Caterpillar 320c overheating

[AntonioRocha]

Hello everyone, I gota a Cat 320c with am overheating problem, already changed thermostat, water pump, radiator... she works fine, but the temperature climbs. Did anyone had similar problem?

 

[707]

How fast does the temperature climb ? Have you manually checked with a contact thermometer ? Faulty sender

 

[AntonioRocha]

The machine is currectly working in Mozambique, I have checked on siscat, there is a temperature sender and a temperature sensor, wich one send the readings to the monitor?

 

[707]

Sendor works the gauge usually sensor feeds the ecu

 

[glennmackenzie]

Blown head gasket caused our machine to heat up

 

[AntonioRocha]

I already had that in mind, but since there is no pressure in the water rubber pipes, no water going to the reservoir I am hopping that the temperature sender is the problem, what other simptons did you had with your blown head gasket?

 

[glennmackenzie]

Water leaking from the engine, no other symptoms. Try the sender first

 

[Nige]

Do you have an infra red thermometer, or can you get hold of one..? If so then take the temperature of the hoses at the top and bottom of the radiator when the engine is overheating and post them here.

The water pump, thermostat, and radiator you changed. Were the components you installed to replace them new ones or used..?

 

[Bob/Ont]

Do you have an infra red thermometer, or can you get hold of one..? If so then take the temperature of the hoses at the top and bottom of the radiator when the engine is overheating and post them here.

The water pump, thermostat, and radiator you changed. Were the components you installed to replace them new ones or used..?

Nige check if he has the high ambient cooling group, the clutch can fail and they overheat.
Later Bob

 

[Nige]

Bob, being as the OP is in Mozambique where ambients are pretty high it crossed my mind. Any fan clutch issue should show up as a very low temperature differential between the inlet and outlet temperatures of the radiator.

 

[adkhomeboy]

Hello everyone, I gota a Cat 320c with am overheating problem, already changed thermostat, water pump, radiator... she works fine, but the temperature climbs. Did anyone had similar problem?

is the fan blowing in the proper direction, air flow in proper direction side skirting? the hydraulic system adding to much heat? I had simmilar problem on a forestry delimber.also top and bottom hose temp.

 

[AntonioRocha]

These are the temperatures sent to me, measured by a laser gun

 

[Nige]

Antonio, In order to measure the radiator cooling efficiency you need to take the temperatures of the 2 hoses going into the top and out of the bottom of the radiator. That test will also tell us if the fan clutch is working as it should be and what the radiator efficiency looks like.

Can you also please post a Serial Number so we can see if it has the high ambient temperature cooling package fitted as standard.
Was this machine sold to Mozambique new or did it arrive there used..? If it arrived used do you know where it came from..? That may be another clue as to what type of cooling package it has fitted.

 

[AntonioRocha]

The machine was bought in Portugal, its a DBG, we also have siscat, she doesnt have the temperature cooling package, she worked very well in Mozambique until started overheating, even the job she is doing is not very hard. tomorrow I will ask for measuring me the temperatures off booth pipes.

 

[Nige]

So the machine worked fine for a while after it came from Portugal, now it is overheating, correct...?
If that is true then the question is, what changed..?

The parts that you changed (radiator, water pump, thermostat, etc) - were the replacement parts that you installed new or used..?

 

[JoaoVr]

Radiator was opened and cleaned, some parts where used from other machine (hard to get parts in Mozambique), after we got a new thermostat and two new sensors (just to be sure) the problem was fixed. There was a wiring problem as also (50% thermostat fault - 50% sensors and wiring fault). The normal working temperature for this machine after some hours of work its:

Valve cover: 87º
thermostat cover: 74º
block water pipe: 85º
engine block: 88º
radiator cover: 70º
both radiator tubes 76º

 

[Nige]

Joao, Nice to know you got it fixed. You also answered my question about whether the replacement parts were new or used because having worked in Africa myself I know how hard it is to get new parts.

To check your radiator efficiency you need to take a temperature of the hose that comes out of the bottom of the radiator and compare the temperature you get at that location to your photo #2 (74.5 DegC). You should see a difference of about 7-8 degrees between the two when your engine is at full operating temperature which will be around 82-85 DegC.

 

[pete40]

What was "the wiring problem" you mentioned?

I have a CAT 301.8 mini-ex that overheats. I have done similar things to you to diagnose it. I will get some temperature readings of top and bottom hose as well. I have cleaned out my radiator several times. I have also removed the oil cooler in front of the radiator and cleaned the radiator behind the cooler as that area does get blocked sometimes. This seems to work for a short time, but the overheating returns. I have put a new thermostat in - no difference. I am in the habit of spraying water onto the outer side of the radiator to help cool it down. Very annoying not to be able to fix this problem.

 

[pete40]

Read a few other threads. I always run the machine with the hood up - thinking this gives more ability to cool. I have run it with the hood down and it overheats quicker. Now I am wondering about these bits of foam that might direct air flow.

Also wondering about relief valves in the oil cooling system/near oil cooler - will have to look for these.

 

[JoaoVr]

We have a wiring problem on our 320C: In our machine the wiring has "silicon outer sheath" that its not degreasing agent resistant (from washing the machine). So the wiring sheath (cover) is dissolving in diferent points.