Temperature Gauge

Oldpath05 · May 5, 2016

Two months ago I mention somewhere on here that my temperature gauge never moves, someone said it probably broke. I found out last weekend it's not broke, Sat. morning I started the tractor up, let it warm a few minutes, got on and for some reason I check my gauges, the temp gauge was almost hot, the needle was way up. So I shut it down, let it cool, opened up the radiator cap, dump in almost a gal. of 50/50 anti freeze and vacuumed off the radiator. It was fine 6 years ago, now it's something else to keep an eye on.

ccsial · May 5, 2016

Do you check your coolant recovery tank regularly?

Oldpath05 · May 5, 2016

I don't think I have a recovery tank, atleast I haven't noticed it, if I had one seems so it would be on the radiator and if I do have one, I never checked it.

dickfoster · May 5, 2016

Oldpath05 said:
Two months ago I mention somewhere on here that my temperature gauge never moves, someone said it probably broke. I found out last weekend it's not broke, Sat. morning I started the tractor up, let it warm a few minutes, got on and for some reason I check my gauges, the temp gauge was almost hot, the needle was way up. So I shut it down, let it cool, opened up the radiator cap, dump in almost a gal. of 50/50 anti freeze and vacuumed off the radiator. It was fine 6 years ago, now it's something else to keep an eye on.

LOL Six years ago? I think it's long past time for new coolant anyway.

Oldpath05 · May 5, 2016

You could be right, I'll make a point to change the coolant this September if I don't forget, actually it's going on 7 years since I change the coolant, but isn't that stuff good for 10 years anyways?

dickfoster · May 5, 2016

Oldpath05 said:
You could be right, I'll make a point to change the coolant this September if I don't forget, actually it's going on 7 years since I change the coolant, but isn't that stuff good for 10 years anyways?

Maybe you should look into that waterless stuff that you never have to change. I think it's made by Evans. It'll you set up back some money though and you have to pretreat the cooling system to get all the water out before filling with the expensive stuff.

Oldpath05 · May 6, 2016

Water-less anti freeze that never needs changing, imagine that, never heard of such stuff, if it's $5.00/gal, sign me up. Sounds like something that comes with a new tractor every 5 years. My neighbor use to say the same thing about his motor oil in his truck, never needs changing and buy a new truck every 5 years.

AStanton · May 8, 2016

I believe the owner's manual for both my Kubota tractors recommend changing the antifreeze every year along with the hoses. I change the anti-freeze every 4 years--regardless of the amount of hours. I know that GM uses antifreeze that's good for 5 years.

dickfoster · May 8, 2016

Oldpath05 said:
Water-less anti freeze that never needs changing, imagine that, never heard of such stuff, if it's $5.00/gal, sign me up. Sounds like something that comes with a new tractor every 5 years. My neighbor use to say the same thing about his motor oil in his truck, never needs changing and buy a new truck every 5 years.

Well they make synthetic oil that you don't have to change but you do have to do a better job of filtering it and you need to have the oil analyzed every so often. They actually don't change the oil in jet engines and that is where the idea for synthetic motor oils came from.
I think the fancy waterless antifreeze costs more like 5 bucks a quart. Thing is it doesn't freeze nor does it boil, well not till well over 300 degrees but by that time the engine would likely be reduced to scrap metal anyway.