diesel block heater

[huntermf]

looking for engine block heater for a cub cadet 8454 .
which is the best one .. it gets cold up here in lake placid n..y.(-25f)
i prefer magnet or any thing but frost plug type. in is stored in a pole barn
also a front brush guard for the grill. cc doesn't make one for it anything universal that would fit ? thanx for any help at all??

 

[Don87]

looking for engine block heater for a cub cadet 8454 .
which is the best one .. it gets cold up here in lake placid n..y.(-25f)
i prefer magnet or any thing but frost plug type. in is stored in a pole barn
also a front brush guard for the grill. cc doesn't make one for it anything universal that would fit ? thanx for any help at all??

The frost plug type is supposed to be the best type, but you can get one that goes into the lower radiator hose. It does require cutting the hose.

Measure your hose size and order one

 

[bp fick]

I had two of the magnetic, oil pan heaters last year. Other than warming the oil a little, and that with hours of electric being used, I cannot say much for their abilities to warm the upper half of the engine, including the combustion area, intake area and anti-freeze in the engine. I wasn't impressed. They are out in my shop gathering dust.

I now have a true in block heater and boy, what a huge difference.

The magnetic kind are better than nothing, I suppose, but not that much. YMMV.

 

[ayelvington]

I recommend that you reconsider the frost plug style unless the plug is high on the block of your engine. A heat source mounted low on the block does the most for the engine and will give you easy and smooth starts. I'm not a big fan of lower radiator hose heaters, but they do work. Be sure to keep your system full, and put a blanke or something over the radiator to prevent wasting heat.

 

[jimmer2880]

I had two of the magnetic, oil pan heaters last year. Other than warming the oil a little, and that with hours of electric being used, I cannot say much for their abilities to warm the upper half of the engine, including the combustion area, intake area and anti-freeze in the engine. I wasn't impressed. They are out in my shop gathering dust.

I now have a true in block heater and boy, what a huge difference.

The magnetic kind are better than nothing, I suppose, but not that much. YMMV.

Been There, Done That. 100% agree. Magnetic heaters are a little better than nothing, but not much. Given the 15 minutes it took to install my block plug heater - I don't know why I ever wasted my time on the magnetic type.

 

[Car Doc]

I put a freeze plug type block heater in mine and it works just great best money spent so far for winter usage besides 4wd and white bottle PS.

 

[TTTTTT]

looking for engine block heater for a cub cadet 8454 .
which is the best one .. it gets cold up here in lake placid n..y.(-25f)
i prefer magnet or any thing but frost plug type. in is stored in a pole barn
also a front brush guard for the grill. cc doesn't make one for it anything universal that would fit ? thanx for any help at all??

Frost plug heaters are still the best and to most effective. For frost plug heaters there is no universal fit , but here is the link to the Temro site with the catalog of every size and application they make. You should be able to find one that works. A very easy install, but you should drain your cooling system and if it doesn't need changing anyways refill it.

Catalogs

Dave

 

[shaley]

If you can't find your model listed measure your freeze plug diameter. It may be metric so you need to use a caliper not a tape measure. Also, NAPA has a vast data base and may be able to look up your model

 

[Car Doc]

The freeze plug heater I used was Katco 400w and they had the 30mm size I needed for my Yanmar and it was only $27 very good value imho. hth

 

[pat32rf]

I just paid $29 for a replacement cord for my lower rad hose heater at the auto supply store. Found out later that the whole heater was $35....
On real cold nights a blanket over the hood makes a BIG difference on any marginal heater. I've got a block,rad hose and battery heater so it just takes an hour to warm things up even at minus 30.

 

[Don87]

I just paid $29 for a replacement cord for my lower rad hose heater at the auto supply store. Found out later that the whole heater was $35....
On real cold nights a blanket over the hood makes a BIG difference on any marginal heater. I've got a block,rad hose and battery heater so it just takes an hour to warm things up even at minus 30.

Did you test each one independently, or did you install all 3 at the same time?

 

[varmint]

My older Kubota B8200 seems to be cold blooded, so I went for the official block heater. Other than getting the original plug out ( special size, awkward access) the job was a snap. About the best $34 I have ever spent. Really makes starting easy after being plugged in for 20 minutes. I left it on for an hour once, and the whole engine was toasty warm. The heater was made in Canada, which tells me something.

 

[shaley]

Just for the record I put a Kat's 11434 40mm 400 watt in my TC55 this week and it only lasted two nights. Won't heat and it tests open at the heater pins with an ohm meter. It looked like a quality product, cast brass with a stainless cap screw for the internal spreader. Seller is sending an exchange. I'm going to email Kat's next week.

 

[rScotty]

I've got a block,rad hose and battery heater so it just takes an hour to warm things up even at minus 30.

I also use block heaters. They are trouble-free even decades after the initial install. I've seen two types, one with an integral cord and the other has a replaceable cord.

What radiator hose heater and battery heater do you use? I've used a Red Devil rad hose heater, but never have seen a battery heater.
rScotty

 

[Jerry/MT]

Just for the record I put a Kat's 11434 40mm 400 watt in my TC55 this week and it only lasted two nights. Won't heat and it tests open at the heater pins with an ohm meter. It looked like a quality product, cast brass with a stainless cap screw for the internal spreader. Seller is sending an exchange. I'm going to email Kat's next week.

You didn't start the engine while the heater was plugged in did you? Most manufacturer's warn you not to have it plugged in with the engine running. The coolant separates off the downstream side of the element and doesn't transfer heat, cauisng the element to overheat and burn out.

 

[Car Doc]

You didn't start the engine while the heater was plugged in did you? Most manufacturer's warn you not to have it plugged in with the engine running. The coolant separates off the downstream side of the element and doesn't transfer heat, cauisng the element to overheat and burn out.

I have never read that anywhere? Lets look at it rationally...its submerged so where would the air come from that separates the element just my observation?

 

[jimmer2880]

I have never read that anywhere? Lets look at it rationally...its submerged so where would the air come from that separates the element just my observation?

X2 for me

 

[Mace Canute]

Cavitation.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I have never read that anywhere? Lets look at it rationally...its submerged so where would the air come from that separates the element just my observation?

It's not air. It's flow separation of the coolant and if the velocity in the water jacket is high enough the flow can cavitate. Nonetheless, separated flow transfers much less heat than attached flow so the element gets hotter on the downstream side when this occurs.

 

[PILOON]

I have never read that anywhere? Lets look at it rationally...its submerged so where would the air come from that separates the element just my observation?

Other than age (like 12 yrs old), that could explain why mine burnt out.

Mind U I always start with the heater plugged in and had done so for years, and still do.

The fastest replacement I could find was a mere 200 watt and that would not cut it.
The magnetic type also proved to be next to useless.
I managed to start combining both the 200 plus the magnetic but changed over to the 400 as soon as I could find one.

If I could I'd consider even 600 watts as I suspect that 600 for 30 mins is probably more efficient than the 400 for 1 hour.

I have mine switched via a remote wireless switching device and have wired a telltale indicator bulb to confirm power is there.