Kubota radiators!!!

[Daniel Pullum]

Hello,
I'm sure some of you have experienced cooling problems related to Kubota radiators.
I do some bush hogging every year and mow about 4 acres of yards. Well after 9 years the tractor began overheating after 30+ min. I lost the pre-screener some time ago which may or may not have contributed to the lower third of the radiator becoming PLUGGED. Ya just can't get to that to blow or wash out the dirt. I pulled the radiator cleaned it and all was well until three more yrs passed and
I had to pull it again. It was much easier the second time and works like a charm. I've tried to "fab" a pre-screener but haven't found a fab that will hold up. I refuse to pay Kubota's price for that overpriced piece of junk.
Any solutions suggested?

 

[JasonW]

I’ve installed aluminum window screen on top of the factory screen. Have to pull it out and clean it more often but the debris doesn’t get into the radiator.

You’re not doing it any favors by not having at least the factory screen in place.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

This is the second post where you want to complain about Kubota's prices on parts.
We really don't need to hear / read it.

If you don't like the prices sell it and buy some off name brand something or another, then complain that you can't even get parts for it.

Almost all of us on here own a Kubota or two and know that parts are not cheap, but neither are the tractors those parts are installed on.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Any solutions suggested?

Get a screen in front of it and use one of these . . . I use the air more than the water ...

Mow more often ...

 

[whitetiger]

Ya just can't get to that to blow or wash out the dirt.

They are very simple to clean; you need the correct tool.
If you use one of these styles of blowguns, they are no problem blowing the coolers and radiator out.
.https://a.co/d/4uRXeq6
https://a.co/d/f8OgtWh

 

[Henro]

,

I'm sure some of you have experienced cooling problems related to Kubota radiator….

… I lost the pre-screener some time ago….

…I've tried to "fab" a pre-screener but haven't found a fab that will hold up.

…I refuse to pay Kubota's price for that…

Any solutions suggested?

suggestions/solutions

Sounds like the problem is not with the radiator but the operator

Try to improve the shortcomings in the operator related to losing things

The radiator prescreen on both my Kubota’s is like new after more than 20 years. No way I consider them junk at all.

Try to convince the operator that debris is clogging up the radiator because the prescreen is missing, and is not a hardware issue with the tractor.

Do your best to convince the operator that whatever the prescreen costs from Kubota, it is probably a lot less than the time involved with pulling out the radiator to clean it. The prescreen is not the answer totally, but if it’s there, whatever gets through is easy to vacuum off the radiator in a couple minutes (in the case of my tractors Anyway).

Hope this helps…

 

[Jim L.]

A lot depends on what is being mowed or worked. I use the radiator genie and it helps.

I'm going to claim the prize for most clogging. Brand of radiator doesn't matter. What I resorted to was buying another radiator. I swap back and forth between them to prevent overheating. Mine have to be soaked to loosen the materials caught in the radiator. I also have a silver brazing rod which is rectangular and fits perfectly between the fins.

Clogging is from plant fibers, small seeds, dry clay dust.

 

[chim]

First of all, replace the screen. It doesn't catch everything, but it helps a lot. If the screen would be fine enough to catch everything it wouldn't let air through. Google came up with lots of screens - maybe even one for your tractor - for between $50 and $100. Not having the screen IS the major contributor to plugging the fins.

It is entirely possible to thoroughly clean the radiator without removing it. See my post below from last year. My tractor's radiator gets cleaned fairly often. Even though things seemed OK doing the air cleanings it seemed like a good idea to try doing a better job. The quick cleaning operation expanded into a process that produced like-new results.

Not to be a schmartazz, but one would wonder if a guy who can lose and not replace a fairly important piece of his tractor has done regular maintenance. You did say the lower third of the radiator was plugged after 9 years and then waited another 3 years to clean it again. Will we see a post later on that complains about problems with his "POS Kubota"? In the 12 years you've owned the tractor, did you manage to find the time to perform the 50 hour service?

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

 

[Russell King]

I don’t have any idea how much room you have in front of the screen or radiator but you might try to fit an air conditioner filter in there somehow. I use a Filtrete cut to fit blue filter. It is a flexible material (plastic?) that the screen or radiator fins will support. That way you may be able to pull it out easier than the rigid screen.

The one I use is washable so I cut two out so I can have a dry one to put in. I usually shake one out several times before washing it out.

I think Lowe’s is the only place I have seen them locally. There are other similar products but I avoid the fiberglass ones because they get caught on the bolt heads and sharp edges of the tractor and are difficult to install and remove.

 

[rudder35]

Use a coil cleaner like Simple Green and you will be surprised at how much dirt and debris it loosens. Also buy the damn screen.

 

[NCL4701]

Replace the pre-screen, get a radiator genie air as suggested above for routine cleaning, and use coil cleaner and the radiator genie water once a year or more often if needed for a more thorough clean.

I’ve bodged a lot of stuff on various vehicles and equipment so I kind of get your resistance to paying up for an OEM screen that looks like it shouldn’t cost what it does. But if you’re not maintaining your equipment (in this case, not replacing missing parts) it shouldn’t be surprising it doesn’t perform well.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Hello,
I'm sure some of you have experienced cooling problems related to Kubota radiators.
I do some bush hogging every year and mow about 4 acres of yards. Well after 9 years the tractor began overheating after 30+ min. I lost the pre-screener some time ago which may or may not have contributed to the lower third of the radiator becoming PLUGGED. Ya just can't get to that to blow or wash out the dirt. I pulled the radiator cleaned it and all was well until three more yrs passed and
I had to pull it again. It was much easier the second time and works like a charm. I've tried to "fab" a pre-screener but haven't found a fab that will hold up. I refuse to pay Kubota's price for that overpriced piece of junk.
Any solutions suggested?

12 years in dusty conditions... with a questionable maintenance history....

2 Choices:

1> Replace the radiator, hoses, etc and Screen

2> Overheat and seize the engine

There are companies that make custom radiators.

It's not hard. But it takes a little dedicated time and some money.

 

[rancher1524]

How do you lose a Pre-Screen. You take it out and clean it and put it back in. Not as it it can fall out.

 

[mikester]

I find washing the rads just makes the dust turn into concrete.

Lately I've been using my leaf blower to clean everything and it works well for me.

 

[Daniel Pullum]

This is the second post where you want to complain about Kubota's prices on parts.
We really don't need to hear / read it.

If you don't like the prices sell it and buy some off name brand something or another, then complain that you can't even get parts for it.

Almost all of us on here own a Kubota or two and know that parts are not cheap, but neither are the tractors those parts are installed on.

Excuse me. I thought someone might have a suggestion for cleaning the radiator and I got that. Thanks to those two postings.

 

[JasonW]

Excuse me. I thought someone might have a suggestion for cleaning the radiator and I got that. Thanks to those two postings.

Don’t fix the cause of the issue just pull the radiator every time it plugs up since you was able to do that before.

 

[Daren Todd]

I find washing the rads just makes the dust turn into concrete.

Lately I've been using my leaf blower to clean everything and it works well for me.

I work on rental equipment that see tons of use and abuse.

It's standard operating procedure to spray radiators down with degreaser. Let them soak for a bit to loosen any crud, bug guts, grease, etc.... thats in a radiator. And then steam clean them with hot water under low pressure to clean them.

Compressed air works really well for getting the larger chunks out, but you still gotta get finer stuff out.

But then, my stuff has been out in the field for months on end in harsh environments.

I do agree with you that prevention works much better. So taking the time to blow the crud out when your done for the day cuts issues way down versus letting it build up and become a problem.

I check/ clean the screen on my tractor before use. And then squeezed my head in and check the fins to see if they are starting to clog, before starting my tractor.

I'll hit the radiator with compressed air if need be while i'm checking tire pressures.

 

[Mr Haney]

I find information on parts prices and availability useful.

 

[jyoutz]

I work on rental equipment that see tons of use and abuse.

It's standard operating procedure to spray radiators down with degreaser. Let them soak for a bit to loosen any crud, bug guts, grease, etc.... thats in a radiator. And then steam clean them with hot water under low pressure to clean them.

Compressed air works really well for getting the larger chunks out, but you still gotta get finer stuff out.

But then, my stuff has been out in the field for months on end in harsh environments.

I do agree with you that prevention works much better. So taking the time to blow the crud out when your done for the day cuts issues way down versus letting it build up and become a problem.

I check/ clean the screen on my tractor before use. And then squeezed my head in and check the fins to see if they are starting to clog, before starting my tractor.

I'll hit the radiator with compressed air if need be while i'm checking tire pressures.

Is the degreaser safe for plastic radiators? What kind of degreaser?

 

[Daren Todd]

Is the degreaser safe for plastic radiators? What kind of degreaser?

None of my equipment has a plastic radiator. So I couldn't answer that question.

I Usually just get purple power from home depot or lowes for the shop. Mix it 50/50 in a garden sprayer and roll with it.

Come to think of it, it doesn't destroy the plastic garden sprayer bottle and comes in a plastic bucket.