bx1860 overheat

1860jim

New member

Equipment
bx1860
Sep 22, 2011
4
0
0
colora md
i have a bx1860 that i got a little over a year ago, i bought it used with 112hrs. it is 2009 model. everytime i use the 54in deck the temp guage will go to the red line, only when i cut the grass, i have had the machine back to the dealer 3 times, and all they say is its ok as long as it doesnt go into the red. i disagree!!! i have a hilly acre that i mow and it will actually stop with the hydro pedal being to hard to push!! [ dealer said they couldnt replicate that problem] . now ive used the bucket one time to level out a small 48" x 12' area on;y removing about 2-3 inches of dirt. the hydo would squeel and the hydro pedal will get real hard to push and the machine will stall. im not impressed with this machine at all. when i use the bucket i have throttle up and when i mow i have the throttle up, thats what the dealer told me to do. i have removed the thermostat, nothing changed, i wrapped the muffler with header wrap and only had a slight change. what is wrong with this thing? any help would be much appreciated. should i have bought a green tractor? thanks jim
 

ThisIsNotaStep

New member

Equipment
2005 bx23 tlb
Nov 26, 2010
133
2
0
Ontario, Canada
I think you may just need to get to know her ... Grading/digging with the loader takes allot of power, put her in log gear & 4WD, I also stalled out with the belly mower when I first got it, trying to cut to close, burying guide wheels in the ground on cross slope .. take it slow to you get accustomed.
 

motorhead

Active member

Equipment
2009 B3200, 2007 Dodge/Cummins powered Ram 2500 395hp
May 17, 2012
441
34
28
Atascadero
Welcome to the forums. Sorry you are disappointed in your tractor. I would replace the thermostat with a new one. Running without can cause the coolant to run too fast through the radiator and not cool down enough. Some diesel thermostats when they open block a port off inside the engine that allows fast warm up. Running without the thermostat goofs up the circulation pattern. What coolant percentage are you running? Is your fan belt good and is it properly adjusted? If you can run 40% coolant and 60% water. Run the engine at full PTO rated speed and maybe not as fast on the ground speed.
THE PREVIOUS POST is right...Are you mowing in LOW range?? Mowing in high range will overheat the transmission. Your hard pedal could be from the fluid being too hot or boiling.
I had a B7400 hydrostat and mowed hard with it and it never overheated. It was a 17hp engine.
Is the 54 inch mower a belly mower? 13 pto hp isn't a lot (Looked it up on Kubota web site) to run a good sized mower.
Your hydrostat issue doesn't sound right to me. I have had two hydrostat tractors and never felt the symptoms you are experiencing. That in itself could be causing the overheating. Lastly....do you think you might have bought too small of tractor for the job you are trying to do?
PLEASE let us know what you find out.
 
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1860jim

New member

Equipment
bx1860
Sep 22, 2011
4
0
0
colora md
when i mow, the tractor is in low range, i have the deck set at 2 3/4. i dont run the machine in the high range at all unless going down the street. i have the 54 in mower deck under the tractor. i dont think it is too small of a machine, im only cutting an acre and the worst of the hills are not that many passes. i guess its more sloppy than hilly. the coolant mixture i am running is 50/50. if all i do is drive the tractor its fine, however when i use it to cut then i have a problem, and have only used the bucket once for that small amount of time. i bought it because my red cub 982 finally blew up and i wanted something 4wd and a bucket for moving stone and dirt while re landscaping. im not sure i want to try moving anything with it. oh yea, when i told the wife she almost buried me with it!! its been a tough sell to get finally get a tractor to help with yard work!! im getting to old to be shoveling a lot of stone and dirt!! im not old just tired of doing everything manually!! i only use the 4wd when its wet to get up the one hill , and i used it once when i used the bucket. i have contacted kubota, absolutely no help from them at all very disappointed and the dealer really isnt concernred. i did buy it from a kubota dealer. i have replaced the hydro filter on the rear.
 

motorhead

Active member

Equipment
2009 B3200, 2007 Dodge/Cummins powered Ram 2500 395hp
May 17, 2012
441
34
28
Atascadero
This may be a long shot but I would keep going up the "Corporate Ladder" with Kubota. Tell them you bought it used from a DEALER. Tell them that you are now on a Kubota ONLY tractor website "airing" about how this tractor is NOT performing as it should.
Let them know that ANYONE that asks you about recommending a Kubota tractor that you will tell them about the lack of service and support that you received from them.

Just one more question, did you pull the radiator and back flush it internally and see if it flowed well? Are the fins clean and the screen in front of the radiator?
LASTLY... Do you know that the temp gauge is ACCURATE??? The temp gauge on my B7400 hardly moved from cold so I took it apart and re-adjusted the needle. Do you tend to boil over???
Find someone that has or buy a infrared temperature gun. Real handy to have and not too expensive. Check the top thermostat outlet when the temp is close to the red. I wouldn't want to see much above 220deg. F
210 degrees running temp. is not unusual for TODAYS diesel engines

Link to infrared temp gun. (Buy a good one) http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=infrared+thermometer+gun&_frs=1
 

1860jim

New member

Equipment
bx1860
Sep 22, 2011
4
0
0
colora md
the fins are clean and no i havent tried to backflush it, the screen is clean, i have not checked with a temp guage, i assumed [ my mistake ] that the dealer would have done that. im guessing that they didnt. the only thing the dealer said was that a rep looked at it and as long as its not into the red its ok, again i disagreed!! it does not boil over just goes to the red line and thats where it stops. the hot hydo is really a puzzle too. i will try to climb the corporate ladder , once again. jim
 

Stone

New member
Jan 13, 2011
17
0
0
Deckerville, MI
www.farmdepot.biz
I also own a BX1860 with a 54" MMM and a FEL. I mow 2 acres in High range and do not have any problem. I also use my loader in high range. My tractor will run warm, but not very often and not touching the red. Maybe 3/4 hot.

Did you buy the tractor from a dealer? If it has not been through a Kubota dealer service department and all the fluids changed I would do that first. If anything other than Kubota UDT fluid is used in the trans than you will have problems. If you can not confirm that the proper fluid has been used, I would change it and filters.
 

1860jim

New member

Equipment
bx1860
Sep 22, 2011
4
0
0
colora md
the pto , both are fine the rear one was never used, i had the dealer change the rear filter, not sure what fluid is in it, that was changed before i bought it, however the filter was not kubota thats why i had the dealer change it. i have changed the oil and filter with all kubota parts. i was thinking of finding a synthetic fluid for the rear, im guessing thats not a good idea. i ask the dealer [and took they'er word ]that the fluids were correct when i bought it .
 

armylifer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
2,043
781
113
Thurston County, WA
You mentioned that you only have the over-heating problem when you are mowing. May I suggest that you check to see if there is anything that is caught on one or more of the mower blade spindles? If there is rope or wire that got caught up in one or more of the spindles it may cuase enough resistance to cause the engine to work much harder and thereby cause the engine temps to rise. Also, try greasing the mower spindles and see if that helps.
 

Kubota BX 1860

Member

Equipment
BX 1860, oops, traded it for a BX2370
Jun 23, 2011
82
3
8
Raymond, ME
I too mow in high range, only use low range when filling the bucket on the loader. I've never experienced the hard pedal that you describe. You definitely have a problem. Good luck.