Oil Temp Gauges for both Engine and Hydraulics

smartguyz · Apr 26, 2004

OK guys,

Given all the discussions in this thread , it seems reasonable to start a new thread concerned with monitoring oil temps. Here's a key quote from that thread, provided by 'fourteen'.

( . "Hydraulic Oil operating temperature should not exceed 200° F. with a maximum of 180° F. generally recommended. 120° F to 140° F. is generally considered the optimum system operating temperature. High temperatures result in rapid oil deterioration and may point out a need for an oil cooler or a larger reservoir. The nearer to optimum temperature, the longer the service life of the oil and the hydraulic components." )

It seems to me that engine oil temp and hydraulic oil temp gauges are definitely needed. Has anyone done this, and do you have any recommendations on an easy, effective (including cost-effective /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif) way to do this?

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MossRoad · Apr 26, 2004

I stick my hand over the fan and feel the air. Try it some time. The hardest thing on the machine seems to be mowing and driving long distances with a heavy load in the bucket for hours. Normal loader work doesn't seem to heat it up too much, as half the time the loader is empty, allowing cool down times. Mowing is continuos.

I have thought about engine and hydraulic temp gauges, too. It would be nice just to have a benchmark as to what the normal operating temps are. Then you could see it climb and decrease as you work.

After running my machine hard, I usually run it at about 1/4 throttle for a few minutes to cool down the oil before I shut down.

FOURTEEN · Apr 26, 2004

.

When the hydraulic oil tank on my PT-425 was way too hot to touch after 3 hours of stump grinding, I slipped into the kitchen, extracted the Candy Thermometer from my wife's kitchen tool collection, opened the hydraulic oil tank cover, inserted the thermometer, after 5 minutes it read 180 degrees, slipped back into the kitchen, and replaced the cleaned thermometer!
Shhh!! My wife doesn't know!!!

.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MossRoad · Apr 26, 2004

Shhh!! 

WHAAAT??!! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

IrTxRx · Apr 27, 2004

I bet the next batch of fudge she makes will be the best anyone has ever tasted and you will be the only one who knows the "secret /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

RegL · May 2, 2004

Was working the pt very hard yesterday and got thinking about this thread. Put my hand on the side of the hydraulic oil tank, OUCH! Put my hand over the cooler fan. No air, no fan running. Decided to find the trouble today and it was what I expected. I jumpered around the thermostat for hyd oil, turned the key and the fan fired right up. Now for the dumb thing I did. While making the repair semi-permanent untill I can replace the thermostat, I shorted a wire and blue the fuse for this circuit. The manual shows a 10 amp fuse but I'll be darned if I can find it. I looked for one in line, pulled the main connection box and looked up under the dash. I didn't find any fuses, just a 20 amp circuit breaker on the dash but thats not it. I'll be calling Terry in the AM but thought in the meantime I would post here so someone could really make me feel stupid by telling me where it is, right in front of my eyes. Thanks.

toy · May 3, 2004

The fuse fpr the oil cooler fan is just after the wire goes through the hood right at the cooler it is a funny looking fuse holder looks like a terminal for hooking two wires together. Check the wires might not be seated in the terminal like they should and therefore not making contact causing the fan not to turn on.

Sedgewood · May 3, 2004

The manual shows a 10 amp fuse but I'll be darned if I can find it. 

Here's a picture of the fuses (10 and 50 amp) on Charlie's 1845, attached to the left side of the wiring junction box. The 1430 may or may not have a similar setup.

Sedgewood

MossRoad · May 3, 2004

http://the manual shows a 10 amp fuse but i'll be darned if i can find it./

I don't think that is a valid URL /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Charlie_Iliff · May 3, 2004

You mean this one?

Sedgewood's Own Website /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sedgewood · May 3, 2004

I don't think that is a valid URL 

Oops! So much for cutting and pasting with eyes closed. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Thanx for bailing me out Charlie

Sedgewood

smartguyz · May 3, 2004

OK, I'm still thinking about adding gauges to the PT. Here's my short list:

* Engine Oil Pressure Gauge
* Hydraulic Oil Temp Gauge
* Cylinder Head Temp Gauge

I was thinking of using these mounts to put gauges on the ROPS and then putting in this gauge for the hydraulic tank , perhaps this gauge for cylinder head temp and getting the Kohler kit for oil pressure, which is seen on the PDF file found here.

For senders, I'd probably need one of these for cylinder head temp, and one of these for the oil temperature.

What do you guys think? Overkill?

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rip · May 3, 2004

Rob,
Overkill perhaps, but I like gauges as well.

You might want to look at a lower range for the hydraulic oil temp since 180 should be as high as it should get. Something starting around 80 to 100 and going to 220 or 250 max might give you better resolution.

A sender and gauge designed for engine coolant temp should work fine and might be better suited.

Rip

RegL · May 3, 2004

sedgewood, mr and Charlie, you guys were right on as usual. I called Terry today and he gave me the location. Changed out the fuse, wired around the thermostat and the fan is now running full time until I get a new one. Terry is sending it out under warrentee. Toy, I checked that connection and it could be some kind of fusible link but it looked like just a connector to me. Luckily, I shorted the circuit in front of that so I didn't burn that one. Thanks to all for the response. Nice to know we are not out here on our lonesome.

SnowRidge · May 4, 2004

I'm not sure that cylinder head temperature gauge is the right one to use on an air cooled engine. You might want to check that.

However, I do think the cylinder head temperature is far more important than the oil temperature on these engines. If something goes wrong, the oil temperature will not rise nearly as fast as the head temperature.

SnowRidge

Rip · May 4, 2004

I understood him to be intending to monitor the Hydraulic Oil Temperature, plus engine oil pressure and engine cyl head temp.

Rip

SnowRidge · May 4, 2004

( I understood him to be intending to monitor the Hydraulic Oil Temperature, plus engine oil pressure and engine cyl head temp. )

Whoops, looks like I misread that. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I still wonder if cylinder head temperatures for air cooled engines are higher than for liquid cooled engines. That is why I was wondering about that specific head temperature gauge he mentioned.

SnowRidge

Charlie_Iliff · May 4, 2004

Rob:
As Snowridge has noted, air cooled and liquid cooled engines are likely to have different cylinder head temperatures. Back in the day, we routinely ran 350 degree head temperatures on 100cc 2-stroke kart engines. They were pretty highly tuned, so maybe the Kohlers and Robins only need the gauge up to 340, but CHT gauges are available that go higher for air-cooled applications.

smartguyz · May 10, 2004

OK, given all the discussions and news regarding smoking oil tanks, and overheating - what do you guys think is the minimum number and type of gauges or alarms needed to help prevent, or at least understand what is happening in our PTs?

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

blackwell · May 10, 2004

We run temps in the closed loop up to 220F and up to 200F in other parts of the circuit, but remember we use Mobil 1 which does not shear down as thin at high temps. If the oil film gets too thin it slips thru clearences in the pumps and motors and causes more heat, faster, as well as losing lubrication and causing excessive parts wear which creates greater clearences and greater slippage. use good oil and check it often.
The new carb laws causes all engine manufactures including Kohler and Robin to run much leaner, thus hotter. Head temps are now over 400F.
Deutz 1011F oil cooled engines have a max oil temp of 266F.
Omega makes therma-couples up to 2000F which can be located any place you want to check the temp and be connected to a digital readout or recorder, thus allowing you to collect all the data desired.
Use good oil, keep your oil cooler clean, and use a machine large enough to do your job instead of straining the guts out of a small one and your oil overheating is over.
EB