# IH 254 Overheats When Mowing



## Jackal448 (May 21, 2013)

I have a 1985 IH254 with 857 hours that runs great when snow plowing etc. until I mow. I am mowing with a 5' MF 2220 Estate Groomer. After about 20 minutes of mowing the overheat light comes on. I stop mowing and let it run at about 1200 rpm and after about 5 minutes the light goes off and I can again mow for about 15 minutes and it starts to overheat again. To date I have had no loss of coolant. I am mowing at midrange 2nd gear and grass is not super high. Radiator is clean and has new 50/50 antifreeze. Any thoughts? Maybe a new thermostat or up the % of antifreeze/coolant? Thanks in advance for any ideas.


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## cochran (Jul 14, 2004)

95% of cooling problems are the radiator. Your radiator might look good but if the fins are clean and it is overheating chances are you need a new radiator or re-core. They can be expensive.


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## stickerpicker (Sep 16, 2003)

Diagnosis can be puzzling for several reasons and some tests aren't that easy.

I stopped by my farm boys mechanic shop ( population about 30 ) on the way to the big city ( pop an little more ) one day where he was working on a opposite problem of a pickup during the winter. 

Complaint - cold weather no heat. This customer had previously had the pickup in two other shops with "0" results. Mechanic was working outdoors and ask me to hit the ignition while he held the pump discharge heater hose as high as it would reach. The PU started and not one drop of water would squirt from the hose.

Being a man of few words he mumbled something, so being curious on my way back from the big city I once again stopped by to find the water pump laying close to where the work was being done. The impeller had worn down to about the size of a quarter.


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