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2240 Thermostat Woes

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legacyacressteve

New User
I am so stuck on this problem, and I am hoping one of you can help. I have a 2240 that is consistently overheating. My first suspiciion was the thermostat, so I replaced it with a brand new one from the JD Dealer. It didn't fix it however, and the radiator remains cold... The fluid from the engine is of course hot, but it seems the thermostat never opens as there is no flow through the top of the radiator. So I decided maybe it was the water pump. So I pulled everything apart (the entire cooling system including the radiator). Cleaned everything and flushed everything. The water pump was in perfect working order. So I reassembled the system, (including the thermostat) same problem. Radiator cold, engine hot. I removed thermostat, and sure enough problem was fixed (that made me consider maybe the new thermostat was bad). I put the new thermostat in boiling water, and it opened right up.

So I am lost.. water pump works.. thermostat appears to work,radiator is clean and not blocked but the flow from the thermostat never occurs when the thermostat is in.

Any thoughts?
 
I don't want to be a smart alec but have to ask are you sure the thermostat wasn't in backwards? bulb faces engine. Also I have had some that didn't open fast enough so I drilled a 1/8" hole in blade to let a little water circulate.
 
Possibly the thermostat was installed in the wrong direction. Most cannot be installed incorrectly, but there are some that fit either way. Normally, the spring side should be into the engine. The spring is bi-metallic, and changes dimension based on engine temperature. Spring has to be on the engine side to sense the change in temperature as the engine warms up.
 
Yeah I am sure its not upside down. It only fits one way, and it also matches the direction in the JD Parts diagram. A reasonable thought though. https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/65034/referrer/navigation/pgId/104779
 
Yeah I am sure its not upside down. It only fits one way, and it also matches the direction in the JD Parts diagram. A reasonable thought though. https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/65034/referrer/navigation/pgId/104779

The idea about drilling a hole is interesting... I might have to give that a try if I can't figure this out.
 
Most thermostats have a small hole or a notch cut in the sealing disc.

If it doesn't, try drilling about a 1/16" hole somewhere convenient to allow a little flow to get moving.

What happens is cold stagnant coolant, or an air pocket is held back by a totally closed thermostat. The bulb on bottom needs contact with hot coolant to sense the temperature and open.
 
If all is as you say, odds are that there's a combustion gas leak into the cooling system from a leaking head gasket or a cracked head.
 
I agree with Steve@Advance with drilling a 1/16 inch hole in the flange to allow are to purge out of the system. I always do this. I wonder why they just aren't made that way?
 
I would drill a very small 1/16 hole in the thermostat to let air escape, that is the easy and cheap fix if so.
 
I would try another thermostat. I think that thermostat is a common size and available at any parts house. Also water pumps have been known to have the impeller slip on the shaft. Also impellers can lose there vanes.
 
You would not have water or oil if it is a higher pressure leak. Remember the compression is several Hundred PSI compared to maybe 10-15 in the cooling system and 40-60 PSI in the oil system.

If it just started heating up all at once it could easily be a compression leak.

Have you tried running the tractor without any thermostat in it??? Also when running and warm can you see any bubbles coming up in the radiator??? You can get test strips and test liquids that change color if there is exhaust gas in the coolant. Make sure you get the ones for diesel. They are pretty cheap, $10-15.
 
Are you certain it?s actually getting heart, like boiling the water and spewing it out the cap? If not the gauge may be telling you it is hot but it is not. So it is just not reaching the point hot enough to open the stat. Buy a cheap IR laser gun and see what temp that shows. If it has a small notch in the thermostat valve edge that has always been sufficient to bleed air out of the systems I?ve worked on. To test the thermostat it should be placed in water then heated up. Most tractor stats are 190F or lower and should open before the water boils.
 
(quoted from post at 12:54:48 06/13/18) Most thermostats have a small hole or a notch cut in the sealing disc.

If it doesn't, try drilling about a 1/16" hole somewhere convenient to allow a little flow to get moving.

What happens is cold stagnant coolant, or an air pocket is held back by a totally closed thermostat. The bulb on bottom needs contact with hot coolant to sense the temperature and open.
Click to expand...

Yep that was the problem. Drilled a hole in the new one, and all is well again. While I was at it I dug the old one back out of the trash, and looked at it. Sure enough it had a pre-manufactured hole in it before it failed... For whatever reason the new one I guess didn't come with the hole. Thanks to everyone for helping me out.
 
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