743 diesel engine block coolant drain valve leaking

[843 skidsteer]

I have a 1988 743 diesel 3300 hrs bought in July of this year have two questions: I have a drip at the engine block drain valve read on a post how to fix it with a ball valve can't find the post now. 2) my machine has a heater in the lower radiator hose should I keep it plugged in or wait until the night before I plan on using it ? I live in central Illinois it is stored in a heated garage for now. This is a great site, thanks for your help. 843 skldsteer

 

[buckwill]

leaving the heater plugged in is certainly easier on yr bobcat but harder on your electric bill, if your heated garage is heated all the time anyway, leave that sucker in there anyway, it wont add any more load to your elec bill, but on the days when its not convenient to put it inside, plug the block heater on the night before or when u get prepared mebbe when u wake, plug the extension cord in from the comfort of your heated garage, just my 2C$, have fun, let us know, im from tenn so i know bout those COLD winter nights, BRRRRR, i movwed to high desert calif because of that poisonous white stuff that fall outda sky, buck

 

[buckwill]

oh sorry, i forgot about the first part of your question on the leaking drain valve, if it is leaking, it has already failed, id suggest replacing it, i also really suggest u replace it with a quarter turn valve, its probably going to be 1/8 , mebbe 1/4 inch npt, if your close to a metal scrapper they usually have industrial piping, ask for a stainless in whatever they have, the quarter turns almost never wear out and atr discarded like so much toilet paper, id suggest jamesbury or hills mckana or failing finding one in scrapyard( i am a junkyard dog) buy one from home depot in brass, not very expensive at all compared to a fraction of the cost of a cooked engine, you can find these valves in grainger or even ebay buck, have fuun let us know

 

[jsenicka]

oh sorry, i forgot about the first part of your question on the leaking drain valve, if it is leaking, it has already failed, id suggest replacing it, i also really suggest u replace it with a quarter turn valve, its probably going to be 1/8 , mebbe 1/4 inch npt, if your close to a metal scrapper they usually have industrial piping, ask for a stainless in whatever they have, the quarter turns almost never wear out and atr discarded like so much toilet paper, id suggest jamesbury or hills mckana or failing finding one in scrapyard( i am a junkyard dog) buy one from home depot in brass, not very expensive at all compared to a fraction of the cost of a cooked engine, you can find these valves in grainger or even ebay buck, have fuun let us know

Unless it has an NPT adapter, it is Kubota, which uses BSP. British standard stuff. Same as oil pressure and temp senders. (Different size but still weird thread)