Getting Warm

[crashz]

The weekend before last, I cut a small 2 acre field that I have cut many times with the brush cutter. This time I used my finish mower, as all of the "brush" is gone and it was nothing more than thick grass. Both the brush cutter (5ft JD 506) and finish mower (Landpride 1872) are oversized for my 19 PTO HP, but they have always worked flawlessly, albeit I have to cut heavy growth slowly.

That Sunday, I had to crawl and stop frequently. Ambient temps were about 98 degrees F, little breaze, and no shade. It only took about 3-4 passes for the temp needle to creep up to half way. I'd never seen the temp needle go past the quarter mark on the bottom. I attributed it to the full throttle operation in the heat, and the tall, thick grass.

Watching it like a hawk, I see the needle creep up and up. It got to about 2/3 and I stopped (not in the red by a good margin), disengaged the PTO and fast idled at 1500 rpms for a minute or so. I popped the hood to clean the screen, but there was nothing on it. It a minute or so, it dropped back to halfway and I proceeded. I finished the job in this manner, stopping and cooling every few passes. Gave me time to hydrate, blow the chaff off of the mower and search for a top link pin that fell out (lost).

This past weekend I decided to try to figure out the issue. I found it and I was a bit shocked. Normally I wash the tractor after every job, and when I do, I clean the radiator with the hose. I blow it out from back to front using water. But I looked carefully, I noticed the fins were blocked. Dirt and dust packed into the radiator, but deep enough that at first glance, it looked clean. It was not!

So I took the battery out, the air filter housing out, and dismounted the hydraulic cooler, laying it down in from the of the radiator. I blew out the radiator from front to back using my air gun. The junk that came out was staggering! It would have easily filled a gallon jug container.

This will go in as a yearly PM service now. I've never "cleaned" the radiator. Just in-effectively rinsed it out, all the while packing more dirt in that I didn't realize. While I won't go throwing the screen away, I can honestly say I've never seen all that much buildup on the screen. Seems to get stuck in the rad fins only.

Let this post be a reminder to clean your radiator!

Do you guys with "deluxe" tractors have better screens or coolers that you can access better?

 

[ruffdog]

I never use water as it makes the dust turn to cement in the fins. I reverse blow out the fins with air EVERY time I mow and have never had a problem.

 

[big bubba]

98 ambient temp, no breeze, no shade...eager to meet the lord?

 

[crashz]

98 ambient temp, no breeze, no shade...eager to meet the lord?

Ha! Actually, it was warm out to me, but I felt relatively comfortable. Wore shorts and white shirt.

 

[crashz]

I never use water as it makes the dust turn to cement in the fins. I reverse blow out the fins with air EVERY time I mow and have never had a problem.

I learned the lesson the hard way. I never expected that build-up to harden in there. Took about an hour with the air-gun on each and every fin to get it clean all the way through.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

98 ambient temp, no breeze, no shade...eager to meet the lord?

I was spreading chicken manure over a cut over in this. No shade, no top on tractor, no breakfast, no lunch, no supper, and only hot water to drink. Went from 5:45 am until 9:00 pm. One day we sheared a key and needed some key stock at about 1:30 pm, I went and got some food while he was in town. About 20 miles to town, so I had time. Then it rained on me the last half of the last day. I thought we was through until six more dump trucks with litter showed up.

 

[ruffdog]

I learned the lesson the hard way. I never expected that build-up to harden in there. Took about an hour with the air-gun on each and every fin to get it clean all the way through.

All we can do is keep trying to get the message out that the radiator needs air flow....THROUGH the core.....to rid the coolant of heat. Thanks for posting your experience.

 

[Torvy]

Good post! Probably not just a Kubota thing.

 

[Thomas]

Do you have means of carrying portable air tank....also check air filter.

 

[seville009]

Experience the same thing with my MF1540 hst. Brush hog about 5 acres once at the end of each summer. Usually on a hot sunny day when it’s nice and dry. Takes about three to four hours, full rpms, and slow speed.

At about 2.5 hours, the engine temps continually climb into the red zone. I brush off the chaff that’s clogging everything, and it cools off enough to go about 15 minutes more at a time.

After I’m done, the next day i wash the radiator fins really well. It’s amazing how much stuff is in them; always looks clean when eyeballing it.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Need to keep them rads clean.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Something I do that works. Get a spray bottle. One of them garden sprayer one quart jobs with the finger trigger works great, with the adjustable tip. Fill it almost and then add a cup of powdered TIDE washing detergent, fill it on up. Use hot water. Spray on when everything is dry so that the dry soaks in the soapy liquid. Wet it down good. Let it set a little bit. Then hose it off. You can also use on a dry engine and not have to use a damaging pressure washer.

Also, inside the cooling system, you can use dishwasher detergent. It does not foam. You can put a cup in the coolant system and run it a week and see what all comes out. It'll flush your system.

 

[oosik]

98F - WoW!! Brings back a thought - "only fools and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun". I don't mow with my tractor. But I VERY carefully check the radiator and fins with a flash light. Once in spring and again in the fall. The radiator screen collects everything on my tractor.

 

[5030]

I never use water as it makes the dust turn to cement in the fins. I reverse blow out the fins with air EVERY time I mow and have never had a problem.

Mine get cleaned with a Rad Genie after every field use but and I say but before I even set up to clean them, I take a 'spritz bottle with water and Dawn dish wash detergent in it and spray down the rad from the fan side and the front side, soaking the rad fins. Dawn has a desirable effect, it loosens any crud and allows the 'Geine' to flush it out much more easily.

Been doing that for years and other than a stuck thermostat years ago, I have no overheating issues, no matter how hot it gets outside.

All water cooled engines must have a way to rid themselves of the inherent heat of operation and that includes your pickup truck and / or car too. A rad loaded with smashed bugs from driving don't transfer heat very well either and neither does an AC condenser under the hood, loaded with bugs and road filth. My vehicles all get cleaned at least 2 times a year as well.

I usually do it when I clean the engines, I don't like filthy engines in my vehicles either.

 

[5030]

Something I do that works. Get a spray bottle. One of them garden sprayer one quart jobs with the finger trigger works great, with the adjustable tip. Fill it almost and then add a cup of powdered TIDE washing detergent, fill it on up. Use hot water. Spray on when everything is dry so that the dry soaks in the soapy liquid. Wet it down good. Let it set a little bit. Then hose it off. You can also use on a dry engine and not have to use a damaging pressure washer.

Also, inside the cooling system, you can use dishwasher detergent. It does not foam. You can put a cup in the coolant system and run it a week and see what all comes out. It'll flush your system.

Be careful using Tide as it is alkaline in nature and can can cause corrosion with non compatible metals. Dawn dish wash liquid is much better.

I apply the same regimen to our whole house AC condenser on the outside pad. It gets 'washed down with a solution of Dawn in a spritz bottle and the garden hose annually. You'd be surprised how much crud comes out the condenser fins and a clean heat exchanger transfers heat much more efficiently and will lower your utility bill from less juice used to maintain your house temp.

If you change your antifreeze in a timely manner, no need to flush the system. I change mine bi yearly. AF has corrosion inhibitors in it but AF, like motor oil, looses those ingredients as the heat-cool cycles mount.

Cooling systems get crudded up from lack of changing coolant.

 

[Smokeydog]

Radiator Genie - Water & Air Cleaning Wands for High Efficiency Cooling Systems and Radiators - Blow Out / Wash Out Kit https://a.co/d/85BW9gz

The best tools I have found for keeping radiators clean. Nice tip design to force air or water thru the fins. Also good for blowing out air filter elements.

Bush hogging 6-8’ tall fall weeds require frequent cleaning. Bucket/grapple and grill guard mesh helps too. Morning mountain dew helps with heat and dust. Still a hot job.

 

[5030]

Be careful when blowing out any air filter. High pressure air can destroy the paper pleats and always blow from the inside to the outside, never outside to inside. I always wipe out the air filter housing inside with a slightly oily rag as well. The oil gets on the inside of the housing and helps retain any dust in there. The filters on my Kubota's aren't cheap either so I too, blow them out a couple times before replacing.

 

[crashz]

My air filter looked OK, but it was gray with carbon from the exhaust. The L2501 is great because it lacks emissions equipment, but it sucks because it lacks emissions equipment. Besides the lack of power inherent in a 25HP compact tractor, it will smoke slightly when under load and at start-up. Nothing bad, or even really noticeable, but the air filter gets covered in carbon black within 40-50 hours. Blowing it out doesn't work, so I replace it. This one I could still see light through.

I have a portable air tank that I might start bringing with my. I usually just blow everything off (including radiator and screen) with a handheld battery operated blower. But I think a yearly deep cleaning is needed. I've run the tractor for four years without issue, but then again, I thought the radiator was clean from what I could see. I was wrong!

The irony is that I started the mowing task in the morning ~8am. I should have been done around 10ish. Hot, but not blazing. I loaded back up around 12:30. It was a bit uncomfortable by then. Fortunately my tow rig, the F450, has amazing air conditioning. It gets so cold that I leave the windows down!

I'll try the Dawn trick. I usually have a sprayer with a light Dawn/water mix anyway.