Tank Heater for a 350

[GraderDan]

Hi Lavoy, I am interested in the tank heater you mentioned for our straight 350, could you go into it a little more on how and where to hook it up? I will be able to plug it in next to our new sugarhouse. Thanks, Dan

[Lavoy]

Without looking at one of ours, I can't remember where the top hose hooks in, but it is on the top of the engine someplace, you may need to put a tee in to do it. Lower hose goes in where the block drain is, that fitting comes with the heater.
I just put one on the neighbors 3020 a few weeks ago, about an hour job on that one, but I had to remove a hard line to tee into the system. It is not difficult to do, if you get hung up, we can get you through it.
lavoy

[GraderDan]

Thanks Lavoy for your reply, you had said earlier in another reply that you use 1000 watt heaters on your 350's, how much does one of those cost and do you have them in stock? Thanks, Dan

[Lavoy]

Dan,
It varies with manufacturer, but $30-$50. I don't know that the $50 ones are any better, I guess I think that is too much, so I never sell them, or even use them myself. I would have to check what I have on hand, used 3 up in the last month or so. I think I have a 1000 on hand though. Shoot me an e-mail and I can check if you want.
Lavoy

[GraderDan]

Lavoy, after seeing a picture of the tank heater, I now know what you are referring to. When I first started working for my hometown highway department, we use to put them one our gasoline powered dump trucks, but now everything is diesel's with block heaters and now we have a huge town garage, so nothing has to sit outside during the winter,so haven't used one of those for years. I guess the only other question I will have when the time comes to put it on the dozer is where the other end hooks up opposite the drain plug.
Thanks, Dan

[JD430C]

hey dan, my 450 has a tank heater on it, if u still need a pic of where it plumbs in let me know as i need to do some work on it this week and will have the hood off.

andrew

[GraderDan]

Andrew, that would be great if you could get a picture of it with the hood off. As I am going to go with pipeline this year, I don't need the dozer to gather with, but still need to move snow from time to time.
Thanks, Dan

[KenP]

Gents,
I'm interested in putting a tank heater on my 350. Can someone post a pix of where the hoses tie into the cooling system? Understand one goes to the block drain. But the other?
Deere parts site simply shows an elbow on one end and a straight hose on the other, but not where they go.
Thanks, KenP

[jdemaris]

I am interested in the tank heater you mentioned for our straight 350, could you go into it a little more on how and where to hook it up? I will be able to plug it in next to our new sugarhouse. Thanks, Dan

Top of tank heater gets hooked to the thermostat housing, and bottom gets teed into the block-drain.

Only slight problem is this. Early 350s and 450s have a raised but blank metal boss in the thermostat housing - made to accept a 3/8" male pipe fitting. With these - you need to pull the thermostat housing off, drill and tap it for 1/4" or 3/8" tapered pipe threads. With the new engines - it comes from the factory already tapped with a pipe plug stuck in the hole.

We installed tank heaters in every crawler we sold, regardless if 1010, 2010, 350, 450, etc. A good tank heater can mean one more diesel engine that does not get destroyed with an ether-overdose on a below-zero morning.

If I get around to it, I'll photograph one and post the photo later. I've got a 300B backhoe that I just installed a tank heater on - same 152 c.i. engine as a 350.

[jdemaris]

This is on my Deere 300B - with the same 152 diesel as a 350 (or 164).
Hookup is the same for a crawler.

[KenP]

Exactly what I needed. Many thanks!
KenP

[CatD8RII]

Is the 2nd plug in the block (behind the throttle linkage) also availible as a 2nd location for the outet hose.

[jdemaris]

Is the 2nd plug in the block (behind the throttle linkage) also availible as a 2nd location for the outet hose.

For the tank heater to work well, it needs to draw coolant into itself from as low in the block as possible. That's why the block drain is used. You CAN hook to a higher port - it just makes the heater less effective. Hot water rises and cold water sits at the bottom. If the tank heater is hooked so it draws water half-way up, it will shut-down when there's still cold coolant sitting at the bottom of the block (via its thermostatic control).

It really depends, I guess - as to why you want the tank heater to start with. The big advantage, when hooked properly - over a heater-hose element or a frost plug heater - is . . . the tank heater doesn't have to be plugged in all night to work. A 1500 or 2000 watt tank heater put in correctly, will heat up an engine at below zero degrees temps - in half an hour (at least enough to get it started).

On my diesel plow trucks - I have frost plug heaters AND tank heaters. I plug in the low-watt frost-plug heaters over night when a snow storm is predicted. And, for times when I get surprised in the morining - I plug in the 2000 watt tank heater and in less than half-and-hour, I'm set.

In regard to the watts of the heater - the choice also depends on the size of the cooling system. It also depends on how long an extension cord you have to use. You don't want ot use a 2000 watt heater on a 100 foot cord unless it's a really good cord (10 or 12 gauge).

[CatD8RII]

I was refering to moving the upper hose down off of the thermostat to the block. There isnt alot of room in a 350, especially if its a loader. Pictures are better than words. Sorry about the clarity ,there a scan of the JD install manual that comes with the heater.

[jdemaris]

I was refering to moving the upper hose down off of the thermostat to the block. There isnt alot of room in a 350, especially if its a loader. Pictures are better than words. Sorry about the clarity ,there a scan of the JD install manual that comes with the heater.

I've put plenty of tank heaters into 350 crawlers - dozers and loaders, so I know it can be done as I mentioned without major problems. That being said - in regard to the hookup that you're showing? It still has to work, just not as efficiently. Your hookup takes coolant from the bottom - and sends it half-way up - instead of sending it to the top. All that counts is that the coolant circulate with some sort of top-to-bottom temperature differential to create a thermo-siphon flow. With your hook-up, I suspect the thermostat will shut the heater off and on a bit before it does it's job- that's all. Since the hot water rises, the entire engine will heat up regardless.