Cabin Heat Question

[RotorWrench]

Yes. I believe they were Kubota engines through 2014, switching to Doosan engines in 2015. I'm not familiar with Kubota engines,. Mainly domestic tractor engines.

I'm not sure what block heater @laurencen was referring to that performed so poorly. Normally coolant block heaters work very well.

Maybe the wattage is insufficient for sub-zero temps. I remember a number of years ago one of my Ford trucks had a factory block heater that was too low a wattage for extremely cold temps and most of us around here were replacing them with higher power aftermarket ones.

 

[ruffdog]

Being that the Toolcat has limited room around the engine compartment, I would try the OEM type block heater first, make sure it works, and give it a try. With all the added pumps etc hanging on the engine (like a skid steer),you will want it plugged in longer. The newer TC has a Doosan engine that uses a dry pocket type heater.

 

[laurencen]

the old series A Toolcat worked better that was a wet type block heater using the frost plug holes, the net series uses a dry heater so no contact with actual coolant, you can remove or exchange it without draining fluid,

 

[RotorWrench]

Being that the Toolcat has limited room around the engine compartment, I would try the OEM type block heater first, make sure it works, and give it a try. With all the added pumps etc hanging on the engine (like a skid steer),you will want it plugged in longer. The newer TC has a Doosan engine that uses a dry pocket type heater.

That's what I'll try first, the factory heater, then go from there. I put my heaters on a timer, going on early morning for three hours and then three hours before I get home from work.

 

[laurencen]

3 hours at -25C on the Toolcat does little,, mine I plug in any time temp gets below 20 and never unplug it

 

[ruffdog]

3 hours at -25C on the Toolcat does little,, mine I plug in any time temp gets below 20 and never unplug it

Does it work? Can you feel any warmth from the engine? Being that the cost isn't too bad on those, I would at least swap it out to try a new one.

 

[laurencen]

it does work, checked with ammeter anf feel, the heat element id hot but around it is not, likely only 25% of the heat gets to motor

picked up a wabasto heater but there is no room to install it on the Toolcat

 

[RotorWrench]

I was talking to our Kubota shop this morning and he said they have sources for higher wattage block heaters for several of their engines. He was pretty sure they had gotten them for the Toolcat in the past, back when they were also the a Bobcat dealer. The parts guy that was most familiar with it and was there when they sold Bobcat parts is supposed to be back from elk hunting tomorrow. I'll know something then for anyone interested.

 

[laurencen]

sadly my Toolcat is not the Kubota engine and last time I spoke with the dealer nothing was available they suggest keeping it indoors

 

[RotorWrench]

Well, my situation has changed now. The deal with the 2013 5600 fell through due to a drive motor issue that the owner was balking at resolving. I closed a deal on a 520 hour 2014 5610 today which is for the better as I was originally trying to get a 5610 anyway.

The situation now means I am dealing with a Doosan engine instead of a Kubota, with the apparently inefficient dry pocket block heater. I'll have to wait and see. I hope I have better luck than @laurencen has. Preheating the engine is a major issue where I'm at. I may have to get creative.