Preparing for winter with BX

[BillK01]

So this will be our first Winter in the new house as well as the first one with the BX.

My BX (along with all my other yard work stuff & JD garden tractor) resides in a 2 stall detached garage next to our house. This is the first time in 25+ years I've had a garage that had no heat in it.

I will put the snow blower and back blade on the BX for any snow removal - but wondered if there's anything else special I should do for the BX since it will be in an unheated garage?

We do have a 3 stall attached garage - but it's also not heated, however I'd suspect being attached to the house it probably won't get as cold as the detached. It would just be a bit snug with my F150, wife's Highlander and the BX.

 

[jmf78]

Do you have electricity in your detached garage? My BX spends the winter in my unheated attached garage. I keep a battery tender on it and have a block heater for when it gets extremely cold. The attached garage doesn't get much help from the house. That heat needs to stay in the house, not the garage.

I'm around 100 miles north of you in the snow belt.

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Edit: type-o

 

[skeets]

Lord you gota be in Foxchapel,,lol
One thing I would do is go get a battery tender, and leave it plugged in during the winter months, like 25 bucks cheap ins, when you need it to start in the winter.
If you have maintained her you should be good to go, long range weather says colder then normal and more precipitation too, but if you lived around the Burgh for any time, you know its just a guess and not there best either
When/IF we get any snow this year, go out and disconnect the battery tender, glow plugs for say 15 or 20 seconds, start it up go back in the house have a cup of coffee. By the time your done she will be warmed up and you can go play,,,, errrrr,, WORK,, I meant to say work at moving snow
Other than that your good to go, just remember one step at a time slow and easy untill you get it all figured out then go like crazy

 

[Stmar]

Luckily my B2650 has a block heater so I bought a timer that I will use to turn the heater on a few hours before I go out. Battery tender/maintainer is essential. If you don't have a block heater maybe the old light bulb, did this way back before I had block heaters, it would probably work on a timer also but make sure you are not in contact with anything that would be problematic. Also a good pair of boots, I like Kamik, insulated bibs/coveralls and jacket and face protection. I have silk mask and underwear that work wonders for under layer. When the wind was really howling I put on my motorcycle full face helmet. This was when I had my 8Ns but my new cab should eliminate some of this except for getting out to the barn.

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

As others have said, battery tender and I installed a block heater also bought a heavy duty timer so I can set the time on the block heater the night before. Get 2 spare fuel filters in case of fuel jelling, happened to me once. Also a bottle of Diesel 911 and some antigel too. Install a fuel shutoff to make the fuel filter change easier. I change my engine oil every fall so Im not doing it in the middle of winter. I use a full face mask and ski googles to keep alittle bit warmer. Just my 2 cents.

 

[pgmrdan]

In an unheated garage I would think a block heater and a battery warmer would make it ideal. Even a light bulb under the hood can make a difference.

I'm in Iowa and don't use anything on my Bobcat even though it has a block heater. Gets pretty cold up here at times and the Bobcat hasn't failed me yet. It stays in my unheated 30' x 50' shed.

 

[fatjay]

Winter diesel doesn't really start to gel until 5F, with addetive -10F. It rarely gets to -10F for any period of time here.

 

[BillK01]

Lord you gota be in Foxchapel,,lol
One thing I would do is go get a battery tender, and leave it plugged in during the winter months, like 25 bucks cheap ins, when you need it to start in the winter.
If you have maintained her you should be good to go, long range weather says colder then normal and more precipitation too, but if you lived around the Burgh for any time, you know its just a guess and not there best either
When/IF we get any snow this year, go out and disconnect the battery tender, glow plugs for say 15 or 20 seconds, start it up go back in the house have a cup of coffee. By the time your done she will be warmed up and you can go play,,,, errrrr,, WORK,, I meant to say work at moving snow
Other than that your good to go, just remember one step at a time slow and easy untill you get it all figured out then go like crazy

Lol Skeets - not Fox Chapel! We're in Harmony - out in the country.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Been thinking of the block heater but the installation kind of scares me with the whole knocking out of the freeze plug.

The garage does have electricity and I've been considering putting the Mitsubishi Mr. Slim or something similar for heat only in each of them, but that will have to be next year. Plus the idea of electric heaters in each garage scare me - electric bill'wise.

 

[windzer]

Battery tender and winter power service in your fuel you'll be good and run your glow plugs a little longer

 

[jmf78]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Been thinking of the block heater but the installation kind of scares me with the whole knocking out of the freeze plug.

Which BX do you have? I had the 2670-1 and it was a threaded plug. My 23S is the knockout style so I had my dealer include it in when I got it. Had already gone through that when my previous dealer told me to knockout a plug to install the incorrect block heater that he'd sent home wi5h me. That was quite frustrating.

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[BillK01]

Which BX do you have? I had the 2670-1 and it was a threaded plug. My 23S is the knockout style so I had my dealer include it in when I got it. Had already gone through that when my previous dealer told me to knockout a plug to install the incorrect block heater that he'd sent home wi5h me. That was quite frustrating.

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I've got a BX 2360.

 

[skeets]

Bill you have the same beast I do,, my pole barn is a 30x40 and on top of a ridge so the wind never stops here. Like they said treat the fuel and a tender, I have one on the HD as well original battery lasted 11 years what do that tell ya. I really cant remember ever getting cold enough for that long to warrant a block heater, however if that makes you feel better then go for it.
Harmony as in near Zelie?

 

[RCW]

Bill - skeets and I both have BX2360's.

Mine is stored in attached garage. Most days doesn't get below freezing out there.

I didn't do block heater, but warrants consideration. Actually, been meaning to put a tender on it, but never seem to think to pick one up.

One thing that did help me was going from 15w-40 conventional motor oil to 5w-40 Rotella T6 synthetic.

That 5w start is much smoother in the cold.

Couple years ago was snowblowing at -8F - chilly!

 

[BillK01]

Bill you have the same beast I do,, my pole barn is a 30x40 and on top of a ridge so the wind never stops here. Like they said treat the fuel and a tender, I have one on the HD as well original battery lasted 11 years what do that tell ya. I really cant remember ever getting cold enough for that long to warrant a block heater, however if that makes you feel better then go for it.
Harmony as in near Zelie?

Yes Skeets. I was born & raised in Zelie and our old house was there (near the park). Our new place is just 4 miles outside of Zelie - in Harmony.

What's the recommended treatment for diesel in the winter months?

 

[skeets]

Way cool Bill, is that scooter bar on 422 still open, been a long time since I was up that way.

 

[BillK01]

Way cool Bill, is that scooter bar on 422 still open, been a long time since I was up that way.

Do you mean the Longhorn Corral near the 84 Lumber, just outside of Prospect? That's the only biker type bar I can think along 422.

 

[Redtoorange]

You can also get magnetic block heaters that are electric, stick it to the oil pan.


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[pauly]

Change the fluids before it gets cold and a block heater.

 

[skeets]

So you been in there have ya Bill,,,lol

 

[chim]

My Kubota is kept in an unheated shed, and the Ford is always outdoors. I use anti-gel and both start and run fine. We seldom hit single digits, but they did start then as well. I had an experience years ago with an in-law's tractor. It was stored in the bottom of a bank barn, so the temps didn't get crazy cold there. I drove it to my place one very cold day and discovered the fuel wasn't winterized when it shut down.

Harmony, Zelienople. Brings back memories from the mid-70's when I worked on a school project in Ambridge and bunked at a place that I think was near Harmony. I can't even remember exactly where it was. All I recall is it looked sort of like a DIY Swiss chalet, maybe with a barn roof, and had a decent sized metal building behind it we did some fab work in.