Ever Ad a Coolant reservoir to their ASV RC100 radiator?

[tuckinlugz]

I don't have an over flow on my machine and I loose some coolant each time I run the machine. I did a pressure test and it doesn't leak so I am assuming when the coolant expands it goes out of the overflow tube. I guess this means it is an open cooling system. Has anyone ever added an over flow resevoir? If I added one would it work?

 

[Bob Rooks]

I don't have an over flow on my machine and I loose some coolant each time I run the machine. I did a pressure test and it doesn't leak so I am assuming when the coolant expands it goes out of the overflow tube. I guess this means it is an open cooling system. Has anyone ever added an over flow resevoir? If I added one would it work?

One of the worst things you can do to a cooling system is to introduce air. Your system is not an open system if it has a cap on it. True, that when the coolant reaches operating temperature it expands and purges through the pressure cap. Trouble is, when it cools it contracts and draws air back into the system, unless there is a coolant recovery reservoir installed. Your radiator cap is a pressure/vacuum cap. Vacuum is nominally rated at ~5" Hg.
Surprised your machine doesn't have one already.

 

[Bison]

If you're loosing coolant trough the overflow tube you are running it to hot.

 

[Bob Rooks]

If you're loosing coolant trough the overflow tube you are running it to hot.

Not necessarily, but check your temperature gauge to be sure.

 

[tuckinlugz]

Runs at 220 most of the time while cutting. I can't figure how to get it cooler.

 

[Bob Rooks]

Runs at 220 most of the time while cutting. I can't figure how to get it cooler.

Okay, 220° is about 15° too warm, depending on the pressure of your radiator cap (test the cap) and your thermostat. Not that familiar with the RC100 but if the oil cooler is in front of the radiator (air drawn through it before the radiator) that will be a big source of heat while maxing the hydraulics. Some models will have an oil temperature by-pass valve at the oil cooler, this could be a contributing factor if it stuck.
It's still a good idea to have a coolant recovery reservoir though.

 

[trailbuilder]

Sounds hot to me too, Are you keeping the rad and oil cooler blown out daily while mowing? Are the fins still clear on the heat exchangers?

 

[McCaskey]

RC100 radiators are next to each other, not in series. When mulching in 80 degree or more days, it's not unusual for my RC100 to water overheat in first 90 minutes of usage. It's really an airflow problem, ASV sells an additional electric fan which is my next investment. I rarely need to add coolant, so a reservoir might not help. Since the machine has lights rather than gauges, I carry a point & shoot thermal digital thermometer with me at all times. I can shoot the hydraulic lines thru the left window. Also very useful for monitoring mulcher bearings & track wheel bearing temperatures.

I keep the radiator clean but limited air flow from engine driven fan is the real problem.

The idiot light switches are prone to early warning from oil film shorting the connectors. If the lights start dim & flicker, they are getting shorted by oil. The water switch is under the AC compressor, the oil switch is impossible to service on the back side of oil reservoir.

$49 at Lowes
Shop Amprobe Amprobe IR607A Infrared Thermometer at Lowes.com

 

[Bob Rooks]

I rarely need to add coolant, so a reservoir might not help.

If you don't have a coolant recovery reservoir, you have an air gap in the top tank of your radiator. It's your call.

http://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-pocket-thermometer-93983.html

 

[tuckinlugz]

I have a guage on the coolant. It's an electronic gauge ( I think that's what you call it) inside the cab. I also added a mechanical one (one that has a probe with no electrical wires) near the engine. They both read pretty much the same. I am sure I have the "lights" too but they have never came on.

I don't know the temp of the hydraulics. What does yours run at?

I blow the rad out daily, there is nothing visible that you can see in the fins. When I blow it out it just has dust in it.

I do have about 1 inch of air in the top of the rad. I fill it to the top and it just goes back to the same level. The cap says 13 psi. I got a pressure tester from a local auto parts store, pumped it up and no pressure loss after 2 mins. After five mins it moved a hair.

I bought some no water coolant as bob described on another thread, but I thought I had a leak because the coolant level went down. But the pressure test says its good.....

If I add an overflow will it work? They only cost $10

The system is only 3 gallons total. If I add the over flow it seems that it will solve the air problem and give me another 1/2 a gallon of coolant. I was just unsure if it would work since it didn't come with one. Does anyone else have one that came on their machine?