The air temperature is really going down and my 743 is getting harder to start. I want to put in an engine heater on but I would like some advise on what style to use. Should I use a manufacturer head bolt or use a more conventional tank heater? It the tank heater, what is the recommended placement of the component on a 743? Can I simply put it on the top hose?As always thanks in advance for all of your advise and suggestions.
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skidsteer.ca
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- Jan 20, 2006
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Visit www.zerostart.com and look up the Kubota engine you have and find the part number. Its simple to pop out a frost plug and install the heater right in the block where the heat will do the most good.
Ken
Ken
I really appreciate the advise provided by skidsteer.ca and contacted the manufacturer recommended in his post. The advise of Zerostart was to use a tank heater in place of the head bolt as the installation was much easier and they have had less product failure. They didn't elaborate on the nature of the product failure. They pointed me to one of their tank heaters, but is uses 5/8 hose fittings and I just can't figure out where or how to install on my 743. Normally, I've simply used the heater hose for the tank heater attachment, but my 743 does not have a heater. Any suggestions on how or where I might attach a tank heater? I did see a previous post (and great pictures) where - I believe - someone tapped into the thermostat housing, but I would prefer not to do that unless absolutely necessary. Also, Bobcat actually sells a tank heater for the 743 but the dealer could not tell me how it was installed. Their comment was "buy the unit and it has full instructions on how to install". The Bobcat part is around $130 and after market tank heaters go for around $30. Any suggestions?
My Isuzu diesel has a bypass hose from the thermostat housing to the water pump. Do you have one?
thetool
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- Mar 22, 2008
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He He- I installed a tank heater in a 743 today. If I'da known, I'da taken some photos.....
I had the Bobcat kit, that came with a nipple to replace the drain petcock, a a plastic tee, and some hose clamps and mounting hardware. There was no hose.
Step one: Remove and discard(or use for emergency toilet paper) the kit instructions....=)
Drained the coolant, removed the draincock, and installed the nipple. Mounted the heater about striaght across from the nipple on the left, with one L-bracket. 5/8" heater hose straight across from the nipple to the tank inlet.
Remove the thermostat jumper hose, unless it has a cab heater. If it does, you have to tee into one of the cab heater hoses. Anyway, you need 1/2" hose for the thermostat housing nipples, but 5/8" to connect to the tank outlet.
I used a brass tee, with 3/8" NPT hose barb fittings, two at 1/2" and one at 5/8". You just make a bigger loop that used to be your thermostat housing jumper, and have it tee off with 5/8" to the tank outlet.
The customer bought the kit, I'm sure it could have been had a lot cheaper from NAPA, but I did need the nipple in the kit, I think it's metric pipe thread for the Kubota block?
It was a clean installation with no drilling, the heater is suspended by one L-bracket and two heater hoses.
"TheTool" - thanks so much for the reply along with the great guidance. I stopped my neighbor Bobcat dealer last evening and got a copy of the instructions (aka emergency toilet paper) and I learned more in your post than the 26 pages- no lie - provided in the kit!! You too have answered my question - which I asked the BC dealer many times and they couldn't answer - as to why the kit is provided and not just the heater? The answer, as pointed out in your note, is because of the metric thread on the nipple. Again, thanks for your help and I have the kit on order for delivery next week.
Ahh yes, the good 'ol metric system. You will find the Kubota engines all use metric bolts.
Glad i was brought up in the metric age!
