Block heaters

[skeets]

Yeah I know this comes around every year about this time,,, Sooooooo
Are dip stick type oil heaters of any use onthe Bouta?
In line water block heaters
Of course the magnitic ones that I cannot find any where
And last but not least the perminetly installed block heaters.
Please from the guys that use them,, the pros and cons of each

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Read this handy dandy info from Katz heats, they give you a selection of different types of heater from radiator to battery warmers. Also they give a pretty good description of how each heater works. I use a magnetic heater and stick mine to the bottom of the oil pan.

http://fivestarmanufacturing.com/Kat_s

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Try Tractor Supply Co., Here in Ohio they carry the magnetic variety as well as a model that you splice into the lower radiator hose.

 

[skeets]

I tryed our tractor supply here and they gave a a look like WTF! They had no idea what I was talking about, but then the guy at the desk looked like he had never see a cow before let alone knew anything about a tractor

 

[Bulldog]

Years ago when we soy bean farmed I used a dip stick heater on our JD combine. It worked great. No matter how cold it was the old JD would fire right up.

Where I used to work we tried some of the in-line water heaters that you spliced into the radiator hose. They were junk. Keep in mind that it was on V 12 detroit engines with a huge cooling capacity so that could be why they preformed poorly.

I installed a standard block heater on my Cat 980 H and it worked great.

As far as the Kubotas go, the Amsoil takes care of my cold weather starting. I use my L 3000 just about every day during the winter and it starts just about as good in the winter as it does the summer. I do use the glow plugs for a couple of seconds if it cold just to make it easier on the engine but it has never been required for it to start. I know it doesn't get quite as cold here but I have started mine in -11F without using the plugs. I credit the oil for that.

 

[gpreuss]

I was going to use my old magnetic heater from the L185 days (which worked GREAT) and was shocked to find the oil pans on the L3200 are aluminum! Check before you buy the magnet...
I got the permanent Kubota in-block water heater, but have not been home to see if is any good.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Hmmm... Tractor Supply Co. here has Kat's lower hose style heaters for $25 a pop. They also have a cast aluminum "circulating" heater for around $60-70, but that one looks like it is plumbed to fit in your heater hoses, which you my not have unless you have a cab with heat.

 

[ametcalf]

I just installed a block heater on our BX23. I got it from the local dealer for less than $40.00 and the install was pretty straight forward. It hasn't gotten cold enough to use it yet but I am sure it will work just fine. I don't have any doubt the tractor will start without it as I use synthetic oil but I just feel it is easier on the engine to have it preheated.
A Metcalf

 

[mlatour3300]

I thought about all the options and ended up like the last poster, installing a factor block heater for $40.

 

[kubota alpine]

I live in one of the colder parts of canada, it was minus -35C/-31F today, and everyone up here runs block heaters that go into to frost plug hole. only time we use any different is when a block heater is not available. we also install two block heaters sometimes on bigger motors or a block heater and oil heater.

the lower rad hose heaters are not bad if you put them so it is higher then the lowest point of the rad hose on the engine side so the heat rises into the engine and not the rad, I had one on my 4cyl diesel pickup last winter and it was alright but not as good as a block heater. they are more suited for smaller engines in my opinion.

the circulater heaters that run in series with the heater hoses must not be that great becasue almost no one uses them around here and most of who do say there not very good. probably just fine for a 3 cylinder kubota tho.

immersion oil heaters are good becasue they keep your oil 'thin' and the engine turns over quicker and is less stress on the starter, but up here where it gets -50 you need the coolant warm for the cylinders to fire so the oil heaters almost always get used with a coolent heater of some sort.

The magnet heaters I like, not the hottest but you can use them to heat the base pan, the engine block, your hydraulic tank or what ever else you want there so versatile its worth having 1 or 2 in the shop if you live in the cold like myself. I used to stick one on the base pan of my pickup on the real cold nights just so I knew I had a better chance of getting to work in the AM.

Thats about all I can think of right now but feel free to ask away I have a fair bit of experience with cold and diesels.

 

[mlatour3300]

I just installed a block heater in my B3300SU yesterday, a simple process as long as you have the right tool (the center picture is a 17mm stud to be removed) and the last picture is the finished product

 

[Iguide]

No offense intended, but I do get a chuckle about operating in cold temps from those gentlemen who live in a more southern climes. While I don't live as far north as the fellow from Labrador I do live in the mountains of northern NH, where cold is cold. The lowest I have ever seen it here is negative 48F. After reading this thread it does make me think about block heaters, but before I bought my L3800 I had another brand with a 3 cylinder diesel which did not have any kind of plug in heater and it started fine at minus 35F from just the glow plug. Darn cold ride that day though, & I do have a block heater on my Cummins in my truck which I do use fairly regularly even though every viscous fluid in it is Amsoil.

Block heaters over any other kind for me!

 

[magicheater]

I just installed a block heater in my B3300SU yesterday, a simple process as long as you have the right tool (the center picture is a 17mm stud to be removed) and the last picture is the finished product

That is exactly what i did for the solution, made my own socket out of a 17mm bolt I had! It is not perfect but it worked.

 

[andre53]

I have a new GR2120 that I will be using this winter to snowblow my drive and am wondering if there is a block heater available for this model? It has the D782 engine. It will be stored in an unheated shed so it will see temperatures well below 32F/0C. We are located in the snowbelt outside of Buffalo, NY

Any suggestions?

 

[Lil Foot]

Of course the magnitic ones that I cannot find any where

How about this?
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200339105_200339105

 

[Stubbyie]

Suggestion based on experience with four different engines, two of them Kubotas. Forget the freeze plug insert type. Use the type that fits into the lower radiator hose. Works like a charm. Cheap, simple, easy to replace if it ever fails (ours hasn't in ten years, used every winter).

Best brand I've found is KAT's out of Tennessee ('FiveStarManufacturing' website if you poke around the 'Net). Often found at parts houses. Get the red plasti-paint coated NOT the aluminum baseball-shaped type that O'Reilleys' in this area cross-references. The aluminum one is a different brand with lower wattage output and on one of my machines the shape doesn't fit well compared to the KAT's "T" shape. Comes in sizes to fit hoses in quarter-inch increments. May have to order online or from parts house for smallest and largest sizes. Measure new hose for sizing as current hose will be distorted. Expect between $25 to $40 by size and place of purchase.

There's another type that screws into a port commonly found on the water pump housing of vehicles (reference Ford 300 6-cyl but unsure about Kubota tractors) but other than additional install labor there doesn't seem any additional benefit compared to the lower-hose install type.

We use 50-F as the cutoff. Around 50F I preheat at least 30-min; one-hr minimum from 35-50F; two-hrs minimum 25-35F. If have to use the machine early plan ahead and leave it plugged in overnight or use a cheap timer rated for the wattage of the unit.

I realize this preheat method is conservative but consider it cheap insurance to keep that engine in best condition possible with fewest cold starts. Have tested each machine and know will cold-start at -15F but don't like to unless real emergency.

Biggest problem is wind if in open or under shed. Drape a tarp over front and sides to keep wind from sucking heat out of block and she'll heat right up. In half hour you can feel the block get warmer.

With heater working at 0-F both ours will click the glowplug lamp on-pause-off just about as fast as can turn the key and fire right up with no smoke. Still need to idle to bring hydraulic oil up to temp before seriously loading system.

These Kubotas just aren't huge engines that require a large power/heat input. Patience and a tiny bit of thinking ahead giving a radiator hose heater time to work will pay off.

I made a ten-ft long cord-with-switched-plug that I plug into the extension cord then run the end down to the front tire and plug in the heater. This allows me to turn the heater off without drawing an arc at the wall or at the tractor and by looping through step or steering wheel prevents me from driving off with the extension cord if I get in a hurry.

Use one of the KAT's and you'll be happy. I get nothing from the manufacturer; just trying to help out a fellow Kubota-ite.

Tried dipstick heater years ago and consistently found a baked-on coating of burnt oil on stick. Didn't like that at all. Even occasionally had crumbles of soot-like solids adhered to stick. Think it overheated and oil didn't properly circulate.

Also tried magnetic also years ago. Later pulled oil pan and found burnt ring of oil sludge exact size shape location of heater. Bad news.

Just can't believe cooking the oil with dipstick or magheater is any good.

Since then stayed with lower radiator hose insert-type heater and had wonderful success.

/s/Stub

 

[Lil Foot]

Also tried magnetic also years ago. Later pulled oil pan and found burnt ring of oil sludge exact size shape location of heater. Bad news.

I had heard of this, but never experienced it myself..... but that's why I stick a magnetic heater to the block, rather than the pan. Hard to believe it could heat a cross section of the block hot enough to cook oil as described above.

 

[New Owner Rick]

I live in one of the colder parts of canada, it was minus -35C/-31F today, and everyone up here runs block heaters that go into to frost plug hole. only time we use any different is when a block heater is not available. we also install two block heaters sometimes on bigger motors or a block heater and oil heater.

the lower rad hose heaters are not bad if you put them so it is higher then the lowest point of the rad hose on the engine side so the heat rises into the engine and not the rad, I had one on my 4cyl diesel pickup last winter and it was alright but not as good as a block heater. they are more suited for smaller engines in my opinion.

the circulater heaters that run in series with the heater hoses must not be that great becasue almost no one uses them around here and most of who do say there not very good. probably just fine for a 3 cylinder kubota tho.

immersion oil heaters are good becasue they keep your oil 'thin' and the engine turns over quicker and is less stress on the starter, but up here where it gets -50 you need the coolant warm for the cylinders to fire so the oil heaters almost always get used with a coolent heater of some sort.

The magnet heaters I like, not the hottest but you can use them to heat the base pan, the engine block, your hydraulic tank or what ever else you want there so versatile its worth having 1 or 2 in the shop if you live in the cold like myself. I used to stick one on the base pan of my pickup on the real cold nights just so I knew I had a better chance of getting to work in the AM.

Thats about all I can think of right now but feel free to ask away I have a fair bit of experience with cold and diesels.

Would the NPT port at the block and near the starter be where the glow plug is? I don't really want to disconnect it, as I use it to start it during summer, about 20-30 seconds and she fires right up. I really like the magnetic pan heater or dipstick heater for their ease of use and price. Thanks for your input.

 

[motorhead]

The glow plugs are in the head. You don't touch those to install the BLOCK heater in the engine BLOCK.
It seems where the threaded port will be on your engine will be at the drivers side front of the block on the side.

 

[bosshogg]

I used to be in a heavy construction company and we always used block heaters because they seemed to work the best. I am probably going to install a factory one on my L3400 just because I will be keeping it in a slightly heated garage. I would like any feedback regarding knocking out the frost plug. I believe the cylinder sleeve is very close and care needs to be taken.