L2501 Overheats under load

[Sparty047]

I have a late 2016 L2501 that just turned over 400 hours (I have been good keeping up with scheduled maintenance all along).

It has been overheating while brush hogging my 4 acres of fields this June. This is an annual task that I seldom get to before August or September. If I kept at it for 3-4 hours it has run hot in the past. Even though growth isn't quite as heavy in June, overheating has been a real problem!

I had encountered a tiny hydraulic leak from the FEL; so removed it until I could get a new line. When I put it back on I brought the hydraulic fluid up to proper level after clearing air. I also performed the 400 hour maintenance (oil and filter, air filter, and refill of radiator with 50/50 orange antifreeze) and the engine still runs into heating up in less than an hour.

Any tips about what I should look into? If recommended, what is a good way to flush out the radiator to clear out lime?


Thanks in advance.

Peace/Out

 

[John D 2]

Are you making sure the pull out screen in front of the radiator is clean? If they clog up it blocks the air for the radiator and it will overheat quickly.

 

[whitetiger]

Get a wand like this and blow out your radiator cores. With one of these, you can remove the screen, slip this in, and clean it out.

https://a.co/d/bdWbNmQ

 

[RBsingl]

I use my Stihl blower to thoroughly clean the cooling stack on my Kubota F2690 and Deere 955 after any mowing use. It is especially necessary with the Kubota since it is a front mount with a 72" rear discharge deck on it while the Deere stays pretty clean using the bush hog on it unless going through really dry stuff that fills the air with chaff.

With 400 hours on your L2501, I wouldn't be surprised if the radiator has caked debris from multiple heating cycles that won't blow out and it will be necessary to use a hose from the back to flush out stuff adhering to the fins. I don't like using a pressure washer for this type of task because it is too easy to bend fins reducing efficiency of the heat exchanger.

Rodger

 

[85Hokie]

I like this ONE - the angle allows a better flow in tight areas

 

[chim]

On my Ford, there are a couple small spots where the wand can be inserted between the radiator and fan. That makes it very easy to access the entire radiator instead of going between the fan blades.

Here's what I did to the Kubota last Fall:

My, What dirty fins you have

The goal today was to clean the radiator and condenser fins. Funny how tasks have a way of increasing in scope. It was a successful day though. What really surprised me was just how dirty the fins were. I do use compressed air and the two tools shown in the first/second photos and felt my...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[JasonW]

As said above make sure there isn’t debris in the radiator fins. Also check the fan belt tension, it can’t cool off if it can’t move air across the radiator.

 

[Sparty047]

Thanks for these.....sounds like outer cleaning of debris more important than inside. Will get on it....

 

[Sparty047]

Thanks for these.....sounds like outer cleaning of debris more important than inside. Will get on it....

Wand suggested arrives Thursday. I flushed from the sides, only, with water and saw a lot of debris loosened. Will blow out as thoroughly as I can without removing any parts on Thur or Fri.

BTW Does anyone think the innards of the coolant system might also need anything?

 

[JasonW]

Wand suggested arrives Thursday. I flushed from the sides, only, with water and saw a lot of debris loosened. Will blow out as thoroughly as I can without removing any parts on Thur or Fri.

BTW Does anyone think the innards of the coolant system might also need anything?

I would say it’s probably fine. But it’s almost ten years old and the manual states to change coolant every two years. So couldn’t hurt.

On my L3800 one year I had to remove the radiator to get it completely clean. Mud, dust and grass seeds had become packed into the radiator even though it appeared to be clean.

I did install a layer of aluminum window screen on top of the factory radiator screen after that and it helped tremendously catching particles.