kawasaki mule overheating

[markct]

hi guys, i just found this forum and had a few questions to ask, i have a 1996 mule 2500 that has had a problem with overheating, it appears to not be circulating since the radiator doesnt get very warm, not even warm enough to turn on the fan, i originaly suspected the fan temp switch and replaced it but it turns out thats not the problem, the radiator simply isnt getting hot enough to turn it on it seems like, i am suspecting the thermostat is stuck or only partialy opening, i am going to get a new one from my dealer today, but i was wondering is there any other things that could cause overheating, or improper circulation? i have only had the mule a few months and it has had overheating problems ever since i had it, i sure love it tho, alot nicer than tying everything onto the racks of my old honda quad, now i just throw the chainsaw and whatever i need into the bed and out into the woods i go. thanks guys, oh and one other question, where do they hook in the heater lines for the cab heaters on the mules, i have a heater but dont know where they connect the lines to. thanks

[joey]

If your fan is not coming on, chances are that someone did not get the air out of the cooling system. There is a switch in the radiator that controls the fan, if no coolant is in contact with the sensor then your fan wont come on and the engine gets hot. To solve this you have to run the Mule until it gets warm and then park it on a hill with the nose up in the air. Let it cool completly down then check your coolant level on level ground. 9 out of ten times that will solve the problem. Otherwise it is a stuck thermostat. Hoever if it is diesel Mule.....Hope this helps

[markct]

thanks joey, i sorta suspected that it was air somewheres, i didnt know about the trick with parking it on a hill tho, i see there is a cap on the radiator, should i take that off so the air can get out there too, i always just checked it from the cap under the seat, also near the carb there seems to be a little bolt that goes into the coolant passage in the manifold, is this supposed to be a place to bleed off air from the top of the engine? i suspected it may be but wasnt sure, i ordered a thermostat from my dealer but it wont be here till thursday, i wasnt sure if there is one from a small car that would work but figured it was easiest to just get one from the dealer, of course at 17 bucks i may try and find a car one that fits if it goes bad in the future

[joey]

just be sure to top off the coolant at both radiators and fill the reserve tank before you get going then when you park it on the hill you dont have to do anything but let her cool down, should fix the problem...

[markct]

joey your a genious, yesterday i filled up the radiator and let it circulate for a while with the cap under the seat loose so i could safely check the cap on the radiator (no pressure) and then i filled the radiator a couple times and drove it around, the fan came on a couple times like it should while i was going slow in the woods, before it never cycled on, or the few times it did was right at about the same time it started to overheat, now its working great, thanks so much for your help

[joey]

glad to have helped

[bail4u2alabama]

Originally Posted by joey

just be sure to top off the coolant at both radiators and fill the reserve tank before you get going then when you park it on the hill you dont have to do anything but let her cool down, should fix the problem...

WHERE ARE THE 2 RADIATORS LOCATED? WE HAVE A 2005 3010 4X4 AND WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM

[okieduc104]

The 3010 Mule has the radiator under the front grill and a reserve tank (Overflow tank) on the driver's side over the fender and beside the cargo compartment. It is necessary to have a working reserve tank in order for the Mule to cool properly.

I had an air lock on my 3010 Mule that I bought used from some guys that are very good Little League coaches and directors, How-some-ever! they are not UTV guys. I noticed that the reserve radiator tank was broken up and had been for awhile. while I was waiting for the new reserve tank to be delivered from the factory (ordered it early January it came in today) I checked the radiator and it was over 6" low, I filled the radiator up and disconnected the overflow hose. Drove the Mule around for 15 minutes and the overheat light came on, also the coolant started coming out the overflow tube. Today I filled the reserve tank and started the engine, after 15 minutes the overheat light came on, the radiator was cold but the coolant lines on the engine were HOT. I opened the radiator cap and it was pressured up with air. I unscrewed the air bleeder on the passanger side coolant pipe and hot steam came out. I let the mule cool down and opened the bleeders, added a half gallon of coolant before coolant ran out of the bleeders on the engine. I filled the reserve tank. ran the engine for 30 minutes, it started to heat the radiator after a while. no overheat light came on. Everything looks good!

I didn't realize that the Mule was that easy to airlock. I found out that once the water pump runs out of fluid it can't do ANY COOLING. Be sure that the LIQUID cooled system is free of air or it won't cool. I am still learning!

[standfas]

Are there any bleeders on the 2510? I am pulling my hair out trying to the bleed the air out of my system.