I have a Deere 310 L backhoe. What is the best way to warm the engine to get cab heat? Deere tells me to idle the engine at 1200 RPMs for two minutes before using it, and go easy on heavy digging. But yesterday, it seemed to take 20 minutes of idling to warm up the cab. Should I use the block heater? It just throw a space heater in the cab for five minutes? Starting is not an issue. Just heat.
Is the engine reaching operating temperature? The 4045 engines are prone to thermostat failures. The legs on the thermostat break and the core of the thermostat falls out and leaves a wide open path for coolant. There is a bulletin on the subject and a change of part number to a different thermostat (even though it looks identical).
I'd do both, put a space heater in the cab and the block heater plugged into a timer. That way you are not wasting power or time, you can get right to work.
Agree with block heater. You can plug it into an outlet on a timer so that it doesn't run all night. Try an hour, then more or less as needed. You shouldn't need any other type of heater if you can get the coolant up to temp before you ever start it.
Block heater, space heater, or whatever you go for - you should check the thermostat operation first. 20 minutes before you get heat in the cab is far too long.
What is operating temp? and is changing the thermostat an easy job, or do you have to take the engine apart to remove the broken part?
thermostat job is more or less the same for all engines, with model specific details. Drain enough coolant to do the job. remove upper hose and housing. scrape and prep for new gasket. install new t-stat. do make sure to pay attention to orientation. Put it back together. Enjoy.
If you want heat in the cab as soon as turn on the heater, install a tank style coolant heater. It will circulate the coolant through the block and heater core. If it is installed correctly. They can be used in conjunction with a timer to lower the electrical consumption. I have one in my T/L/B and it was the best thing I ever installed to get it started in cold weather.
What should operating temperature be?
If it's got the heat exchanger for the hydraulic system then your coolant doesn't get warm till the hydraulics do
Beg to differ. We just had between -25 and -32°F for 2 days. Managed to get the loader tractor started this morning after running the propane Knipco for 45 min, and two battery chargers. The tractor was in a building. PLUGGED IN. It took 20 minutes this morning for it to warm up enough so the computer would let it off idle. Took another 10 at 1200 rpm for it to move. Tractor is a 2019 CaseIH MX 180 Magnum with 1200 hours.
It is a 180* thermostat, so the engine should run near that (when working, not idling, see comment below). I would rule out thermostat issues first. Just work the machine hard, it should reach approximately 180*. Usually when there are broken thermostats the engine won't go over 100*. Most Deere machines have cooling systems that have an over-capacity so they exchange heat quickly, sometimes making cab heat difficult at idle. Due to the capacity it's important to note that operator usage is an important factor in cab heat performance as well. Engines left at low idle between periodic use or routinely used at low idle will not produce the amount of heat that may be desired resulting in a low cab heat complaint. You should increase their idle speed if the heat output is less than desired as heat production is proportionate to engine RPM and load on the engine.
Exactly what I did on my rollback trucks for several years. Start the heater an hour before the workday and it substantially shortens the warmup time of the engine and cab heat. Engines start easy too when extremely cold. I always ran 1500W units on 240VAC but my trucks ran dedicated routes so never a problem. These: http://www.engineblockheater.net/#
Yes, use the block heater, and an oil filled radiator in the cab if you want it warm. Two minutes warms the engine and hydraulic pump a little, then work it to warm faster. Going easy on heavy work for 10-30 minutes is so you don't break brittle steel. Check the temp of the head after running it half an hour the next time it's cold, and then again after idling for five minutes. It shouldn't cool much if the thermostat is working. Post results.
Does it have heater core valves? If so are they all the way open?
Its a L vintage, being an emissions engine it should warm up quickly.
They are talking regular cold Shimmy, not #$%&@ ND cold. LOL
Sometimes also referred to as "If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have f'kin joined" cold ..........
Whenever I feel like complaining about -3 F temps in Mass, I remember that I could live in Canada, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, or the Dakotas.
What is a heater core valve? There is a temp knob, and a fan knob. And a switch to select defrost, heat, or AC.
Check where the heater hoses connect to the engine, sometimes there will be valves there. But if the heat works great after an hour of work, but doesn't do anything for fifteen minutes when cold, that seems normal to me.
I turned over my manure pile to exercise the hoe. Temp got to 143 F while digging at 1200 rpms.
How long? if it was a half an hour at 50 degrees outside, then I'd think it should be a lot closer to 180, but hard to tell with little info.
I suspect your thermostat is stuck open. Does the top radiator hose get warm before the engine gets up to temperature? Top hose should stay cold if not up to temperature.
Have you found the thermostat location yet.?
Not yet. It has been frigid here, but I am going to pop by my Deere dealer to buy the right stat and gasket.
Biggest issue for Equipment warm up was mentioned and pretty well ignored, NOT Operator Comfort but hydraulics warmup so the machine CAN function properly, should be a pressure bypass on the hydraulics so the system will actually heat itself up with cold thick oil, takes time for that to develop enough heat to not drive engine coolant temp in the hydraulics heat exchanger into the basement.
What temp should hydraulics be before working? And do you need to measure hyd temps or is engine oil or coolant temp a decent variable to watch?
This is from the operators manual. FWIW.
Thanks.
Glad someone noticed
We start them in November and shut them off in April. Unless we pull them inside.
Ford had a promo video for the 6.7L diesel when it was new, like 12 years ago. They shipped a fleet of F-350s with the 6.7L up to Prudhoe Bay for cold weather testing because they would get so many hours in such a short time span. That was the first time I had ever heard about literally running the trucks 24/7 and only shutting then down for service work.
The Deere dealer mentioned that there was indeed a change made in the thermostat design. She also mentioned there were two, and both should be replaced at the same time. This could also have to do with a possibly failed viscous fan drive that is not slipping when engine is cold. Deere wants huge bucks for that. Might pull mine, and see if a Borg Warner dealer can match it.
Wow. Talk about heavy duty!!
Heavy equipment had solid drive fans for decades, and worked fine, the viscous fan drive is not a problem unless it sends the fan through the radiator, if the bearing is fine, leave it.
Same with a hydraulic power winch. I always pay extra out then power in before putting it to work.