Tractor Running Hot

We've got so much rain and snow here in the past two days that it is almost too wet to even drive down the county roads. Way, way sloppy.

So, I'm gonna tear into a problem I've been fightin' for a year now. My darned 310 diesel is getting hot after about an hour of hard pulling. The gauge very slowly creeps up to the hot peg.

If I stop the tractor and face it into the wind the temp comes down to about 3/4 on the gauge after about 5 minutes. Funny part is, when I take off the radiator cap to check it, the coolant is flowing and it just doesn't seem all that hot.

It is not boiling over at all, but it just makes me nervious with that gauge running over on "hot" peg all the time.

Somebody told me that the thermostat probably isn't opening all the way, so I've got a new one at the ready plus a new heat gauge. I've cleaned and flushed that radiator until I'm black in the face.

Anyone got any more ideas as to what else could be the problem?

Could the timing be slow 'er something? This tractor starts hard cold. If it is below 'bout 50 degrees, it had better be plugged in or else I have to give 'er a shot of either; below 40 and it absolutely will not start. If the outside temp is above 60 degrees, it doesn't turn over once and it's running.

Don't know if this has anything to do with it getting hot or not?

Thanks,

Allan

mjd

That was the first thing I did. Darned thing just acts like the impeller on the water pump isn't pulling at full speed or something. Never heard of this in a tractor, tho.

Dunno, I'm gonna go load 'er up, haul her in here to my shop and start doin' battle. :>)

Allan

Radiator fins are clean? (This is for anybody else reading, I'm sure yours are clean:-)

My first guess is going to be a bad gauge, since it does not boil over before it gets to the peg, and you don't seem to think it is very hot. Gauges do go bad.

I can stick my finger down in the coolant and it doesn't seem all that hot; put a thermometer in the radiator and every time it reads back 185 or 190 degrees.

The water is moving.

However, what is worrying me is that the temp probe (which is clean) is located and measures back behind the thermostat and maybe the engine is actually running hotter?

The tractor really pulls hard for a little guy, but this temp thing is just drivin' me nuts!

Dunno, guess I'll just start throwin' parts at it 'til I find the scoundrel. :>)

Allan

Since you have measured the temperature there is not a thing to worry about. If it was cheap me, the bad gauge would stay in service and I'd be happy knowing everything was OK. Save the new thermostat for later.

That's what I did last year; just let it live over on the "hot" peg and I ignored it (or, tried to).

But, you know how I am. If it isn't operating like a new tractor, I just simply go wacko. It really bothers me and knaws at my old feeble brain. Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck when that thing is "showing hot". :>(

Allan

Runnin' the rotary mower or the swather, it lays right on the center "normal" range. Even on the hottest days.

It only acts up if I make 'er get down against the tugs and really pull hard for any length of time. Then, up it creeps.

Dunno, guess I'll put that new gauge and thermostat in first and see where I'm settin' at that point.

Allan