BX Series Tractor Heat Question

hudson68

New member

Equipment
BX1860;LA203-Loader;RCK54-29B MP Mower;Land Pride RB1560 Rear Blade
Sep 10, 2019
13
0
1
Winchester, CT
I have a question for any philosophers out there. On the BX series tractor the cooling system is reversed compared to what we usually see on a car. From rear to front starting with the steering wheel we have the radiator pre-screen, then the radiator, then fan/water pump/engine etc... Is it possible to remove the propeller fan, turn it around, and have it direct the air towards your legs? This is something I'm interested in trying come winter. I can't find the reason the assembly is in this order. Is there any other way to pull heat off of the cooling system?
 

Ping

Active member

Equipment
BX2370-1
Dec 25, 2018
294
160
43
Troy, Ohio
Just a guess but, since many of these are used at mowers Kubota reversed the airflow to keep you cooler in the summer.
If you want heat in the winter, you'll need to blank off the screen below the steering wheel, provide another fresh air intake path and install a heater core/fan similar to what's in a passenger car. For details on the plumbing see my cab build thread. https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39497
let me know if you have any other questions.
Regards
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,672
3,924
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
OK, I was told by the K dealer the 'backward flow' keeps most dirt/krap OUT of the rad ( same as forklifts BTW....)
While you _could_ get a reverse fan blade and install you WILL suck in the exhaust fumes !! NOT a good idea.....
Now you can plumb in a 'cabin heater' same as car heater system and 'real' ones are $$$$$ up here !
This kinda means you need to add a cab of some kind of course.....
If I went with a cab, I'd use one of those offshore diesel cabin heaters as you don't have to cut into the plumbing AND it'd come off when the cab does.

Jay
 

RCW

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,282
3,868
113
Chenango County, NY
I've never thought of it as a reversed airflow....just the engine is in backwards.

For some of the reasons mentioned, not sure I'd want to reverse the fan, even just for the winter. Mine gets a lot of snow and ice on it in the winter, and some have had airboxes frozen up. Just thinking it could be quite a mess drawing up "stuff" from below, then plugging stuff up and maybe overheating.
 

sheepfarmer

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
4,440
654
113
MidMichigan
This is an off the wall suggestion, but if you don't have a cab, I'm wondering about some form of electric heat?

Anyone know what the new electric cars do for heaters?

Alternatively they make electric lap robes for cars that plug in to cigarette lighters. I was going to get one, it takes my truck about 20 miles to warm up enough to run the heater.
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Short answer is NO you can't reverse the airflow,, well yeah I guess you could but not a good option, and with out a cab it would be pointless anyway. So yes look on ebay or amazon for heated motorcycle clothing or snowmobile clothing, or heated long underwear. Cheap easy and you don't need to worry about changing things back in the summer. If you had a cab then yes you can tie into the cooling system and put in a heater, so with out it you are wasting your time heating the great outdoors.
 

Howling

Member

Equipment
BX2370
Feb 5, 2016
217
10
18
Ayer, MA
Even a cheap vinyl cab would do more to keep you warm in the winter then trying to reverse the fan blade.

Cab Mounted.jpg

Keeps the wind and blowing snow off you.
 

07wingnut

Active member
Lifetime Member
Feb 13, 2016
248
90
28
Clearwater, BC, CA
I could be wrong here, but reversing the fan (ie just turning it around) does not reverse the air flow, it will still blow in the same direction but be less efficient.
 

B737

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Equipment
LX3310
Jun 9, 2019
2,024
2,194
113
New Jersey
on my dads BX1850 which is used for snow blowing, there was a baffle he had to turn around (or block) near the intake when he installed the cab on it. This was so it didnt suck in air from the cab and took it from the outside instead.
 
Last edited:

mikester

Well-known member

Equipment
M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,125
1,609
113
Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
This is an off the wall suggestion, but if you don't have a cab, I'm wondering about some form of electric heat?

Anyone know what the new electric cars do for heaters?

Alternatively they make electric lap robes for cars that plug in to cigarette lighters. I was going to get one, it takes my truck about 20 miles to warm up enough to run the heater.
Electric and hybrid cars use electric and/or heat pumps for heating/cooling. It takes a lot of energy to generate that heat and your OEM alternator might not handle it. An electric jacket is a good alternative.

Some construction equipment like dozers and track loaders have reversible rad fan blades for summer and winter operation.
 

greenacresnorth

Active member

Equipment
L2501,BH77
Feb 18, 2018
175
28
28
38
Morganton,NC
Electric and hybrid cars use electric and/or heat pumps for heating/cooling. It takes a lot of energy to generate that heat and your OEM alternator might not handle it. An electric jacket is a good alternative.

Some construction equipment like dozers and track loaders have reversible rad fan blades for summer and winter operation.
they reverse for blow out not different climates. all your newer Cat and JD dirt machines that run a hydraulic fan will reverse automatically at a programmed interval to blow dust out of them, in particular front end loaders and dozers. our newer cranes with Hyd cooler packs will do the same thing but its a software based service function, not something an operator can do.
 

NoBiffBetter

Member
Oct 30, 2018
193
7
16
Silver Creek, NY. USA
You couldn’t reverse the fan as it would overheat your engine.. not to mention the way the screen is setup to protect your rad you would be pulling all kinds of debris into your rad.. the fan is there to pull the cold air from the screen near your legs then the air gets filtered through a couple of screens and then it passes over the radiator fins to cool down the engine.. if your reversed this then the fan would be pushing air out through the screens and toward your legs yes but on the other side of the rad for one is your hot engine so you’ll be sucking all that hot engine heat into your radiator (not good) along with any other debris leaves or anything else that can make its way under your hood/engine Cowell


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