High temp. Gauge trouble?

[Long Square Farm]

Greetings,

I have a 2009 CT 440 with only 62 hours. The 50 hour was done by the dealer in April or May.

Today while mowing with a Woods RD 7200 the temperature gauge went up gradually almost to the red zone. I shut down, waited an hour and started again with the same results after about an hour.

Initial checks had shown no obstruction to the radiator, adequate fluid in the overflow tank and no real indication the machine was running differently or exceptionally hot while running or after shutdown. The gas gauge - the only other gauge - indicated normally, so I assume no voltage problem.

Has anybody else experienced this? It's under warranty, but of course the dealer is closed over the weekend plus 75 miles away.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Canada_CT230]

Wash the radiator. Not just the screen. I wash my rad w/ garden hose (no high pressure). Lots of dust on rad fins prevents cooling. The screen only stops fluff and debris but not dust. I learned this trick when I worked at a construction company with lots of off-road trucks and equipment. I like doing it w/ the engine running...but from a cold start...otherwise you could get shock cooling and possible cracks.

 

[SSdoxie]

Also if you have rear remotes, check the A/B lever to make sure it is not accidentally locked in detent. This would cause hydraulics to over heat and that hot air is what is trying to cool your radiator.

 

[DK35vince]

Don't forget to check the fan belt tension also.

 

[Long Square Farm]

Thank you for the suggestions.

The fan was spinning well, but I did not check the tension. I don't have, but would like rear remotes. I wondered if extra work of the mower could be a problem, but it spun well at idle and showed no problems underneath when I looked at it.

I will take action, but it will be a couple of weeks until I get to the farm to give them a try.

 

[MESSMAKER]

My tractor gets hot while mowing often. It always comes back to normal after I clean the radiator. I suspect fine debris have gotten in the fins.

 

[Canada_CT230]

I suggested the rad wash...thats what works on mine too. These animals don't live in the nicest enviroment.

 

[Long Square Farm]

Update on overheating.

Flushed off radiator and checked fan belt tightness as suggested.

Mowed 3.7 level acres in about 80 - 90 minutes using my Woods RD 7200 with new blades on an 87 degree day. Grass had been mown only a week before and blades were new. It was probably cooler than the day of the problems. Total distance about 7 miles with turns every 2300 feet or so.

Mower went to operating range and stayed there about an hour. Then it rose to half way between the operating range and the overheating red zone and mostly stayed put. It seemed the cruise slowed down some after being set after the temp went up, but I can't say that for certain. After I finished the runway I slowed down and did a lot of turning to mow a few small areas near the hangar. The tractor came down to operating range pretty quickly. RPMs and hydrostat range (H) were unchanged, only tractor speed.

I wonder if SSdoxie may not be on to something with hydraulics - ie the hydrostat - being a factor. It would probably take a long time for all that expensive hydraulic fluid to heat up. Maybe an hour.

The dealer has listened and believed my reports. He is putting out a message to Bobcat to see what they know. He is talking about checking the impeller on the water pump.

Now I need to get a trailer to get it back to the dealer.

 

[k0ua]

Just a though here, but do you have a 3 range hydro? I would not be able to stay on the tractor mowing in High. and wonder if you are just barely cracking the pedal in high, or have in pushed down quite a bit.. wonder if that could be straining things.. I mow in Low range with my Kubota. It will go faster in Low than I feel comfortable going. when I had a Newholland and very flat ground I would mow in Med. but I cannot imagine mowing in High..or is it just a 2 range hydro? and Low is too low? I dont know, just throwing things out.

James K0UA

 

[k0ua]

Ok. went to tractor data, and looked up your tractor, 3 range hydro.. I cannot imagine mowing in HI range.. Hi range is for transporting the tractor on paved roads not mowing. You are IMHO loading the heck out of the engine by going slow in hi range. and you must be going slow as your tractor will go 16 mph in HI range.. I bet that is your problem. Put it in Low, or if your ground is nice and flat Med. Just what I think. I could be wrong.. but it is what I would do.

James K0UA

 

[SSdoxie]

Ok. went to tractor data, and looked up your tractor, 3 range hydro.. I cannot imagine mowing in HI range.. Hi range is for transporting the tractor on paved roads not mowing. You are IMHO loading the heck out of the engine by going slow in hi range. and you must be going slow as your tractor will go 16 mph in HI range.. I bet that is your problem. Put it in Low, or if your ground is nice and flat Med. Just what I think. I could be wrong.. but it is what I would do.

James K0UA

I hadn't thought about this when posted first reply, but James is dead on. I don't see in here what speed range you are using but you're better off and will run hydro much cooler running with more pedal stroke in a lower range than small amount of pedal stroke in higher range. Try dropping down a speed range and going with more pedal stroke.

 

[Long Square Farm]

The end of the saga.

My father-in-law mowed in middle range with the same result.

Tractor is under warranty. Dealer told me there had been cases of fuel injector timing causing this problem, so I rented a trailer and took it in.

The members of this forum were exactly right. My efforts to clean the radiator hadn't been aggressive enough. A better air attachment and a low powered pressure washer found quite a bit of dirt in the radiator. I plan to mow again this weekend, but assume the problem was solved.

Now to buy an electric pressure washer and another wand for the air compressor....

 

[SSdoxie]

Glad you got it figured out.