Ford 3000 Diesel engine heater

GLSNC · Feb 17, 2010

I have a Ford 3000 diesel (early model) that won"t start in weather below about 70 degrees. I want to put some sort of heater in it, but seem to run into roadblocks. My model has a screw-in frost plug that I understand is really difficult to get out to put in a block heater. Plus I haven"t been able to even find a screw-in heater that size. Then I was going to just get a lower radiator heater, but I"ve read in a couple of places that you can"t put that on a diesel without some sort of water pump bypass. Any advice from anyone?

JayinNY · Feb 17, 2010

Not true, I have a lower rad hose heater on my 4610 dieseln no need for a bypass.

Jerry/MT · Feb 17, 2010

How far below 70F? It shouldn"t be a problem to start a diesel in resonable mechanical condition above ~ 40F. Have you checked the compression? Is the air cleaner clear?

GLSNC · Feb 17, 2010

I bought it in late summer to bale hay with (on a small scale) and had never owned a diesel when I bought it. It cranked fine then. I think it's pretty worn and lack of compression is causing the starting problem. It does run well when I can get it cranked and it handles the baler very well. I want to see if some sort of heater will allow me to start it in the winter before getting into more expensive fixes like rings or injector work.

GLSNC · Feb 17, 2010

Does it do the job well? I can't imagine why a diesel would be different from a gas burner in that area. But I've already learned that a diesel needs a different oil, a different coolant, cold weather fuel additives...the tractor's already got enough problems that I don't need to burn something up through my ignorance. I've had more than one thought about waiting until summer and selling it to buy a gas tractor.

JayinNY · Feb 17, 2010

I think the freez out plug, or block heaters work better on my other 2 tractors, but the lower hose heater seems to get the job done. I was in a pinch, needed the 4610 in the middle of winter, I dident want to take the starter off to get to the freez out plug, so I got the hose heater. Had it on there for 3 or 4 years now. HTH

Anonymous-0 · Feb 17, 2010

Most places selling diesel change it for different seasons. When were the fuel and air filters last changed? What cold starting equipment does the tractor have currently? Is it turning over fast enough? Maybe the battery or starter is weak? If it's low on compression, I think you'd have some smoke and/or loss of oil symptoms. I haven't heard of many Ford's being hard starters above freezing. Dave

Bob · Feb 17, 2010

ZEROSTART says to toss one in the lower radiator hose and I know of no valid reason to disagree with them.

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/5000blockheater.jpg">

Jerry/MT · Feb 17, 2010

I put a block heater in my 4610 and I didn"t have to remove the starter. It took longer to drain the coolant than it did to knock out the core plug and install the block heater.

Jerry/MT · Feb 17, 2010

I don"t know how easy it is to get to a core plug to install a block heater but thats" a baetter option than a heater in the rad hose unless you can"t accesss the core plug without taking stuff off the engine.

caterpillar guy · Feb 18, 2010

We have had a hose heater on the 574 for 30 years now. There is no bypass, and there is no soft plug to get a block heater in.
If your timing is off some it can cause hard starting in cold weather and still start fine in summer. Injectors shouldn"t be that expensive to have checked for pattern and popoff pressure. They will cause more problems with starting than anything. Poor atomization poor starting. Have the fuel filters been changed in the last decade?

mitehelp · Feb 18, 2010

did you look near the starter for a core plug? installed one in that location recently--[katz brand] don't know how early the 3000 was--also some had intake manifold flame heater if you can make it work right & have proper battery. paul

mitehelp · Feb 18, 2010

did you look near the starter for a core plug? installed one in that location recently--[katz brand] don't know how early the 3000 was--also some had intake manifold flame heater if you can make it work right & have proper battery. paul

mitehelp · Feb 18, 2010

did you look near the starter for a core plug? installed one in that location recently--[katz brand] don't know how early the 3000 was--also some had intake manifold flame heater if you can make it work right & have proper battery. paul

mitehelp · Feb 18, 2010

did you look near the starter for a core plug? installed one in that location recently--[katz brand] don't know how early the 3000 was--also some had intake manifold flame heater if you can make it work right & have proper battery. paul

mitehelp · Feb 18, 2010

[sorry--haven't posted in a while & this thing got hung in gear--] p.s. mis-read the 70 degree temp--shouldn't need any help--good luck.

GLSNC · Feb 18, 2010

Thanks for the responses. I'll reply to a couple of things mentioned: I changed the fuel filters last summer after I bought it (that was very much needed) and the oil in the oil bath air filter. The tractor does smoke a lot, both through the exhaust and through the crankcase ventilation, but it mostly clears up when warmed up and with the RPM's up. But it clearly has some ring wear and the injectors probably need servicing. My first choice was to use a block heater, but as I mentioned, it has a screw in plug (rather than a knockout plug) that is reported to be very hard to get out after almost 40 years, and you have to take off the starter, which is a bit of a job on this tractor (the bolt on the engine side is really hard to get to...you about have to take the engine off of it instead of the other way around). I think I'll go ahead and try the radiator hose heater, since several of you have indicated no problems. Since I won't be leaving it plugged in very long or very often, I hope that it won't cause any sort of problem.

GLSNC · Feb 18, 2010

A couple of other things I forgot to mention... the battery is in good shape and turns it over well (probably lack of compression makes it easier!). But the tractor has no functioning cold weather assist. It has the thermostart in the intake manifold, but the wire is not hooked up and the ignition switch does not turn to the left to activate it. The fuel line to the thermostart is there, but it is really strange looking. I'd probably have to replace everything there, including the switch to make it work. The dealer says it would cost about $150 for the parts, plus I'd probably need someone to install it for me.

mmidlam · Feb 18, 2010

Something to consider about a lower radiator hose heater, the engine side needs to be higher than the radiator end so the heat will move uphill into the engine. I don't know how the 3000 is made.

Billy Shafer · Feb 18, 2010

I don't think the heater is your problem. At 70 it should crank with no problems. I have had many Ford diesel engines on standby gensets. Crank at temps lower than that with no problems.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 18, 2010

If it has no cold weather starting assist is the problem. What engine is it? Thermo-start is a Perkins cold weather assist. I have a kubota in my skid steer that needs the glow plugs any time the engine is started the first time, even if it's 80 degrees out. It is indirect injection but the the newer Kubota's have direct injection so they only need glow plugs when it gets colder. Lots of diesels need glow plugs or other types of aids or they won't start. It's not because they're low on compression. It's just the nature of the engine. Not all glow plugs work by turning the key backwards but fix the system you have and I think your problem will be solved. Dave

Ford 3000 Diesel engine heater

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