Thanks to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tractorpig · Jul 24, 2005

Ok,
First off all I want to thank everyone that replied to my posts!
If you guys were here in Arizona, I take everyone out for beer and wings. Here's the skinny, after spending the entire day Saturday getting mad, irritated and frustrated I started new this am.....those of you who indicated that the ground wire may have something to do with it were right....I stood there and stared at it for a good 30 mins noting that the ground wire was clean and connected to the frame. I then got underneath the front of the tractor and found that 3 of the 4 bolts that tie in the metal frame work to the chassis were missing and the fourth was ready to fall out...meaning it wasn't getting a good grounding surface. I replaced the bolts (with lock washers) and it started right up....Took me all day to put it back together, replacing wires the correct way. Once I put it back together it not only started right up, but the orginal problem of overheating seemed to be corrected with the rodding out of the radiator.....drove it around the block a couple of times and it never went past the 3/4 mark.....
(although todays temperature was only 106/108 or so).

<font color="red"> </font> I'M COOKING WITH GAS NOW BOYS!
Thanks again to all!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

shvl73 · Jul 24, 2005

I'm glad you found the problem. Congratulations!

Bird · Jul 24, 2005

Congratulations! We all love to hear good news. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BigAl · Jul 24, 2005

Hey!!! For free beer and wings i'll move to Arizona !!! Seriously this is exactly what makes this web site so nice . To be able to get helpful information on just about any tractor ever made . Glad it turned out to be a simple fix . uh... Could you maybe overnite me the beer and wings ? oh never mind!!
allen

kenmac · Jul 24, 2005

some times we over look the simple things. The simple things are the things that always give the most problems. The people on this board are a great help in that take us back to check the simple things 1 st.

Cord · Jul 24, 2005

As frustrating as the problem may have been, it sure feels good to solve it!

YanmarFever · Jul 25, 2005

Im glad !!
I was outside staring at an F20 I have on the lot wondering what your problem could be!
Give that cable a good working over for me
Ernie

normde2001 · Jul 25, 2005

".....drove it around the block a couple of times and it never went past the 3/4 mark....."

Congrats on solving the starting problem, but did you really mean to say the "3/4 mark"? On any temp gauge I have ever seen, anything above the 1/2 way mark is HOT.

cfoxmd · Jul 25, 2005

I wonder whether you had an overheating problem at all to begin with. If the gauge isn't appropriately grounded, then you might get erroneous readings.

tractorpig · Jul 25, 2005

I thought that was acceptable due to the fact that it is between 105-110 degrees here! Does this seem like I still have a problem, and if so what would be the next step...Radiator has been rodded out, system has been flushed, waterpump appears to be working fine and the thermostat must be open or I would not have been able to flush the system....

Scott

DavesTractor · Jul 25, 2005

It'll be 105 here today also, but we would not expect to see a reading of over half unless the tractor was being worked real hard. Maybe you need to at least temporarily install another gauge to verify the accuracy of the dash unit?

Jagmandave · Jul 25, 2005

Could be the gauge, could be the thermostat isn't opening all the way, restricting the flow. Thermostats are cheap, I'd invest in a new one, having gone this far. But, the good news is it's running now!

normde2001 · Jul 25, 2005

"the thermostat must be open or I would not have been able to flush the system...."

You must not have a thermostat, or I doubt that you would have been able to flush the system with cold water without removing it, (it would never open). The ambient temp. or how hard you work your tractor should have little or no effect on the tractor's temp, (with a water pump). My YM2000B gauge doesn't have degrees on it, only marks, but it never gets above 1/4, (160-170), in any weather or usage. Here is a SunPro gauge, and as you can see, 3/4 is about 235 degrees, (HOT). http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/678521-sunprogauges1.jpg

pruntyc · Jul 25, 2005

That thermostat could be stuck open. So you still might have one that isn't any good. I would check and see. I understand that sometimes they will run hotter without a thermostat. From the old days some people would take them out of the old Ford cars and they ended up running hotter. Something about the water moving too fast, it don't have time to pick up the heat from the block.

kenmac · Jul 25, 2005

the t-stat shouldn't have been open when you flushed the engine .It opens when the water gets hot.It should have been closed when you flushed.

thegreatrandini · Jul 25, 2005

Does it seem incredibly hot? I am guessing it is ok at 3/4. I am not familar with your unit though. Do you have a manual?

tractorpig · Jul 26, 2005

Ok, so you all have found something for me to do on my next day off....At 3/4 its still hot and the fluid is boiling in the overflow. Can someone tell me where I can find the correct thermostat to use in this FX20D. Based on the posts it sounds like the thermostat is probable stuck open, as I flushed the system this past weekend by placing the garden hose in the top of the radiator and letting it run out of the top hose...I recall it being cold.....Can I locate and purchase one quick?

Thanks again
Scott

normde2001 · Jul 26, 2005

Slow down and think about this. As I said before, if you have a thermostat, it will be located in a housing where the upper hose attaches to the block. Is it there? Also, have you proven to yourself that the water pump is actually pumping, and not sheared or anything like that?

thegreatrandini · Jul 26, 2005

Norme is smart in say slow down and think about it.
Hoye tractor should have a thermostat!!!
I don't think that is your problem.. I don't buy the water don't have time to take in the heat thing. My cars always ran cold without the thermostat...
I bet your water pump is bad or you have corrosion in your engine or your Thermostat is stuck shut not open......

pruntyc · Jul 26, 2005

First place I guess you weren't driving Fords back in the 40's they ran hot without one. It would have to be stuck open for the water to flush through, if it were stuck closed the water wouldn't go through it. Think about it, its pretty simple. And like has been said, he needs to see first if he even has a thermostat in it, or can have one in it.