Overheating B3200

Yankum42 · May 7, 2023

I have a B3200 (2010) with 1075 hours. This is my fifth Kubota. All have susceptible to overheating.
This tractor is no different. However, it is worse. I've replaced the rad. cap and the thermostat with Kubota part numbers. I am questioning the pressure cap. I've lost the original so I don't
know what the bar rating was on it. The new cap is a 0.9 which I just learned and I'm wondering if it is too low.
I Kubota service rep told me to pull the radiator and thoroughly clean the fins/tubes, etc. I've squirted water from front to back and it seems pretty clear to me.
It is a pain. We've got a lot of "fuzz" in the air right not and in 30 min the outside grill is covered with a 1/4" of fuzz. Cleaning that and the radiator pre screen lets me run
another 30 min.... LOL

Jrasband · May 8, 2023

That seems pretty annoying. Possibly put a additional screen on top of your grill when using the tractor in "fuzzy" conditions.?

nyone · May 9, 2023

Yankum42 said:
I have a B3200 (2010) with 1075 hours. This is my fifth Kubota. All have susceptible to overheating.
This tractor is no different. However, it is worse. I've replaced the rad. cap and the thermostat with Kubota part numbers. I am questioning the pressure cap. I've lost the original so I don't
know what the bar rating was on it. The new cap is a 0.9 which I just learned and I'm wondering if it is too low.
I Kubota service rep told me to pull the radiator and thoroughly clean the fins/tubes, etc. I've squirted water from front to back and it seems pretty clear to me.
It is a pain. We've got a lot of "fuzz" in the air right not and in 30 min the outside grill is covered with a 1/4" of fuzz. Cleaning that and the radiator pre screen lets me run
another 30 min.... LOL

You have just told us your problem. The rad is dirt packed. Fuzz meaning cotton wood?

Thomas · May 9, 2023

Also check air filter.

Yankum42 · May 13, 2023

Jrasband said:
That seems pretty annoying. Possibly put a additional screen on top of your grill when using the tractor in "fuzzy" conditions.?

Well, the problem has been identified.
I met a Kubota Co. rep at the NRA Convention in Indianapolis in April. He told me the radiator was plugged.
I had flushed the system, new thermostat, new pressure cap, and back washed the radiator in and around the darn fan blades, etc. No improvement.
Wed. I went to the car wash and used their squirt gun to back wash in and around the fan and got some very dirty discharge.
It ran a wee bit cooler. Thurs. I pulled the stat and cap and went to my Kubota dealer. A tech there told me the therm was not
opening and I had the wrong pressure cap. He was wrong on the cap because we looked at three tractors and they all had the
same cap I had. Then I wondered if he was wrong about the stat.
I came home and removed the battery and WOW the bottom third of the radiator was plugged solid. I pulled the radiator(fun job)
and took it to the car wash and spent six minutes blasting the dirt out of fins.
It is back together but based on the tiny improvement I had after the first car wash exercise there is now doubt in my mind it is
fixed. Antifreeze going back in today.
If you hear a loud explosion in the midwest today you'll know it didn't work. LOL
Second story.
I was mowing some heavy grass and weeds on a and the tractor stopped dead. I thought I'd hung a big stick in the deck.
The mower deck gearbox bottom oil seal had overheated, melted and drained the mower deck gearbox. Welded dem damn
bevel gears solid.. LOL....
Third Story:
The spindle seal on the right front wheel went bad and was leaking. Replaced it (tough job) I probably damaged it in the installation because it started leaking again in a few weeks. I ordered a new seal but didn't have the time to install. I bought
a bottle of "Barrs Leaks" added it to the axle reservoir. Going on year two and no leaks...... Go FIGER....LOL