Mowing Temperature toooo high

[ruffdog]

I tried to blow out the radiator from the fan side (not much room) did not get the whole area done.

Did you verify air could get through by putting a light behind it and LOOKING THROUGH it? I saw a tractor radiator so packed with dust that no light would go through. The top radiator tank (plastic) melted because it was that hot. If you can't SEE through it, air doesn't go through it, and it doesn't cool the liquid.

 

[Ranchofla]

Where did you take the temp from the rad? If you took it close to the bottom, it'd too high for my liking.
If you have a way lower temp reading at the bottom of the rad, but the engine's temp is still up, you have a flow problem. Either thermostat or water pump. Thermostats "usually" fail in the open position and makes it difficult to warm up the engine.

Temp was taken at the top of the radiator, did not check the bottom, will do that today when mowing as the yard is not done yet.

Thanks

Rancho

 

[Ranchofla]

Getting close to either the front or rear of the radiator on this tractor is almost impossible the fan and shroud block the engine side and the hydraulic radiator blocks the front.

Can anyone tell me what the normal temp should be (if gauge is in the middle).

Thanks

Rancho

 

[Ranchofla]

Did you verify air could get through by putting a light behind it and LOOKING THROUGH it? I saw a tractor radiator so packed with dust that no light would go through. The top radiator tank (plastic) melted because it was that hot. If you can't SEE through it, air doesn't go through it, and it doesn't cool the liquid.

Same issue with the light, took my brightest LED out the other night and shined through and where I could get close enough there was light on the other side. I might just have to pull radiator and try to clean it or take it to a local radiator shop (we still have one in Tallahassee).

Rancho

 

[Billrog]

I've cleaned a couple rads that were off the machine using Lime Away . Poured some in the rad let it sit ( shake a bit ) flush with garden hose and repeated doing this until no more pieces of calcium or anything else was coming out. Off the machine not so sure i'd want that chemical get near my water pump just in case it harmed the seals.

 

[Deere Dude]

One thing I would try is to stop at a HVAC dealer in town and get a little commercial coil cleaner. Spray it on the outside of the radiator with a hand sprayer and let it be for a while. It will seemingly cook all the crud from in between the fins, then spray it off until clear, according to instructions.

 

[4570Man]

I think it’s too hot. The fact that the radiator is also hot would mean to me that the water pump and thermostat is working. I’m guessing dirt in the radiator is the problem and my next guess is the fan isn’t operating correctly.

 

[ruffdog]

I think it’s too hot. The fact that the radiator is also hot would mean to me that the water pump and thermostat is working. I’m guessing dirt in the radiator is the problem and my next guess is the fan isn’t operating correctly.

That is what I thought.....the heat is getting to the radiator, but is not releasing heat to the air.

 

[Ranchofla]

So I finally had time to get the radiator removed, it was a pain but it's out and yeah it was DIRTY. Here are a couple of pics. Blew it out from the back first with air then the other way then noticed there was still stuff in it so I took the hose with a nozzle that did not put too much pressure on the fins and rinsed from both sides again starting on the engine side lots od\f nasty stuff came out then blew it out again with air. Then finally took the nozzle off and ran the hose in the top and it would flow as much as the hose could put out. So tomorrow maybe I will try to put it back in, that should be fun....




I collected a bit of dirt on my arm that held the air nozzle

 

[ruffdog]

Good job...I'm sure that will make a big difference too.

 

[Ranchofla]

Forgot to put up the picture after the cleaning was done... Start on putting it back together and that appears to be tougher than the disassembly was.



Rancho

 

[DieselBound]

Is that rust I'm seeing in your first pics of the radiator?

Have you noticed any coolant loss?

I suspect it might be an issue of a lack of pressure. Either the radiator is leaking and or perhaps the radiator cap is bad.

A partially stuck (not fully opening) thermostat can also be your issue. You cannot know unless you actually test it (if everything else rules out). ALWAYS test any new thermostat before installing to ensure you're not installing a defective new one.

Coolant passages in the radiator can also be partially blocked. Others have commented on this.

 

[Ranchofla]

Is that rust I'm seeing in your first pics of the radiator? Nope just the Clay/Sandy soil we have here in Nawth Fla

Have you noticed any coolant loss? No loss of coolant

I suspect it might be an issue of a lack of pressure. Either the radiator is leaking and or perhaps the radiator cap is bad. Nope plenty of pressure in the radiator

A partially stuck (not fully opening) thermostat can also be your issue. You cannot know unless you actually test it (if everything else rules out). ALWAYS test any new thermostat before installing to ensure you're not installing a defective new one. Not fully opening thermostat could be part of the problem

Coolant passages in the radiator can also be partially blocked. Others have commented on this. As I stated in my post with the dirty radiator picture after cleaning it I ran water through it at full pressure from the hose and it did not back up, it flowed out of all three exit points at the bottom

There was a LOT of fine debris that came out from blowing and spraying with water from both sides, I can see through it MUCH better than before. So after I wrangle it back in I will post the temp numbers and hopefully they will be much lower than before.

Rancho

 

[IH3444]

Nice job cleaning, glad you have the full metal one. I have also found that using a full synthetic quality oil also reduced overall temperature of the engine. Also Eddie is correct about checking the opening of the thermo, I have done that a bunch of times and found faulty thermos. Also clean your fan blades while you have the radiator out. Is there a upgraded fan blade assembly available from Kioti? More blades usually mean more air is pulled through the radiator. See if the later model ones have more multiple blades, and would retrofit to your model.

 

[EddieWalker]

... it was DIRTY.
View attachment 607708

You definitely found the problem!!!! With all that dirt caked into the fins, there was no way that it was going to cool anything!!!!

 

[Ranchofla]

You definitely found the problem!!!! With all that dirt caked into the fins, there was no way that it was going to cool anything!!!!

Which is kinda weird cause the fine screen in front of the radiator has always been in place since I bought it 7 yrs ago. Oh well the re-install adventure continues.

Rancho

 

[EddieWalker]

I have to clean out my screen about every half hour to hour depending on what I'm mowing in unless it's just short grass, but then I rarely bush hog short grass. I use my air compressor to blow out my radiator when I do my get ready to use the tractor routine. Grease my tail wheel, add fuel, check the oil, and all that I do before working my tractors.

 

[RSKY]

I have found that with my CK20 HST I have to stop and clean the screen a LOT more often than any tractor I have ever bushhogged with. The main problem is that the little brutes are just so low to the ground. Everything gets sucked into the radiator. We mowed some CRP ground last year that had something growing in it that caused me to stop and clean the screen every single round on two ten acre fields. The taller old 4600 would make it three rounds before needing a clean out. We eventually had to put a generator and compressor in the back of a pickup so we didn't have to drive across 80 acres to the shop to blow them out. If you figure out how to block off part of the trash from getting onto the screen let me know. There are just some places it is much easier to use the little tractor to get into than the bigger one.

RSKY

 

[Ranchofla]

So finally got everything back together it was a PIA to get everything to fit back. I did not have my IR thermometer with me but think the gauge says it all.

this after almost an hour of mowing grass that was taller than normal.

Thanks to all who made suggestions on how to resolve this issue, external cleaning did the trick.

Rancho

 

[ruffdog]

Good job!