Engine Block Heater for a 7234

[MajMac392]

I had toyed with putting a Block Heater in my Cub, (23HP, 4WD, Mitsubishi) for a while and finally found a dealer that new what they were, and had one sent to me by Cub. It turned out to be a bit of a pain to get the old freeze plug out because of the tight space to work. I did take the loader off but the oil filter and a solenoid were right in the way. Well I finally got the plug out and then took me a while to slip the heater into the hole. I tightened her down (20-25 Inch Pounds) so it didn't take a whole lot of tightening. I then filled her up with coolant and went to lunch. Came back a while later, drip, drip, drip.......... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gifI tried to tighten just a little more but to no avail. I then had to pull the heater back out, a real trick because it has a couple of molly type ears that spread in the hole after the heater is inserted. Now I'm having a job finding a replacement freeze plug. I bought one at Napa but it was to small and slid right into the block. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I need to order the next size up because they don't stock what I hope is the correct one. So I my tractor is dead for a while, fortunately no snow to plow but I wish I had never bothered with this now. What is it they say about hindsight?

 

[DmansPadge]

I hate to hear that. I've seen people that used the inline lower radiator hose heaters before. Maybe that would be a better way to go?

As for the freeze plug... you should be able to get an expandable one that would work. You could always change it out later with the correct one it you wanted. Take the plug to your local auto parts store/tractor dealer and they should have something that would work.

Good luck.

 

[wallace]

good luck finding that at napa
It is a metric size
If you want to use the block heater than put some RTV silicone around the o-ring and install it.
If you get in to deep let me know I can get you the soft plug thru Mahindra.

 

[gamble77]

Tricks us southern boys would never have thought of. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MajMac392]

I realize the RTV may make the heater work by sealing the o-ring but that is not the way it was designed to fit. It shouldn’t leak and for the $50+ it cost I don’t think I should have to re-engineer their product to prevent it from leaking. More bad news today was that it appears the closest place that has one may be a NAPA Warehouse in Syracuse, NY plus there is a special order fee. One store even told me there were 12 to a box and I would have to take the whole box! A Car Quest dealer thought he could get one for me and I am waiting for a call back now. My last call will be back to Wilson’s to drop ship one. Live and learn, and fortunately I don’t need it for snow right now.

 

[wallace]

I would also go to a Mitsubshi car dealer and maybe also a toyota dealer.
Make sure you take the old plug.

 

[Egon]

I'd sure try the car dealers. There should be some pretty standard sizes in block heaters and freese plugs.

What about other implement dealers or even check on the web.

Egon

 

[MajMac392]

Wallace and Egon,
I did not try any of the car dealers, I did try one engine rebuild place I think? Frankly I was wearing out my finger calling parts supply houses. Some places had up to about a 40MM plug in stock but that was it. CarQuest said, "Oh yeah, we have one in another store I'll have it here tomorrow AM". I picked it up and it was another 1 3/4" like NAPA sold me. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifWhen I saw that one wasn't right they went back to the book and found the next size up in another town. I went to pick it up and it was a different style, almost no lip on it. I called the closet Cub dealer and he told me it would take 7 - 10 days to order. At this point I was pretty much fed up with my plans to put in a block heater. I called the dealer up seeing no one could tell me the exact size, (internet very reputable), where I got the heater and said ship me a factory plug, which I should have insisted on when I got the heater. The plug didn't come yet and we have 3-7" of snow coming in. The heater came in in a day, I thought the plug would be here yesterday but no and I think the heater came UPS so I won't get it now until Monday. It is coming from Cub, $6 for the plug, ouch, the NAPA and CarQuest were 60 cents! I gathered from the parts supply houses that replacing freeze plugs is not a booming business so they don't keep huge stocks of them, at least in metric. Woe is me as they say.

 

[wallace]

Hey listen when you do go to replace the plug make sure you put some red loc-tite on the edges before you install it.

 

[Outlander1]

Give partstree.com a whirl. They have all the 7234 diagrams and it looks like your item MIGHT(?) be MA-MF665538
Cap, Sealing ? They want $7.37 each plus shipping which is unreal but if your stuck???