Warm up time for M126GX

[My Hoe]

Given that an engine heater (block, in-line or magnetic--to the oil pan) will do NOTHING to help warm the hydro fluid up, has anyone experimented with a magnetic (engine) oil pan heater, but placed somewhere on the HST/pump area, to simultaneously warm the hydro fluid, PRIOR to starting, as we do with the engine heaters?

If not, I'll willing to be the "crash-test dummy," but would like folks' suggestions as to WHERE an electric, magnetic block heater could be placed, to (attempt to) warm up the hydro fluid. (I have a 2012 B3000HSDCC.)

Thanks,

My Hoe

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

That's a good question. Bell Housing?

 

[holeycow]

I put a magnetic heater on a flat transmission cover plate. Mounted it with high temp slicone. Ran the cord up to the block heater cord at the engine and I plug them both in to the same extension cord. I don't know if it does much, if anything for the hydraulic fluid (it might only be 500 watts). It would work well on the engine oilpan. I bought the heater originally for an emergency backup in case i broke my block heater cord plug off in my diesel pickup. It can get so cold that a block heater plug will break off when you are rough plugging it in - and not real rough. Brrrrr.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I don't think "time" is a good way to qualify warm up interval, since the time depends on a number of factors -- including outside temperature, whether you use a block heater, etc.

The easiest and best way is to use the instrumentation that is in front of you. The temperature gauge provides a straightforward indication of the engine operating temperature.

So, in any weather, I monitor the temperature gauge; at modest warm-up RPM you will notice that the engine first heats up, reaches a temporary maximum, and then cools down a bit. This is due to the thermostat opening and allowing the colder water in the radiator to mix with the warmer water in the block. Once the temperature has come back up and the radiator is warm as well, the temperature gauge will level off and the engine is ready to go to work.

The above process works nicely whether it is 75'F or 15'F; of course, it takes longer to get to the "ready" state when it's 15'F outside.

As for the hydraulics, as noted in prior posts, in cold weather engaging the (unconnected) PTO during warm-up will also help heat the hydrostatic transmission fluid. I would not engage the PTO when connected to an attachment since this can present an appreciable load on the cold engine. I have always found that once the engine is warmed up, simply driving the tractor to the work site gets the hydraulic fluid to a reasonable operating temperature.

wrooster

The temperature gauge on my NX6010 doesn't move unless the engine is under load. In fact in 30 degree weather, the engine will go from warm back to cold at idle. As you've suggested, driving helps warm everything up. I just ordered a K-type temperature meter with two sensors so I can accurately monitor both the engine temp and the hydraulic temp.

 

[wrooster]

The temperature gauge on my NX6010 doesn't move unless the engine is under load. In fact in 30 degree weather, the engine will go from warm back to cold at idle. As you've suggested, driving helps warm everything up. I just ordered a K-type temperature meter with two sensors so I can accurately monitor both the engine temp and the hydraulic temp.

I think your thermostat may be stuck open. The indicated engine temperature should not swing around all that much during normal operation (idle, mowing, tilling, digging, etc). Perhaps it runs a little hotter in the summer, but even during the winter the engine should not drop to "cold" because the thermostat should keep the block above a designed temperature. A cold engine is generally less efficient.

wrooster