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 | Tom
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2002-12-22 46445
This summer I sold my 8N, and bought a '96 Kubota B2150 HST ( 4 cylinder 25 horse 500 hrs, a Kubota loader and 6 1/2' backhoe plus a aftermarket rear scraper blade, all for 12K, a good deal??) I will be using my "ProTec Sno Pusher" on the front bucket along with a "Snowmachines" 5' snow thrower on the rear (PTO driven) for my snow removal needs (many and frequent here in the mountains of Idaho). I have been struggling to find a way/place to install an engine coolant heater. The lower radiator hose (which appears to be about 1 1/4" I.D.) only has about 3 1/2" before it enters the block, plus it has a slight angle. I've looked at every in line coolant heater at every auto store in town and the shortest one is still just a little too long, and I wonder what others have done for a pre heater. I keep it in a unheated outbuilding and though it starts readily enough I want to baby it all I can! I have also looked for a good flat conductive place for a magnetic type pre heater and that won't work also.
Thanks for any tips, Tom
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| Farmerbob2
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 11 Nazo, Pa
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2002-12-22 46454
Sounds like a sweet setup you got there Tom. Great price for everything you got there too. I have been pondering the same thing for my Ford loader. Have you thought of a oil heater instead? I've looked at the magnet heaters too, but i'm a little leary on how well it would work. Have you gotten to use that protech pusher yet? If so how do you like it? What size is it? Sorry i couldn't be of any help, i'm pretty much in the same boat as you right now. ....
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada 
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2002-12-22 46458
Tom, I am pretty sure my brother has exactly the same model Kubota as you do. He lives in Eagle River Alaska. He uses nothing but magnetic heaters, probably for the same reasons you just outlined. Anyway, between the synthetic lubricants and magnetic heaters, he has been starting up just fine in the winter for about ten years, and he keeps his tractor outside. ....
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| buster
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 10 Inkom, Idaho
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2002-12-22 46463
FarmerBob,
So far so good on the ProTech, its a 5' model, and very heavy duty, the snowblower's 450 lbs of weight helps balance things out (the PT's about the same) and I have LOTS of traction. I believe I have what are called turf tires, they have a traction tread (lugs), but are pretty wide. The PT and the blower all mounted up make the total length of the entire rig right at 18', which isn't a problem in my case. I have only plowed twice so far, and have not used the blower at all yet. That will change very quickly as soon the white stuff will be a** deep, I'm at over 6,000' and very near a ski area, we get up to 100" on a good year. I didn't consider a angle blade as I run out of places to put it, thus the blower/ PT (box blade) combo. I can post some pictures when we get some serious snow if anyones interested in the PT setup. I'm new to the tractor, but have been plowing the same damn driveway (700' plus parking area) for years, so I know where the obstructions are, the PT's very heavy rubber cutting edge simple flexs for shock protection, fine in my situation, but in totally unknown terrain I'd go slow. I use it in float position and it'll move a lot of snow. It slips on the loader in seconds, 2 chain binders secure it.
As to the pre-heating thing, I'd forgotten about those dipstick oil heaters (too many years of heated garages), that may be a simpler solution, I will check them out to see if they'll fit the Kubota Monday.
Tom
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-12-23 46477
Maybe bite the bullet and pay the price for a dealer block heater. There has been some discussion here that maybe dipstick heaters put too much heat in too small an area and might degrade the oil--no conclusion, just discussion.
I think the original idea of oil heaters was to keep the viscosity down in very cold weather. That's not much of a problem with the availability of 0W-30 oils. I don't know how much a warm oil pan helps starting other than thinning the oil so the starter spins faster. Coolant heaters would keep the upper engine warmer and might improve ignition. If the lower rad hose angles down from the rad to the block, I'd think that the heat would mostly siphon up through the rad.
A battery blanket isn't a bad idea. I have one I use when it's very cold and otherwise rely on a 1A trickle charger. A warm battery spins the starter faster too. I have two magnetic heaters and I occasionally use them on the TX sump. I'm not sure if they really do much. All weather hydraulic oil likely does more. Using #1-diesel (if recommended) starts easier than #2 as well.
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2002-12-23 46486
Tom, sounds like quite an outfit you have. The lower radiator hose outfits are not what I recommend. To many failures from leaks and they don't put the heat where it is needed. They do have a block heater available that we have put in those tractors. To heat the oil only helps to get it flowing quicker. The ideal way to start a diesel is to warm the head area as that is where the combustion process starts. To have a good cranking battery to spin the engine at a speed to start in cold weather is important so I often recommend a trickle charger to keep it at it's peak. ....
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| DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2002-12-23 46488
Art, there you are. Wanted to thank you for the sage advice on tire pressure. I puffed them up a bit and the tractor seems to have a little more spunk. Ride is a bit stiffer but it does not seem to give up much in traction. Happy Holidays! ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-12-24 46515
Yes Art: I bought about every cold start thing I could think of when I first got the tractor. I held some old ideas about the horrors of starting diesels during the winter. I even bought starter fluid but fortunately read here that it shouldn't be used--especially in engines with glow-plugs.
I was happy enough to find that new designed diesels and new oils pretty much eliminate cold starting problems. I use the block heater if it's going to be around 0F mostly because I think it's better for the engine. A couple of hours on the heater and it starts easier than during the summer. The blanket and magnetic heaters are available for extreme cold I guess, but around here it seldom snows much when it's real cold so I seldom have to start the tractor in say -30F.
I do hookup the trickle charger during cold spells and occasionally for a day or so just to keep the charge up. I could be wrong, but I think a 1A charger can be left on continuously. A larger charger may keep a battery warmer during cold spells but shouldn't remain hooked up too long. I think I've said it before, but for convenience I put a twist lock receptacle in my work lights circuit to run a rotating flasher. I also put a plug on the charger so I can charger the battery through the lighting circuit. Perhaps I'm just too impressed with my own minor cleverness. ....
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| buster
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 10 Inkom, Idaho
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2002-12-24 46528
So I'm to understand I can get a block heater from a Kubota dealer? I'll go that route, didn't think of that. I agree the lower rad heaters are pretty ineffient thermally, and the warm oil isn't really the answer either. As I mentioned it starts fine as is, but I like the warm engine approach, its gotta be better for long term health of same. Thanks all for the tips.
Tom ....
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