Engine Block Heater

[cityofc]

Has anyone ever had any luck with an engine block heater for the Cub? I was thinking about getting a magnetic block heater. I'd rather stay away from ether. My Cub starts doesn't start at all in the real cold weather. Despite trying to get the tractor ready for the blizzard yesterday, the Cub wouldn't start this morning. I have a battery maintainer and checked the battery water levels to make sure it had plenty of charge, and filled the Cub up with gas. With snow drifts up to about 4 feet, it is a good thing I at least had a snowblower to do the driveway, even though I had to hand shovel through the drifts. It would have been so much easier with the tractor.

[WKPoor]

My Cub (before I tore it down ) used to start in any temp very easy. Even in 0degree weather. I believe Cubs in general are good starters. You need to find out why its hard to start.

[Eugene]

I have used magnetic block heaters on trucks. They work best if you can leave them plugged in overnight. - Other wise they take hours to warm up the block enough to start. They work - don't know what else to say about them.

[John Niekamp]

Cityofc,

I agree with what WK stated about finding out what may be the reason your cub is hard starting. Other than the obvious, a well truned engine, with good compression and the correct weight oil. I would also ADD how about a dragging starter motor

The reason I say this. Once several years ago I had a Chevrolet truck with a 454 big block and the engine started real easy when it was warn, BUT when the temp got to 30 degress or below it simply would not start.

With an engine block heater and a pumping style coolant heater in the heater hose line, stupid thing still wouldn't start. I even went as far as to keep a trickel charger on the battery at night.

After a couple of winters I decided, just taking off the starter and look at that. BINGO, the brushes were al the end of their life and there was oil-ish residue and debris in the whole motor assembley. I cleaned the the whole thing out and turned down the communitator and installed new brushes and and bushings. I never had that hard starting problem ever again.

Did miss that instant heat, with having the block and coolant heaters running,

Just a thought and could be worth looking in to. I know that I DESPISE a hard starting engine no matter what time of year it might be.

Good luck,

John Niekamp

PS: I might also add, this is a lot of reason, why people go and install a 12 volt battery on their 6 volt tractors and trucks. (usually caused by weak compression) They have worked for years on 6 volts and usually there is something else wrong with the engine itself and need that faster spinning over to get em running. I myself am not a big fan of doing this, I would rather look into the problem itself. But that's just me.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Never used one on a cub, bu have on other engines. Work best if you drape something over the engine to decrease the heat disipation. Don't get whatever you put over it too close to the heater.

[Carm]

We use the heaters on the aircraft all the time, they work well. We have a rig that is one of those small ceramic type safety heaters rigged up with some dryer vent that you can set under the motor and like John said cover it with a blanket. Turn it on, get a coffee and in a short while the motor has a little heat in it. Makes it easier to start.

[cityofc]

I had the starter rebuilt this summer. I'm thinking about changing the ignition coil as well. I took the carburetor apart last week and cleaned it since I was having the problem. Once I cleaned it, it started fine. I going to investigate the choke next. I'll check a few things before I go the heater route. If other Cubs start fine in the cold, then there is no reason mine shouldn't either. Thanks for all the tips.

[Scott]

I have a block heater on the 444 and that is the only way it would start

[John Niekamp]

Cityofc,

Well sounds like that thows my idea out the window, then don't it? Like you said, maybe changing the coil might do the trick, just not enough hot spark getting to the plugs.

I agree that the block heater will do the trick, but sure hate to think of the idea of having to plug it in over night or longer to keep to get the block warm enough to make her start. I guess I have never thought of using a blanket too, makes good sense however. I did notice with my big block, it was a whole lot better if I plugged the heaters in while the engine was still hot.

Let me know if the new coil helps any, I haven't started mine in several months, makes me wonder if I'll have to do the same thing next year myself. I have always heard where these little guys were decent cold weather starters.

Hey if all esle fails, might be an excuse to keep the ole garage heated, lol

John

[cityofc]

I just wanted to let everyone know that purchased a Kats 180 Watt Magnetic Engine Block Heater for about $25 from a local auto parts store. I plugged it in and left it plugged in for 12 hours attached to the bottom of the oil pan in preparation for a small snowstorm we just had today in Connecticut (3 inches). The Cub started with no problem despite temperatures at 15 degrees. Huge difference. It cranked for no more than 5-6 seconds before it started. I still need to look at some things to fix, but at least I finally got to use the tractor to plow my driveway. Too bad I couldn't use it during the blizzard. I'll be ready now, bring it on!

[John Niekamp]

Hay, Cityofc

That's all that matters ain't it? what ever works out and ya get the best end results. Glad to know that this is ALWAYS an option.......Anything beats a shovel, right

[63cub]

I cant say much about my cub but she would start on the coldest day it aint been runnin but about a month and she has started every time while its been cold an on them hot days she will start without the moter hardly turnin over

Thanks David[list=][/list]

[Dale51]

I have delt with this for years.
I found that some up draft carbs just won't atamise fuel when very cold.
What I do is warm the carb. up & the intake just above it till it's about 99 deg. there are diff. ways to do it but I found boiling water the safest then comes a heat light.
Try one of these & see for your self.

[Ron L]

My '48 starts very good in cold weather. Last month on a very cold day, I started her, preparing for an up-coming snow. The temperature was about zero degrees. Before I shut her off, I noticed some ice forming on the carb and frost by the gasket. Never noticed this before, but don't run her in those temperatures often. To me, this suggested some air leakage going on. I checked everything for tightness and seemed ok. She still runs great and plows with good power. Any one ever see this?

[beaconlight]

definately an air leak. Bad gasket, something warped, or left side tightened before the right and not brought up even. Bet if you spraded some ether in that area you would see the engine surge.

Bill