2ndhalf
Veteran Member
Probably right but I do too much dirt work in tacky soil for turfs.
Worked on the Massey GC today
- Thread starter Rocko
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Probably right but I do too much dirt work in tacky soil for turfs.
First time starting the tractor today using the block heater and silicone pad heater, plugged them in for about 3 hrs, it was 14 degrees. about 30 seconds on the glow plugs, the GC started pretty easy. I let it warm up for awhile, then I brought about 8 or 9 buckets of firewood in.
Glad I did both heaters and switched to synthetic oil.
Glad I did both heaters and switched to synthetic oil.
3 hours may be okay for the block heater. 15 seconds of glow plugs will probably be enough, because it's not really a cold start, with the heater.
However, that silicone pad heater isn't doing much in 3 hours.
It takes a long time to warm that much oil.
I plug mine in a few days before the forecast suggests I'll need it.
If you use your tractor a lot, I would just leave the trans heater plugged in when it's cold.
I can't say for sure on the block heater, I don't have one. But, I believe most people have said 3 hours is enough?
Three days on the Pad heater would probably be the minimum. Mine sometimes runs for a week or more, and parts of the housing are still cold.
I don't know your wattage. But, mine is only 140 watts. That's only enough to keep the oil from getting really cold at those temps.
It's more of an insurance policy, than a work around for the extended warm up periods.
I would still allow a while running at high idle.
cdaigle430
Veteran Member
One time I left it plugged in for 8 hours and it was hoooooot. I think I heard the water boiling-is that a bad thing?
I guess it's possible it's boiling in a very small amount, right at the heater, but the heat is dissipating as you move away from that area.
If you boiled all your coolant, you would build very high pressures, and the radiator cap would let that pressure escape, leaving you low on coolant.
I don't know if it can get too hot. My guess is no. Especially, when it's very cold.
I am sure someone has left theirs plugged in a lot longer than 8 hours. And, there does not seem to be any dire warnings here.
cdaigle430
Veteran Member
Yeah I was worried it might cook something like a gasket. It was just coming from the area of the block heater. Now I just plug it in 1-2 hours before using it just in case.
