I'm looking for a convenient way to drain coolant from my B2601 in preparation for installing an engine block heater. I don't see a drain plug and the owner's manual section for changing the coolant (pg65) just says to ". . . disconnect the radiator hose (engine side) and remove the radiator cap." I envision making a big mess of spilled coolant if I attempt that. Also, disconnecting from the engine side seems like the high-side in terms of elevation, which would not allow complete draining.
I see an item Kubota calls "Hose, Drain" (Item #070) on the parts drawing. Is this the coolant hose the manual is talking about? If I was completely draining coolant for replacement, it looks like I would merely disconnect the drain hose at the engine (clamp item #090) and remove the radiator cap. This would probably empty all of the radiator through the hose (directed into a container) and most of the coolant from the engine through the port. I think I could do that with minimal spillage.
For the purpose of installing the block heater, I just want to drain enough coolant to have the level below the heater port on the engine block, which is an NPT threaded port just above where hose clamp item #090 attaches the drain hose. The port is partially visible on the drawing. Another post described removing the heater port plug and quickly inserting the heater, but I want to have a little more control over the situation and not need to rely on my cat-like reflexes to get the heater threaded properly while coolant may be spilling out.
If anyone has experience with this scenario, or with B2601 coolant replacement in general, feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I see an item Kubota calls "Hose, Drain" (Item #070) on the parts drawing. Is this the coolant hose the manual is talking about? If I was completely draining coolant for replacement, it looks like I would merely disconnect the drain hose at the engine (clamp item #090) and remove the radiator cap. This would probably empty all of the radiator through the hose (directed into a container) and most of the coolant from the engine through the port. I think I could do that with minimal spillage.
For the purpose of installing the block heater, I just want to drain enough coolant to have the level below the heater port on the engine block, which is an NPT threaded port just above where hose clamp item #090 attaches the drain hose. The port is partially visible on the drawing. Another post described removing the heater port plug and quickly inserting the heater, but I want to have a little more control over the situation and not need to rely on my cat-like reflexes to get the heater threaded properly while coolant may be spilling out.
If anyone has experience with this scenario, or with B2601 coolant replacement in general, feedback would be greatly appreciated.
