Radiator Pre-Filter

I wanted to relay an experience I had recently with my Farmpro 2430 overheating on a 50F day. I was running my rotary cutter in high weeds and brush after about 2 hours of cutting the tractor quickly went from 140F to 210F. I disengaged the implement and reduced rpms and the temp started to go down as I limped back to the shed. It was an easy diagnosis, although I regularly remove and clean the metal screen infront of the radiator, the radiator was nearly completely clogged with chaff and grass seed and dust. So, I was done for the day. The next day I came back with an aircompressor, generator and simple green cleaner. I was amazed at how much stuff came out of the radiator. I used compressed air until there was no more loose stuff coming out then I sprayed the radiator with simple green several times and blew it out again. Eventually the radiator was clean as a whistle.

Determined not to spend 2 hours cleaning the radiator again anytime soon, I went to the dollar general and bought a 3 pack of the 20″x20″ in home air filters, the cheap kind with the filter element made up of blue fibers think they were called easy flow. I removed the paper filter frame on all but 1 side of a filter and sandwiched the filter element between the metal screen and the radiator. If I had had a pair of scissors I could have trimmed the filter element to an exact fit but since I didn't I had to fold the filter element on the sides to get it to fit behind the metal screen.

I started cutting again and even thought the outside temperature was up to 75F the tractor didn't get over 140F. I cut for about 5 hours and again the temp started to rise. I let it go to 190F before I stopped. Looked under the hood and the front of the metal screen was covered with chaff and seeds and dust. I removed the screen and the filter element and cleaned both by beating them on the FEL, the radiator was still clean as a whistle. I replaced screen and filter and continued cutting. The temp quickly went back down to 140F and stayed there for the hour of cutting before ending the day.

My theory is the metal screen will slow your radiator from getting clogged but it doesn't stop everthing. Looks like adding a filter element behind the screen will significantly improve the ability to keep the radiator from getting clogged.