L4610 - Engine Block Heater

[ClayRogers]

Hi guys. I am waiting to hear back from my dealer as to how much it would be for them to install an engine block heater on my Kubota L4610. I thought in the meantime, I would do some research and figure out how involved it would be to install myself.

I'm not finding much info on it though after doing some searching. Does anyone happen to know of any instructions or youtube video on how to do it? If there is instructions that are similar enough to what I have, that would work also.

Right now, I'm not even sure where on the engine it would be installed.

Thanks!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That's an easy one.
Drain the coolant
Pop the freeze plug out of the block in front of the starter
Do not DRILL!, just tap one side of the plug with a punch, the plug will spin, then pull it out with pliers.
Drive in the sleeve in then install heater and refill coolant.

https://www.amazon.com/Neeseelily-70000-00297-L2501-L3301-L3901/dp/B0CBD3WWQM

 

[Garvini]

I installed mine this summer…There are a few videos out there on it…it’s pretty easy….

That's an easy one.
Drain the coolant
Pop the freeze plug out of the block in front of the starter
Do not DRILL!, just tap one side of the plug with a punch, the plug will spin, then pull it out with pliers.
Drive in the sleeve in then install heater and refill coolant.

there is good video on the motor that’s in the l4610…I think

https://www.amazon.com/Neeseelily-70000-00297-L2501-L3301-L3901/dp/B0CBD3WWQM

 

[Henro]

Do not DRILL!,

https://www.amazon.com/Neeseelily-70000-00297-L2501-L3301-L3901/dp/B0CBD3WWQM

I though about mentioning this but didn't. I remember a nightmare thread here where a guy decided to drill a hole in the plug to facilitate its removal to install a block heater, and ended up drilling through a cylinder...big time issue!

Wish I had a link to that sad thread. He stuck with us for the duration of his sadness...and if I remember right did get his tractor running again, after much expense in time and dollars, doing most of the work himself.

 

[ClayRogers]

That's an easy one.
Drain the coolant
Pop the freeze plug out of the block in front of the starter
Do not DRILL!, just tap one side of the plug with a punch, the plug will spin, then pull it out with pliers.
Drive in the sleeve in then install heater and refill coolant.

https://www.amazon.com/Neeseelily-70000-00297-L2501-L3301-L3901/dp/B0CBD3WWQM

Thanks! Is there more than one freeze plug to choose from? I'll have to look later and see if I can find the one by the starter you are referring to.

Do you need to wrap the sleeve in anything to help it seal? Or, just drive it in and it's fine being metal on metal?

 

[ClayRogers]

I though about mentioning this but didn't. I remember a nightmare thread here where a guy decided to drill a hole in the plug to facilitate its removal to install a block heater, and ended up drilling through a cylinder...big time issue!

Wish I had a link to that sad thread. He stuck with us for the duration of his sadness...and if I remember right did get his tractor running again, after much expense in time and dollars, doing most of the work himself.

Oh boy, that's not the kind of story I wanted to hear! I'm a little nervous about doing it myself.....

 

[6869704x4]

Warm oil is more slippery than cold oil. I learned that in Thailand.

 

[Henro]

Oh boy, that's not the kind of story I wanted to hear! I'm a little nervous about doing it myself.....

I think you can do it yourself. Just don't use a drill! LOL

Worst that can happen if you don't succeed is you will have to get the dealer to do it anyway.

Chin up and have confidence!

Remember it is not rocket science. You pop a plug out and replace it with a different plug that happens to have a heating element as part of it.

Sort of like putting a cork back in a wine bottle...I assume...I don't drink wine so don't know....beer is consumed before the need to cap anything...

 

[6869704x4]

Warm oil is more slippery than cold oil. I learned that in Thailand.

Dang it, I meant to put this in the block vs oil pan thread.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Thanks! Is there more than one freeze plug to choose from? I'll have to look later and see if I can find the one by the starter you are referring to.

Do you need to wrap the sleeve in anything to help it seal? Or, just drive it in and it's fine being metal on metal?

There will only really be one freeze that will stick out as being super accecible.
I never really put anything on my sleeves and I've yet to have one leak.
Use a chunk of soft wood to drive it in, don't drive it in hard (no sledge action).

 

[ClayRogers]

That's an easy one.
Drain the coolant
Pop the freeze plug out of the block in front of the starter
Do not DRILL!, just tap one side of the plug with a punch, the plug will spin, then pull it out with pliers.
Drive in the sleeve in then install heater and refill coolant.

https://www.amazon.com/Neeseelily-70000-00297-L2501-L3301-L3901/dp/B0CBD3WWQM

Is this the freeze plug that I would need to remove:

 

[N3BP]

Attached are the instructions for the factory block heater. I installed one on my L3010 last year and it was pretty straight forward. I did use locktite on the adapter bushing and it has not leaked a drop.....

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Is this the freeze plug that I would need to remove:

NO that is a head frost plug not the block.

Pick the one in blue.

 

[ClayRogers]

Attached are the instructions for the factory block heater. I installed one on my L3010 last year and it was pretty straight forward. I did use locktite on the adapter bushing and it has not leaked a drop.....

That is really helpful, thanks! The instructions mention using loctite so it definitely seems like that would be the way to go.

 

[ClayRogers]

NO that is a head frost plug not the block.

Pick the one in blue.

View attachment 115532

Thank you!

 

[ClayRogers]

I think you can do it yourself. Just don't use a drill! LOL

Worst that can happen if you don't succeed is you will have to get the dealer to do it anyway.

Chin up and have confidence!

Remember it is not rocket science. You pop a plug out and replace it with a different plug that happens to have a heating element as part of it.

Sort of like putting a cork back in a wine bottle...I assume...I don't drink wine so don't know....beer is consumed before the need to cap anything...

Or, I could accidentally blow up my new to me tractor that I just spent a bunch of money on! Then, have to have the dealer not only install a engine block heater, but a replacement engine also!

Thanks to the help from you guys, it definitely seems like a project I can try. I am also getting a price for having a third function installed in the front. So, if they aren't asking for too much, I might have them do the block heater also since it has to go into the shop for the 3rd function anyway.

 

[Henro]

Or, I could accidentally blow up my new to me tractor that I just spent a bunch of money on! Then, have to have the dealer not only install a engine block heater, but a replacement engine also!

Thanks to the help from you guys, it definitely seems like a project I can try. I am also getting a price for having a third function installed in the front. So, if they aren't asking for too much, I might have them do the block heater also since it has to go into the shop for the 3rd function anyway.

I doubt you could blow up the engine trying to install a block heater...if you use common sense.

Still...the safest option is to have the dealer do it when the tractor is in there for other reasons...

 

[rjcorazza]

I've installed block heaters in my last 2 Kubota tractors... If it were in the shop for other work, I would definitely have them do it !