RX7320 problems @7 hrs on the meter

[THEPARTYHOUND]

My new tractor got delivered 3 days ago and I've got 7 hours on the meter. It is blowing and snowing here, 20 below windchill, drifts the size of dump trucks. I need my tractor! I was helping a neighbor get cleared out and noticed that my heater hadn't really started warming up although my temp gauge was slightly above the "normal" marks on the gauge. Called the dealership, got put through to the mechanic who asked me to open the hood, and there was the dealer installed block heater hanging limp and NOT in the block where it belongs! It blew the block heater out of the side of the block. There was glue residue on it. I asked about that and the mechanic said that was how they are installed...glued in! What else is glued together in that engine? Is the head glued on? Oil pan glued on? I'm starting to wonder if I made a mistake here...

 

[atsah]

Glued in.. No O-ring with a bracket or anything?

 

[THEPARTYHOUND]

Glued in. No bracket, no O-ring, just glue. The dealership had a mechanic just over the mountain an hour away, so he is on his way. I will see how they put it back together.

 

[Grateful11]

Oh my! Glued in with what, strawberry jelly? I've never heard of block heater not being threaded in.

 

[LouNY]

There is another thread on here describing the install procedure,
I was thinking it was taped in with a lock tite type of product used to retain the
threaded adapter.
Be interesting how the service mechanic handles it or if it has to get into a climate controlled environment to be reinstalled.
Hope your engine is not hurt.

 

[countrybumpkin]

There pressed into the block, nothing new or different from many other block heaters. Sounds as if the dealer didn’t get it pressed in correctly, I can understand your frustration, hope they get you going quickly.

 

[atsah]

Oh my! Glued in with what, strawberry jelly? I've never heard of block heater not being threaded in.

Mine isn’t threaded in either and is pressed in but it has an o-ring and a bracket
That’s mounted to the muffler bolts so it stays put.

 

[Tigershark]

let us know how it goes, glad they sent someone out to take care of the issue

 

[WoodChuckDad]

At 7 hours, they darned sure should send someone out for him. I hope you get straightened out. Myself 7320 has about 450 hours on it and the heater will put you out of the cab.

 

[coobie]

My new tractor got delivered 3 days ago and I've got 7 hours on the meter. It is blowing and snowing here, 20 below windchill, drifts the size of dump trucks. I need my tractor! I was helping a neighbor get cleared out and noticed that my heater hadn't really started warming up although my temp gauge was slightly above the "normal" marks on the gauge. Called the dealership, got put through to the mechanic who asked me to open the hood, and there was the dealer installed block heater hanging limp and NOT in the block where it belongs! It blew the block heater out of the side of the block. There was glue residue on it. I asked about that and the mechanic said that was how they are installed...glued in! What else is glued together in that engine? Is the head glued on? Oil pan glued on? I'm starting to wonder if I made a mistake here...

View attachment 593501

View attachment 593502

That is to bad sorry to hear this.

 

[xcgreene]

There pressed into the block, nothing new or different from many other block heaters. Sounds as if the dealer didn’t get it pressed in correctly, I can understand your frustration, hope they get you going quickly.

x2 on this. Nothing unusual to see block heaters use a freeze plug hole without threads.

 

[THEPARTYHOUND]

The mechanic showed up and put the block heater back in. It had red locktite applied to the threaded adapter which was then tapped into the frost plug hole with a hammer and socket. He said that this did not used to be a problem but there have been several of these coming out lately. His thought was that the insert that was tapped into the freeze plug hole was being manufactured differently in the last 6 months and does not have as tight of a press fit as it should.
If this would have happened during warm weather, I would have had no idea at all. My temp gauge, while it wasn't between the 2 dots that indicate ideal temp, it never left the "normal" zone. The only indication I had that there was a problem was I lost power, which I suspected was associated with fuel gelling up like it did in the dealership parking lot when I went to test drive it. The only other indication I had was the heater was not putting out heat. If this happens again I'm gonna tell them to come get their tractor and bring my check with them.

 

[atsah]

Maybe you can install a bracket of some kind to make sure it stays put, you shouldn't need to fab things for a new tractor but "not the correct size for the freeze plug" is kind of crazy..

This is what it should look like IMO.

 

[LouNY]

I wonder if the adapter is getting driven far enough in.
Can you see or feel if it was driven in to the shoulder?
Also, lock-tite has a cure time if the adapter has lock tite applied to it then is driven into place,
it would seem to me that it should have a days cure time before a block heater is screwed into the
threaded portion, especially in a cold engine and location.
Wrenching the heater into the adapter could easily start to loosen it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have put in a bunch of block heaters. I have NEVER seen one that didn't have a clamp of some sort. An O ring will practically allow the heater to roll out if not held in. Glue, just seems wrong, if you ask me, geven expansion and contraction.

 

[THEPARTYHOUND]

I wonder if the adapter is getting driven far enough in.
Can you see or feel if it was driven in to the shoulder?
Also, lock-tite has a cure time if the adapter has lock tite applied to it then is driven into place,
it would seem to me that it should have a days cure time before a block heater is screwed into the
threaded portion, especially in a cold engine and location.
Wrenching the heater into the adapter could easily start to loosen it.

Yes, I checked that, it was driven in to the shoulder. I wondered about the cure time too. Also, some locktite, (maybe all?) heat is applied to break the locktighted bolt free. I don't know the exact temperature in which that occours, but I would assume that block gets to somewhere around 210* F.

 

[THEPARTYHOUND]

I have put in a bunch of block heaters. I have NEVER seen one that didn't have a clamp of some sort. An O ring will practically allow the heater to roll out if not held in. Glue, just seems wrong, if you ask me, geven expansion and contraction.

I agree, glue does not seem like the answer. Maybe a bandaid in the field, but not a final answer. Locktite gets crisp and brittle when cured and does not seem to allow for much flex during, like you say, expansion and contraction.

 

[wagne223]

I know every one is using the word glue for simplicity sake, however the chemical used to seal metal to metal surfaces in the engine industry is either red locktite or anaerobic sealant.

The only purpose of the chemical is to seal the joint from leaking. It dries hard and has little holding strength.

In the case of freeze plugs, they are press fit. The tight tolerance keeps them in.

It seems to me, that this heater is not a proper press fit in that hole. Could be the heater. Could be the block. As others have mentioned, this is an odd arrangement as most have a retainer of some sort.

The tech mentioned the fit issue on his visit. It is possible he was able to press it in enough for it to hold. It is also possible that it is not tight enough and the sealant is not going to hold it.

As the owner you will need to keep a close eye on it.

My bigger concern is that the engine was run low on coolant.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have to confess. I have worried about the clamp in block heaters holding. Some are pretty junky, and no one needs a hole in their block. If I had, to glue one in, I wouldn't have slept nights.

 

[THEPARTYHOUND]

Maybe you can install a bracket of some kind to make sure it stays put, you shouldn't need to fab things for a new tractor but "not the correct size for the freeze plug" is kind of crazy..

This is what it should look like IMO.

I like that idea much better. I would not be concerned in the slightest about that one coming out.