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jdemaris
01-28-2007 07:51:47
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Re: Anybody restored an old A.C. loader or dozer? in reply to snydes, 01-27-2007 21:34:19
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Katz and Zero-start seem to be the most common tank-heaters. You can get them up to 2000 watt - but that size will trip an older 15 amp circuit and won't run through a long extension cord. The 1500 watt model is more forgiving - and it will heat up an HD6 with 8 1/2 gallon cooling system fast enough. I plugged mine in once at 20 below zero - and it was warm enough to start in two hours. On a more "balmy" 20 degree F day - one hour is all it takes. Tank heater works by thermo-siphon principal - so it must be mounted verically to circulate coolant. It also has a built in thermostat and will shut itself off when things get too hot. Any good auto or tractor store ought to have it - but prices can vary wildly. I usually buy such things on-line from places like Sloan. They sell a 1500 watt tank heater - part # 489011 for $37. I see other places asking over $50 for the same. I'm kind of surprised this tractor-site doesn't sell them. But - if I include any links - the people here will delete my message with no warning. They have already deleted this one twice and I keep playing with the words. So, to avoid the Internet tractor word-police from deleting me again - just go to *oogle and type in "sloan express" and you'll find the link. Many OEM companies, including car, truck, and tractor diesels use frost-plug heaters. They work okay but are very low wattage and heat very slowly. They're fine when you keep you diesel plugged in overnight - or sometimes all winter - night and day - but no good when you need your tractor "today" and forgot to plug it in. Most are in the 150 to 300 watt range and do NOT circulate coolant. In regard to AC and ether. Spraying in the air-cleaner is wasteful - since most of the ether goes to the birds. An electric setup is just more money, and more complication for a simple task. Deere installed them OEM on our industrial ad forestry stuff. Most are made for 12 VDC, not 24VDC like the HD6 has. Nicest ether system is the manual setup. And orifice is installed in the air-intake to limit ether "overloading." You might still have the original. A small line runs to the dashboard and is hooked to a recepticle. The AC setup used a proprietary cannister that is no longer available. A more modern setup can be bought from Deere. On the 350s, 450s, etc. Deere used a port with a dust cap on it. Take any off-the-shelf can of ether, pop the spray nozzle off - thus leaving the stub. Then, just plug it in and push - while cranking. It works fine - and any size ether can can be used. With the electric jobs - you can only use one size ether can. Funny thing about proprietary cannisters - my 1979 Datsun 280Z had one for the spare tire. The spare only fits into the car when flat - so Datsun used to sell a little air-cannister. I now carry a cigarette-lighter powered air-compressor I bought at Walmart for $15. About AC and the optional "flame thrower." AC, Case, Ford, SAME, Massey Ferguson, et. al. all used to have them. You can still buy one for $50 - but they never worked all that well. They are all for 12 VDC systems though, true 24 VDC stuff - like for the HD6 is kind of scarce.
Put a good tank heater into your HD6, and the batteries, starter, and engine will thank you.
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