Is this normal?

[SPYDERLK]

How can you tell if the block heater is working? I had a block heater in my old diesel car and when you plugged it in, it sounded a little like boiling water. With my B3030 tractor I hear nothing. Is that normal?

If there is a place on or very near the block heater where you can place a chip of ice it should melt soon after you plug it in.
larry

 

[LBrown59]

I don't think you're nuts for having a cab, I think I am because I don't!! My wife will confirm that I am nuts-no matter what.

Don't you hate it when your wife is rite?

 

[RobJ]

I let it warm up for about a half hour

I'd only add you are letting it warm up to long. If this just idling or a slight high idle. Give it 5, 10 and the most and start using it. It'll warm up much faster that way...for that cab heat that is!!!

 

[Harry c]

When it's real cold (and -15F qualifies),

jb

Heck man! it was 15 F (not -15) here in Charlotte this morning and to us that qualified as cold too! All I had to do was get out and drive to work. I envy you Northerners' hardiness if not your judgement.

 

[Egon]

It was only -10C here yesterday morning and I had to Plug the Kubota B7100 in for 1/2 an hour to get it to start.

Its a good thing I checked first as I was going out to the farm to clear the access road of snow.

 

[StrangeRanger]

I'd only add you are letting it warm up to long. If this just idling or a slight high idle. Give it 5, 10 and the most and start using it. It'll warm up much faster that way...for that cab heat that is!!!

I always wrestle w/ warm up time too, but according to the manual he's not letting it warm up too long. When it's real cold I think it's better to let it sit longer. The hydraulics and everything work much better than when you don't let her warm up. Even if you "take it easy", that is hard to do b/c when it's -15 F the last thing you want to do is go slow and take your time. Unless you've lived elsewhere, I'm not sure someone from TX can appreciate just how cold -15 is
j

 

[GinNB]

Just thought I'd chime in on the black dots in the snow issue. My Kubotas don't have exhaust flappers, just bent pipes. When parked so that the rain blows in the holes they spit sooty water all over themselves the next time they're started.

 

[RobJ]

I always wrestle w/ warm up time too, but according to the manual he's not letting it warm up too long. When it's real cold I think it's better to let it sit longer. The hydraulics and everything work much better than when you don't let her warm up. Even if you "take it easy", that is hard to do b/c when it's -15 F the last thing you want to do is go slow and take your time. Unless you've lived elsewhere, I'm not sure someone from TX can appreciate just how cold -15 is
j

I can understand on the living in Texas and the -15 temp thing. We were all smiling down here when NY was 93 degrees and they were telling work crews to go home because it was to hot. There ain't no dry heat down here when it gets in the upper 90's and 95% humidity!! But my Dad is from Northern Montana (Kalispell) I've been in some of that cold. Makes good skiing!!

But if you let it warm up for 30 minutes, even at a high idle, but with no load, then go work it for 30 minutes a little, you risk glazing over the cylinders and it will start to wet stack, and you will see black spots in the snow. If you live in that cold at least get a block heater.

My manual says 5-10 minutes, no special things for the cold. Be we've all read that the SUDT oil is mainly for the north and the cold temps. So Kubota has taken into consideration the cold. I would also imagine that letting it idle in -15 weather the engine never does warm up to normal operating temps...even lightly loaded. If I lived up there I would be looking at blocking airflow, oil coolers, etc. I would want my temp gauge to come up as much as possible.

Brrrrr!!

Rob