Tractor over heating

[hunter63]

.....or a clamp on backwards is a real PITA.

Anyway been mowing with the tractor, kinda let the fields get ahead of me......and the tractor started over heating.

Started slowly....but once hot took forever to cool down and continue.

Looked everything over, screen was kinda dirty...but not too bad...so I called the dealer today.
His suggestion was that the radiator was packed with grass.

Looking at it looked like 4 bolts on the shroud, and 4 bolts for the radiator itself...hoses and pull right out.

All went well until I got to the bottom hose.....some one had put the clamp on with the screw pointed down at the pan under it.....
No possible way in heck to get at the screw head.......crap!

Had a pair of cutters with snips on the very end....so after fooling with it for an hour....snipped the clamp and bingo...slid right out!
Off to the radiator store for boil out a test......

May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the arm pits of the miserable son of a female dog, that put that clamp on backasward!

Home steading at the BOL is fun.........~!

[Cast-Iron]

I think that they come that way from the factory, Hunter. A fellow by the name of Murphy was in charge of installing those lower hoses for years. He was so consistent with his clamp placement technique that, upon his retirement, the company made it a law in his honor.

[hunter63]

No ship?.....hope I never meet the guy/gal...I won't say anything....just punch him.......LOL

I made up new cuss words today.......

[hunter63]

Let my finger do the walking today, looking for a radiator service place....nothing still in business for 100 miles around.....bummer.
So soaking in Simple green, washing out with hose....and blowing with the compressor.

Might not be getting all the crud out, but looks a whole lot better....gonna soak over night and flush it again in the morning.

Good reminder that if you have equipment, you better, have the tools and knowledge to work on it.......

We will see.

Oh yeah, my computer carped out, getting a blue screen error........using DW's...
Always something.....

[randyt]

try some condenser coil cleaner, ya know the foamy stuff. On the other hand I don't know about youse guys though. Monkeying around with a older tractor, should get a new model so you don't have to work on it.

[hunter63]

LOL....very funny.........

You know what they say....if it's got a electric cord or wheels...sooner or later it's gonna give ya trouble.

[crashdive123]

try some condenser coil cleaner, ya know the foamy stuff.

How about that. I would have never thought that could help his computer.

[randyt]

How about that. I would have never thought that could help his computer.

dat true, dat true however if it don't help his computer, he'll at least end up with a new computer LOL. problem solved LOL.

[hunter63]

Well tractor back up....couple hours of soaking, blowing and soaking a blowing....looked pretty clean, so I bolted it back in......run it while to circulate the antifreeze....went to put the screen back in...no room....bolted it back in on the wrong side if the support......Crap.

You know the second time you do something, goes much faster........LOL.
Glad I'm not a Dr....."Sorry Dude put your liver on the wrong side....never said I was any good at this stuff......."

Anyway, back in business....and all done with the secondary leave at "The Place" tools....kinda a goal is to have what I need for just about anything I need , here when something happens that need work.

Computer still down....still using DW's

[Rick]

How many parts were left over?

[hunter63]

One chopped in half clamp (miserable @#$%^&).....new one on.......

[Cast-Iron]

One chopped in half clamp (miserable @#$%^&).....new one on.......

Throw it in the spare parts bin. You know, for the next time you want to do a half-ast job!

[hunter63]

You never know.......LOL.....I usually keep stuff like this in my spare parts frying pan.....the one with out a handle.......if you need 4 screws, you can find three.

[karatediver]

A bad thermostat can compound the problem. If you are still experiencing problems after cleaning the radiator try replacing the thermostat.

Radiators plugging up on tractors causing overheating is a pretty common problem in some areas particularly if the ambient temperatures are high. In cooler climates it doesn't matter as much. Tractor radiators are often designed by engineers who put a lot of tiny fins in their designs because more surface area means better cooling. But they forget the reality that in field conditions dry materials get caught in those tiny fins which catch dirt which when it gets a little damp or humid turns to concrete. Some manufacturers or enterprising owners have remedied this by using flow through radiators, reversing fans, and other things to keep them from plugging.

If you make it part of your normal maintenance routine to blow out the radiator with a wand and an air compressor after each use you will experience fewer problems. It will normally come out easier then. Once it is packed in like concrete and been wet from humidity for days on end it becomes quite a challenge.

[hunter63]

I clean the screen, and wash out the fins as best as I can after every use...or at least long use.
The tractor is a 2006 and has slowly started getting hot faster.....and normally around here the weather is cool enough it doesn't matter....and yeah it was plugged up pretty good.

Soaking in a tub or Simple softened it a lot, and did blow out.....very clean now....ran it about 3 hours mowing yesterday....temp was about 1/4 for cool....much lower that it has been running.

T-stat might be a problem....but so far not.....and usually is a lot faster to show up, hot....or at least that has been my experience.

So for now I'm calling it good......
Thanks for the comments, guys.......