Engine Heater Recommendations

Hi, all.

I've read as many threads as I can find regarding engine heaters for winter starts. I've read the suggestions about mag heaters, lower radiator hose heaters, heat lamps, keeping battery warm, the doubtfulness of freeze plug heaters, engine oil weight for winter use, clean/tight/bright, etc.

So, here are a few questions:

1) What's the size of the 8N lower radiator hose for Kat's or ZeroStart lower radiator hose heaters? Somewhere I read 1 3/8" but want to make sure. Sounds like this is the best all-around solution.

2) Do dip stick heaters do any good? If so, are there specific manufacturer recommendations? Every one I've looked at online is specific to a particular car model.

3) Someone on this board talked about 3-point/transmission heater. Is that something different from a magnetic heater? Is there any advantage to tranny heating, aside from longer waits for engine heat to make it back there to warm up the 90 wt?

4) Regarding transmission/clutch pedal in winter: Is it better to chock the wheels and leave the tractor in neutral rather than have to take it out of gear to start?

Thanks.

I have a Kat's magnetic heater, it attaches to the oil pan, keep the oil warm,
Engine starts up, you just un clip or pull it off the oil pan, hang it up and you are good to go,

You need that oil warm so the motor will turn over,

Check out Kat's magnetic block heaters on line

No additional water line plumbing or cords hanging off the motor to get tangled,

Give them a look see,

You Do not want to go cheap on this device, buy something that catches on fire and burns your tractor and barn down,

Ironically, the Katz Magnetic you recommend seems to be the one most often involved in meltdowns, if we are to believe the net. They also don't seem to be nearly as effective as as traditional block heaters that heat the coolant.

I do like the Katz lower hose heater, No need to leave it in all night, I just plug it in for an hour or so which does the trick, makes it easy to keep an eye on.

Kats lower radiator hose. In my opinion magnetic is a pain in the butt. I plug mine in when -20 for 45 minutes and fires right up. Start with clutch pushed in. I use 80-90 oil in hydraulic system and do not mess with a heater. Just start plowing and you time the raising of the blade until oil warms up. No issue in WI.

I used to use dipstick heaters on my VW beetles. It
seemed to do a pretty good job of scorching the oil
right around the heater but it made me feel better so
I did it in frigid weather. I'm not sure why. If they
wouldn't have started I could have hitched a ride
with someone who has HEAT in their car. Stupid
Germans and their reliable vehicles.

I'd put one in the radiator hose. In all reality, when it
has been zeroish I have just put a drop light on the
manifold and it starts up.

KY,
I only recommended this type heater (Kat's magnetic heater #1160) $60, as it got 4.5 out of 5 points from customers on the site I checked,

I looked for statements about melt downs, but did not find any

Please give me the site you looked at, as i do not want to use this thing and burn up my tractor

Just looked like a good easy way to warm the engine for someone like me, who uses the tractor only a few times in the winter,

I'm suprised the magnetic one gets such high ratings. Most of the the posters I have read feel the element just doesn't fit well enough against the rough and irregular castings on an n-series to to an effective job. a more modern application with a flat steel sump might be a different matter. But if you are only going to be using it a few times a year, it may be enough.

Couldn't find the reports about fires I recalled having read a few years ago, but I found this picture in my files:

(quoted from post at 12:41:08 09/19/16) KY,
I only recommended this type heater (Kat's magnetic heater #1160) $60, as it got 4.5 out of 5 points from customers on the site I checked,

I looked for statements about melt downs, but did not find any

Please give me the site you looked at, as i do not want to use this thing and burn up my tractor

Just looked like a good easy way to warm the engine for someone like me, who uses the tractor only a few times in the winter,

Click to expand...

(quoted from post at 16:36:12 09/19/16) I'm suprised the magnetic one gets such high ratings. Most of the the posters I have read feel the element just doesn't fit well enough against the rough and irregular castings on an n-series to to an effective job. a more modern application with a flat steel sump might be a different matter. But if you are only going to be using it a few times a year, it may be enough.

Couldn't find the reports about fires I recalled having read a few years ago, but I found this picture in my files:

(quoted from post at 12:41:08 09/19/16) KY,
I only recommended this type heater (Kat's magnetic heater #1160) $60, as it got 4.5 out of 5 points from customers on the site I checked,

I looked for statements about melt downs, but did not find any

Please give me the site you looked at, as i do not want to use this thing and burn up my tractor

Just looked like a good easy way to warm the engine for someone like me, who uses the tractor only a few times in the winter,

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

b:6f8b1702f0][i:6f8b1702f0]

UHG!!!!! I thought I had seen the last of that mag heater!! :twisted:
Lasted for two winters and worked OK, but that is what happens to them, when they get hit with winter power-surges.

I lucked out with that one.....it was hooked up to the block of my 2N.....but did not catch fire due to the block, Not having any spilled fuel on it and was clean of any oil leaks.

I don't use those heaters anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Especially, that one


Gary
GB in MT.[/i:6f8b1702f0][/b:6f8b1702f0] :lol: :wink: :roll:

:lol: @ the 4 inch power cord. i had a jigsaw like that. it was a relief when it finally let the smoke out.

I don't understand people not liking freeze plug heaters. That's all I use. And we get temps here that get a little chilly at -30F. From my experience with tank heaters and lower hose heaters they don't work as well as the freeze plug heaters.

With the hose heaters some of the heat is transferred to the radiator plus the heat loss through the hose.

Tank heaters have heat loss through the hoses too.

On my main snow moving tractor, 8' 2 stage blower on a Farmall 1206, 112 PTO HP diesel, 361 cubic inches, at -20F about 2 hours and it fires right up, took about 4 hours with a tank heaters. On the Ford N's I use a tarp and a forced air diesel heater. About 20 minuets and they whole tractor is warm, trans mission and all! But I seldom do that, the 1206 has a cab and heater! I don't need to get cold!

If it gets bad enough that I need to push snow or move it with a loader I fire up either the D4 Cat or the TLB with shuttle shift and a 1 1/4 yard bucket! Much more efficient than an 8N!

Rick