Mowing BX25 overheating while bush hogging

[zoltanthegypsy]

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

Between the radiator and battery on mine. Wouldn't help much if it was between the radiator and motor.

Just sayin'

Z.

 

[GolfAddict]

I'm quite sure you will find that the screen that slides up and out just in front of the radiator will have a bunch of larger stuff collected, and the radiator itself will have a bunch of small stuff collected.

I agree about using air compressor for cleaning out the radiator fins - that works the best for me too.

 

[tman1020]

Plus one on everything just said also if they just did a radiator service there might be some air in the system and not enough coolant. If your screens are fine and radiator is clear most likely next thing would be blockage in cooling system itself such as thermostat or airlock possibly even incorrect mixture of antifreeze to water.

 

[TripleR]

Agree on using compressed air to clean screens and radiator, you might want to double check your HST fan as well.

 

[Jack32878]

So I went out today and checked all the items suggested here; screen, radiator, HST fan etc. The fan was fine. The screen and radiator were a little dirty, but just barely so I cleaned them both. Last night I dug through the manual and realized I was wrong about the rated RPM. I thought it was 2500 but the manual indicated 3200. I took the tractor out and ran the bush hog at 3200 rpm. When cutting the rpm dropped to around 3000 under load. I only used about 1/2 to 2/3 throttle so as not to be so fast. It ran pretty good. I noticed that when I got a little too fast it did hit the red line but dropped back down when I slowed down the driving speed while cutting.

Also, I noticed that at about 1/2 throttle the temp would get high but not really hitting the red. When I would hit thick stuff it would almost redline but just barely and I mean barely stay out of the red. When I would get past the thick stuff and into the thinner stuff the temp would drop back down. It was cycle as I made passes around the field. I will also say that yesterday when I kept over heating it was near 90F with high humidity. This morning it was around 75F with lower humidity and a breeze. Could be a factor, maybe not, worth mentioning though.

All in all, everything seems to be running pretty good now. Lesson learned - ensure screen/panel/radiator are clean, run engine at 3200 rpm, drive about 1/2 throttle.

 

[dodge man]

I'd say one thing, it sounds like when your brush hogging, a lot of the time the engine is making 100% power. When you see the RPM's drop that means you need to slow down just a little. Also it has been discussed a lot on here that BX's tend to run high on the temp gauge. I've never had mine hit the red when mowing but close. I have one of those point and shoot thermometers and I never found a spot on the engine that showed it overheating.

 

[Jack32878]

I have one of those thermo guns as well (a harbor freight cheapo). What temp is considered over heating?

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Z. I got him in the right vicinity. If he kept cleaning the battery cover screen, that wouldn't help much.

Just sayin

Slim

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

Z. I got him in the right vicinity. If he kept cleaning the battery cover screen, that wouldn't help much.

Just sayin

Slim

I hear ya slim Must have got up on the picky side of the bed this morning...

It always seemed odd that these tractors blew cooling air from back to front until it occurred to me that the other way around would cook the driver.

Your friend,
Z.

 

[AchingBack]

Your radiator fins are clogged. You need a radiator genie. Radiator Genie Cleans out Clogged Radiators

Go out when it is dark, remove your screen, shine a light through the radiator, you'll probably be surprised at how clogged it is.

 

[dodge man]

I shot the radiator hoses and the neck where it tied into the engine and was looking for anything over 220 degrees. I can't remember the reading but it was nothing that alarmed me. I was thinking the only thing I could find hotter than 220 degrees was the exhaust.

 

[Blade Breaker]

Your radiator fins are clogged. You need a radiator genie. Radiator Genie Cleans out Clogged Radiators

Go out when it is dark, remove your screen, shine a light through the radiator, you'll probably be surprised at how clogged it is.

34 dollar long reach air gun. Crazy.

 

[AchingBack]

34 dollar long reach air gun. Crazy.

That's what I thought until I used one. You could easily make one yourself. Remember, you also get the water genie. I've used these two tools on all of my vehicles. I find them to be much more proficient and easier to use than a typical air nozzle, or water nozzle.

I was amazed at the huge increase in air and water velocity when you drive them through a tube with a flattened tip. In addition to cleaning out radiators, I use them for air sweeping my carport and washing equipment.

 

[Blade Breaker]

That's what I thought until I used one. You could easily make one yourself. Remember, you also get the water genie. I've used these two tools on all of my vehicles. I find them to be much more proficient and easier to use than a typical air nozzle, or water nozzle.

I was amazed at the huge increase in air and water velocity when you drive them through a tube with a flattened tip. In addition to cleaning out radiators, I use them for air sweeping my carport and washing equipment.

Ah. Didn't catch that it came with another for water. I could see it working good for blowing like you mentioned. Not so bad.

 

[Jack32878]

I think everything is running good now. I will cut for another hour or so again tomorrow morning. I want to thank everyone for all the small pointers. Most everyone was in the same ballpark so you were all right to various degrees. For specific info see the earlier post of "lessons learned."

 

[ryan08]

Just for the record, I think the radiator in Kubota tractors is really undersized. It looks like a toy compared to the one in my ZT mower with a Bota 21.5 hp diesel.

With such small capacity it is no wonder that it overheats so easily. My mower is an industrial model Hustler so it is designed to be used for 8 hours at a time with a 72" cut without heating issues.

Just sayin...

 

[ryan08]

Just for the record, I think the radiator in Kubota tractors is really undersized. It looks like a toy compared to the one in my ZT mower with a Bota 21.5 hp diesel.

With such small capacity it is no wonder that it overheats so easily. My mower is an industrial model Hustler so it is designed to be used for 8 hours at a time with a 72" cut without heating issues.

Just sayin...

 

[RaydaKub]

All in all, everything seems to be running pretty good now. Lesson learned - ensure screen/panel/radiator are clean, run engine at 3200 rpm, drive about 1/2 throttle.

Glad it's going well, but I had to read your post a couple times to understand what you meant. The throttle is what *determines* the rpm. You can't set the engine at 3200 rpm and then set the throttle at 1/2. The pedal can be pressed 1/2 way there, but not the throttle.

 

[oldballs]

I'd say one thing, it sounds like when your brush hogging, a lot of the time the engine is making 100% power. When you see the RPM's drop that means you need to slow down just a little. Also it has been discussed a lot on here that BX's tend to run high on the temp gauge. I've never had mine hit the red when mowing but close. I have one of those point and shoot thermometers and I never found a spot on the engine that showed it overheating.

When I had a new BX2660 (2009) it ran close to "Hot" when using the MMM at nearly full throttle, in turtle on 90 degree days. And that was with a clean radiator and screens..... just FYI in my experience. My B2620 has a different cooling design. It never gets out of normal range, regardless of how I run it.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[radioman]

My BX only overheated once, and that was due to a dirty rad. I pulled the battery out and cleaned out the rad fins and now its so much better, the prescreen metal filter was a little dirty , but not enough to make it hot, but cleaned it anyways. Due to the nature of the fan direction - it pulls the heat from the rad and pushes the hot air OVER the engine. I can understand why it can get hot fast due to direction of fan blowing.