engine heater for cold winters

zekeman · Nov 8, 2004

Engine Heater, any recomendations /any negatives to using one , considering using a 2 amp 180 watt magnetic heator for winter, This part of NY last year had -teens. This is first winter with my Mahindra 4110, might make it easier to start for snow removal ?
Ron

NIXON · Nov 8, 2004

Ron .
Your 4110 will most likely start even without heat . But It probably won't be happy about it .

Now this is just supposition on my part . But ,Mag . heaters heat the oil pan ,and there is very little heat transfer to the block . You get warm oil but still have a cold block .
Block heaters do just that .. Heat the block . As a diesel requires heat to start, I'd go with a block heater .
A few Quarts of warm oil hittting a cold soaked block aren't going to stay warm long . A few quarts of cold oil hitting a warm block will not pull down the blocks heat appreciably ,and will tend to warm the oil . I could be totally wrong on this and it wouldn't be news . JMHO John

snowman · Nov 9, 2004

I'm in CNY; keep the tractor in an unheated garage during the winter, so it does get cold. I don't have any heater on it and it's always started right up, so you should be okay. I do always make sure that the fuel tank and cans have plenty of Power Serve in them though to prevent gelling.

LarryRB · Nov 9, 2004

last year we had minus 20 for 6 or so days straight, and I live on a large reservoir so the wind is constant.. With my 4110 Mahindra, only once during this below 0 time frame, I had to hit the glow plug four times in a row then it fired.. Other than this, even zero days, and they seem to be predominate here, no problem starting,

zekeman · Nov 9, 2004

LarryRB
this past week, A.M.temps have been in the high 20's, up to using the glow plug two times back to back to get a clean start, was unsure how many times (glow plug) it would take to start if it was below 0, tractor is stored in a unheated garage also.
RonNY

dmccarty · Nov 9, 2004

Ron,

My JD4700 start just find down into the teens. It does not get much colder than that here in my area of NC. The tractor is stored in the woods and takes whatever MommaNature throws at her. My trucks I hook up to a block heater. One thing I did last year or early this year was to switch the truck over to synthetic. This does help start the truck when its cold out. The truck does not NEED the synthetic but it sure sounds better than regular dino oil. Eventually I'll change the tractor over to synthetic. I have alway had a block heater on my trucks and I think its the way to go.

Later,
Dan

bandit67 · Nov 9, 2004

I'm a believer in block heaters. Yes, most properly maintained engines will start without one, but it is much easier on it if you start it after it's been warmed up a little. Not only does a block heater heat the metal components, but it also heats up the fluids, and even luke-warm fluids flow better than those that are sub-freezing. And I prefer to see the normal black smoke on startup, rather than white smoke pouring out of an ice cold diesel for a couple of minutes.

Many glow plug systems do not shut the glow plugs down for a couple of minutes, even after the light goes off and the engine has started. So, you can turn the key to heat the plugs, let the light turn off, and continue to hold the key in the warm-up position until you want to start it. The whole time the key is in the warm up position (and during the first minute or two of the engine running), the plugs should be heating.

Bob_Young · Nov 9, 2004

Maybe shouldn't piggy back on another's thread, but how long do y'all use the block heater before starting? The folks down at the NH/Kubota dealership say to keep the tractor plugged in whenever it's not being used. In other places I've read that such usage tends to encourage internal engine corrosion because moisture is kept in the state where it can do the most damage.

Back in the '60s, when all diesels were hard to start, the farmer I used to work for as a teenager would plug in the block heaters about the time he started the morning milking. Around 7:00 or 7:30AM they had a couple hours preheat and were ready to go. Seemed like a reasonable approach to me.

RickB · Nov 9, 2004

Two to three hours with a properly sized block heater should be enough. The only downsides I know of to round the clock heater use are power cost and heater element life. I can't see any basis for the corrosion concern you mentioned.

gugy · Nov 9, 2004

Hello Ron,
My opinion goes to the block heater.But anyone is better than none at all.I keep my tractor up in Delaware County too.
The garage is not heated and last year with tempertures below zero I had no problem with start ups.This summer I did install a block heater just in case I have a problem.For your information I'm in Downsvile N.Y.Between Rosco & Walton.

gsxr1100 · Nov 9, 2004

I figure a block heater is cheaper then replacing glow plugs.

frank_f15 · Nov 9, 2004

i live in western n.y and keep my tractor in an unheated garage, no block heater HAVE never had a problem starting . Block hearter might be kinder to the tractor tho.

zekeman · Nov 9, 2004

So Far, the majority favor A Block Heater, but also the majority
say it is not needed, the tractor will start with or without the heater. What is the cost of a block heater? can I do the work? (amatuer mechanic with my vehicles).
Ron

Henro · Nov 9, 2004

I have block heaters on my tractors...

I've concluded the reason is because they make ME feel better.

I don't think the tractors care one way or the other.

But if you start your tractor in VERY cold weather without using the block heater, AFTER you got used to using it most of the time, I can almost guarantee that YOU will feel better each time you turn the block heater on a bit before you turn the ignition key.

Does it make any long term difference for the tractor? I don't know. May add years to MY life though, cause I don't worry about the cold start harm to the tractor, real or imagined... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bandit67 · Nov 9, 2004

Around $35 for the block heater. My dealer charged me $65 for the heater and installation on my new machine. I figure if those guys can read the installation instructions, so can any one of us.

The block heater will cut down on the amount of warm-up time once the engine fires up. If you've ever started a cold diesel engine on a sub-zero morning, you see a lot of white smoke. In those cases, I don't go anywhere or do anything until the white smoke clears up, and sometimes it can be 10 minutes of idleing before that happens. Again, as most said, a block heater is probably more of a piece-of-mind thing.

gugy · Nov 9, 2004

Most machines you have to knock out a welch plug(freeze out plug) On my BX-22 there was a large pipe plug I removed it and replaced it with a threaded heater.I did not drain any anti freeze I just made a fast switch.I don't know what's available for your tractor.About cost.maybe around $20.You should be able to install it yourself if your're handy.
Good Luck

zekeman · Nov 9, 2004

GUGY
from Staten Island, now Walton
Ron

zekeman · Nov 9, 2004

GUGY
Where did you get the heater/ at your dealer?
Ron

gugy · Nov 9, 2004

Ron,Yes I purchased the heater from a kubota dealer. Are you telling me you're in Walton?If so we are neighbors.I'm 9 miles out of Walton.I think I'm bringing "bota"home this weekend.My work at this house is finished and I want to get the machine back before we get a significant amount of snow in Downsville.
I'll post pictures when I get the machine on the trailer.

bczoom · Nov 10, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Maybe shouldn't piggy back on another's thread, but how long do y'all use the block heater before starting?
)</font>

I put my heater on a regular household 24 hour timer. I figure the tractor would be used after work, so I have the timer set to turn on the heater about 2PM, off at 5PM. Personally, (speaking for my tractor here), it definitely starts easier.