How to Cool an Engine and Save Your Summer Farm Equipment

Ever wonder how to cool an engine to protect your farm equipment from the summer heat? An engine that doesn’t spike outside of its standard operating temperature is also more likely to last longer and require less maintenance over the course of its working life.

Check out these three simple tips for keeping your farm equipment cool.

Keep an Eye on Your Fan(s)

Tractors and other farm gear typically make use of fairly large displacement motors and given the low speeds at which they travel, little airflow passes through the engine bay while in operation. How can you cool an engine that spends a lot of time stationary, operating a power take-off or slowly moving through a field? Traditionally, this has been accomplished through a large fan that moves air over the various cooling systems incorporated into the machine. Making sure your equipment’s fan is in perfect working order is key to preventing an overheated engine in the summer.

Maintain Coolant Levels

If you spring a leak in any of your tractor’s cooling systems, then you’re asking for trouble once the summer sun comes out. Part of learning how to cool an engine on the farm means verifying the coolant in each machine prior to sending it out for the day, and using the correct type of antifreeze as specified by your vehicle’s manual. Remember to regularly swap out your coolant at the change of each season to ensure there’s no sludge or other deposits building up inside the system, and check the condition of your hoses at the same time.

Clean Those Radiators

There’s no way around it: Farm equipment gets dirty. Driving in dusty environments, plus all the floating pollen and fine particles from harvesting can layer your tractor’s various radiators with a thick shield against the heat exchange that’s needed to keep the engine, oil and hydraulic systems at their proper temperature. It’s irritating to have to stop what you’re doing and periodically clean off your equipment’s radiators, but it’s insurance against overheating. It’s also important to regularly wash your farm equipment so that radiators don’t get caked with mud and other debris, which over time can create a hardened mask of gunk that will definitely have a negative impact on cooling.

Learning how to cool an engine during the sweltering heat of summer can go a long way toward ensuring your farm equipment performs at its peak potential all season.

Check out all the tractor parts available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on how to cool an engine, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.

Photo courtesy of Morguefile.