BX-24 Cooling w/ hood open

[okgarcia]

I have been using my backhoe to dig a seemingly endless curtain drain trench and thought it may be a good idea to operate my machine with the hood open to vent the heat. The fan still cools the radiator, but I don't really know if the air still gets to the front of the engine compartment to cool the exhaust system and whatever else is up front which may need cooling. Does the exhaust system need to be cooled anyway? Any reason to close the hood except for the little bit of extra noise? I wear headphones all the time.

 

[LBrown59]

I have been using my backhoe to dig a seemingly endless curtain drain trench and thought it may be a good idea to operate my machine with the hood open to vent the heat. The fan still cools the radiator, but I don't really know if the air still gets to the front of the engine compartment to cool the exhaust system and whatever else is up front which may need cooling. Does the exhaust system need to be cooled anyway? Any reason to close the hood except for the little bit of extra noise? I wear headphones all the time.

I see no reason to open it?

 

[ampsucker]

is the temp gauge getting up near the top?

i agree, i've never run w/ hood open and don't see real reason. i usually run the hoe at about 2800 rpm. i don't seem to get things going much faster at higher rpms and make more mistakes.

for me, when running BH for extended periods, i, as the operator, am the only thing that gets too hot. the HST fan blows air over the hot hydraulics and back and it rises right up into the operator platform. i rigged up a small, 12 volt fan i clip onto the ROPS and plug into the 12 v power plug. helps a lot on those hot summer, endless, BH digs.

amp

 

[BigD23]

Temp gauge is what I watch, although when I'm done for the day and after I've shut the engine off, I then open the hood for a bit.....Nothing to base that on, it's just what I do.

Don

 

[RayCo]

for me, when running BH for extended periods, i, as the operator, am the only thing that gets too hot. the HST fan blows air over the hot hydraulics and back and it rises right up into the operator platform. i rigged up a small, 12 volt fan i clip onto the ROPS and plug into the 12 v power plug.

Thanks for that. I'll be using that solution now as well.

I too run at about 2800 RPM when operating the backhoe, and have never seen the temperature gauge be anywhere but right in the middle where it always is. But, I still see no reason not to open the hood. If your gauge is running hot, I'd look into the cause of that though, and not just use the open hood as a Band-Aidｮ.

 

[art]

Bx's use reverse air flow drawing the fresh air from the operators area.

To have the hood open is kind of defeating the system as it can then draw air from anywhere out the top.

In the long run it might weaken the fan blades from an un-normal flex and cause failure.

 

[radioman]

Art is right - Opening the hood will stop the normal airflow and could make things worse. It would have dust collect more in the engine area which I am sure you don't want. Leaving the hood closed would ensure the intended proper airflow through the front grill over battery then radiator then engine and out. If you notice too high of temps, you might want to check your prescreen filter and then clear out the debris from the radaitor.

 

[Botabill]

I have been using my backhoe to dig a seemingly endless curtain drain trench and thought it may be a good idea to operate my machine with the hood open to vent the heat. The fan still cools the radiator, but I don't really know if the air still gets to the front of the engine compartment to cool the exhaust system and whatever else is up front which may need cooling. Does the exhaust system need to be cooled anyway? Any reason to close the hood except for the little bit of extra noise? I wear headphones all the time.

If you want opinions I've got one too. Sounds like you have a good idea and it won't do any harm. More ventilation will help the cooling.

 

[PA-Woodchuck]

I would think you get better cooling with the hood closed as the air gets directed over the exhaust/block and out the front.

 

[some zilch]

If you want opinions I've got one too. Sounds like you have a good idea and it won't do any harm. More ventilation will help the cooling.

i'm going to fully disagree with that statement.

the tractor and cooling system are designed to fully and efficiently function with no forward movement, and the hood clsoed. opening the hood interupts the way air is moved around under the hood, and it will NOT cool properly.

if you ever see one of those portable tow-behind industrial air compressors, they specifically on them to operate with the doors closed, as it is designed to cool that way, even though it seems as opening the doors will help it. look at large stationary generators; totally enclosed and fucnction well.