Block Heater Install Question

[Mr. Ace]

I also recently installed the same Kubota block heater on my B2320. The installation instructions were indeed pretty useless and were only a hindrance. I also wondered if I had the right part, since many Kubota tractor models were listed on the sheet, except mine (apparently Kubota can't be bothered to provide proper instructions to their paying customers).

The installation went quite smoothly, no thanks to Kubota. A 17mm 1/2" drive hex socket is probably a must to remove the engine plug in which the block heater is installed; it came out pretty easily for me with use of a breaker bar.

The hose clamp and hose plug included with the kit, are quite confusing, and of course, they not very well explained in the instructions. I BELIEVE, that you only need the hose clamp and plug, if you have a model in which you must remove a radiator hose to the engine block, to make room for the block heater - i.e., the heater is installed into the engine block "hole" previously used by the hose that you removed. After you remove the hose to make room for the block heater, you then plug and clamp the hose, as it is apparently non-critical. Since my model, had an existing "unused" engine plug waiting for the block heater, I did not need the hose clamp & plug.

For those that have a model in which the hose clamp & plug were needed and used, please feel free to correct my deduction.

Good luck with your installation.

 

[von-mil]

OP here. Thanks for all the replies and advice.

It's true that I probably don't really need the block heater. The B3030 is stored in an unheated pole barn and using the glow plugs it has always started up easily although it does cough and sputter for about 10 seconds when the temp is in the 0-10 degree range. But for the decent price (by Kubota standards) of less than $40 and a hopefully easy installation, I figure it is well worth it. I plan on keeping the tractor for a long time and I use it just as much in the winter as I do in the summer. I'm just trying to baby the engine when it come to cold-weather starts.

 

[von-mil]

Before you spend too much on a single 17mm hex wrench I noticed HF has the set on sale for $13.99 right now. It's a personal thing with me but I prefer Teflon based pipe dope to Teflon tape. I have had some bad experiences with Teflon tape.

I could not find a 17mm hex bit at the farm/fleet/hardware stores around here so the install is off for now. There are no Harbor Freight stores near me but I will find the 17mm bit somewhere - perhaps TSC has a kit similar to HF's. One store I went to suggested an auto parts shop since I am looking for an engine block specific tool. At this point I will probably just wait until spring to install the heater since I was planning on changing/flushing the antifreeze at that time.

What bad experiences did you have using teflon tape?

 

[ametcalf]

I could not find a 17mm hex bit at the farm/fleet/hardware stores around here so the install is off for now. There are no Harbor Freight stores near me but I will find the 17mm bit somewhere - perhaps TSC has a kit similar to HF's. One store I went to suggested an auto parts shop since I am looking for an engine block specific tool. At this point I will probably just wait until spring to install the heater since I was planning on changing/flushing the antifreeze at that time.

What bad experiences did you have using teflon tape?

I'm not trying to talk you into Harbor Freight but on their website they are advertising $6.99 flat shipping. Just thought I would bring this to your attention. I can't imagine how sad I would be if I didn't have a Harbor Freight about 20 miles away. But you do have Farm & Fleet and Fleet Farm that I wish we had.
Hopefully spring is just around the corner even in the frozen north. I think we had the coldest night of the year last night. It got down to about 12 degrees here. We have daffodils that are almost ready to blossom so I hope they didn't get hurt too bad. I did see some about a mile from here that were in blossom on February 3 which is the earliest I have ever seen here.
It is my understanding that while Teflon tape does a good job of sealing, it does not lubricate as well as pipe dope. We had a plumbing company back in the '70s. On occasion we would take a joint apart that had been put together with Teflon tape and after we got it apart the threads had been damaged. One other problem I had was not the Teflon tapes fault directly but it would not have happened if the mechanic had used pipe dope instead of the tape. I had the engine overhauled on an '85 F-150. After I drove it a few miles the oil pressure fell to zero. By the time I got it to the side of the road the oil pressure came back up. I started to drive again and the pressure fell to zero. There didn't seem to be a pattern to the oil pressure loss so having been a plumber I decided to put a pressure gauge on the side of the engine where the oil pressure transmitter screwed into the side of the engine. When I screwed out the oil pressure transmitter I found the problem. When the mechanic installed the transmitter using Teflon tape he left a little piece loose on the end when he finished wrapping the treads. When he screwed the transmitter into the block that little piece could flop over the orifice blocking the oil flow to the transmitter thus giving a false indication. I went back to the garage that did the work and told them they might want to throw the Teflon tape away and use pipe dope instead. I could tell they weren't too interested in my advice. A couple months later when I went to talk to them about another problem the owner confided in me that he finally threw the Teflon tape away after they tore down an engine for the same problem.
I'm not a crusader on the subject, just sharing my personal experience.
On a different but related subject I had to change the packing on a shower faucet stem last week and couldn't get the felt type packing to hold that I had bought so I tried some string type Teflon packing that I got at Lowe's and I was impressed with how well it worked.
A. Metcalf

 

[horsinaround]

I could not find a 17mm hex bit at the farm/fleet/hardware stores around here so the install is off for now.

If you have to have a 17mm hex, just use a 17mm bolt and put a double nut on it really tight...then use a standard socket and put the bold head in the hex hole... I have done it many many times.

 

[ametcalf]

If you have to have a 17mm hex, just use a 17mm bolt and put a double nut on it really tight...then use a standard socket and put the bold head in the hex hole... I have done it many many times.

I don't know what the metric equivalent of a grade 8 bolt is but you need to use a really tough bolt. I tried horsinaround's suggestion with a regular 17mm bolt and twisted it off. That plug on my BX23 was really in tight. I was afraid I would break the 17mm socket hex wrench I got from HF but thankfully it did hold.
A. Metcalf

 

[von-mil]

If you have to have a 17mm hex, just use a 17mm bolt and put a double nut on it really tight...then use a standard socket and put the bold head in the hex hole... I have done it many many times.

I looked for bolts with a 17mm head and the closest I could find was between 15 and 16mm. Might still work I suppose. Your socket would have to be deep enough to cover both nuts - is that true?

 

[Ductape]

I did the same block heater install on my B3030 last winter. Not alot I can add, but will confirm what others have said. Installation guide was useless, and yes, there are a couple un-needed parts in there. I drained my coolant using the factory drain. Its below the radiator near the left front wheel. From memory, the knob is white in color. I too went to Harbor Freight and bought the whole set of hex sockets to get the 17mm. I had a couple sets, but none that large in metric. The set was cheap enough to not sweat having duplicates of what I already had. I used a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar and the plug came out no problem. Teflon taped the heater and installed it. No need to worry about the orientation. I did zip tie the plug out of the way to keep it from getting into trouble. My coolant was good, so I reused it. Just had to add a couple ounces to top it off. I can't imagine the whole install took an hour.

 

[rziarno]

did you get an answer to the clamp small steel plug question?

 

[avc8130]

Have you guys tried using a spark plug socket backwards with an extension? Most have a hex that fits inside a 17mm pretty well.

http://www.i-bmw.com/gallery/data/1050/medium/IMG_0052.jpg

ac