B7100 overheating

mah049

New member
I've got a B7100D that tends to overheat when I mow with it (using a Woods finish mower on the back). I have to stop and let it rest every 10 minutes or so, and have to top off the radiator about every time I run it because there's so much steam coming out the overflow tube near the cap.

I just got this tractor last summer so I don't know anything about its history. To be honest, I don't really know poop about tractors or diesel motors in general...total rookie.

Is this a common problem for this model? Any ideas what I should try?

Thanks!
 

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Welcome to the forum.

Not real familiar with that tractor but a common overheating issue when mowing is the dust and such kicked up have a tendency of clogging up the vents on your radiator. I'd start by making any pre-screens and the radiator fins themselves are clean so air can pass.
 

California

Super Moderator
Staff member
Site Supporter
I've got a B7100D that tends to overheat ...
Is this a common problem for this model? Any ideas what I should try?
As Zoom said, start by being certain that the exterior of the radiator is clean. Water from a hose should go through it front to back easily, everywhere. Also an infrared thermometer ($13 at HF, or better) will identify parts of the radiator with no cooling.

Is this the manual transmission B7100 from ~ 30 years ago? There are a couple more things to check. Take off the radiator cap and look in with the engine idling. You should see some water flow but if you see steam and surging, you could have a leaking head gasket. Exhaust going into the cooling system will heat the water quickly.

Normal maintenance after say 20 years includes removing the radiator to be rodded out by a radiator shop. You might try chemical cooling system cleaner and heavy backflushing first.

Blockage in the cooling system could also possibly be a collapsed upper or lower hose - not very likely. Does that model have a thermostat? It could be stuck closed.

These will run wide open at full rated hp for an entire tank of fuel without overheating when the cooling system is up to spec. If it won't, the problem needs to be identified and remedied.
 

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
To join back in with CA'a post, once it's warmed up a bit, touch the upper and lower radiator hoses. If one is cold (room temperature or close), that's a sign things aren't flowing.

Water pump impeller shot?

Belts OK and everything spinning?
 

mah049

New member
Wow. Thanks for the great advice guys. I know what I'm going to do this weekend ... after I wait for the storm to pass.

Thanks
 

mah049

New member
All I really had to do was clean the radiator grill out real well and seems to be fine. I had brushed the bigger debris out before without much luck, but based on your comments I got in there with the air compressor and blew a lot of dust out. My radiator could definitely stand to be replaced, but its getting the job done now.

Thanks again.
 
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