445 Snow cab heat hookup

[Roger66]

I found a old home made cab for some unknown tractor for $20 at a swap meet. I fixed it up and modified it to fit my 445. Now I'm adding heat. I've seen people "T" into the 3/8" bypass hose for the supply and then "T" the return into the Lower Radiator hose. I was wondering if I could just cut the 3/8" bypass hose and route it to the heater core and return to the other side of the 3/8" bypass hose. This way I'm only cutting one hose. It seems to me the only downside to this is that I won't be able to shut off the heat. What does this bypass hose even do?

 

[Tinhack]

I'm not familiar with your tractor but a flow bypass is typically used only when the thermostat is closed. You'll get cold flow until the engine warms up then you'll get next to nothing or very little flow when warm. I would look around for a plug on the block or tap the upper radiator hose.

 

[Roger66]

I'd really like to tie in under the thermostat. There is a temp sensor that some people use by making a extension t, but I'm told it's some metric thread.

 

[Richard001]

Can you post a photo of your water pump and associated hoses, it may help people identify how you might hook up your heater.

Sometimes there are extra openings in the water pump that are closed with a threaded plug. Do you see anything like that ?

Richard

 

[AtomicSloth44]

Great Find!

 

[beenthere]

This schematic may help sort out what you are looking for.

Added a pic of the drain plug on the water pump.. might help for a place to get warm water. And for sure it is a metric thread.

Also, found this video channel with this video about putting heater in a cab on his JD 425, which is the same system used in the 445.

 

[5030]

If I were you, I'd get a small Buddy heater. Much easier and less expensive.

 

[Roger66]

Hi BeenThere,

This video is where I got the idea to use the bypass hose. The difference between what he did and what I did, is he Tee'd into the bypass and returned to the Lower hose. I rerouted the bypass through the heater core returning to the other side of the bypass. It seems to work great! I guess the only downside to the way I did it is I can't shut off the water flow.

 

[Roger66]

If I were you, I'd get a small Buddy heater. Much easier and less expensive.

5030,

You are right a small propane heater would have been so much simpler!

 

[5030]

Nice thing about a Buddy heater is they make a lot of heat (have one in my deer blind) and they come with an o2 sensor so if the oxygen gets low, they shut off. If I had a cab tractor (which I do but mine has a hot coolant heater), I'd do the Buddy heater in a minute.

heck, I remember back when I was a kid and drove an old VW, I made a shelf for a can of Sterno to keep the windshield defrosted...lol