No hydraulics... GAH!!!

[jinman]

Time for a torpedo heater. I would NOT light a fire under the tractor, but a torpedo heater will heat things up really fast, especially if you block the far side of the tractor with a full or partial sheet of plywood so that the air/heat doesn't just escape. These things say they are to be run on kerosene, but outside, I run mine with diesel.

 

[dave1949]

Time for a torpedo heater. I would NOT light a fire under the tractor, but a torpedo heater will heat things up really fast, especially if you block the far side of the tractor with a full or partial sheet of plywood so that the air/heat doesn't just escape. These things say they are to be run on kerosene, but outside, I run mine with diesel.

View attachment 299852

Jim, Are you taking the chill out of that 40* Texas air? :laughing: Those torpedo heaters do throw some heat. The local TSC had a bunch of them in-stock last time I was in there.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I would not run the tractor for long w/o hyd because oil is not going thru the pump as it should. I would have built a charcoal fire and warmed the underbelly to melt the plug.
larry

 

[jinman]

Jim, Are you taking the chill out of that 40* Texas air? :laughing: Those torpedo heaters do throw some heat. The local TSC had a bunch of them in-stock last time I was in there.

Dave, the last time I used mine, I was installing a rear bumper on my Dodge truck. It was about 35 degrees out and that warm torpedo heater sure felt good blowin' warm air up my. . . uh. . .shirt. Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[jinman]

I would not run the tractor for long w/o hyd because oil is not going thru the pump as it should.

Larry, I thought about the time I started my tractor when it was about 20 degrees out. I ran out and started the tractor and immediately went back inside to wait for it to warm up without ever checking the hydraulics for operation. When I first read this thread, I identified with Marveltone's doing exactly that. I don't operate my tractor enough in cold weather to ever think of that without reading a thread like this one.

 

[dave1949]

I think Joe froze to his tractor , hope he got it going.

 

[Marveltone]

I think Joe froze to his tractor , hope he got it going.

I'll let you know tomorrow eve. We've been busy the last couple days, but I took tomorrow off, as it will be in the 20's for one last day before it gets cold again.

I went to the house in town and got our 55,000 BTU Reddy Heater. I'll put some scrap plywood sheets around the tractor and perhaps a couple tarps over the top to trap the heat, ignite the heater and let 'er cook! After a couple hours (or when everything feels warm to the touch), I'll loosen the drain plug to see if any water comes out. If so, I'll drain until hydraulic fluid appears. If no water comes out, I'll just fire up the tractor and see what happens.:crossfingers:

Joe

 

[DFB]

ignite the heater and let 'er cook!

What no hot dogs?

 

[Marveltone]

What no hot dogs?

Rats! I knew I forgot something from town.:duh: Oh well... S'mores will have to do.

Now where did the wife hide the marshmallows?:scratchchin:

Joe

 

[Marveltone]

20 degrees today, so I put the Reddy Heater between the tractor and snow blower, put a couple sheets of OSB on the sides and covered the top with a cheap tarp. I then plugged in the heater, did some chores and went in for lunch. About three hours later, I crawled under the tractor, cracked the drain plugs to see if there was any sufficient amount of water to drain out. One plug netted about 1/2 teaspoon of clear water. Nothing else but Hydro fluid in the rest. By this time everything on the tractor was warm to the touch. I figured it was time to fire it up and pray.

SUCCESS!:cool2:

I finished up all my snow removal projects that had been abbreviated a couple days ago, plus opening up new roads to other wood piles. It's good to be back!:cloud9:

Now my next question is this: I see on Sea Foam's website they say we can put their Trans Tune in hydraulic systems to help with water and ice problems. Anyone have any experience/opinions on this? :anyone:

Joe