Overheating

[Anonymous-0]

2N Front mount is now overheating just mowing grass with 5' bushhog after about a 1/2 hr of mowing. Engine completely rebuilt 3 yrs ago and new water pump 2 yrs ago. Not overfilling radiator - fill to just over fins. Is there a way to check the H2o pump or do I just have to remove the radiator and take it to a shop to be boiled out? Any help/suggestions is appreciated.

 

[NOXJohn]

First thing I would check is to make sure the fan belt was not loose and slipping. If the water pump is not making a noise and/or leaking it most likely is not the problem. If the fan belt is tight take off the radiator cap. After the tractor warms up look in the radiator and see if the water is circulating. If not either you have a stuck thermostat or clogged radiator. I would remove the thermostat to see if that gets you circulation. If water pump is not making a noise, fan belt is tight and still no circulation with thermostat removed then I would suspect a radiator problem.

 

[Dave in De]

may want to check the front of the radiator to make sure its not loaded with chaff and weeds,.... this will make it run hot as well. especially if radiator is old and has lowered water flow. if you have an air compressor blow it out from the backside. you can also use your garden hose and water, blast it with the nozzle full stream.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

The most common reason for an N to “over heat” is over filling the radiator. Only add enough fluid to cover the core. (check out tip # 24, below as well as tips 25 & 35) It is not actually over heating; it is just spewing out the excess water.

If the radiator is not overfilled, check for low coolant, a loose fan belt, debris in the radiator fins or a stuck thermostat. A bad water pump will usually squeak or leak. (If you ever have a water pump start leaking or making noise, replace it immediately. A N water pump will come apart & launch the fan into the radiator.) And, unless you have a new/rebuilt water pump from a reputable source, it could have impeller erosion. The pump will turn, it won’t leak, but it isn’t circulating water.

In order to have a stuck thermostat, you need to have one installed. Squeeze the top hose; if it has a t-stat, you can feel it. Sometimes (rarely) the t-stat can migrate in the hose & get stuck closed. Or, in an attempt to keep that from happening, some owners will put a third clamp on the hose & tighten it too much resulting in a stuck t-stat. The OEM top hose came w/ a non-adjustable ban to keep the t-stat in place.

The fan belt should have 1/2" of flex at the mid-point; no more, no less.

Unless you have a pusher fan, blowing out the radiator from the engine side is always a good idea.

But, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet & flush out the block & radiator. To do that, remove the t-stat from the top hose. Then, remove the bottom hose from the radiator & stick your garden hose in the radiator. Turn the water on (reverse flush) & the water will flow into the radiator, then the block & out of the disconnected lower hose. Let it run until the water is clear. Then, check the radiator flow. Stick the hose in the top of the radiator; the water should flow out of the bottom w/o backing up in the filler neck. It should flow at 19.5 gallons a minute. As a final flush, put a gallon of white vinegar & about 2 gallons of water in the radiator, run it to operating temp & then drain it again. Don’t forget to put the t-stat back in correctly!

Use 50/50 anti-freeze & distilled water as your coolant. The anti-freeze contains rust inhibitors, pump lubricant & raises the boiling point of the coolant.

If you do need to get the radiator re-cored, make sure you get the flat fin industrial core. Automotive style cores will clog up w/ debris very quickly.
75 Tips