radiator hose heater project rant

[escavader]

What a pain in the butt!!Just took a perfectly good running bx-23 and left it disabled trying to hook up a hose heater!! Snow coming tonight and no tractor
I thought it would be easier on the tractor starting in cold,so I purchased two at TSC last night[because i did not know hose size] Well both were too big.This is after i removed hood,grill gaurd alternator,oil filer,wiring harness,3 hydraulic lines,disconnects for loader,unhooked battery,drained anti freeze.
At a last ditch effort i went to napa and got one that was the right size ,cut my hose ,installed it back togeather ,and is in the way of alt belt,it wont work either: Now i got a tractor with no radiator hose ,and all ripped apart,with snow coming ,dealers closed on SUNDAY.Ihope they stock the hose
Im taking all 3 back,and im just gonna run the space heater under the tractor for 15 minutes.
Rant over
ALAN

 

[Greenfield Dave]

Man, that sucks. We all have had days like that. Take a deep breath, and nice stiff drink or two, and fuggetabout it... My suggestion is a magnetic block heater. They are available at TSC, but I bet NAPA has them too. OR, a piece of pipe and a couple of hose clamps to temporarily fix the hose.

Good luck!!

 

[escavader]

Iguess my mistake ,was not doing a search here ,and thinking the lower radiator hose heater would work.Most bx owners have a freeze plug knocked out ,and that type of block heater installed.Icould have had that project all done in 1/2 hour most of that would have been hood removal,and install.Idont see how anyone could find room to install the lower heater hose in the 23 ,isnt any room,at all.Thought i could make it fit,until i tryed hooking the alternator back up.
Im gonna call around at work in the morning and try to find a lower radiator hose,then ill skip out early and get it.Gonna try to find a block heater for the 23 also.Now Ihave 3 to returnhindsite is 20/20 i guess.
Ihope my mistake is something all potential bx- hose heater wanters will learn from,tis why i posted,[and to get it off my chest]
ALAN

 

[LBrown59]

Man, that sucks. We all have had days like that. Take a deep breath, and nice stiff drink or two, and fuggetabout it... My suggestion is a magnetic block heater. They are available at TSC, but I bet NAPA has them too. OR, a piece of pipe and a couple of hose clamps to temporarily fix the hose.

Good luck!!

He should have given the BX 23 to me when i suggested it.
Now I would be the one stuck with the problem not him.

 

[RickB]

Iguess my mistake ,was not doing a search here ,and thinking the lower radiator hose heater would work.Most bx owners have a freeze plug knocked out ,and that type of block heater installed.Icould have had that project all done in 1/2 hour most of that would have been hood removal,and install.Idont see how anyone could find room to install the lower heater hose in the 23 ,isnt any room,at all.Thought i could make it fit,until i tryed hooking the alternator back up.
Im gonna call around at work in the morning and try to find a lower radiator hose,then ill skip out early and get it.Gonna try to find a block heater for the 23 also.Now Ihave 3 to returnhindsite is 20/20 i guess.
Ihope my mistake is something all potential bx- hose heater wanters will learn from,tis why i posted,[and to get it off my chest]
ALAN

Time and time again I have read here how lower hose heaters are easier to install than soft plug heaters. I have never understood that, and never will.

 

[shvl73]

Man, that sucks. We all have had days like that. Take a deep breath, and nice stiff drink or two, and fuggetabout it...

Alan, I like Dave's suggestion! In fact I'm taking his advice right now!
Stinks to have things go that way. Always when the dealer is closed too!
I checked out your cab project, very nice! Wanna make another one and paint it red?

 

[JoelD]

Hate it Hate it Hate it when I self inflict pain. I've got a perfect (used to be) Ford Ranger. Just had the paint all done and everything. I love this truck, I've had it for three years, put almost a 100000 miles on it and she's got a total of 120000. I drive her every day to work. LOVE THIS TRUCK.

Backing up to my 14 foot utility trailer three weeks ago in my own backyard. I have the driver's door open, basically because I'm an idiot. Did I mention my properly is heavily treed?

Well you can guess where this is going. Crunch, backed into a tree with the door and bent the crap out of the door, I'm reminded every day I get in and out of the truck of just how dumb I can be.

And each time I look at that door I think, man, I could have real problems (mini-boss could be sick, or I could be sick, or the boss could be sick), and I laugh at how stupid I am and thank goodness for how fortunate I am.

With all that said, lots of beer and wine never hurts.

Good luck with the fix and I was admiring your heater earlier today.

Sincerely,
Joel

 

[bird1968]

Alan,

Did you install a cab heaters yet? If not, You may want to hold off on returning the heaters, you may find a good spot in-line with the cab heater.
It may be a blessing after all.... keeping you & the tractor nice & hot.

Richard

 

[escavader]

Ifeel so stupid now i found the freeze plug on my block,its gonna be so easy.Ijust hope i find one tommorow,with the hose,Ihate to drain the antifreeze twice.Igot the part numbers on MESSICKS site.There are two,one with a 45 degree on it ,I dont know which one they might have at my local dealer,but i measured the freeze plug,its about 1 and 1/16
LBROWN.

If your so hard up for some warm seat time ,why dont you spend some of that molded money of yours and get a cab? Or plan a trip to MAINE when the next blizzard comes through and ill let you run mine.
TORIN,
Im afraid im cab burnout right now.BUT if i get laid off this winter,ill have to drive to NEW HAMPSHIRE for measurements.Mabey we can utilize some metal roofing for the roof
JOEL,
SELF INFLICTED PAIN,Igotta remember that saying its funny
Thanks everybody,ill feel better when its running.My ford plow truck is behind 10 yards of loam,so ill have to walk behind the old mtd blower if we get dumped on.1500 ft of driveways is just too much to shovel
ALAN

 

[Egon]

[Im taking all 3 back,and im just gonna run the space heater under the tractor for 15 minutes.
/QUOTE]

Throw a tarp over the tractor and then use the heater and it will work with no problems. In a sense it may be better as everything gets warmed.

 

[escavader]

Alan,

Did you install a cab heaters yet? If not, You may want to hold off on returning the heaters, you may find a good spot in-line with the cab heater.
It may be a blessing after all.... keeping you & the tractor nice & hot.

Richard

HI RICHARD,
Yes i have a new cab heater,thats plumbed into my bypass lines,good thinking though.
ALAN

 

[escavader]

[Im taking all 3 back,and im just gonna run the space heater under the tractor for 15 minutes.
/QUOTE]

Throw a tarp over the tractor and then use the heater and it will work with no problems. In a sense it may be better as everything gets warmed.

HI EGON,
YUP ,It sure does make alot more sense.Iprobably will do that anyway when its really cold.
ALAN

 

[johnk]

Time and time again I have read here how lower hose heaters are easier to install than soft plug heaters. I have never understood that, and never will.

I'll be the judge of that . I'm going to install the block heater on my Kubota if I get the time this week..

 

[escavader]

JOHN K,
If you get to yours before me,tell me how you got the freeze plug out.The old threads said they npoked a hole in it and used pliers,and one said tapped it in on right side then pulled it out.Gonna use any lock tite?
ALAN

 

[johnk]

The instructions said to use locktite on the adapter bushing that goes in the block and teflon tape on the threads of the htg element. I'm going to whack it on the side with a punch. I knocked a lot of them out of engine blocks and some are tougher than others but they'll come out. Didn't check how much room I have to get at the plugs though. Hopefully it should be easy. DARN! I shouldn't have said that. You know how things go..........

 

[BigD23]

Good luck with the freeze plug...Let us know how that goes...I'm thinking about doing the same install for my 23.

Don

 

[LBrown59]

plan a trip to MAINE when the next blizzard comes through and ill let you run mine.

ALAN

That might be nice
I've never been to any of the new england states.
The farthest I've been is PA MD and Ny.

 

[john_bud]

I bet you'll look back on this and laugh! (or not)

The freeze plug should be able to be pried out by getting it to cock in the hole. Pound in on one side and pull out from the other. I will sometimes drill and insert a large screw on one side and pry on that while tapping on the other side with a chisel and hammer. Yeah, takes 3 hands...

jb

 

[escavader]

I bet you'll look back on this and laugh! (or not)

The freeze plug should be able to be pried out by getting it to cock in the hole. Pound in on one side and pull out from the other. I will sometimes drill and insert a large screw on one side and pry on that while tapping on the other side with a chisel and hammer. Yeah, takes 3 hands...

jb

YEP JOHN,BUD,Iwas thinking the same thing.
Now for the rant.NO RADIATOR HOSE FOR THE BX -23 IS AVAILABLE IN THE GREAT STATE OF MAINE,THAT I KNOW OF.Icalled all the dealers within 100 miles ,nope had to order it.Thursday if im lucky they said ,it all depends on UPS.Im going on MESSICKS and order a spare tonight ,so if the first one failsto arrive ,that one will get here.AN 8 dollar part and its not stockedA radiator hose isnt stocked ,but a adjustment knob for the rops is????/Both block heaters are in stock they are saving me one.The dealer said the one that has a 45 on the end is more popular.Im assuming so the wiring goes down to clear the side panel.Looks like i get to walk behind the old snowblower for a whileRant over
ALAN

 

[rbargeron]

.....The freeze plug should be able to be pried out by getting it to cock in the hole. Pound in on one side and pull out from the other. I will sometimes drill and insert a large screw on one side and pry on that while tapping on the other side with a chisel and hammer. Yeah, takes 3 hands.......

This weekend I put a freeze-plug heater in my cab L5450, same as the one I put in my other L5450 almost 5 years ago now. (step-by-step here) This time getting the old freeze plug out took the most time. The water passage is not very thick so there's not much room to "rotate" the plug out. If I were doing it again, I'd drill a hole toward one side for a large (like 1/4" dia) tapping screw. Grind the screw point blunt before turning it in and jacking the plug out.