Block heater removal.

[George]

I have a 2390 case tractor,and i am trying to remove the block heater.I took the cord off,and there is a big nut on the block heater,i turned the nut out,It turned loose,but it just keeps turning and doesn't come out.I have never had any experience with this kind of block heater,anyone have any idea's?Or am i doing something wrong.Of course it has to be minus 30 celcius out,and the tractor is sitting outside,and i need to have it running tomorrow.Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thank You.

 

[dun]

That nut is usually just to squeeze the rubber seal into the block to keep it from leaking. When you loosen the nut pry/pop the whole assembly out.

dun

 

[George]

What i mean is,i can turn the nut but it doesn't want to come off the thread,it is seized.So everything is turning,when i am turning the nut.I tried holding the threaded part with a pair of pliers,while trying to get the nut to move farther off,but it just colapsed the threaded end.I know the nut moved a little bit at the beginning,because anti-freeze started to seep out around the gasket.I have pryed on it,and it doesn't want to move though.I don't know how far i have to get that nut off,before it will come out though.I'm thinking i might try and heat that nut in the morning,and see if i can't get it to move that way.

 

[Agboy]

If worse comes to worse you could install a tank heater on the tractor. Usually its plumbed from ther drain plug on the side off the block to a place on top off the block. Check with an implement dealer for the exact location to plumb the heater. Either way you should have a heater on your tractor. Feel free to ask any more questions. Good Luck

 

[dj]

If you have it loose enough to spin in place and your getting some weepage you've about got it whipped. I'd go ahead and drain some of the antifreeze out so when you get it out it's not as messy. Go ahead like you were, holding the threaded stem and backing off nut. You might have to hold the stem with vise grips to keep it from turning. The rubber might be adhered to the block metal so it will turn in place but not come out. Tapping around the edges with a hammer to "break" the rubber loose sometimes works.

 

[cfpinz]

If worse comes to worse, you could take a grinder and grind the nut and bolt in half. You'd have to fish the remainder of the bolt and the t-head out of the block if you can find it. Had a t-head break in half on one of my tractors a few years ago and couldn't find it in the water jacket. All the mechanics at the Ford place told me not to worry about it, would most likely lay in the lowest place in the cooling system for the life of the tractor. Knock on wood, hasn't caused a problem yet.

 

[George]

The neighbour came over this morning,while i was working on it.He looked at it and thought it was sure strange looking,went and looked at the new one,and it dawned on him what they had done.The person that owned the tractor before me,had cut a perfect hole in the centre of a frost plug,installed the block heater inside the frost plug,and then they had siliconed the frost plug back in.If you understand what i mean,i know it still doesn't make any sense to me,why someone would do that.We ended up having to cut the nut in half with a grinder,pushing the block heater back inside the motor.Then we popped the frost plug out,and then reached back inside and fished the block heater and the element out.Put the new block heater in,like a block heater is suppose to be installed.Plugged the tractor in this morning,and it started this afternoon.Don't usually use this tractor in the winter,but the tractor on the bale processor needs some rearend work.Thank You,for all the suggestion's.