters.
3. Replace hydraulic fluid, not sure type, check local dealer or someone here may know.
4. Check, I highly recommend replacing hoses from machine to head. If they are ever crimped they will stay crimped which causes a pinch point that will create heat. Make sure all your belts are tight.
5. Lastly if none of the about works an additional cooler may be needed. Hyd temp over 180 degrees is a runaway, you will not be able to control. It needs to stay under 175 to control the hyd temp. The radiators made together hurts you in this area. One side will saturate into the other, engine temp wants to run 180-190 adding heat to the hyd side.

 

[Southern Forestry]

Thanks Robbie,
I did remove from machine and pressured washed radiator.
All new Hyd Filters and Fluid (AW32)
Brand new hoses from machine to head

I am leaning towards the external cooler....but all I find are around the $4k mark...anybody know of some external coolers.

If I gotta pay $4 for one I just gotta do it, but dam

 

[5030]

Try WW Grainger. Get yourself an external cooler for stationary power units and mount that on the return line. Not very expensive.

 

[tonyoz]

I had these problems with my RC100 as regards to over heating. Tree sap and dust is a real BAD combination. The best solution is to remove the radiator and cooler and have it acid washed. A PIA I know but it works. Regards to hydraulic oil, 32 grade is the go but it must be suitable for hydraulic motors. I ran Castrol AWH32 not Castrol AWS 32.
Hope this helps

 

[Southern Forestry]

Thanks guys for the responses.
Tonyoz, i did acid wash it when i had it out. I pressured washed it again yesterday, changed out the air filter. Both were "kinda" dirty. I think it is just going to be a constant battle to keep it clean and running cool.

Thanks guys!

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

I took a peak on Grainger and that might be a cost effective solution. You only need to help the factory cooler, not handle the total flow. Just tee into the line going into the cooler and return into the line coming out. Between the limb risers is a good mounting spot and you will have to fab that with guard. I recommend a 12v version with lower amp draw. The electrical system on the ASV is not the strongest. Make sure you keep the alt belt tight. There is a picture on here some where of one mounted just like I suggested but I cant find it. On the cooler they are rated in BTU's removed, get the biggest you can afford, on these machine there is not a real chance of "over cooling", some even had a built in temp switch to control the fan on/off.

 

[Southern Forestry]

I found the thread you are referring to "Pics of New RC-100" but the pictures are no longer there.

I will probably do the Grainger, I have found several that woudl probably work....relatively cheap...relatively

 

[ROWmulcher]

Aw 32 is pretty light oil. In south fla we run aw 68. In one machine we run aw 46 but that is lightest we use. In one of our Supertrack machines we run rotella 15-40. It's been that way for 10 plus years.

 

[tonyoz]

Over here in tropical Queensland the hydraulics in the RC100 had all sorts of problems. The fix from ASV was to use a light grade(32) oil. The reason being the lighter grade dissipates heat better

 

[Silvic]

Aw 32 is pretty light oil. In south fla we run aw 68. In one machine we run aw 46 but that is lightest we use. In one of our Supertrack machines we run rotella 15-40. It's been that way for 10 plus years.

You run Rotella 15-40 in a hydraulic system? Interesting.

 

[Loadstar]

Have you checked coolant and made sure it's in the correct ratio? If your coolant system is not transferring heat well could that be your overall problem?

 

[lumberjack1986]

Overly thin oil will increase heat generation due to increase pressure drop (leakage) internally in the motors and pumps.

 

[ROWmulcher]

Yes our takeuchi tl 150 with fecon came from supertrac with rotella 15-40 in the tank.its been that way 10 plus years with no issues. Weird I know but true

 

[Southern Forestry]

I have tried everything I know of. I even put an additional oil cooler on the machine, plumbed in after it leaves the radiator/cooler and before it goes back into the tank. It's a large forced air cooler from Grainger. It didn't help at all. Now that the weather has heated up down here in MS, I can run for about 20 minutes until I get to 220+. so i have to stop and let it cool down then go at it again for 20 minutes....I can't keep working like this...thus why i started another thread...I'm getting rid of this ASV and getting something else.

 

[tonyoz]

After using a Loftness head on a PT100G I now understand your problem a little more. The loftness takes a lot more hydraulic power to drive than say a Fecon cause it has more teeth for the same width cut hence the overheating problem. It maybe sitting on or near the relief valve pressure.

 

[Southern Forestry]

SO, this brings me to this question..Is it the Loftness head making it run hot or is it something wrong with the machine?? I wish i had another head i could run on it to try out,,,but i don't have another one, so i will do what i can. I put an auxiliary oil cooler on it and it didn't help one bit. It runs about 20 minutes from a cold start before it gets hot..nobody can tell me what to do to fix it, ASV just tells me that the machine was designed to run that head and offered no help or solution....After reading alot, i am not the first nor the last person to have this problem with this machine, yet nobody knows how to fix it..hence my decision to get rid of it and get another.

Thanks for the help guys and if anybody has found a fix for this problem, please share

 

[fishfactor]

Even with inadequate cooling, 20 minutes sounds really fast to get hot.

 

[tonyoz]

Question, Have you ever pressure tested the Hiflow on the machine and mulcher head?
Low oil pressure can cause overheating