Jinma 284 Overheating

[Jinma284]

I have read of a number of things that will cause a tractor to overheat. I have personally experienced a radiator blocked with weed seed and trash, and I blew two head gaskets before I realized that the fan belt was loose and the fan wasn't turning. Yesterday I encountered a new cause. I had been using the bush hog for only about 15 minutes when the temp started to climb. I pulled it in the barn and shut it down. Raised the hood and immediately saw the reason. A rat, I'm guessing rat, had built a huge nest on top of the battery completely covering the front of the radiator. I threw it out and went back to mowing, problem solved.

Pat

 

[Bob Rooks]

Your routine safety check of the tractor prior to operating it would have negated two out of the three causes. Pretty obvious which ones.

 

[3RRL]

I have read of a number of things that will cause a tractor to overheat. I have personally experienced a radiator blocked with weed seed and trash, and I blew two head gaskets before I realized that the fan belt was loose and the fan wasn't turning. Yesterday I encountered a new cause. I had been using the bush hog for only about 15 minutes when the temp started to climb. I pulled it in the barn and shut it down. Raised the hood and immediately saw the reason. A rat, I'm guessing rat, had built a huge nest on top of the battery completely covering the front of the radiator. I threw it out and went back to mowing, problem solved.

Pat

Pat,
Do you store your tractor outside? In a shelter?
I found that keeping the hood up (open) keeps the rats, mice and whatever out of the engine compartment. It appears they don't feel as protected as when it's down, so they don't build nests in there when the hood is up.

 

[valley]

Greetings Rob, If throwing the rat out worked for the tractor this could be a national cure. Glad you found the problem, we knew you would! I like problems like that, where you just have to throw the switch and get back in the saddle.

 

[Jinma284]

Rob, I usually park it inside a pole barn. Sometimes I leave it outside with a bucket on the exhaust. The night the rat built the nest it was in the pole barn. I had checked the water, oil, and fuel the day before and had only driven it about 30 minutes and parked it. That day I didn't check anything before starting driving. I do watch the heat gauge very closely now and caught it as soon as it started to warm up.Couldn't believe what a big wad of grass that was on top of that battery. Guess I'll check the tractor out every day I use it from now on. Pat

 

[valley]

Pat, Sorry I read your post and thought it was Rob who posted it. I keep my tractor outside. [ haven't built a shed for it yet] Never thought to look for rodents inside the hood area. Richard

 

[Hadley Christmas Trees]

My guess it was not a rat, but birds. I had this problem many times with an airplane. The birds could put a bale of hay on the engine seemingly overnight. What fun to get that cleaned out! I tried blocking the front openings with cardboard, and they chewed thru that. Finally installed wire screen, that stopped them. (Cessna 170B)