TO--30 RUNNING HOT WHILE BUSHOGGING

[Anonymous-0]

Recently while bushogging I've noticed my temp gauge running up to 220 degrees.I clean off all debris on radiator and let tractor cool down to 160 dgrees,but after 5 minutes of bushogging its back up to 220 degrees again.I'm spending more time cleaning off the radiator then letting tractor cool down than I am busghogging.I placed some screening on the grill,but didn't help much.After getting back to the barn I hose off radiator and then blow it with a gas powered blower,but next bushogging expedition brings the same results.Radiator is filled w/good quality anti-freeze/coolant.I'm wondering if my thermostat is bad or if I need a new water pump.Any suggestions would be welcome.Thanks.

 

[Bill - SC]

Be sure your distributor has not moved and throwen the timing off, retarded dist. timing can cause over heating. Check thermostat function as you suggested. Check belt tension, radiator getting clogged?

 

[Roger in Iowa]

A gas powered blower will not clean debris out of the cells in the radiator. Use compressed air.

Put a light bulb (lit) on the opposite side of the radiator and see if you can see the light from the other side.

You have to have air flow thru to cool. Dirt, water, oil, bug juices, etc, will all plug the cells. Look at the fan blades and the gunk that collects on them. It all has came thru the radiator core.

Roger in Iowa

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thoroughly wash out the air side of your radiator, blowing with compressed air is not good enough and unsafe.
Check the condition of your vee pulleys, they wear on the vees, and the belt runs in the bottom, slips and the fan is not being run at design speed.
And remember the fergy is only 23 HP, light loads and plently of time are its best friend.

 

[gshadel]

Like the other guys said, a gas powered blower won"t cut it. You will be shocked at how much chaff hides in that radiator. Wash good with a hose in both directions, then shoot compressed air in both directions.
Make sure you have a fan shroud on the radiator, the shroud helps focus the air draw thru the radiator.
Overheating is probably NOT caused by your thermo, unless the radiator coolant is still warm/cold when the gauge is reading 220. If the radiator coolant is boiling, your thermo is working. Check your engine timing, there are two timing checks, one at idle, the other at about 2000 rpm to check that your centrifugal advance is working properly. Also adjust the big mixture screw on your carb according to the manual. If the timing is off, or carb mixture is too lean, your TO may run hot. I would check all those things before considering the pump as a culprit.

George

 

[Jerry/MT]

The other posters have given you some good advice. A clogged air side on the radiator is generally the cause on an otherwise good running machine.

The only thing I might add is that you might check your lower radiator hose to make sure that it isn"t collapsing at high engine speeds and restricting coolant flow through the water pump and thus the entire cooling system.
I would also check the thermostat. The engine puts out more BTU/sec at high rpms under load than at idle. A failed or partially open thermostat is a coolant restriction and could contribute to the problem.

 

[V J]

don,t use water it will cause the chaft to swell up and will be harder to get out compressed air is best you might have to take apiece of wire and go through the holes between the fins to loosen up the dirt and chaft also make sure the fins are straight if this doesent help you might take the radiator off and take it to a radiator shop to have it rodded out

 

[Bob (Aust)]

Place your hand at different positions over the radiator core. Same temperature - or do you find "cool" spots? May be a blocked radiator?

I'd also have a very close look at the thermostat. It should be closed when cold. Hang on a string and dip in a pot of boiling water - does it open up freely and fully?

 

[Don Hooks]

Bill-SC had the same answer that worked for me - the new belt had stretched a bit and was quietly slipping. It also resulted in poor battery charging. Back to the basics: are you running in first or second gear? Third can warm things up too much. If the problem won't clear up due to deterioration of the radiator a new TO35 radiator has an extra row of tubes and usually costs less than a new TO30 radiator.