New to forum / new 753 owner

[Creek Jenkins]

Hello, just joined today, but I have to say I used this site when I was researching on what skid steer to buy. There is a ton of knowledge and experience here, that is certainly an understatement. I was dealing on a 1986 643 but somehow ended up buying a 2002 753 with a heated cab and aux hyd. It has 430 hours and was owned by a homeowner who evidently didn't use it much or very hard. Just have a bucket for now, hope to get a trencher hoe, rock bucket, forks and maybe a snowblower someday. Mostly will use it for cleaning the barn, hauling dirt, clearing brush etc. I bought it thru a dealer, but unfortunately forgot to ask about an owners/service manual and he is quite a ways a way from our little corner of Heaven here in northern MN. So I'll have to order one or ebay it I imagine. When I was looking at it, I asked about the aux ports and why there was three - sales guy wasn't sure, thought the 3rd was for if you had the electric harness option (it doesn't) the 3rd line goes to the electric block. I looked at a few over the last few months and talked to people that have Bobcats and no one seemed to know for sure what the 3rd port was for - is the sales guy right? Also, anyone have experience with starting the Kubota in -10 to -40F temps? Do they start okay with just an oil pan heater or should I look at putting in a frost plug heater? I will always keep it inside, but my shop is unheated so it gets pretty chilly in thar. cheers, Creek

 

[Bobcatdan]

The 3rd port is for attachments that have a case drain. Some continous flow attachments have a case drain on the motor for cooling. An example would be an aspalt planner. As for starting. Those normally in cold climates have a blockheader installed in the end of the head by the air cleaner. What do you mean by oil pan heater, one from a part store that just slaps on the outside? Anyway, for the most part as long as it has a good battery, it should start just fine. The engine has glow plugs and will automaticly countdown when cold. That cold I would let them go two or three times before starting. I tell a lot of guys to put the block heater on a timer. Leaving them plugged in all the time will burn the heater out.

 

[Creek Jenkins]

The 3rd port is for attachments that have a case drain. Some continous flow attachments have a case drain on the motor for cooling. An example would be an aspalt planner. As for starting. Those normally in cold climates have a blockheader installed in the end of the head by the air cleaner. What do you mean by oil pan heater, one from a part store that just slaps on the outside? Anyway, for the most part as long as it has a good battery, it should start just fine. The engine has glow plugs and will automaticly countdown when cold. That cold I would let them go two or three times before starting. I tell a lot of guys to put the block heater on a timer. Leaving them plugged in all the time will burn the heater out.

Thanks for the info Dan, I'll have to get a manual and figure out which port is which. Maybe someday I'll have a snowblower, they might need a case drain for the motor.
I don't see a block heater on it, which is a bit odd for a machine from around here. Might look at putting one in, until then I can prob use the magnetic oil pan heater, I use it on my big tractor sometimes when its really cold. If you heat the oil up, the engine turns over a lot faster and oil moves out to all the parts quicker as well.
Battery is in pretty good shape, I'll take your advice about letting it countdown two or three times when it is really cold as well.
I never leave a block heater plugged in - at 14+ cents per kWhr around here I will drag my carcass out to the shop and plug it in a coupla hours ahead of when I have to leave.
cheers,
Creek

 

[Bobcatdan]

Thanks for the info Dan, I'll have to get a manual and figure out which port is which. Maybe someday I'll have a snowblower, they might need a case drain for the motor.
I don't see a block heater on it, which is a bit odd for a machine from around here. Might look at putting one in, until then I can prob use the magnetic oil pan heater, I use it on my big tractor sometimes when its really cold. If you heat the oil up, the engine turns over a lot faster and oil moves out to all the parts quicker as well.
Battery is in pretty good shape, I'll take your advice about letting it countdown two or three times when it is really cold as well.
I never leave a block heater plugged in - at 14+ cents per kWhr around here I will drag my carcass out to the shop and plug it in a coupla hours ahead of when I have to leave.
cheers,
Creek

My two cents on a snowblower, buy a bobcat one, they really are not anymore expensive then an aftermarket of the same quailty. Being a G series, your machine is factory ready for the 7 pin electric connection for attachments like that. Just buy the cable, plug it in back by the battery and a few zip ties.

 

[reaperman]

Thanks for the info Dan, I'll have to get a manual and figure out which port is which. Maybe someday I'll have a snowblower, they might need a case drain for the motor.
I don't see a block heater on it, which is a bit odd for a machine from around here. Might look at putting one in, until then I can prob use the magnetic oil pan heater, I use it on my big tractor sometimes when its really cold. If you heat the oil up, the engine turns over a lot faster and oil moves out to all the parts quicker as well.
Battery is in pretty good shape, I'll take your advice about letting it countdown two or three times when it is really cold as well.
I never leave a block heater plugged in - at 14+ cents per kWhr around here I will drag my carcass out to the shop and plug it in a coupla hours ahead of when I have to leave.
cheers,
Creek

I have the identical machine as you. And I'm also a Minnesota boy like yourself. I bought mine used with 600 hours about 6 months ago. Mine did come with a block heater which I would recommend. I was surprised how warm it heats the whole engine up. I use mine on a timer which can be had from a department store for cheap. One thing to always keep on hand is a spare fuel filter in the winter. We run our bobcats at work in the winter plowing snow etc. And with any fuel issues we automatically throw on a new filter. It seems like once the machine starts missing, or losing power, the symptoms wont go away unless the filter is changed. I just hope winter is slow getting here. Way to many things to do before the snow flies. Good luck