New 2320... a couple issues

   / New 2320... a couple issues #1  

thebadchek

New member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
3
Location
Marion County, FL
Tractor
John Deere 2320
Howdy everyone. My wife and I just bought a new 2320 w/ 200cx FEL and 62d MMM last week. With much help from the posts we read here we feel we bought the right tractor. So, I wanted to share a pic with everyone and say hello as a new member. It has been working great. I agree with others, this is a grass mowing monster :D We have had a couple issues though...

While the wife was mowing a pasture the other day, the tractor started to overheat and we had to wait 'till it cooled before starting again. We had to blow out the front grille screens twice before finishing as they were full of grass. Since then, at the recommendation of the dealer, I lowered the front of the deck just a tad and this seems to have reduced the amount of dust being thrown out of the deck. I saw in a previous post about someone having the same problem with the front grille screens filling up with dirt and grass causing the overheating. I can't find that thread again. Is this a common issue and if so, what was the solution?

Also, the manual isn't really clear about whether to leave the engine at idle speed for long times. Is it OK to leave the engine at idle while working off the tractor, or should we shut it off every time?

JD2320002.jpg
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #2  
thebadchek

I have not had any overheating problem with my 2320 but then I don't mow with it either. I do plan on getting a shredder in the next year or two. These tractors are really hard workers for their size. My weekend project was to move and level 55 tons of rock and it went through it without a hitch. Okay, one hitch but it wasn't the tractors fault that I forgot to put the geotextile cloth down and didn't notice until I had spread about ten ton's of 3 inch rock.

When I work my tractor hard I let it idle for a few minutes after I am done to let the temperature come down and then turn it off. I don't let it sit and idle for long periods of time. By no means do I have a lot of experience with tractors though; that is just what my dealer told me to do and it does seem to work.

Welcome to TBN!!!
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #3  
Hi, and welcome badchek.

A beautiful machine it is!

Your first issue -
This is kind of common with these machines set up with a mid mower deck. Although I don't finish mow with my 2520 (have a Z for that), I did mow a lot with my 2210. When in anything heavy, the front screens will quickly clog up. And, one of the main problems is that you can't see those screens when on the tractor. As a matter of fact, my wife used to occasionally look out the window at me on the tractor, and see if my screens were clogging up - a couple waves of her hand and I knew to stop and clean the screens.

I've never found a solution - just have to get used to keeping an eye on them.

As for idling - it is never a good idea to idle a diesel engine for a long period of time. What happens is, when idling, the temperature of the cylinders will cool, and not all the fuel injected will burn - the unburnt fuel will then wash down the cylinder walls causing improper lubrication.
Basic rule of thumb for me - 2-3 minutes idling is OK - anything more than that I will shut it down.

Hope that helps some - and congratulations on your beautiful new machine!
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #4  
Is that what my 2320 looked like brand new??? Wow, not a scratch on it!

The front screens on my tractor fill up a lot of the times, especially now that it is sooooo dry. I just got off my 2320 a few minutes ago and it was all clogged up after mowing about 2 acres of weeds. Seems like they are all that are growing except for around the septic laterals!

So far my tractor has never overheated and I have worked her hard. My FEEL has sure made life easier for me, and I have moved a "mountain" of clay/rock the contractor left from the basement excavation. I need to get a tooth bar next. I hear it will allow the bucket to dig like nobody's business.

We now have 40 hours on the tractor and the only problem we have had with our 2320 is the MM deck. The gear box on the deck went bad after about 5 hours of use.
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #5  
Badchek,
Beautiful machine you have there! I am about ready to pull the trigger on a 2320 myself. My wife thinks we should wait until spring, so I might be saying I'm ready for a few months?!? I have read some threads about the clogging as well. How high was the pasture that you were mowing and how thick was the grass/weeds? Just curious, as to the fact that a little of our mowing is in pasture grass. Have fun with the new toy.
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #6  
Well, I have 2520 and I've had the same problem. The only thing I can think of to do is jump off the tractor from time to time and check the grill. It sure would be nice to have a temp gauge so you could keep an eye on it!!
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #7  
thebadchek said:
Howdy everyone. My wife and I just bought a new 2320 w/ 200cx FEL and 62d MMM last week. With much help from the posts we read here we feel we bought the right tractor. So, I wanted to share a pic with everyone and say hello as a new member. It has been working great. I agree with others, this is a grass mowing monster :D We have had a couple issues though...

While the wife was mowing a pasture the other day, the tractor started to overheat and we had to wait 'till it cooled before starting again. We had to blow out the front grille screens twice before finishing as they were full of grass. Since then, at the recommendation of the dealer, I lowered the front of the deck just a tad and this seems to have reduced the amount of dust being thrown out of the deck. I saw in a previous post about someone having the same problem with the front grille screens filling up with dirt and grass causing the overheating. I can't find that thread again. Is this a common issue and if so, what was the solution?

Also, the manual isn't really clear about whether to leave the engine at idle speed for long times. Is it OK to leave the engine at idle while working off the tractor, or should we shut it off every time?

View attachment 84961


This is a problem with the John Deere MMM mowing decks. On my X495 the screens would cover over when mowing in the yard. I discussed this with my dealer and he ordered a kit, two thin shaped metal strips. The strips are bolted on the bottom edge on the front of the mowing deck. The holes are already pre bored in the deck. Makes a WORLD of difference. No more dust flying or screens clogging. Made me a happy camper. Check with your dealer and see if such a kit is available for your deck. If he pleads no knowledge, call John Deere.
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #8  
I think it's a HUGE leap to state that there is a "problem" with JD MMM decks. I have a 2305 with a 62C and it's primary use is mowing; I don't have the issue with the front screen getting clogged. There are thousands and thousands of these MMM in use.

The thin strips are actually used with the powerflow unit - I'm in process of getting a bagger system setup on my 62C and saw them listed in the manual (they are optional).

Good luck!

Scott
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks for all the info. I guess I will have to just keep an eye on it while I am mowing. Like I said, its not as bad now that I lowered the front of the deck just a bit. As far as the FEL, we have used to it move a couple pain in the a** rubber mats last weekend. They are so hard to move because they are heavy and have nothing to grab onto. Loaded them into the FEL and moved them quick. Now my wife says we need to have a load of dirt delivered just so we can play in it... who's toy is this anyways?! :p

JSR LLS- The grass was about 8 inches high, and kinda thick. We just replanted it this past spring and its grown in great. Trying to keep the chamber bitter at bay though by cutting it. But, to be fair, the ground was pretty dry as we havent had rain in a week. The 2320 cuts like a champ though. Took us 45 min to cut an acre that used to take 3 hrs.
 
   / New 2320... a couple issues #10  
Keep an eye on the FEL while mowing. When using the MMM it may be easier jsut to pull the bucket off with the quick detach things. But if the grass is high I found the FEL was hitting the taller grasses and sending the "little fuzzies" into the grill. Now when we put the MMM on we just drop the bucket. We leave the rest of the FEL on...just drop the bucket off.

Best of luck with the 2320 though. It has been a great machine for us. I kept thinking that one day I may need a larger machine but everything I try with this tractor it does without a problem. Even have an LX5 brush cutter on it and it cuts like a dream in all the fields. Since they have been cut down the clover comes up real nice and lots more critters coming around these days.
 

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