This winter I bought a magnetic block heater and stuck that on the side of the transmission , I ran both block heaters together on a 12 gage extension cord . The block on the transmission seems to make the hydraulics more responsive sooner. Also at temperatures below -10 I throw a tarp over the front of the tractor .
My late Dad could fix most anything, & if he didn’t have a part, or couldn’t get one, he’d just build one, at least good enough to get by till he could, & sometimes that part was superior to the part ordered, & that part when finally available, was never installed, that extra work & time no longer necessary. He often would leave engineers standing in aw, when he’d figure something out that they couldn’t. It helps, when you can use your imagination like a cad program, & know if something will work or not before attempting it. Big shoes to fill for sure!!! His favorite 2 sayings were; #1 If all else fails, read the instructions. 😉 #2 A job worth doing, is a job worth doing right! 😃
I got an old Meteor blower, I put a spring loaded serpentine tensioner from a late 90's V-8 Dodge, had lying around, replaced pulley with original sprocket. Should've came from the factory this way. Problem solved, automatically adjusts. Good luck. Thanks for sharing 😊
Well I live in the warm south compared to you. We are seeing mid 80'sF here. Here block heaters are not required but it is good to know what to do in the cold. Here we just start the tractors let them warm up and off we go. The maintenance on the equipment is necessary to know and keep up with. You are always good at following the directions and better to err on the side of too much lube. Most of the time it won't hurt. Good to know that the bearings are good.
You are a lucky man to have friends like that. And I notice by your jacket you'll probably be blowing snow again tomorrow morning. That blower sure gets a workout. Keep up the god work.
Hi Gord I heard you say the blower will not run unless you are in the cab. If you lock you brake on the PTO will run without you on the seat. It has a switch on the lock handle that bypasses your seat switch.
So funny, as soon as the video started and I heard that noise, I said out loud, “it’s a loose chain.” I really didn’t “know” that, but it intuitively came to me. Happy that it wasn’t anything worse!
@@GPOutdoors Really enjoy your videos and who you are as a genuine person. Just my rig out blowing snow today. So nice to be in the heated cab and operating such a beautiful piece of equipment. I’m learning a lot by watching your videos. Thanks again, I truly appreciate you!
Great video Gord. Love that stethoscope Guy used to check for bearing noise. Had a customer that didn't believe me when I diagnosed a water pump going out on car when I held a long screw driver to the pump and put my ear on it so I let him listen and he became a believer really quick. Great job Guy you have your ducks in a row for sure. Glad you helped Gord out and kept him from more repairs. He's learning more and more all the time and he's doing a great job with his logging and driveway works. You all stay safe and keep up the fun and good videos. Fred.
Good morning Fred. I will pass your comments along to Guy- I was surprised at the screwdriver stethoscope. LOL! Thanks for the kind comments - I am very fortunate for sure. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Thanks for gong over the temp test on the tractor. One thing is for sure - you can't depend on a dash temp indicator for actual temp measurement, it is only to indicate if it is cold or typical running or over temp. I had a turbo IC engine which runs hotter than naturally aspirated engines, and the temp gauge was great - it would go up as the engine temp went up, say if you were stopped at a light, then the fan came on and you could watch the gauge go down. This bothered a lot of people, probably thinking the engine wasn't operating at proper temp, so they issued a recall, and the new sensor just stood at the same spot during that type of condition. I swapped it back to the original as I liked that more. Anyway, bottom line is you need a temp gauge to really know the temp, not a OEM dashboard indicator.
GP I can’t believe how far your front mounted snow blower can throw the snow. My rear mounted 3pt blower at 540RPM only throw’s probably half the distance. But I’m not complaining since it does a great job just a bit slower. Be safe with all that snow.👍TCT
Great video you’re lucky you have a nice neighbor that helps you out. I do all my repairs by myself but great video. I enjoy watching Tuesday where I live we are getting 26 inches of snow so I will put my tractor to the test she’s all set to go👍
@@GPOutdoors I will it’s always fun plowing snow I’m just like you I live out in the country but I sure love it. I wouldn’t change it for the world thank you. 👍
To date the best heater I’ve seen on a tractor is on my grandfathers Case IH 585. It’s a coolant heater that goes in your rad hose that warms and circulates the fluid. Has the added benefit of giving you heat much quicker to the cab also. I choose not to take his lead on warm up techniques though. Plugs it in for an hour at most on the coldest days, cranks the starter until the battery dies then boosts it. Once it starts, it goes to work. There’s a fair amount of blue and white smoke that comes out of it for a while. The kind of smoke that burns your eyes lol
2 bars...Morning Mark. Maybe when you drop in to your dealer perhaps ask them about it - the mechanic at mine said 3 minimum 4 maximum should be correct for operating temp. Thanks and have a great weekend!
Excellent experiment GP. Using a block heater prior to starting the engine ensures optimum starting performance and shortens the engine running warm up time. In addition, it helps to protect many components along with the engine from premature damage. I noticed that on the LX the exhaust pipe by the loader arm doesn't get all that hot. Have a great day GP!
It’s nice to have someone like Guy to check things out for you! Thanks Guy! Keeping your equipment well maintained is a good thing! I have not had to plug in my block heater once this winter, but I wait until my temperature gauge has started to register before I start working.
I’m living vicariously through you. Haven’t gotten any snow here in south Jersey and I was all pumped to put my new 2610 to work with the snow box. Haha. Love the videos have a great day good sir.
Great video, will done and nice testing, 👍🏻😎 Seems like you just keep getting the snow 🌨️ 😎👍🏻 We had some food 1 and a half day. The it was all gone again 😅😓
I was pleasantly surprised when Guy located your noise problem as a loose blower chain as I thought from your opening that you would eventually find a muskrat lodged somewhere in your snowblower. Very interesting video.
Hey Gord, I've adjusted the chain on my LX2980 at least three times in the three years of ownership. Definitely don't want the chain loose. My impeller housing is bent in the same place from tossing gravel. Regarding the block heater, it is above 25 degrees F, I don't use it. When I do use the block heater, I program it to turn on about 2 hours before I start the tractor. I'll have one bar on the temp guage shortly after starting and like yours, 3 bars is normal operating temp year round. If it goes higher, a clogged radiator screen is most likely the culprit.
Good evening GP, Musket rat make great fur but I would never trap them 😇👌Gentleman we have a camera down 👌😇👍Great up spirits team work GP 👍🤣👌at 7:00, many many year since I see some one doing ( using a screwdriver to listing to vibrations or engine noise ) 👌👍😇 Magnetic Block heater can be use also on the HST transmission it will help. 😇👍👌On my car, ( 350 km Toyota Corolla ) during 4 hrs at -20c is OUTSTANDING and I save gas too 👌👌👍👍😇😇 Cheers 🍻🍻
Just last week I had a rock get wedged in my auger and it bent that metal piece you discussed just enough that the impeller would hit it as it spun. The shear bolt took the brunt of it and all I had to do was bend the sheet metal back with a pipe wrench. Good times.
Gord It is important to get your engine up to temp before putting it under load, but the bigger reason for warmup is to get the hydrostatic transmission and hydraulic fluid up to temp. My Kubota manual stresses this and even has a table of times and temps for warming up the hydrostat/hydraulics. On these small tractors, the engine and hydrostatic transmission are so far apart that a block heater on the engine does nothing to warm the hydrostatic. In cold conditions, I put an electric heater under the hydrostat of both my machines. As well as a heater for the engine. Now, to reveal my Inner Engineer and get all technical, the reason for the warmup is that when cold, the hydraulic fluid gets more viscous (thicker). It cannot flow properly thru the small openings in the hydraulics and develops excessive pressure on one side of the obstruction and low pressure on the other side. I have ruptured some hydraulic lines when trying to use a cold hydraulic system. At our local ski area, when we start the snow cats in the wee hours, the drivers will warmup for up to 30 minutes--snow cats are a mass of hydraulics. So, either put a heater on the hydraulics or check your manual for hydraulic warmup times. Engine block heater alone does not do it. Pete Hutzel
Hey good morning Pete! Some great advice - thanks! There is a chart in the manual for warming up time relative to ambient temperature. I always exceed it. I will take another look and see if there is a second chart specific to the hydraulics. Cheers!
I have a block heater on my 48hp tractor and I also use a magnetic heater on the oil pan. The tractor is always inside a closed up pole building. I usually leave it on 2.5 hours and it starts Great and temperature comes up to 165F at idle in less than 10 minutes.
Great info on the temp readings - the block heater warmed things up a lot quicker than I would have thought! I have mine on a wireless remote outlet and sometimes turn it on and forget about it for hours!
If you have a newer vehicle, there is a thermostatic link in the cord. It won't turn on till -17°C. Most engines work most efficiently at +195°F or ~+90°C. Although up in the Arctic, we would scavenge the water jacket heat off the large Gensets (large 20 cylinder EMDs), to the point that the return was just above +165°F, any lower, and we had to heat the incoming coolant with 750hp/560kW diesel fired boilers. This would prevent cracking of the power packs (cylinders).
As usual another informative video GP. Friends or neighbours like Guy are hard to come by. I usually plug mine in for an hour or two and on those cold days I always cycle the glow plugs a couple of times before starting.
Thanks for another great video. On my bicycles I replace the chains when they stretch .075 of an inch as measured with a chain gauge. This in fact keeps the sprocket teeth from wearing out. Chain is cheaper than sprockets. Same will likely hold true on the snowblower. My LX3310 is stored in a garage at 5c and it also takes a long time 10-15 minutes before I see 1 bar on the temp gauge. I always warm it up to 1 bar before starting to work it.
Great topic Gord.I liked the muskrat intro! Thanks for making the video. I think there might be a snowblower in my future! Our snow totals are breaking records this year! Cheers!
Let me start off by saying I'm from the UP of Michigan, the patron state of shooting everything. Fortunately for Mother Nature, I'm not one of those people. The muskrat that you filmed was very entertaining and cute, but needs to go NOW. They are very destructive in nature. They burrow under the bank to make den and then the den will eventually collapse. Very good episode GP. Truly like the way you methodically attack your issues.
GP I don't know how many hours you have on the snow blower but it might be good to have a spare chain on hand ,you could have Guy look at the chain sprockets in the off season
I live in MN so I feel your pain of dealing with the cold. On my JD 46hp tractor I use a block heater plus JD offers a hydraulic fluid heater. Both heaters are insertion type heaters, so the heat is in the fluid being warmed. I plug both heaters in for an hour or so depending on the temperature. I feel the warm hydraulic fluid really saves on the wear and tear of the hydraulic system. Not sure if Kubota offers a hydraulic oil heater.
How's she goin'? This was an interesting test GP. I think the block heater is good for getting the engine and oil warm before starting. This makes it easier for the oil to circulate and oil the engine quicker and for the starter to have an easier job tunring the engine over. As the engine operates it will come up to temp sooner too. Thanks for sharing.
Morning and thanks Grampie! It certainly makes a big difference. The old B2601 would not start below -20 if I didn't have it plugged in first. Hope you are keeping warm. The sun and warmth is breaking through here more and more now. Cheers!
Of course it was the chain tensioner. Chains will stretch over time which is why a tensioner is there. Maybe twice a season check for any chain slop and adjust the tensioner. Cheers Gord.
Im surprised they run that “cold”. I’d be curious to know what the actual coolant temp is. Had a few diesel pickups where I put in a higher thermostat. Allegedly they are more efficient and the extra heat out of the vents was nice !
I worry as much about the transmission or more. It would be easy to have a nice warm engine, while all those complex hydrostatic parts and seals are cold and stiff. I do not have a block heater. What I do is tarp the machine with a pair of halogen lights under it. You bet one for the trans. Chris
A few weeks back, I had a lug from my front tire catch a hydraulic line for my chute control, snapping off that one coupler & losing 3 quarts of fluid. 😖😖😖😖😖😖😖 what a mess!!! When cold, I plug in my block heater kinda like a battery tender, every time I leave & lock the tractor in the shed when done working, ready for the next time I use it.
Hey good info for folks re: the hydraulic lines. I used to tie wrap mine to the front grill to keep them away from the tires until I got that hose ring installed. Thanks!
Good day BLT! I don't live there so I only plug it in hours before I am going to use it. If below 0 then I usually leave it plugged in for 1-2 hours and them warm it up for a while. Take care!
Diesel engines will run cold at low idle. I bump mine up to 1200 while warming and start working when there's warm air coming out of the heater. No bars showing at the start but like yours, picks up heat pretty quick with a little work.
Hi Gord, I was wondering if you or any of your subscribers use a wireless remote switch to turn on their tractor block heater from a distance or more than 200 feet? If so what wireless remote switch would they ( or you ) recommend?
Very informative Gord...good stuff. I think I run at about 3 bars as well. As you know, I have zero snow-blowing experience, but I am curious about the controls for the blower. Am I right that the loader lift/lower function raises/lowers the blower, the curl/dump rotates the chute and the third function operates the deflector? Just got to thinking about it and realized I had no idea! Cheers!
That's a good question - I don't know . I remember when I was young, my dad would plug the car in at night when he got home and unplug it in the morning.
I was curious about the temp, normally a diesel engine would run at 180 degrees. Given the small size of the engine it would make sense to run it at a lower temperature to get more life out of it
I plug my tractor in for 3 to 4 hours before using it, then when I fire it up I let it idle for 5 min before backing out of the garage, I usually use the loader to move snow for 10 min before I engage the blower or when the temperature gauge is half way. I find at least 3 hours plugged in and the tractor never hesitates or groans while starting up
I put my block heater on for average of hour-and-a-half.. if I'm in a hurry a hour... Two hours if it's really cold... They tell you no more than 2 hours.. I like the block nice and toasty.. isn't going to hurt it none
Gp I noticed a higher set of bolt Holes on the sub frame for the blower mount… can’t you raise the mount and get a better angle? I know you say that’s maxed out but I find it hard to believe a factory kubota blower on its intended machine would have such a horrid scraping angle. It’s seems to look worse and worse every video! Love you videos man
drive bearing for the impeller isn't locked in place it sounds like. engine running temperatures are all about keeping spark going in the ignition chamber at the right time, at the right temperatures. that's why spark plugs and glow plugs have a specific temperature rating on them, if you go 5 degrees hotter or colder, this will result in engine damage from misfiring at the wrong time in the piston cylinders stroke,a most excellent way to turn your motor into scrap metal! block heaters only need 30 minutes to work their magic from 0º-30ºF and one hour for -30ºF and 2 hours and some change for -45ºF. if your temps get down to -30ºF and you have a liquid cooled engine you should install a tank heater instead because most premix liquid coolant is 50%water 50% coolant and doesn't free at temps above -30ºF so you can have an exploded radiator and burst frost plugs, whereas oil won't do that to the engine vs the water in the liquid cooling system will. also in john deere manuals it specifically says to let your machine run idle for 1 minute after turning it on, and one minute before shutting it off as well.
If it doesn't sound right, you have to investigate all things mechanical. Much easier to just plug in the block heater than use a blow torch under the engine block to heat up the oil. Getting a diesel engine to fire up in ultra cold temperatures is for some places a life and death issue.
Even though it broke a bolt, I feared that root/stub caused mischief, and here you go, luckily it just misplaced the chain tensioner, good thing "Guy was in da hood!" 😁 That Fan & Fan housing is starting to have seen better days, speaks to the importance of keeping that layer. And Claude is correct, 50 degrees celcius would normally be a little bit low for a engine, 70-90 being nominal, but if wiser heads at Kubota says 50 is good, I'm bowing out. The old 15 minute myth on the other hand, is outright misinformation. Of course, the amount of coolant matters, but Defa (big on engine heating) says 3hrs is max for most tractors, any more than that is a waste, 15 minutes is barely putting in local warmth. Depends on the element in the heater too, some are capable of a couple of hundred watts, while others, upwards of a 1000 or more, on my Case I have a 800w heater, so I get away with about an hour and a half or so. It's a good thing you leave it on a couple of hours if/when you can, you never know how cold the engine can get throughout after a cold spell, at times they can have a mind of their own, I figure better be safe than sorry.
Good morning and thanks! I appreciate the great info above. This helps. Mine draws about 800 watts so i think I will take your lead and just leave it on for at least an hour to 2 hours, in the cold weather as I have been doing. I assume it does not hurt anything to always use it and I understand from what I have read and been told, that it is not good to start them cold - Thanks again!
Managed to snap that chain on my snowblower a few days ago. Turns out repeatedly sucking fist-sized rocks into your snowblower is bad for it. Who knew?!
Like the video GP and you got very good Mc like Guy .
This winter I bought a magnetic block heater and stuck that on the side of the transmission , I ran both block heaters together on a 12 gage extension cord . The block on the transmission
seems to make the hydraulics more responsive sooner. Also at temperatures below -10 I throw a tarp over the front of the tractor .
Hey Guy!
It never gets old watching people who know stuff,
Nicely done presentation.
I'll pass along to him Jean - Thanks!
@@GPOutdoors
You are welcome
That block heater sure makes a difference. I also think 30 minutes is the ideal time for it be plugged in.
*Keep on tractoring!*
Hey Gordon ! Catfish here ! Your a man on a mission ! You need things to be right , if not , you make them right ! Nice video !
Cheers and thanks Catfish!
Thankfully you got a friend like Guy! Cheers!
He always comes to the rescue Ernest! :)) Have a great week!
My late Dad could fix most anything, & if he didn’t have a part, or couldn’t get one, he’d just build one, at least good enough to get by till he could, & sometimes that part was superior to the part ordered, & that part when finally available, was never installed, that extra work & time no longer necessary. He often would leave engineers standing in aw, when he’d figure something out that they couldn’t.
It helps, when you can use your imagination like a cad program, & know if something will work or not before attempting it.
Big shoes to fill for sure!!!
His favorite 2 sayings were;
#1 If all else fails, read the instructions. 😉
#2 A job worth doing, is a job worth doing right! 😃
It’s nice to have someone who can help figure out what is wrong with your equipment when it makes noise
Thank you for your videos that exude friendship and goodwill.
Cheers good sir!
Easy fix for Neighbor Guy! Also a liberal coat of spray on Open Gear grease will make chain last longer and run easier. Cheers!
Cheers Jim!
“When does it do it?”
“When I run it!”
Lol😂 Classic funny question/answer! Good stuff!
LOL! I couldn't help it...:)) Cheers!
Nice that the knocking wasn't anything substantial. Well done and good deep dive into the temperatures.
Hey thanks Ross. Fortunately it was not the problem you had and big thanks for your advice my friend!
I got an old Meteor blower, I put a spring loaded serpentine tensioner from a late 90's V-8 Dodge, had lying around, replaced pulley with original sprocket. Should've came from the factory this way. Problem solved, automatically adjusts. Good luck. Thanks for sharing 😊
Very informative Gord, thanks for the video. Block heaters make a difference.
Well I live in the warm south compared to you. We are seeing mid 80'sF here. Here block heaters are not required but it is good to know what to do in the cold. Here we just start the tractors let them warm up and off we go. The maintenance on the equipment is necessary to know and keep up with. You are always good at following the directions and better to err on the side of too much lube. Most of the time it won't hurt. Good to know that the bearings are good.
Great info, GP! Loved the “old school” screwdriver stethoscope.
Morning Chad!
Great to have a neighbor like Guy!! Im also lucky to have a friend like him. Stay Hydrated and Have a Safe Day
You too David!
You are a lucky man to have friends like that. And I notice by your jacket you'll probably be blowing snow again tomorrow morning. That blower sure gets a workout. Keep up the god work.
Guy is one great neighbour! That jab about the $40 spray paint 😂. It was great info, thanks for sharing.
LOL! He has a looong memory. And enjoys getting a good rib in at me when he can. Cheers Kevin!
Hi Gord
I heard you say the blower will not run unless you are in the cab. If you lock you brake on the PTO will run without you on the seat. It has a switch on the lock handle that bypasses your seat switch.
Hey good day CB. I will give that at try - thanks!
Good video buddy glad you and Guy found the noise with the blower cheap fix that's good take care have a great week
Cheers Tom!
Good information, GP! Cheers!
So funny, as soon as the video started and I heard that noise, I said out loud, “it’s a loose chain.” I really didn’t “know” that, but it intuitively came to me.
Happy that it wasn’t anything worse!
Too funny and good call. She's all ready for the next snow now. Cheers!
@@GPOutdoors Really enjoy your videos and who you are as a genuine person.
Just my rig out blowing snow today. So nice to be in the heated cab and operating such a beautiful piece of equipment. I’m learning a lot by watching your videos.
Thanks again, I truly appreciate you!
Thanks for the demo my chain is a little loose too so I will tighten it. Will be putting a front loader on soon.
Cheers BR!
Thanks Gord. Great video once again.
Hello Gord,
Great video and nice to have great friend and neighbor to check things out.
Be well
Cheers and thanks Kevin!
Great info, love your videos. And you have great neighbors.
Thanks Bob!
Great video Gord. Love that stethoscope Guy used to check for bearing noise. Had a customer that didn't believe me when I diagnosed a water pump going out on car when I held a long screw driver to the pump and put my ear on it so I let him listen and he became a believer really quick. Great job Guy you have your ducks in a row for sure. Glad you helped Gord out and kept him from more repairs. He's learning more and more all the time and he's doing a great job with his logging and driveway works. You all stay safe and keep up the fun and good videos. Fred.
Good morning Fred. I will pass your comments along to Guy- I was surprised at the screwdriver stethoscope. LOL! Thanks for the kind comments - I am very fortunate for sure. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Thanks for gong over the temp test on the tractor. One thing is for sure - you can't depend on a dash temp indicator for actual temp measurement, it is only to indicate if it is cold or typical running or over temp. I had a turbo IC engine which runs hotter than naturally aspirated engines, and the temp gauge was great - it would go up as the engine temp went up, say if you were stopped at a light, then the fan came on and you could watch the gauge go down. This bothered a lot of people, probably thinking the engine wasn't operating at proper temp, so they issued a recall, and the new sensor just stood at the same spot during that type of condition. I swapped it back to the original as I liked that more. Anyway, bottom line is you need a temp gauge to really know the temp, not a OEM dashboard indicator.
Oddly, informative without bias. ;-)
LOL! Thanks...:)
Love the snowblower! I got a rear mount would not be without it.
I loved the dig about the $40 can of spray paint :) Glad you guys fixed it up quick!
LOL! Yup, he got me good on that one. :)) Cheers Paul!
Thanks Gord.
On My vehicles I used to plug them in for the over night, and I'd have warm air to Defrost the Windows .
LOL
Mike M.
Cheers Mike!
GP I can’t believe how far your front mounted snow blower can throw the snow.
My rear mounted 3pt blower at 540RPM only throw’s probably half the distance.
But I’m not complaining since it does a great job just a bit slower.
Be safe with all that snow.👍TCT
Morning Tony!
Thanks for your data. Now I can compare it to mine.
Well as much use that blowers been getting I see why the chain has stretched alittle! Great video Gord! Cheers buddy!
LOL!
Great video you’re lucky you have a nice neighbor that helps you out. I do all my repairs by myself but great video. I enjoy watching Tuesday where I live we are getting 26 inches of snow so I will put my tractor to the test she’s all set to go👍
Have fun out there Dean!
@@GPOutdoors I will it’s always fun plowing snow I’m just like you I live out in the country but I sure love it. I wouldn’t change it for the world thank you. 👍
Awesome video :) good advice that a lot of people would never know,
Thanks kindly! Stay warm and safe out there off grid!
To date the best heater I’ve seen on a tractor is on my grandfathers Case IH 585. It’s a coolant heater that goes in your rad hose that warms and circulates the fluid. Has the added benefit of giving you heat much quicker to the cab also. I choose not to take his lead on warm up techniques though. Plugs it in for an hour at most on the coldest days, cranks the starter until the battery dies then boosts it. Once it starts, it goes to work. There’s a fair amount of blue and white smoke that comes out of it for a while. The kind of smoke that burns your eyes lol
LOL! Cheers Bulldog!
Interesting conversation about the temperatures of the engine. Most of the time my LX runs at 2 bars, snow blowing gets it up to 3. Cheers GP! 🌴🚜🍻
2 bars...Morning Mark. Maybe when you drop in to your dealer perhaps ask them about it - the mechanic at mine said 3 minimum 4 maximum should be correct for operating temp. Thanks and have a great weekend!
@@GPOutdoors I’ll have to watch mine closer, almost 2’ to deal with tomorrow. And snowblower isn’t fixed!😳. Cheers GP
Excellent experiment GP. Using a block heater prior to starting the engine ensures optimum starting performance and shortens the engine running warm up time. In addition, it helps to protect many components along with the engine from premature damage. I noticed that on the LX the exhaust pipe by the loader arm doesn't get all that hot. Have a great day GP!
It’s nice to have someone like Guy to check things out for you! Thanks Guy! Keeping your equipment well maintained is a good thing! I have not had to plug in my block heater once this winter, but I wait until my temperature gauge has started to register before I start working.
A lot of fixing to it hope it fixed his prob with the blower
Very informative video thanx for sharing
I’m living vicariously through you. Haven’t gotten any snow here in south Jersey and I was all pumped to put my new 2610 to work with the snow box. Haha. Love the videos have a great day good sir.
Its not over yet - hopefully some will come for you soon - Cheers Eric!
Another great video, Gord. Thanks!
Great video, will done and nice testing, 👍🏻😎
Seems like you just keep getting the snow 🌨️ 😎👍🏻
We had some food 1 and a half day. The it was all gone again 😅😓
I was pleasantly surprised when Guy located your noise problem as a loose blower chain as I thought from your opening that you would eventually find a muskrat lodged somewhere in your snowblower. Very interesting video.
Hi Gord ... man it's so good to have good friends... especially if they know stuff 🙃 Another great deduction video... cheers
You bet - I am very fortunate and thankful - have a great week BJ!
Hey Gord, I've adjusted the chain on my LX2980 at least three times in the three years of ownership. Definitely don't want the chain loose. My impeller housing is bent in the same place from tossing gravel. Regarding the block heater, it is above 25 degrees F, I don't use it. When I do use the block heater, I program it to turn on about 2 hours before I start the tractor. I'll have one bar on the temp guage shortly after starting and like yours, 3 bars is normal operating temp year round. If it goes higher, a clogged radiator screen is most likely the culprit.
Hey thanks Mike - very helpful info for me and others. Have a great week out there!
Interesting topic!
Bonjour Joe!
Good evening GP, Musket rat make great fur but I would never trap them 😇👌Gentleman we have a camera down 👌😇👍Great up spirits team work GP 👍🤣👌at 7:00, many many year since I see some one doing ( using a screwdriver to listing to vibrations or engine noise ) 👌👍😇 Magnetic Block heater can be use also on the HST transmission it will help. 😇👍👌On my car, ( 350 km Toyota Corolla ) during 4 hrs at -20c is OUTSTANDING and I save gas too 👌👌👍👍😇😇 Cheers 🍻🍻
Merci Dave!
Just last week I had a rock get wedged in my auger and it bent that metal piece you discussed just enough that the impeller would hit it as it spun. The shear bolt took the brunt of it and all I had to do was bend the sheet metal back with a pipe wrench. Good times.
Gord
It is important to get your engine up to temp before putting it under load, but the bigger reason for warmup is to get the hydrostatic transmission and hydraulic fluid up to temp. My Kubota manual stresses this and even has a table of times and temps for warming up the hydrostat/hydraulics. On these small tractors, the engine and hydrostatic transmission are so far apart that a block heater on the engine does nothing to warm the hydrostatic. In cold conditions, I put an electric heater under the hydrostat of both my machines. As well as a heater for the engine.
Now, to reveal my Inner Engineer and get all technical, the reason for the warmup is that when cold, the hydraulic fluid gets more viscous (thicker). It cannot flow properly thru the small openings in the hydraulics and develops excessive pressure on one side of the obstruction and low pressure on the other side. I have ruptured some hydraulic lines when trying to use a cold hydraulic system.
At our local ski area, when we start the snow cats in the wee hours, the drivers will warmup for up to 30 minutes--snow cats are a mass of hydraulics.
So, either put a heater on the hydraulics or check your manual for hydraulic warmup times. Engine block heater alone does not do it.
Pete Hutzel
Hey good morning Pete! Some great advice - thanks! There is a chart in the manual for warming up time relative to ambient temperature. I always exceed it. I will take another look and see if there is a second chart specific to the hydraulics. Cheers!
cheers
Cheers Ronald!
I have a block heater on my 48hp tractor and I also use a magnetic heater on the oil pan. The tractor is always inside a closed up pole building. I usually leave it on 2.5 hours and it starts Great and temperature comes up to 165F at idle in less than 10 minutes.
Great info on the temp readings - the block heater warmed things up a lot quicker than I would have thought! I have mine on a wireless remote outlet and sometimes turn it on and forget about it for hours!
If you have a newer vehicle, there is a thermostatic link in the cord. It won't turn on till -17°C.
Most engines work most efficiently at +195°F or ~+90°C.
Although up in the Arctic, we would scavenge the water jacket heat off the large Gensets (large 20 cylinder EMDs), to the point that the return was just above +165°F, any lower, and we had to heat the incoming coolant with 750hp/560kW diesel fired boilers. This would prevent cracking of the power packs (cylinders).
As usual another informative video GP. Friends or neighbours like Guy are hard to come by. I usually plug mine in for an hour or two and on those cold days I always cycle the glow plugs a couple of times before starting.
Thanks for another great video. On my bicycles I replace the chains when they stretch .075 of an inch as measured with a chain gauge. This in fact keeps the sprocket teeth from wearing out. Chain is cheaper than sprockets. Same will likely hold true on the snowblower. My LX3310 is stored in a garage at 5c and it also takes a long time 10-15 minutes before I see 1 bar on the temp gauge. I always warm it up to 1 bar before starting to work it.
Great topic Gord.I liked the muskrat intro! Thanks for making the video. I think there might be a snowblower in my future! Our snow totals are breaking records this year! Cheers!
Morning Michael! I didn;t know but hopefully you are getting it cleared ok. Have a good one my friend!
I have used my Milwaukee infrared tool for many things. I am fortunate enough to keep my diesel in a 55F building.
I had that a couple of years ago and it was the drive shaft. I had to replace mine but maybe you just need to lubricate
Thanks!
Let me start off by saying I'm from the UP of Michigan, the patron state of shooting everything. Fortunately for Mother Nature, I'm not one of those people. The muskrat that you filmed was very entertaining and cute, but needs to go NOW. They are very destructive in nature. They burrow under the bank to make den and then the den will eventually collapse.
Very good episode GP. Truly like the way you methodically attack your issues.
Hey good day Chris. Saw the very first one ever this past summer. Hoping they are not moving in around me. Thanks for the good advice. Cheers!
Fine vid.
GP I don't know how many hours you have on the snow blower but it might be good to have a spare chain on hand ,you could have Guy look at the chain sprockets in the off season
Thanks John! I will talk with him. I think I need to do a full once over when I take it off in the coming weeks. Cheers!
I live in MN so I feel your pain of dealing with the cold. On my JD 46hp tractor I use a block heater plus JD offers a hydraulic fluid heater. Both heaters are insertion type heaters, so the heat is in the fluid being warmed. I plug both heaters in for an hour or so depending on the temperature. I feel the warm hydraulic fluid really saves on the wear and tear of the hydraulic system. Not sure if Kubota offers a hydraulic oil heater.
Good morning - that is a good question - I didn't know to ask but I will the next time I drop in to see them - thanks for the good info!
Was the parking break on..? It looked like the parking brake light was on.
Dad was always a hr plugged in. Didn't matter the temp outside. Just the way he did it and no changing his mind haha
Cheers Kev!
How's she goin'? This was an interesting test GP. I think the block heater is good for getting the engine and oil warm before starting. This makes it easier for the oil to circulate and oil the engine quicker and for the starter to have an easier job tunring the engine over. As the engine operates it will come up to temp sooner too. Thanks for sharing.
Morning and thanks Grampie! It certainly makes a big difference. The old B2601 would not start below -20 if I didn't have it plugged in first. Hope you are keeping warm. The sun and warmth is breaking through here more and more now. Cheers!
I was thinking it might be the bearing. I am glad I was wrong
Me too. ;)) Have a good week!
Of course it was the chain tensioner. Chains will stretch over time which is why a tensioner is there. Maybe twice a season check for any chain slop and adjust the tensioner. Cheers Gord.
Im surprised they run that “cold”. I’d be curious to know what the actual coolant temp is.
Had a few diesel pickups where I put in a higher thermostat. Allegedly they are more efficient and the extra heat out of the vents was nice !
I worry as much about the transmission or more. It would be easy to have a nice warm engine, while all those complex hydrostatic parts and seals are cold and stiff.
I do not have a block heater.
What I do is tarp the machine with a pair of halogen lights under it.
You bet one for the trans. Chris
A few weeks back, I had a lug from my front tire catch a hydraulic line for my chute control, snapping off that one coupler & losing 3 quarts of fluid.
😖😖😖😖😖😖😖 what a mess!!!
When cold, I plug in my block heater kinda like a battery tender, every time I leave & lock the tractor in the shed when done working, ready for the next time I use it.
Hey good info for folks re: the hydraulic lines. I used to tie wrap mine to the front grill to keep them away from the tires until I got that hose ring installed. Thanks!
GP: so do you only put the block heater on when you think you might use the tractor or could you have it on a daily timer of say 30 minutes?
Good day BLT! I don't live there so I only plug it in hours before I am going to use it. If below 0 then I usually leave it plugged in for 1-2 hours and them warm it up for a while. Take care!
Chains will stretch. Did you check the manual for proper adjustment?
Where can I buy the jacket you have in this video? I didn't see it on your website.
So what is Guy's labor rate working outside in the cold
Aren't the block heaters designed to be left on all night if need be.
Hey Mikey. I am not sure to be honest. I know my dad used to leave it on the car all night when I was growing up. Cheers!
Diesel engines will run cold at low idle. I bump mine up to 1200 while warming and start working when there's warm air coming out of the heater. No bars showing at the start but like yours, picks up heat pretty quick with a little work.
Hi Gord, I was wondering if you or any of your subscribers use a wireless remote switch to turn on their tractor block heater from a distance or more than 200 feet?
If so what wireless remote switch would they ( or you ) recommend?
Hi Reg. Hopefully someone will see your comment/question. I don't - my outlet is right beside the door so I just open the door and plug in. Cheers!
Very informative Gord...good stuff. I think I run at about 3 bars as well.
As you know, I have zero snow-blowing experience, but I am curious about the controls for the blower. Am I right that the loader lift/lower function raises/lowers the blower, the curl/dump rotates the chute and the third function operates the deflector? Just got to thinking about it and realized I had no idea! Cheers!
LOL! Good morning Chris. Yes - you got it!
Is it harmful to leave a block heater plugged in all the time?
That's a good question - I don't know . I remember when I was young, my dad would plug the car in at night when he got home and unplug it in the morning.
Funny i had exat same thin on my blower couple days Ago new blower prob has about 15-20 hours on
I was curious about the temp, normally a diesel engine would run at 180 degrees. Given the small size of the engine it would make sense to run it at a lower temperature to get more life out of it
I plug my tractor in for 3 to 4 hours before using it, then when I fire it up I let it idle for 5 min before backing out of the garage, I usually use the loader to move snow for 10 min before I engage the blower or when the temperature gauge is half way. I find at least 3 hours plugged in and the tractor never hesitates or groans while starting up
Thanks Chris!
I put my block heater on for average of hour-and-a-half.. if I'm in a hurry a hour... Two hours if it's really cold... They tell you no more than 2 hours.. I like the block nice and toasty.. isn't going to hurt it none
Sounds like a good plan to me. Thanks!
That should be GOOD work in my comment. But God work is good too.
LOL!
Gp I noticed a higher set of bolt
Holes on the sub frame for the blower mount… can’t you raise the mount and get a better angle? I know you say that’s maxed out but I find it hard to believe a factory kubota blower on its intended machine would have such a horrid scraping angle. It’s seems to look worse and worse every video! Love you videos man
Hey Michael. - I saw holes as well but will take a closer look. Thanks!
drive bearing for the impeller isn't locked in place it sounds like. engine running temperatures are all about keeping spark going in the ignition chamber at the right time, at the right temperatures. that's why spark plugs and glow plugs have a specific temperature rating on them, if you go 5 degrees hotter or colder, this will result in engine damage from misfiring at the wrong time in the piston cylinders stroke,a most excellent way to turn your motor into scrap metal!
block heaters only need 30 minutes to work their magic from 0º-30ºF and one hour for -30ºF and 2 hours and some change for -45ºF.
if your temps get down to -30ºF and you have a liquid cooled engine you should install a tank heater instead because most premix liquid coolant is 50%water 50% coolant and doesn't free at temps above -30ºF so you can have an exploded radiator and burst frost plugs, whereas oil won't do that to the engine vs the water in the liquid cooling system will.
also in john deere manuals it specifically says to let your machine run idle for 1 minute after turning it on, and one minute before shutting it off as well.
If it doesn't sound right, you have to investigate all things mechanical. Much easier to just plug in the block heater than use a blow torch under the engine block to heat up the oil. Getting a diesel engine to fire up in ultra cold temperatures is for some places a life and death issue.
Can you ask him if there’s such a thing as too long please and thank you.
Even though it broke a bolt, I feared that root/stub caused mischief, and here you go, luckily it just misplaced the chain tensioner, good thing "Guy was in da hood!" 😁
That Fan & Fan housing is starting to have seen better days, speaks to the importance of keeping that layer.
And Claude is correct, 50 degrees celcius would normally be a little bit low for a engine, 70-90 being nominal, but if wiser heads at Kubota says 50 is good, I'm bowing out.
The old 15 minute myth on the other hand, is outright misinformation.
Of course, the amount of coolant matters, but Defa (big on engine heating) says 3hrs is max for most tractors, any more than that is a waste, 15 minutes is barely putting in local warmth.
Depends on the element in the heater too, some are capable of a couple of hundred watts, while others, upwards of a 1000 or more, on my Case I have a 800w heater, so I get away with about an hour and a half or so.
It's a good thing you leave it on a couple of hours if/when you can, you never know how cold the engine can get throughout after a cold spell, at times they can have a mind of their own, I figure better be safe than sorry.
Good morning and thanks! I appreciate the great info above. This helps. Mine draws about 800 watts so i think I will take your lead and just leave it on for at least an hour to 2 hours, in the cold weather as I have been doing. I assume it does not hurt anything to always use it and I understand from what I have read and been told, that it is not good to start them cold - Thanks again!
They actually should have a little bit of slack in them.
Managed to snap that chain on my snowblower a few days ago. Turns out repeatedly sucking fist-sized rocks into your snowblower is bad for it. Who knew?!
LOL!
Guy works with bare hands ,gp watches with gloves ….. come on gp toughen up Lol.
LOL C2!! Hey, I don't want to get dirty...:)) Have a good one!
🚜❄️☃️👍👏 Rick
How do you know ? Experience son . Lol.
I was always told, never weld or solder on youtube. Now, I can’t record my tractor. Sheesh. 😊
Muskrat?
Yes sir....I started seeing him just this summer.
@@GPOutdoors took a wild guess lol
Gord you are taking this snow removal to serious. I say go back to the city and wait for spring.
LOL! have a great week Gary!