Keeping Chaff out of Radiator

RDobbs · Oct 3, 2017

Have 6OO Ford and problems keeping chaff out of radiator.
Have tried the fine screen over front of radiator, but
things still get thru causing tractor to run hot. My problem
only exist when bushing off field with weeds and sage grass.
Anyone else have this problem, and if so how did you cure the
problem? Thanks

David G · Oct 3, 2017

I think you are going to need to make a stack like one from the front picker and get the intake up

wellmax99 · Oct 3, 2017

I have the front screen on my TO35 Ferguson,

when hogging in that environment, I watch the temp gauge like a hawk.

from time to time I stop the tractor, turn motor off and wipe clean the front of my screen, many times it will be completely covered in debris half way up.

when I get back to the house and the motor cools down, I blow air through the radiator rear to front, when all is clean, I wash the radiator out rear to front,

be sure you get up in the corners of the radiator, not just the center.

so far, I have had good success, but again with these little tractors, you let them get too hot and you can ruin a good motor in a heart beat.

my neighbor let his MF135 get to hot and ruined the motor, cost about as much as the tractor was worth to have the motor rebuilt.

Dean · Oct 3, 2017

Does your tractor have a proper flat-finned, industrial radiator core?

Most debris will pass through such cores.

Dean

RDobbs · Oct 3, 2017

Radiator is stock about 20 yrs old now. I've got the screen covering
the grill, and can blow the radiator out with air, but after a couple
rounds begins to heat back up. I think maybe it's sucking trash
from the sides or underneath. May be just something I'll have to
deal with a couple times each year.

wellmax99 · Oct 3, 2017

possibly if it heats up that fast, the radiator is partially stopped up,

take it to a radiator shop and have a flow test run on the radiator, if partially stopped up, they can boil and rod the tubes, should be good as new,

the older radiators were built heavier than new radiators that I have seen.
be sure the fan belt is tight and not slipping
have even heard of water pump impellers eaten away with rust or spinning on the pump shaft, therefore not moving adequate coolant to keep the motor cool, also the temp gauge could be giving you false readings. get a portable temperature gauge gun and shoot the radiator in a number of places, if center is much cooler than the edges, then the center is stopped up. also shoot the hoses water pump, etc,
you may not have a temp problem, but a gauge problem.

again, whatever you have to do, (do not let that motor overheat)

Motorcraftman · Oct 3, 2017

I simply Use Screen Wire , Cut to fit as Wellmax99 has, Works really well.. No chaff gets through.... I just Blow it off w Air Gun Occasionally,, Larry

Dean · Oct 3, 2017

The OEM Ford screen included a behind-the-grill screen as well as a bottom screen to prevent debris from being drawn in from below.

All of my vintage Fords have flat-finned industrial core radiators and I've not had issues with clogging despite lots of mosing duty.

Non flat-finned cores will clog readily when mowing.

Dean

riveroadrat · Oct 3, 2017

Do you have a front bumper to push the tall stuff away? It could be beating the chaff off when it pops back up into the hood front. My father used to tie a croker sack to the front. When the motor would get too warm just get off and shake the junk off. He even used to tie one under the belly of the tractor to keep a tall hay windrow from getting caught up under it. You have to have a vertical stack for that, dont want to catch the hay on fire.

da.bees · Oct 4, 2017

Fine mesh screen like window screen restrict's air flow and can cause overheating. It help's a lot to mount thin sheet metal plate angled so it pushes weeds down ahead of tractor. Very similar in appearance to the out front skid plate on front of an atv.

RDobbs · Oct 4, 2017

Thanks everyone for your replies. Yes I have a front bumper which
rides the tall stuff away, but I'm sure it's knocking chaff into the
radiator section. I think I will build a large screen of some sort and
mount it to the front bumper. That way I will have to front screens, and
then try and come up with something to cover the underside of the grill.
I think a lot of things are being sucked from below. Fan and belts are
in good shape, water pump not too old. Maybe in my off time it would be
a good idea to take the radiator off and have it thoroughly cleaned.
Again thanks.

Keeping Chaff out of Radiator

RDobbs

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David G

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wellmax99

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Dean

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RDobbs

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wellmax99

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Motorcraftman

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Dean

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riveroadrat

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da.bees

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RDobbs

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