Help me clarify conflicting information

[easygo]

I'm about to go and get a block heater for my B-7510 and I found conflicting info on the installation here. One post states that a threaded plug comes out and the heater just threads into the block and all I need is teflon tape to seal the threads. Another poster mentions something about draining the radiator to do the installation because a hose is in the way. Has anyone installed their own or seen it done. How easy is it to do the job on the 7510? I just want to know how big of a project I'm looking at.
Thanks
Easygo

 

[rbargeron]

Both may be correct - on some models the heater threads into a bushing, and the bushing goes into a tapered hole in the engine block.

Here's a thread about my heater. It needed the bushing and was installed in a freeze-plug location.

Maybe your B-7510 engine already has the threaded hole?

 

[easygo]

Thanks for the reply rbargeron,
The 7510 has a threaded plug that the heater replaces, I was just wondering if the coolant has to be drained completely, or there is a way of getting the heater installed without the draining the coolant.

 

[herringchoker]

You will have to drain the coolant until its level is below the bottom of the plug/heater. Since you can't see inside the radiator or the block, the problem is knowing when you have drained it down to that level. I always drain it completely, then I'm sure. Of course, it's not a really big deal if you don't drain it down enough - it will drain itself out the hole when you remove the plug.
I installed an aftermarket block heater on my B7800. It is threaded, but it is smaller than the threaded plug in the block, so I had to install a reducer bushing to make it fit. It works great.

 

[pdowling1]

If you are "faster than a speeding bullet" you don't need to drain first. The rest of us do have to drain the coolant.

 

[easygo]

Coolant drained and heater installed. Thank you for the helpful comments.

had a beer too

 

[ronjhall]

Having installed a block heat in my B2910 without draining the radiator or block and losing less than a cup of antifreeze. Give this a try. Have plug ready for install with tape or thread dope already on it.
With the engine cold (not been run for at least a day. Do not loosen or remove radiator cap. This will take vacuum that is created from antifreeze cooling. Remove the plug (most Kubota plugs are 17mm hex key) Have a bucket setting under hole to catch what little should come out of hole. Install the new plug. Refill radiator for antifreeze that was lost. Job is done.