Any Tips for Installing Block Heater on JD 4320?

[Sharp_Ranch]

Has anybody had actual experience and can anybody offer any tips of what to expect concerning the installation of the optional transmission oil heater element for extreme cold weather starting on the new JD 4320 (Twenty Series diesels). I've got my heater element and cord set parts this week from JD but they came with absolutely no instructions and the JD dealer mechanics had no previuos experience doing this installation except to say "be quick" and have a catch bucket ready when I unscrew the transmission oil plug and screw in the heater element. Anybody tried this yet?

 

[Marko]

Although my 4110 is a bit different than your 4320 , I scheduled my trans heater install at the 50hr mark at the time of the trans fluid change. This eliminates the issue of having to get ready with the catch bucket and making a big mess. Much easier to do this with all the fluid drained. The engine block heater could be done anytime , I drained what coolant would come out of the drain plug and only had about 1/2 qt come out when I removed the freeze plug , installed the block heater and refilled with the coolant that came out.

 

[AKfish]

I installed the transmission heater element in my JD970 this fall. Obviously, it's not the same critter as your 4320 but it was a piece of cake to do on the 970. I lost about a cup of hydraulic fluid before I could get the heating element snugged up. When I ordered the optional heater, it too, came with no instructions (funny thing that the cord is a seperate item from the heating element..) but my local dealer has a couple of mechanics that have years of experience and are generous with sharing their knowledge. Since that time, I have noted that the JD parts website offers detailed schematics which illustrate how and where a particular part is configured in the tractor. But, it would seem to me that your dealer should have the detailed technical repair manual and if they aren't concerned about hooking you for every dime; would be very willing to make a copy of the schematic as well as a word from their mechanics, IMHO. AKfish

 

[al3]

While I was in the JDParts site tonight, I took a look at the 4320 schematic. Looks like the location for your heater is on the left side of the transaxle housing, just ahead of the axle? If so, I'd assume you're planning to remove the tire to install the heating element. If not, then you'd probably have to drain the hyd fluid before hand, as it's going to be coming out in a forcefull stream. Draining & reusing the fluid isn't hard---you can get a new (i.e absolutely clean) concrete mixing pan for less than $10 to catch and re-use the hyd fluid. Draining would make the chore a bit more pleasant. Good luck

 

[Sharp_Ranch]

For everyone's info, I successfully and easily installed the JD Heater Element (p/n AR94493 at $50) with Cord Set (p/n AR95434 at $14.95) onto my JD 4320 Twenty Series. The transmission oil heater element installs on the tractor's left side (port side) on the bottom side of the transmission case just forward of the left rear tire and on the opposite side of the case from the transmission oil filter element elbow. There's sufficient ground and tire clearance to crawl under the tractor to perform this installation without removing any machine parts. You simply remove a drain plug and insert and screw in the heater element. I did this "live" without draining the 10 gallons of transmission oil - no big deal at all - only caught about a pint of oil that flowed out into my catch bucket during the installation. But be quick and have your tools ready. I then simply poured the caught oil back into the transmission oil fill. Plug in the electrical cord set into the end of the heater element and secure the cord plug pigtail with a wirewrap and you're done! Takes maybe 5 minutes in all. By the way, this Twenty Series diesel seems to start easily without the heater element at temps above 20 degrees F. I connect and power my heating element only for use during the teens and below temperatures and use a programmable timer to turn it on about 3 hours before expecting to start the engine for morning livestock feeding or snow blading.

 

[AKfish]

Congrats. Generally, it's a good feeling when you finish something that you had some reservations before getting into it... Don't know what the shop rates are like in Oregon but up here they're right around $85/hr with a 1 hr minimum. That'll give a guy some incentive to figure it out for himself! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif AKfish