Oil & Fuel Over heating

[Brutus51]

Hello. I have a BX 2360 and have owed it for the past year and a half... I have just less than 100 hours on it and have done the 50 and 100 hour service on it myself.. I have followed the Kubota owners manual on what do do at which service.. No issues with any of that... The owners manual says that the antifreeze doesn't need changed till the 400 hour service but it seems when I work the engine a little harder than just mowing grass it heats up more than normal... I guess the weather may have a little to do with it but it heats up to just below the red and that seems to me to be a little to hot to be running it at... Any suggestions?

 

[sandyc]

Have you checked the radiator screen? Sometimes there is a build up of debris that needs to be cleaned out.

 

[dodge man]

Do a search, there is a lot of threads on the issue. The general consensus is the gauge just reads high, but its not overheating. I even took a point and shoot thermometer on mine and it wasn't overheating. As long as it doesn't get in the red, it seems its ok.

 

[avc8130]

If it was "overheating" you would know it. The tractor would go into limp mode and reduce engine power and possibly shut off before damaging itself.

Check your radiator screen. It is probably clogged.

ac

 

[Midniteoyl]

You could also add some 'water wetter' or similar to the rad.. Increases cooling efficiency.

Amazon.com: Red Line 80204 Water Wetter - 12 oz.: Automotive

 

[adirondackmtnman]

You could also add some 'water wetter' or similar to the rad.. Increases cooling efficiency.

Amazon.com: Red Line 80204 Water Wetter - 12 oz.: Automotive

Yup...we use the stuff in our race car and it works wonders, allows the engine to run a few ticks cooler and speeds cool-down during cautions or after the racing's done. I've beem told it works by reducing the surface tension of the coolant, allowing better heat transfer, and although I'm no scientist I'd put money down that it also draws more heat away from the cylinders and into the water jackets by the same principle.

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

 

[adirondackmtnman]

You could also add some 'water wetter' or similar to the rad.. Increases cooling efficiency.

Amazon.com: Red Line 80204 Water Wetter - 12 oz.: Automotive

Yup...we use the stuff in our race car and it works wonders, allows the engine to run a few ticks cooler and speeds cool-down during cautions or after the racing's done. I've been told it works by reducing the surface tension of the coolant, allowing better heat transfer through the radiator, and although I'm no scientist I'd put money down that it also draws more heat away from the cylinders and into the water jackets by the same principle.

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

 

[David_Kb7uns]

If it was "overheating" you would know it. The tractor would go into limp mode and reduce engine power and possibly shut off before damaging itself.

Check your radiator screen. It is probably clogged.

ac

Where does this "limp mode " come from?? if the engine is reducing power from overheating you are getting into the area where possibility of serious damage is happening and you need to correct the problem as I have yet to see the Kubota Super Mini or 05 series engine have a engine control computer that cuts power when over heated.

Do check the screens and radiator for clogging, check coolant for proper level and get a thermometer to check gauge calibration as some sender, gauge combinations are not the best for accuracy.

David Kb7uns

 

[dodge man]

Yeah, no limp mode on the small Kubota tractors that I know of.

 

[avc8130]

Yeah, no limp mode on the small Kubota tractors that I know of.

You guys got me checking so I pulled my owner's manual:

"Engine Overheat"
If the engine gets overheated the indicator lamp on the meter panel lights up and the following messages appear alternately:
"Overheat" - "Eng SLOW"

ac

 

[PHILIP8N]

You guys got me checking so I pulled my owner's manual:

"Engine Overheat"
If the engine gets overheated the indicator lamp on the meter panel lights up and the following messages appear alternately:
"Overheat" - "Eng SLOW"

ac

There is no automatic 'limp mode' on this tractor like you see in todays high horsepower, big dollar, electronic controlled diesel engines. It is telling you, the operator, to remove load, reduce engine rpm (Eng SLOW), and limp on back to the barn. Philip.

 

[dodge man]

The OP has a BX also, not an L.

 

[PHILIP8N]

The OP has a BX also, not an L.

Yes, that is correct, the OP has a BX, not an L. Why does that matter in this discussion? Philip.

 

[avc8130]

There is no automatic 'limp mode' on this tractor like you see in todays high horsepower, big dollar, electronic controlled diesel engines. It is telling you, the operator, to remove load, reduce engine rpm (Eng SLOW), and limp on back to the barn. Philip.

Interesting. I only had it happen once (thank goodness) on my old L39. I don't remember what caught my attention, if it was the bells, whistles and lights or if it was sudden reduced power.

Good to know those are instructions.

It should be noted that the manual specifically states DO NOT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF! It says to drop to idle and wait for "Eng STOP" - "CHECK" to show on the dash. Then shut down for 30 mins and perform an inspection to determine WHY the machine overheated.

Mine overheated because I was brush hogging tall grass that had gone to seed. My radiator screen was 100% clogged.

ac

 

[Grandad4]

Have you checked the radiator screen? Sometimes there is a build up of debris that needs to be cleaned out.

Sometimes the radiator itself accumulates very fine dirt on the core. Stuff that's too small to be trapped in the screen. Wash gently with detergent and a hose (no pressure washer!).

 

[SCtractorguy]

My BX2350 had the needle go up near the red last year, I just stopped the mower and idled down for a bit. It cooled down and I brought it up to the barn. I used a hose to just wash through the radiator (slide out the battery and let the water flow thru) the next day and it has been fine since.

 

[scott2360]

On my BX2360 the temperature gauge went higher than normal the other day while mowing. I checked the pull out screen and it was clear. I then removed the black shroud below the steering wheel and saw that the radiator had about an inch thick build up debris on it. Pulled the battery and vacuumed out. Put it back together and the temperature gauge went back the normal.

 

[dodge man]

Yes, that is correct, the OP has a BX, not an L. Why does that matter in this discussion? Philip.

Because if you are talking a limp mode, warning lights etc. whats on a L doesn't apply to a BX.

 

[RFF]

My Kubota BX2350 was operating in the middle of the normal (white) range when I first got it. It gradually began to operate higher in the white range. I always use a leaf blower to clean the deck, the radiatior screen, and even blow it into the narrow area where the radiator screen fits. I recently took it to the dealer for lubrication and to flush & refill the radiatior. When I got it back this week it operated in the black range (little black band between the broad white band and the slightly narrower red band). I was worried so I stopped mowing. I planned to take it back to the dealer for a new thermostat. While cleaning it, I noticed that the outer part of the radiator partially visible from the engine compartment looked a little dirty so I used a spray cleaner (safe for aluminum) and and hosed it with water. I tried to mow one more time and found that it operated back in the normal white range but still higher than originally so I'm planning to clean it with a compressor like the dealer has been telling me to do for over a year. Not sure yet whether that will improve it more. I called the Kubota dealer to see if they had a thermostat with a different heat range but found that Kubota offers only one that fits the BX2350 and imprinted on it is 82C (179.6F). The Kubota engineers had to design the thermostat for the "typical" range of all their customers but they didn't provide alternatives for us who live in the warmer South. I am trying to find an alternative cooler thermostat since Kubota offers only one that apparently opens at 82C (179.6F). I couldn't find one yet but I'm still looking. I tried all the local parts stores and discovered that Kubota has pretty much locked up the market for Kubota parts.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

My Kubota BX2350 was operating in the middle of the normal (white) range when I first got it. It gradually began to operate higher in the white range. I always use a leaf blower to clean the deck, the radiatior screen, and even blow it into the narrow area where the radiator screen fits. I recently took it to the dealer for lubrication and to flush & refill the radiatior. When I got it back this week it operated in the black range (little black band between the broad white band and the slightly narrower red band). I was worried so I stopped mowing. I planned to take it back to the dealer for a new thermostat. While cleaning it, I noticed that the outer part of the radiator partially visible from the engine compartment looked a little dirty so I used a spray cleaner (safe for aluminum) and and hosed it with water. I tried to mow one more time and found that it operated back in the normal white range but still higher than originally so I'm planning to clean it with a compressor like the dealer has been telling me to do for over a year. Not sure yet whether that will improve it more. I called the Kubota dealer to see if they had a thermostat with a different heat range but found that Kubota offers only one that fits the BX2350 and imprinted on it is 82C (179.6F). The Kubota engineers had to design the thermostat for the "typical" range of all their customers but they didn't provide alternatives for us who live in the warmer South. I am trying to find an alternative cooler thermostat since Kubota offers only one that apparently opens at 82C (179.6F). I couldn't find one yet but I'm still looking. I tried all the local parts stores and discovered that Kubota has pretty much locked up the market for Kubota parts.

I am thinking that the thermostat being only available in one temp is for emissions reasons and not because of a lock on the market. Just like you start talking about shims on the injection pumps they drop the subject quickly. My BX 2230 has old analog gauge and it barely gets into the white.

David Kb7uns