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Temp gauge malfunction

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-08-11          30886

I have another problem with my year and a half old N/H. I was using it two days ago in 105 degree heat and the temp gauge read normal. Yesterday it was down to about eighty degrees or so and the temp gauge read half way between normal and cold. Today it won't register at all, and the engine feels as though it is at normal operating temp...Could this be the sending unit on the engine or is there some other cause I may be missing. I doubt the dealer will warranty this and he always charges to transport it, so hopefully I can fix it myself. I am right in the middle of my barn building project and don't need this aggrevation now. HELP!

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Temp gauge malfunction

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Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999
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2001-08-12          30888

You are on the right track. It doesn't sound like you have a cooling problem; you have a gauge problem. But first of all be sure to take off the radiator cap and make sure you are up to level with water. Being low would cause those symptoms. And yes,it is much more common for a sensor to go bad or the wire from the sensor to gauge to have a bad connection than it is for a gauge itself to go bad.
While you are waiting for factory parts, you can also stop by a K Mart or similar store and buy the least expensive temperature gauge+sender kit that they have. Expect to pay about $20 bucks. Replace the existing sender with the sender from the kit, and duct tape the temp gauge to some convenient place. That will get you by for a few years. ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-08-12          30894

Thanks Roger! The coolant level is just over the tube sheet about 2" below the fill hole. I felt that was normal but I will check the manual. My only other clue is that the day it started to malfunction was after very hot and dusty conditions, but the machine was spotless and just serviced before I started and felt that should not have effected anything. I am going to wash it all down today, including the engine compartment and radiator, but I doubt that will be of any consequence. The real fix will be when I trade it for another Kubota. ....

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Roger L.
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2001-08-12          30897

I agree that a year and a half old tractor shouldn't have any problem at all, but I wouldn't give up just because of a sender. They are notorious for going bad. And it might just be a wire. I was going to say that older tractors are often marginal on cooling capacity and a hour's worth of dust and mowing can easily clog the radiator just enough to make them overheat....but such a new tractor shouldn't have that problem. Cutter, any tractor - even a brand new Kubota - can have a bum temperature sensor. My feeling on this sort of thing is that the first few years of ownership seem to include finding and fixing most any machine's shortcomings. No, I don't think that it ought to be that way; it just is. ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-08-12          30903

You are correct Roger, it just seems this one has had way more than it's share. One other thing crossed my mind, the day it was so hot the thermostat may have opened and stayed that way. I noticed today some registering on the gauge, but not near enough. Is there a voltage test for the sending unit? ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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DocHeb
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2001-08-12          30907

If you are using a large frame Boomer ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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DocHeb
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2001-08-12          30911

Also check out this forum, prior postings:

2001-02-08 "Operating Temp"
2001-03-19 "Fix for cold running TCs" ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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Roger L.
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2001-08-12          30912

Cutter, you are right, there ARE some temperature gauges which work by way of a sender which supplies a variable voltage to a temperature gauge. But lucky for us all, a simpler version is more common on compact tractors. On most of our tractors, the sender is simply a plug of material that changes resistance with temperature. The easy way to test a temperature sender is to use the resistance scale on your Volt/Ohmmeter. Do NOT turn on the tractor. Disconnect the single wire from the temperature sender. Now connect the ohmmeter with one lead on the bare end of the sender (not the wire), and the other lead to a shiny spot on the engine itself. I'd expect to see a resistance in the range of 100 to 200 ohms. It depends on what material the manufacturer is using, and a call to the dealer or a peak in a service manual will get you a more accurate number. A bad sender usually has a very high resistance (an "open"). Rarely will they read low.
Oh yes! Be sure to check your fuses and twirl them to make sure they are working. Finally, finish up the check by reconnecting the sender, turning on the ignition, and using your voltmeter to check that there is some voltage available between the motor block and the point where the wire attaches to at the sender. I can't tell you how many volts will be there except it will be between 3 and 12....but any voltage there is a good sign that the sender is the problem. ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-08-12          30913

Thanks Roger and Doc. I will test the voltage and resistance tommorrow as well as visit the links for TC's. After today I am wondering if the thermostat could be the culprit. One step at a time I suppose. ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-08-13          30917

Pretty good advice on checking out the sender/gauge units. It'd be good idea to check the fan belt tension while you're testing. I did have something similar to your description. I went through the sender testing thing too, but it was the thermostat. If stuck open, the gauge can read normal on a hot day and working moderate to heavy loads but barely move off the cold peg on a cool day with light work. If you're continuing to use the tractor, I'd keep track of the exhaust. I believe that a cold engine puffs light-gray exhaust while a hot engine puffs gray to black exhaust. However, I’m not sure if that’s an adequate test to prevent engine damage due to an abrupt cooling system failure. Working a cold engine doesn’t do it any good either. ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2001-08-13          30923

Tom, I had to use it for about six hours the last couple of days due to my barn project that had to stay on schedule. Yesterday I finished my part for a week or so and completely washed the machine down and cleaned the air filter, which was not bad by the way. Today I will remove the loader and back blade and look for the problem, I need to install the mower asap...It seems I always operate under Murphy's Law. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2001-08-15          30963

Somebody called......... my ears are burning...... ....

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Temp gauge malfunction

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2001-08-15          30982

You're late Murf! It was the thermostat, I fixed it Monday. I also bought a new 2910 on Saturday. Thanks again for all the advise everyone. ....

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