how hot is 5 bars?

[daugen]

Until I started to mow the fields with the 5740, I had never seen the temp gauge go higher than four bars. Every time, four bars.
Now I'm out there in 90 degree heat, with the a/c blasting, and the fifth bar pops up? It drives me nuts not having a real gauge and knowing the actual temp.

Does anyone know what four bars equals in degrees, and five bars?
I think if I saw six I'd shut her down. Five has my attention, tells me the tractor is working hard.
but how hard???? 84 inch LP mower.

How many bars have to light up before some warning light/buzzer comes on? Does this engine have diagnostic
capabilities to shut itself down?

I'm not an idiot light person, maybe should put some nice Murphy gauges in. But also likely unnecessary if I keep checking the oil and water levels, and clean out the radiator screen religiously. Like the drier vent at home...

 

[whistlepig]

How many bars total does it have? Is 4 bars halfway, 3/4 way, etc?

 

[gwdixon]

Usually there is a "red" level. When it reaches that then is the time to worry.

On a hot day with the A/C and a heavy load your truck would do the same thing. Everything will be just fine.

My M7040 probably has 10 units and it will run from 5 to 8 "bars" depending on the load. Admittedly, when it reaches 8 bars I check it more often but as long as it is not in the red I just keep on rolling.

You will notice overheating in other ways if it is serious (oil smell, heat in cab, steam from the radiator, etc.). It sounds like you take good care of the tractor so without those indicators you can work with confidence.

 

[vrmnthntr]

On my 3540 I have hit 5 bars before. I don't know the temp. of the engine. But it is usually when I am bush hogging high weeds and the radiator screens are full. I then blow it out with compressed air. Thats when the temp outside is 90 plus degrees. It takes more than an hour of cutting to get it there. But just last weekend I was cutting a pasture for 3 hours in 85 degree temps, short growth and it stayed at 4 bars. Nothing stuck in the screen.

I have continued cutting with 5 bars before if I was finishing a section of field. Maybe 30 mins more after it hit 5 bars. Then went to clean the screens. I don't like to push it.

 

[DT86]

I think if I saw six I'd shut her down. Five has my attention, tells me the tractor is working hard.

I'm sure you already know this, but if it does ever get extremely hot don't just shut it off.

I would recommend to stop mowing, turn the heater on, open the door and set it at a fast idle.

 

[daugen]

How many bars total does it have? Is 4 bars halfway, 3/4 way, etc?

good question, I'm going to guess seven, but maybe one more. Definitely not ten. There are no color indicators at all on the lights, perhaps the last two light up a different
color?

Perhaps I should ask this a different way.. what is the max water temp in F for a Kubota four cylinder engine?
I'm going to assume perhaps 220 degrees? 200 was always the max on my old Detroits.

I'm sure the tractor is working just fine and there aren't any negative indicators.
Can you imagine taking your own temp with a thermometer and have the results in bars?
without reference....
hmmm, warm but perhaps not too hot yet.
a little too inexact for me.

 

[daugen]

I'm sure you already know this, but if it does ever get extremely hot don't just shut it off.

I would recommend to stop mowing, turn the heater on, open the door and set it at a fast idle.

thanks DT, I knew that and hope if it happens I remember that...
good way to cook a turbo bearing.

 

[JakeBrake]

My L3830 can bush hog all day in 95 degree heat and never go above 4 bars. The only time it goes to 5 or more bars is when the radiator screen is clogged, which happens regularly. When I see 5 bars, I stop and clean the radiator screen and all the air intakes into the engine compartment and let the tractor idle until it goes back to 4 bars. I don't blow out the radiator with compressed air until I'm through for the day and back to the barn.

I learned the hard way that when I ignore the increasing number of bars I will soon have a red light and a warning buzz.

 

[BobRip]

Check your radiator cap. Every one I have tested that is a year or more old has failed. It may be easier to just replace it.

 

[whistlepig]

Still no description to the top to the gauge. Maybe yes. Maybe no. But definitely maybe.

 

[texasjohn]

Exactly

As I recall, light comes on when either last or next to last bar is lit.

My L3830 can bush hog all day in 95 degree heat and never go above 4 bars. The only time it goes to 5 or more bars is when the radiator screen is clogged, which happens regularly. When I see 5 bars, I stop and clean the radiator screen and all the air intakes into the engine compartment and let the tractor idle until it goes back to 4 bars. I don't blow out the radiator with compressed air until I'm through for the day and back to the barn.

I learned the hard way that when I ignore the increasing number of bars I will soon have a red light and a warning buzz.

 

[daugen]

I had cleaned the radiator screen that morning, so I can rule that out.
and my best memory is that I had two bars to go.
I was running a mower rated for a lot more hp, intentionally, but the field grass wasn't that heavy,
and with the heat and a/c running, and on hilly terrain, I'm sure the fifth bar is just a normal reaction.
But if it goes on, JakeBrake's suggestion to check the intake screen is a fine idea.

 

[bucktaker]

I have seen the bars increase on my L5740 while mowing and it is the screen picking up debris, wipe it off and go on the temp returned to normal.

 

[texasjohn]

I have have had numerous cases when mowing tall weeds where radiator itself gets clogged...have to run water thru it to get debris out...front screen does not catch everything...hose radiator out.

 

[daugen]

well, all things point to the radiator for sure.
I'll make sure I check out the primary radiator.
I have a small Makita cordless blower with a nozzle that fits in there pretty well, and
I blow off both the screen and the radiator.
But now you have me wondering.... I'll look in there again. The outside screen had a clog in it
about two inches by two inches when I cleaned it that morning before mowing.

 

[TripleR]

I bought a 2' long hose wand from TSC that has a sharp angle on the end upon the advice of another TBN member and it fits in spots you can't get to with a regular nozzle end. When away from the shop, I keep a Stihl leaf blower in my pickup.

 

[daugen]

I've always been worried about using a hose due to the water driving chaff further in, not out,
and have used air, and washed that area when needed with water from above, not in front.
Is it ok to garden hose a radiator? Not when it's hot I know.

sitting in the cab and watching all the dust and chaff swirl around me, while I breath cool clean air, makes one forget the tractor
doesn't have such a luxury, it's closer to the ground and inhaling a lot of air too.

 

[TripleR]

I use air on all of ours, I have never used water on it, so I don't know. Our soil clots when wet and dries like concrete, so I just avoid the mix.

 

[EastTexFrank]

When you get way on up there, it'll start showing "Overheated" on the display and a warning will sound. At least that's what happens on my L4740.

Personally, I've noticed that mine can go for 3 to 4 hours before it starts getting hot and at my ripe old age, that's about time for a break anyway. After letting it cool down I use water to clean out the radiator and the rest of the stuff in there. The a/c works better too when it's clean. There's just a lot of stuff packed in there that needs a bunch of air passing over it in order to keep it cool.

I need to check on those bent hose end adapters. That would be a great help.

 

[texasjohn]

For me, air simply does not get the stuff out...gotta use water hose, just normal pressure, not pressure washer. Problem occurs only when going thru 3 ft plus weeds, shredding, lots of chaff. Amazing amount of stuff comes out. I leave tractor running when washing out when hot. Temp falls very fast back to normal range, stays there. Good time to wash off rest of tractor, too.I wash, but I don't polish.:ashamed::ashamed: