Mowing BX25 overheating while bush hogging

[Coyote machine]

Give us some stats. Are you original owner? How many hours on your tractor? Last coolant flush? Do you know if the T-stat is opening at correct temp? You can pull it and check it in boiling water.
There's a recent thread about a guy who had both an overheating Kubota and Yanmar. You might want to read through it.
Also, pull your hog blades and sharpen them, set your RPMs lower before engaging the PTO then bring up the RPMs to PTO spec, this puts less strain on the tractor, hog and PTO drivetrain.
Use the lower ground speed, turtle, and pay close attention to when the tractor starts to bog down, and then slow down ground speed to compensate.

 

[Jeff F.]

I agree the filter screen must be full

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Jack there is a screen between the radiator and motor. You pull it out on top by the radiator cap.

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Here is somebody else's pic

 

[carlcroom]

Your radiator is plugged with debris. Take a garden hose with a nozzle and spray thoroughly from both sides. Bush hogging kicks up the size and kind of dust that loves to cling to radiator fins. And as previous posters said, sharpen your blades and slow your ground speed.

 

[BotaBigot]

...Take a garden hose with a nozzle and spray thoroughly from both sides...

X2...even with screen, chaff/dust coats radiator, reducing cooling efficiency. Keep hose water pressure low...don't want to damage radiator fins...

 

[Jack32878]

As for stats, I am the second owner. I just bought the property and there is a equipment rental place about 4-5 miles down the road. He was the original owner and traded this one in for a new one. He does that every 3 years or so. I bought his trade in off the dealer as it was a great deal. It had 617 hours on it when I bought it. The dealer told me he did a complete service on it with all new fluids. It has about 690 hours on it now (I love using this thing and play whenever I get a chance). I have no idea if the stat is opening at the correct temp but can tell you it normally runs fine except in this grass. The last time I cut the same field I didn't have this problem, but the grass wasn't as tall either.

Either today or tomorrow (when I can get some free time) I will go look for the screen everyone is referring to and double check the radiator. Also I will try to hog in "turtle" for a bit and see if that makes a difference. Cutting that much in turtle will take forever, but it's better than ruining my tractor I guess. The best answer may be to cut more often. I'm actually thinking about boarding horses in the field so I don't have to cut it nearly as much.

 

[Jack32878]

As for stats, I am the second owner. I just bought the property and there is a equipment rental place about 4-5 miles down the road. He was the original owner and traded this one in for a new one. He does that every 3 years or so. I bought his trade in off the dealer as it was a great deal. It had 617 hours on it when I bought it. The dealer told me he did a complete service on it with all new fluids. It has about 690 hours on it now (I love using this thing and play whenever I get a chance). I have no idea if the stat is opening at the correct temp but can tell you it normally runs fine except in this grass. The last time I cut the same field I didn't have this problem, but the grass wasn't as tall either.

Either today or tomorrow (when I can get some free time) I will go look for the screen everyone is referring to and double check the radiator. Also I will try to hog in "turtle" for a bit and see if that makes a difference. Cutting that much in turtle will take forever, but it's better than ruining my tractor I guess. The best answer may be to cut more often. I'm actually thinking about boarding horses in the field so I don't have to cut it nearly as much.

 

[dodge man]

I agree with the others, you probably aren't getting the second screen clean. It also helps to pull out the battery and clean the radiator from that side. I think you will be shocked at how plugged the radiator will be.

 

[LD1]

I agree with the radiator being plugged. But I dont use water to clean it. I used compressed air.

My happens quite often as I bushhog a few hundred acres a year. In thick stuff, gotta clean that screen once every few hours. But once every 10 or so the radiator needs a good blow down. I tried it onces very thoroughly with a hose and water, and had to struggle through my next job. Compressed air gets WAY more stuff out of the radiator.