Ever wonder how hot your sump oil or head(s) are? Maybe you should unless you're content with the short life predicted for air cooled tractors. A useful technology widely used in industry is the "K" type thermocouple. Sounds too technical? It's self powered , very accurate, and cheap (for DIY'ers). You can make an oil probe (stick it down the dipstick tube), and a cylinder head sensor (put it under the sparkplug) from the two lead K wire. Just made them and they work. Cost, $ 12.
Oh yeah... you need a digital thermometer, roughly the size of VOM (meter). Don't turn away yet. Mine is 8 years ok, cost $29. Ebay has them for $49. American made are more $.
Thermometers are not suitable for permanent mounting on the tractor. Instead, you will take periodic readings prompted by curiosity or as backup for existing gauges. Sorry for cracking the $50 DIY barrier. Tell me if you are interested and I will post two threads... with pics. :drink:
I like wireless so I use infrared thermometers. No wiring, no touching. They cost around $30 and up. The more important question is what is the "normal" temperature range for various parts and what to do if it exceeds the range.
Dave , For years VW bug and especially van owners have blown engines with regularity. The major problem was head over temp. They often install a head temp gage which is essentially a spark plug gasket with a wire to a heat gage. This approach is used in small aircraft, motorcycles, go- carts and race cars. Some have proven widely inaccurate. The K appoach remedies the inaccuracy. I will post some pics. Motoman
Panabiker, I see that the infra red units are coming down in price. I do not have one ,but how , for instance ,can you get "no fin" head readings ? Also, how can you get sump oil temp? Anyway I believe we know what the dangerous range is for aluminum heads from a vast literatue on line . I am tring to run a series of sump oil vs head temps, but that will probably not complete untill I stress my Craftsman Intek with worst case which is Spring ,3 bagigng ,on slope with damp grass. Meanwhile leaf bagging is coming up and I may be able to throw out some numbers. Motoman
Because of curiosity only, I once screwed a dial thermometer with a 3" stem directly into the oil drain on a 12 hp briggs riding mower and the highest oil temp. recorded was around 250 F with the ambient temperature 95.
Unless there is a temperature shut down or audible warning set at a predetermined value I see no purpose since we can't mow and continually watch a temperature gauge or oil pressure gauge etc.
Constantly monitoring gauges would be similar to texting. :laughing:
Unless there is a temperature shut down or audible warning set at a predetermined value I see no purpose since we can't mow and continually watch a temperature gauge or oil pressure gauge etc.
Constantly monitoring gauges would be similar to texting. :laughing:
Indeed. If an engine overheats regularly in a non-abusive use, it's more indicative of some design flaw. Maybe a larger engine should have been installed on the mower.
Well Sandbur and Panabiker. I only have experience with my once ever Craftsman 48" Intek. After reading these threads for over a year I know there are better disigns out there. But what's worked for me after two self destructions is exactly monitoring an oil temp gauge, especially when I use the tractor as designed-cutting grass with a 3 bagger on a slight grade.
I have read that some better tractors have red warning lights for oil level, but not that I can recall for oil or head temp. Incidentally there's some indication of at least a plus 75F at the head over oil temp
on my unit. If that's true your reading suggests the head was entering a dangerous region. I'm just trying to set some guide lines. Of course only a lunatic fringe would pursue such an effort. :tractor:
I know this from personal experience. I solved this by 2 methods.
#1. Oil temperature sensor installed through the dipstick tube.
#2. Oil temperature sensor installed in the oil pan drain. The sensor screws into the pan instead of your drain plug.
I realize that this does not give you head temperature, but it puts you in the Ballpark!
With regard to the danger of the texting-like distraction of reading a digital thermometer while mowing ... I always pull over and stop before reading the temperature to avoid the dangers of taking my eyes off the grass flashing by at 2 mph. :smile:
With regard to the danger of the texting-like distraction of reading a digital thermometer while mowing ... I always pull over and stop before reading the temperature to avoid the dangers of taking my eyes off the grass flashing by at 2 mph. :smile:
I am slowly reading the data online and believe the eureka moment is near at hand. By that I mean a figure of 392F is appearing as the "Creep" point (no joke as you engineer types know). Aluminum castings ( I looked at casting alloy A 242) begin to stretch , distort and crack. Poor little tractor must have seen that temp a lot. That's why I'm interested in the K thermocouple. If the sump oil was really at 300 F, can 392 F in the head be far away? Is that the dirty little secret an average consumer cannot know? If so, you the consumer are walking a very narrow reliability path.
I have not felt the slings and arrows so I will advise that (some of) you may continue to pursue this tractor babble in threads coming soon to your area..."HOT HEADS CAUSE TROUBLE-KNOW WHEN TO COOL IT: K thermocouple DIY" and perhaps...." A/C OIL SUMP-COOL POOL OR FRENCH FRY COOKER: K thermocouple DIY"
Panabiker, I noticed I really did not fully answer your questions. I won't know how often I exceed (let's say 350F) until I get my readings in the hotter weather. I believe the Intek is running at spec of(?3000 RPM) . I reassembled it twice with no mod to the governor and it seems to run at the same
surface speed. motoman
