block heater kx57-4 / How Cold

[kchansen]

Anyone install a block heater on kx57-4? I want to install and curious where it goes. Secondly this is my first excavator, which I bought used. Curious what the practical temperature is for operation? I'm thinking 20. I live in Palmer AK. Tks, Ken BTW I am flushing the hydraulics with napa AWS 32 . Any tips on flushing the fluid from teh rams, lines, pumps? Thank you, Ken

 

[4570Man]

My KX-040 will start fine at 20f without the block heater. My machine doesn’t have one and for no more cold work than I do I’m not going to bother adding it.

 

[JWR]

I have no input on the hydraulic fluids in extreme cold. I always recommend in-line coolant heaters for extreme cold operation because they warm the entire powerplant (and most things bolted to it.) Really more effective. The same type I bought from Sears Roebuck in 1979 are still available. They 'pump' warmed coolant through the system in a pulsed manner with a small amount of liquid heated and then passed on. This gradually warms the block, the heads, injection pump, intake, etc. The only drawback is you need lower hose space and access which may not be feasible in some vehicles. Certainly 'block heaters' work (and are out there in large numbers) and will probably work for you if you can't fit an in-line coolant type. They do not circulate the warmed coolant (and are thus inherently less effective) but better than nothing. Surely a dealer (esp. in Alaska) would be able to match a block plug style heater to your rig.

 

[Ken45101]

Interesting, I looked at my KX-121 manual and it only has generalities such as "cold conditions", LOL. It does spec different oils for winter and summer but no actual temperature specs.

My 121 is the easiest cold starting engine I have. My only difficult starting unit is my Deere skid steer and I do have a heater on it. But the Kubota equipment starts well at any temps I want, but then I don't want to be out here in anything below 10 or 15 F.

My 121 manual does warn to let the unit idle for ten minutes to warm up under "cold" condition, again undefined.

There is a warning to clean mud off of the undercarriage and tracks before it freezes and to park it on planks or some thing to avoid the tracks freezing to the ground. Also wipe water and mud off of the cylinder rods before it freezes and damages the seals.

 

[Seven Gables]

I’m quite certain you’re kubota engine (v2607) has a threaded water jacket plug in the side of block, probably Allen head. The correct threaded block heater should be readily available any auto parts store

 

[4570Man]

Interesting, I looked at my KX-121 manual and it only has generalities such as "cold conditions", LOL. It does spec different oils for winter and summer but no actual temperature specs.

My 121 is the easiest cold starting engine I have. My only difficult starting unit is my Deere skid steer and I do have a heater on it. But the Kubota equipment starts well at any temps I want, but then I don't want to be out here in anything below 10 or 15 F.

My 121 manual does warn to let the unit idle for ten minutes to warm up under "cold" condition, again undefined.

There is a warning to clean mud off of the undercarriage and tracks before it freezes and to park it on planks or some thing to avoid the tracks freezing to the ground. Also wipe water and mud off of the cylinder rods before it freezes and damages the seals.

I’ve never had problems with the tracks getting stuck to the ground. You can use the boom to lift them free but dirt in the tracks will definitely freeze them up.

 

[Cycledude]

My opinion block heater is a better choice, it heats the liquid inside the block so it’s more efficient than those old fashioned pump type heaters that heat the liquid in the hoses that’s just wasted energy.

 

[JWR]

My opinion block heater is a better choice, it heats the liquid inside the block so it’s more efficient than those old fashioned pump type heaters that heat the liquid in the hoses that’s just wasted energy.

Valid opinion of course. But I disagree. The block heater heats the liquid ONLY LOCALLY near the plug (plus whatever luck you get with some convection within the block.) There is nothing 'old fashioned' about an in line coolant heater. Block heaters were probably around long before in-line coolant heaters and are thus 'older fashioned' not that that matters anyway. What matters is effectiveness. The 'pump type' (if you mean in-line coolant heaters normally installed in the lower radiator hose) are more effective because they pulse squirts of hot coolant into the cooling system stream using a check valve and keep doing that in bursts, thus pumping warmer and warmer coolant throughout the entire cooling system and water jacket of the block. It is not true, very misleading, to picture in-line coolant heaters as "heating liquid in the hoses" and just wasting energy. The coolant is pumped and keeps moving, NOT staying in the hoses. That is why they are superior.