Over heating

[Dean Plute]

I have a 1965 ford 4000 four cylinder gas. Last few time using it to bushhog after a couple hours use it overheats. The outside temp when I use it is 80 to 85 degrees with heat index in the 90s. The radiator fins are debrie free. I am thinking thermostat (not sure if one is installed or not) or water pump is the issue. These seem to be the easiest to fix. Any suggestions or tips

 

[jhwis]

A couple of hours is a long time under load to some tractors. Something easto check...How tight is the fan belt?

 

[the tractior vet]

Well slow over heating can be caused by incorrect ing timing , the gas your using . heat range of the spark plug . Your reg gas your getting at the stations burns way hotter then what that tractor ran when new . I have seen this issue many times in my area as we still have a ton of older gas tractors still doing what they were bought for . I personally chased over heating on my one combine many years ago . We flushed out the rad , inside and out , changed water pump as not many knew that on A Chrysler product that ones with factory A/C used a higher flow water pump. Next was a full tune up and timing check and still running over 220 . Till the day i happened to buy two 110 gallon L shaped pick up fuel tanks at a auction and while filling my pick up for the 430 mile ride home i saw a PUMP at the station at Mt Comfort In. that read FARM GAS and it was a whole bunch cheaper and i filled both of them and used that gas in my combine for corn harvest . engine temp dropped to 185-190 . when i ran thru that we went from Reg 87 gas up to the 93 and engine temp stayed below 200 . 87 is blended to burn faster and flash hotter . Gas at the pumps changed big time back in the 80's . I ran high test in my pick up's because NONE of them had the factory stock engines and none of them had a compression ratio under 10.5 along with 38 total degrees advanced ing. timing at 2000 RPM . So what i usually used in my trucks was what i used in my gas tractors and did not suffer what others were having with there gas tractors . If you have a Org. owners manual it will tell you the fuel requirements were for that when new not what they sell you today. . This comes from 65 PLUS years of working on engines from mild to WILD .

 

[MarkB_MI]

Probably a '64 rather than a '65, but whatever.

How do you observe the overheating? Is the temperature gauge showing hot? Or is it boiling over? Both? Does the temperature slowly climb, does it run hot almost immediately, or is it sudden?

What sort of brushhogging are you doing, and how big is your mower? My 4000 will run all day with my four foot hog, but I suspect it wouldn't like a six or eight footer. What gear do you run in? (I assume it's a five speed.)

 

[Brownie450]

The 4440 was overheating in hot weather pulling an 18 foot disc
with a drag behind. It was always slow to warm up to operating
temp. Hated to get into the thermostats, but had to try something.
One thermostat was stuck half open, which proved to be the
solution to both problems. Not liking to deal with anti-freeze is
not a good reason to not check thermostats.
Jim

 

[Tgrasher]

Thoroughly wash radiator from both directions with a water hose that has some pressure. You will be amazed at how much dirt/debris is hidden within the fins.

 

[RBnWA]

Radiator could be plugging on the inside. The tubes can grow shut from nasty water. Another reason to use distilled water. RB

 

[fusion1]

Clean the out side of the Radiator fins like RB says
Blow out with air 1st then flush
90% chance that will fix it

 

[Mark-Ia]

He says, "The radiator fins are debris free".

 

[fusion1]

Mark
They may look OK but he still needs to flush
mine always looks fine but when you start the water you will see dirt

 

[Dean Plute]

Probably a '64 rather than a '65, but whatever.

How do you observe the overheating? Is the temperature gauge showing hot? Or is it boiling over? Both? Does the temperature slowly climb, does it run hot almost immediately, or is it sudden?

What sort of brushhogging are you doing, and how big is your mower? My 4000 will run all day with my four foot hog, but I suspect it wouldn't like a six or eight footer. What gear do you run in? (I assume it's a five speed.)

The over heating is gradual. Starts fine then about an hour or 2 it overheats. Yesterday dis have a boil over when I shut it down. The bush hog is a 60 inch cut and I run the teactir around 1500/1600 rpm. The tractor is a 4 speed and I am usually in 2nd or 3rd.

 

[Dean Plute]

Thoroughly wash radiator from both directions with a water hose that has some pressure. You will be amazed at how much dirt/debris is hidden within the fins.

I will try that.

 

[MarkB_MI]

The over heating is gradual. Starts fine then about an hour or 2 it overheats. Yesterday dis have a boil over when I shut it down. The bush hog is a 60 inch cut and I run the teactir around 1500/1600 rpm. The tractor is a 4 speed and I am usually in 2nd or 3rd.

I suspect you'll be fine if you just keep your rpms above 2000 and stay in second gear.

Boilover is not uncommon when you shut down a hot engine without letting it idle for a minute or two.

 

[Jim.ME]

The over heating is gradual. Starts fine then about an hour or 2 it overheats. Yesterday dis have a boil over when I shut it down. The bush hog is a 60 inch cut and I run the teactir around 1500/1600 rpm. The tractor is a 4 speed and I am usually in 2nd or 3rd.

What rpm is the engine supposed to be at for 540 RPM at the PTO? Running it below PTO speed can lug the engine causing heating. Run at least engine rpm to hold 540 PTO minimum speed.

 

[MarkB_MI]

What rpm is the engine supposed to be at for 540 RPM at the PTO? Running it below PTO speed can lug the engine causing heating. Run at least engine rpm to hold 540 PTO minimum speed.

I posted before checking the proofmeter on my tractor. 545 PTO rpm is about 1750 engine rpm.

 

[Dean Plute]

I check my proof meter shows at 1500 tractor rpm is 536 rpm attachment. So probably around 1600. Also i will try and lower gear 2nd more than third. Thanks for the info.

 

[Hobo,NC]

#1 rule to remember.

Coolant absorbs heat air takes it way.

By your description you have a boarder line airflow issue. I would confirm anything that effects air flow, the to most common issues are restrictions in the radiator Fins and a belt that is slipping. Can you see through the cooling fins, if you push are pull on the radiator fan does it slip on the belt are does it turn the engine over.