GC1715 Overheating

[Dmacleo]

<snip> Maybe loose (or non existent-broken) fan belt not turning water pump

most likely would have seen the battery light on and heard the belt slapping the radiator as it flies off, GC series VERY tight there. rad is mounted on "rear" side of engine and fan/alternator very close to stuff.

I'm betting the metal screen (slides up and out of rear of radiator) plugged. been there few times myself.

 

[dj1701]

Yes, clean your radiator screen, but don't stop there. The screen doesn't stop that tiny **** and it will clog your radiator solid. I know this from experience.

Dave

 

[WranglerX]

Ummm....

https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/density-effects/density-temperature-and-salinity/weird-science-macroscopic-changes-liquid-water-volume#:~:text=When%20water%20is%20heated%2C%20it,volume%2C%20it%20becomes%20more%20dense.

 

[JWR]

Ummm....

https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/density-effects/density-temperature-and-salinity/weird-science-macroscopic-changes-liquid-water-volume#:~:text=When%20water%20is%20heated%2C%20it,volume%2C%20it%20becomes%20more%20dense.

I agree with the term "weird science" which this group mentions as a title. Weird enough to be Questionable Science. They do not state quantitatively how much water volume changes with temperature (which I would want to do more research and quantify.) [Done, see below] The camel sized item they fail to mention (compared to the straw sized item they do mention) is that water expands when it cools and gets down to about 32.4 deg F and significantly so. Breaks open rocks. Cracks engine blocks. You know how that works. With regard to internal combustion engine cooling systems, radiators, etc. I stand by my original statement as written.
But thanks to Wrangler for raising the point. Water in liquid state is NOT compressible but it does expand with temp from 4 deg C. on up to 212 deg (or higher when under pressure) while it stays a liquid. After more study I am surprised to learn that water volume does increase with temperature (above 4 deg C.) though it is a small amount. From room temp to 212 deg F volume changes by about 4%. That works out to around 0.12 gal for a 3 gal cooling system. Roughly a pint. In the context of this thread, if the coolant is just slightly below the bottom surface of the radiator cap that extra pint is mostly contained inside the cooling system as it heats up with very little being forced out into the overflow tank. I think that coolant coming into contact with very hot metal inside the coolant paths in the block and heads is going to form bubbles of steam which will make up the majority of the amount of overflow. Those bubbles will be short-lived as the coolant circulates and stablizes in average temperature. Interesting to study. Thanks again to Wrangler for tweeking our tech interest.

 

[Dmacleo]

I'm betting the metal screen (slides up and out of rear of radiator) plugged. been there few times myself.

heh heh
guess what happened to me today

 

[EdGooding]

My MF1533 has two removable screens, one in front of the transmission cooler and the other in front of the radiator. I don't know if this applies to your model but you may want to check. It's still necessary to hose off the radiator fins occasionally, also.

 

[ruffdog]

Yes, clean your radiator screen, but don't stop there. The screen doesn't stop that tiny **** and it will clog your radiator solid. I know this from experience.

Dave

YES!!! Use a light to look through the radiator fins to see if it is blocked. If air can't pass through, it will overheat.

 

[Dmacleo]

GC series only have the one and so far I have not seen crap get past that screen into actual radiator.
I always check when I pull screen

 

[hube2]

GC series only have the one and so far I have not seen crap get past that screen into actual radiator.
I always check when I pull screen

I agree, it appears that anything small enough to get through the screen is also small enough to pass through the radiator as well.

During the summer I clean the screen before each use, but I also don't use it much in the summer because I just use it for mowing and I only do that every 2 weeks. In the winter I don't check every use because I use it to move snow almost daily and sometimes multiple times a day. But I have not seen anything build up on the screen in the winter.

 

[Dmacleo]

I agree, it appears that anything small enough to get through the screen is also small enough to pass through the radiator as well.

During the summer I clean the screen before each use, but I also don't use it much in the summer because I just use it for mowing and I only do that every 2 weeks. In the winter I don't check every use because I use it to move snow almost daily and sometimes multiple times a day. But I have not seen anything build up on the screen in the winter.

I use mine pretty much daily even if it's just to run to end of road to check mail.
I have, in winter, had sleet plug screen. Shut unit off wait 10 minutes and heat from radiator clears the issue but that is VERY rare.
But it's good practice to check radiator every time screen pulled I figure.
Yesterday noticed temp gage that normally is lower 1/3 of gage range suddenly spiked into upper range.
Shut it off let it cool a few then 5 minutes of work and screen cleared and 3+ more hours of mowing done