My "starting in cold weather" solution "update"

[outdoors4evr]

Use an outdoor christmas light remote to turn it on or off.

[ricky racer]

Bruce, I just saw the new pictures!! It looks great!! Nice looking tractor too!!

[cub.bub]

I like the "out door Christmas light remote" and I already have several! Kinda like a remote car starter, stay in the house and drink coffee while she warms up.
Thanks for all the replies and comments.
Bruce.

[Matt Kirsch]

With 400W and only ~2 gallons of water to heat, it won't take long. Probably a good idea to keep an eye on it the first few times.

Those heating elements don't have a thermostat cutoff, do they? If not they will just keep heating and heating. Left long enough you could end up with boiling.

[cub.bub]

First I want to say that I came up with this Idea after reading older post from 2005/2008/2012, with one in particular from "lazyuniondriver" where he points out the lower water inlet as a good location for a block heater.
I thought I would post a test results from my install and the duration of time for "warm up".
Shop was left with NO HEAT for the day for this purpose and I dressed accordingly to monitor the warm up, results as follows:

SHOP TEMP. 31 degrees. at plug in.
1. 15 min. felt warmth at right side of head
2. 30 min. felt warmth top and left side of head, also coolant warm.
3 45 min. intake/exhaust manifold warm.
4. 60 min. prior 3 ares are warmer, lower water intake still cold leading back to radiator.
5, 1 hr. 15 min felt warmth in lower water inlet....."thermosyphon" ??

I am quite pleased with the results. So with these findings I feel I could turn on 1 hour prior to starting engine with on form our another (I'm still liking the x-mas tree remote idea)

Thanks for putting up with me guys....Bruce.

[artc]

I tried a little different tactic using the later water neck from a 154, which has a nice flat area right where we need it, but the protruding part of the element exceeds the distance available between the starter and the water neck.

the 3/8 NPT one you have is as long as the 1/2 Kat one, so that won't work.

your solution works, but requires some talent in the welding and fabricating dept.

HMMM....i could mock one up and have them cast in China. there would probably be a MOQ of a couple hundred pieces to get the price down.

[Zorro]

I hope you don't mind if I "borrow" your solution. I bought a lower inlet from Ebay last night for $7.46 plus $6.10 shipping, also the same Case block heater for $44.00. While I'm waiting for those two items to find their way here, I'll get the 1' piece of stock ready. For the welding, I will probably have to bring that to someone. I have a mig welder which I'm pretty comfortable with, but for this type of weld I think a stick welder would be best.

[challenger]

The great thing about this modification, beyond its obvious practical benefits, is that the location in the lower pipe is in a part that can quickly be changed out and the tractor returned to its original condition at minimal cost.

[cub.bub]

artc, I thought about that location as well, but thought it better if projected into the block for heat radiation, it is a little tricky finding the right angle to clear distributor yet enter the block,
zorro, by all means go for it, remember the angle and you can only enter the block so far before you hit cast, I cut my 1" stock longer than needed and played fit and refit grinding the extra length off until happy with depth, i even left some extra length on the threaded side of stock in case I wanted to go deeper into block. As far as welding....I'm no welder! I practiced with an old cast drain welding a piece of steel stock to it sever times before attempting the water neck.
I found that starting with my stick welder (ugly) grinding, another pass, grinding, and finishing with my wire welder, grinding, another pass, grinding.......ya get the picture? LOL I bet a good welder could do it in a lot less time, but then I wouldn't have done it all myself! Hey another thing, a Dremel tool is great for working on this older equipment.
If you fellas have any question (I'm no expert) feel free to PM me and all I can tell you is what I experienced.
Good Luck. Bruce.

[indy61]

I like it, but it seems the lower boss would work because heat rises. It might take a few minutes longer but a lot more convenient. It looks like you can simply unscrew the connector and cord in a matter of seconds. I also like the idea of the remote, you could have a light so you know it's on from the house and even a battery charger connected.

[artc]

it might take a little longer, but installing the 3/8 NPT unit in the drain location looks to be the KISS solution. either drill yours out, or get one from a 154 or power unit that already has it done.

that is, unless you have the ability to do the welding, etc. of course. I like the element directly into the block better for being more direct in applying the heat to the block - i'm going to try it as well.

[Red 49]

It's been 4 years or so since this post and wondering how it worked out? And how long it took to warm up?

[DickB]

It's been 4 years or so since this post and wondering how it worked out? And how long it took to warm up?

About 30 minutes seems to be working here. My heater element went into the hole (I probably drilled it out and rethreaded it) that's closest to the radiator. I can hear the heater element getting going in about 30 seconds, and not too long afterwards I can feel warm water working its way toward the engine block.

FWIW, I also a) heat the oil pan with a magnetic heater, and b) have the 6 volt battery hooked up full time to a battery maintainer.

So far, this works fine. I try to not start the engine during extremely cold temperatures if I can. It's a matter, usually, of getting the car out of the barn and up the driveway, past the typically abundant pile of snow the town's plowing of the road leaves at the driveway entrance. Waiting until the temperatures are in the upper teens and twenties has not so far been a problem.

[Gary S.]

Dad bought the Farmall back in '60-'61. Over the years when it sat in an unheated area we/I have tried just about everything to start in cold weather ie -0. The easiest method I have ever found is a heat gun on the manifold where the intake and exhaust meet. Under 5 minutes and its running