hi everyone. my cat 312 keeps overheating. its used primarily for house demolition, i believe it is the dust clogging up the radiator. i run it at about 70% power and it will over heat within 20 minutes or so. (once its warmed up) bring it down to 30% power and idle, it cools down to a good range with in 5 min. and 20 min of use later its back to hot. i blow out the radaitor and get a little while out of it (but it is a real pain to keep blowing it out) anyone have any ideas on and other problems or solutions? i was thinking about adding a second radiator to get some extra cooling and easier to blow out. any other ideas?
We own several Cat excavators and most of our work is demo. Demo dust is a killer to radiators. Washing with water just cakes up the radiator worst, the quick fix is blow out the radiator with a good air blower. If you do a lot od demo at some point you will have to pull the radiator out and preasure wash out the entire radiator. Carefull not to preasure wash the radiator fins closed. We installed a Flex-Aire reversable fan system on the last two machines and they are working good. Once the machine reaches a elevated temperature the Flex-Aire fan kicks in and blows out the demo dust crap.
thanks for the info. where did you get the fan? from id be interested in it.
Are you sure the fins are clogged ? Can you not see through the core ? You could have other problems ie. faulty thermostat , slipping belts , blown head gasket , bottom hose sucking flat , hydraulic oil running hot and transfering heat from the cooler too the radiator etc . I think you should have it tested , a good mobile mechanic would be able too tell you in under an hour .
I had our system installed by our local Cat dealer, but you can order dirrect from Flexx Aire. www.flexxaire.com
Isn't there a fan reverse option on a 312?
Same problem here! I'm having trouble with my Hitachi 225 doing demo work. Fibreglass seems the biggest killer to me. I've been told by my fitter to blow out the rad from inside out, then blow back the other way, then back out if that makes sense. The repetition he says loosens some of the stubbern stuff. For a more rapid cool down, I've been advised to high idle the machine as theres much more power in the fan then. Having said all that though, its a pain in the arse so I'd go for the reverse fan mod. Its fitted as standard to our 345C UHDs but I was wondering although its obviously useful, surely it will only blow out the circular shape of the fan leaving the outside clogged eventually losing the efficiency of the rad. Anyone have experience of this? Andy
Fibreglass will be found to be the new Asbestos . I hope you guys are wearing masks while messing with it . Glass splinters in the lungs and airways will be found to be killers one day .
thanks alot for the help. i have a few other problems i need looked at. im gonna have to have a mechanic come take a look at her.
I would be with Iron Horse on this one 100%.There could be the multiple causes suggested.
How´s your air filter doing? With all that dust, the filters get loaded up and the engine starts burning rich and running hot. Try adding Water Wetter to the coolant - it´s made by Redline and they have a specific diesel engine formula. It reduces the surface tension of the water allowing it to transfer heat more efficiently. The stuff works.
Cat running hot I agree with all this, I just went through this, with my Cat 320. first check the bottom hose, when the machine is working hard. See any rust stains, below the water pump? Signs of water pump going bad. Check/change the Hyd filters. With the machine working hard, get a temp gun and check the different temps, radiator, engine, thermostat, hydraulic fluid. Which one is hotter? This is not a fail safe test, but sometimes it gives the info you need for farther test. I replaced the radiator, with a full flow type, it helped but Im sure Ive got a leaking head gasket, I had a Cat mech check it. As stated make sure the fins are open , some times they just look that way. I would get the machine checked out, before I put a reversible fan on it. The last time I checked, they wanted $5000 for one to fit mine. I was a bit pricey. My top pick would be head gasket, radiator hose, radiator, hydraulic problem, in that order, if the machine works OK Good Luck
is your machine still overheating, man? How has it been performing this summer? have you been doing much house demo with it lately, or has that slowed too?
its still doing the same thing i had it looked at and they said that everything is working properly. the hydrulics are running a little hot, but was told not to worry about it. it all has to do with the dust in the radiator. he told me that there is a swing away radiator option on new machines designed for the demo work, its supposed to make it easier to clean out. maybe ill go for it on the next machine. im actully very busy with the demos here. i keep 2 312's operating. about a house per week. all i do is the whole house knockdowns. while one machine is tearing it down, im moving the other to the next job
what kind of houses are you wrecking? are they mostly new ones, or do you ever get any older ones? if you get older ones, do you salvage any of the architectural features, doors, lighting fixtures, bathroom fixtures, etc. or do they all get trashed? if you get anything good and can save it, i would be interested in buying it from your jobsites or yard. let me know what kind of stuff you come across. thanks, bro.
most of the stuff i take down is from the 50's to 70's not too much real old stuff. but i do salvage quite a bit. doors, windows, ect. im in the process of setting up a shop to sell "used and salvaged building materials and fixtures" alot of people around here go and remodel a home only to decide that they dont like the lay out. so they tear it down and build brand new. a lot of the windows, doors, kitchens and bathrooms are less than a tear old. there seems to be a high demand for the "like new" materials at fraction of the price of new. as far as "antique" stuff not so much. most of it is so diffuclt to salvage without damageing its not worth the effort. what are kind of stuff are you interested in? ill gladly help you out if i can.
i guess most of the houses in long island are pretty new. but if you ever get like a victorian or something from the 20s let me know and i'd be itnerested in buying some of the stuff from you.
i just looked at a victorian built in 1923 lest week. (gave an estimate) the old cast radiators are there and the old 2 button "on off" wall switches. i didnt notice any original glass or fixtures.
Us asphalt mill people (the good ones anyways) usually have to blow air filter (with air)once a week regularly and give the rad a washdown with a light mist of degreaser. overheats are such a drag.
The 312 has some fome on the hood seperating tge radiator from the engine compartment from the section with the batteries and the front of the radiator . If its messed up or missing replace it it just loops hot air if in bad shape we had one do the same and it fixed it
can you reverse the fan?
the stock fan is not reversable. i looked into putting in a reversible but its very expensive. id rather put the money towards some new equipment.