Snow BX hydraulic oil heater?

[Mathias NY]

I have a Kubota BX2350 that I plan to use for snow removal this winter. If I follow the owners manual, in cold weather I will need to let the tractor warm up for over 10 minutes before I use it.

So my question is: has anyone ever used a block heater to warm the oil so that it can be used sooner? I didn't see it as an option in the owners manual, but have seen it on other tractors.

Thanks for looking, I look forward to your suggestions.

 

[KennyV]

I have a Kubota BX2350 that I plan to use for snow removal this winter. If I follow the owners manual, in cold weather I will need to let the tractor warm up for over 10 minutes before I use it.

So my question is: has anyone ever used a block heater to warm the oil so that it can be used sooner?

...

A block heater will warm the Engine oil... but your thread title is about hydraulic oil...
There is no more efficient method, than running the engine, for heating the hydraulic oil...

If you are actually concerned with the Hydraulic oil, during cold start up... save $$ and time by switching to an actual synthetic hydraulic oil... a synthetic engine oil is also going to be much better at cold start up... KennyV

 

[radioman]

I am only 15 mins west of you and I have a BX24- for 4 years, I never had a problem with warming up the hydraulics oil. I just let it warm up at idle for a min and then go thru motions on FEL and it seems to warm everything up in winter and I can start plowing. No block, engine heaters in a cold garage.

 

[Stargazer]

I agree have bx23 at -10F just start have block heater but havn't used wait till shaking stops/black smoke and go prob apx min. just use rear blade FEL for bank at end of drive if they beat me out (haha) so not hard cold use.

PR

 

[bp fick]

They have these mat kind of heating pads that one "glues", I guess, to the transmission housing and supposedly, they work well. My inclination is to pass on gooping up the housing of my tractor with such a gizmo.

 

[Mathias NY]

Thanks for the replies. I've owned the tractor for a little over a year and have noticed that the transmission is a little sluggish in colder weather until it warms up. The owners manual says I need to let it warm up 5-10 minutes if temperatures are below freezing in order to avoid cavitation on the hydraulic pump. From the sounds of it though, this probably won't be an issue.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ive added a 250 watt glue on heater i got from Wolverine heaters out of Wash state. It works great. Have it attached to the HST housing on my tractor to prewarm tranny and hydraulic system. Also have a 125 watt on the oil pan and another 250 watt one on the 3 point hitch 25 gallon oil reservoir on back (for snowblower). It get real cold here, and i want to give the tractor as much cold start protection as i can. It wont hurt, and i have it on a timer for a total of 3 hours a day whenever its below 20F. Only costs a little over $3.00 per month to operate all of them. Cheep insurance if you ask me.

 

[leonz]

I have a Kubota BX2350 that I plan to use for snow removal this winter. If I follow the owners manual, in cold weather I will need to let the tractor warm up for over 10 minutes before I use it.

So my question is: has anyone ever used a block heater to warm the oil so that it can be used sooner? I didn't see it as an option in the owners manual, but have seen it on other tractors.

Thanks for looking, I look forward to your suggestions.

The fastest full machine warm up would be a small kerosene heater/salamander space heater. Even the smallest unit pointed at the
BX2350 will heat the transmisssion and engine quickly.

I use my heater for all my machinery and firewood processor.

The BX2350 will absorb heat just as quickly as it cools off so it is win win
and you do not use that much kerosene.

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

I use both a block heater and a electric battery warming blanket on my bx2350 during the winter months and I still let it warm up for around fifteen to twenty minutes before I use it just to warm up the hst, but then again the winters here in Manitoba are somewhat cooler than where you are at. At -35 or -40f oil needs all the help it can get.

David

 

[boggen]

hhhmmsss. there are multi things.

you have engine oil, then you have hyd oil. hyd (hydrualic) oil being what flows through pipes / hoses to cylinders that work the FEL (front end loader), 3pt hitch, or attachments hooked up to 3pt hitch that run off of the hyd lines.

there are multi ways to warm up the engine. so it is easier to start.
block heaters / core heater. installs directly into the engine fairly cheap compared to other heaters. it warms up the water/antifreeze and since warm rises, cold falls (convection) water/antrifreeze circulates around your engine block and radiator.

there are other forms of heaters that fit in between engine block and radiator. but tend to see these heaters as after market setups that have engines that do not accept a block heater.

you also have oil pan heaters.

above are all (engine warmers) to make it easier to start your tractor, truck, car, etc... they do not directly warm up "hyd oil"

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some companies make a glue on type of deal for "transmissions" to help warm them up.

i would imagine there is some form of hyd oil heater as well out there.

but to be honest. on smaller size tractors. the OIL capacity (engine oil to hyd oil) is small compared to commercial / industrial size equipment. other words a few gallons compared to 30 plus gallons of oil. more oil = more likely someone will want to keep what ever oil warmer. so there is a smaller warming up time.

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for the 555c TLB, personally, just use a block heater, and will most likely add a "battery blanket" to the battery as well. due to temps get well below -5 F here in winter. and once tractor gets started. then it warms up 5 to 10 minutes, then i start operating the hydraulics. (raise and lower FEL arms, uncurl/curl bucket, and same like thing for backhoe and out riggers for backhoe) i do not work the FEL or backhoe. but simply raise and lower. to let the cold hyd oil in the cylinders get a chance to warm up. i hyd cycling a few times.

then put it in gear, and give half throttle and never really push tractor for another 5 to 20 minutes. i operate it, (drive it to were ever, push a little snow) but i do not push it hard. till things have had a chance to get warmed up more.

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for allis chalmers CA, 20HP tractor only holds a couple gallons of hyd oil compared to 22 gallons the 555c TLB holds. i get it running, and let it set for 5 to 10 minutes. take it easy first 5 to 10 minutes to let transmission to warm up some along with letting engine warm some as well. then put peddle to the metal.