7080 running warm

Have a 1981 7080, well maintained, 4500 hr tractor, pulling a 24’ 1300 field cultivator in low 80 degree temps, it wants to heat up on us. We power washed the radiator twice, coolant level is alright. Radiator was redone about 1000 hours ago. Seems like if we put it under a heavy load it wants to heat up. Light load it runs fine. Any thoughts?

Lots of thoughts. #1. Fan belts that are worn can slip even tho you may have them TIGHT. With the engine off, pull on a fan blade and see if the engine turns or just the fan.  Fan belts cannot be near the bottom of any pulley or they can slip at full throttle.  #2. Temp gauges are 40+ years old sometimes read higher than the actual temp is. I've installed many manual type gauges and left the one in the dash to compare and trust the mechanical gauge.  #3. When I power wash a cooling package, it takes me a half a day (4 hrs) to do a good job. I use a 90 degree elbow on the end of my wand to direct the pressurized water better at the radiator core. I remove the radiator shroud and maybe the fan itself and lay them off to the side. I unbolt the A/C condensor and hang it by the hoses off to the left. I unbolt and pull both oil coolers forward so I can get in behind them to wash. And when I say wash, I mean both ways front to back and back to front. On a 7080 you actually might have to remove the air cleaner assembly to get a better aim at the lower radiator. This much I can assure you....that radiator ain't as clean as you think it is. When the shroud and fan are removed you can get at all the corners to get them cleaned out. You should be able to shine a trouble light thru the core everywhere.  That cooling system was (technically) designed to maintain an engine temp of 100 degrees over ambient temperature at 180 HP loaded. So, on an 80 degree day, it should stay under 190 degrees if the engine HP is where it belongs and not overfueled.  #4. A fresh pair of thermostats never hurt. #5. Lastly, the foam rubber strips on around the radiator MUST be there !!!  So, we are talking to top tank, lower front tank and both sides of the radiator. When that foam is missing, the hot air that just left the fan can be pulled around and enter into the radiator again. How do you get any cooling using that hot air ?? You don't !! It needs to be coming in thru the grille shell screen.

It has two thermostat if only one opens it will over heat under heavy load only

We definitely didn’t go to the extent doc said for power washing, we will try that. I also ordered a new foam kit, it’s mostly in tact and still there but I could see light though a couple spots with the side sheets on.

I have been thinking about these tractors running warm.  I have a 210 and 8070.  The 210 after owning for 25 years started running warm. Had a local radiator shop fix pin hole in tank and boil out. Did all of the other things mentioned....water pump, fan belts, gauge, thermostat etc. problem solved.  

Yeah, I was just wondering if the aluminum would transfer the heat more efficiently?

What RPM you running?? 

If they wont

My C-70 grain truck was running hot last fall. Temps in the low 90's didn't help. Blew the radiator out, wow, couldn't believe how much dirt and crap there was in there! Had finished up hauling with tractors and wagons. Will take the garden hose to it this fall. Probably sell the truck. Just not enough acres to justify keeping it around.

Back in 1983, I had a (new to me) customer who called and wanted me to quickly come and get his 7040 tractor and install a head gasket because it was overheating while chopping hay. It would go about 30 minutes and he'd have to stop and let it cool down and then go again. I didn't have time to do a "drive-by" head gasket installation and told him it would be 3 or 4 days before I could do what he wanted. I also told him it sounded very much like a dirty radiator core. Well. he got the local "Case Power and Equipment" store to put in his head gasket. They never did anything else. He chopped again for 30 minutes and the engine was hot. I got the call to come and get his tractor and install another head gasket as that was the problem. They didn't do something right. I then took him a tractor to rent/use and brought his 7040 to my shop. I did the 4 hr remove coolers/etc and power washed. The tractor was then put on the dyno to verify the fix, which it was. When I brought it back to the customer (he chopped a lot as in custom work) I waited for him to do the usual 30 minutes of chopping and everything stayed cool. He asked how bad did the head gasket look ?? I then told him it never got a head gasket. The radiator was very dirty like I told him a week earlier.

I wonder if we got the 7080 to run cool or not ?????

Like so many posts on this site, there are multiple possible solutions to the problem. And like so many posts, a "we are fixed" response never comes, so that others on this site can learn. 

Have to agree with Doc and Ed. Always nice to have an update to the problem. I try hard to do that when I have questions. Sometimes it takes awhile to get to things though.

Make sure your fuel shutoff cable isnt creeping closed on you. Have had that happen on a 7580 and it started running warm for no reason.