Mudd Ox Diesel

[azz7772]

hi there my name is darcy i do not post much but have been following the development of the mudd ox and the deisel has peaked my interest. If i was to buy a mudd ox and i am from northern Saskatchewan where we have winter from november 1 to may 15 and i would primarily be using it for ice fishing ............ what would be the best tracks and would a diesel be a bad idea because of the cold starts. also would a person need a heater or does the engine provide enough heat if a person had a soft top on. thanx in advance for any and all input

[George"Bubba"Hunt]

Darcy, I'm probably not the one to be answering your questions, but I do have a Diesel MO. I live in Alaska where it is fairly well documented to get cold once in a while.
As far as your question about the diesel in cold country, I have started mine at zero without plugging it in.
They have a block hearter already installed, and I plug it in when it gets in the 20's, not that I need to do it, but I do it so as to make it easier on the engine.
When it is plugged in for a couple of hours, it always fires right up and runs very nicely.
As far as using it ice fishing, I use mine and it always starts easily after sitting for hours on a frozen lake.( most of the time I don't even have to use the glow-plugs) I do believe it would be better to cover the engine compartment with a blanket if you will be out at 30-40 below, and you don't warm it up once in a while.
Personally, I don't even go ice fishing at 30 below anymore. It is too danged hard on equipment and it's too hard to keep the ice hole open. I really don't find it much necessary to be out in that kind of cold.( Getting to be an old wuss)
I had a full hydraulic Hydro-Traxx. I had to run a special arctic oil in the system to get it to even roll at 30 below.( I had to also change it back in the summer when it was hot outside...pain in the ass!)
Matt puts a good grade of oil in his hydraulic system. Mine doesn't even hesitate at below zero temperatures. Maybe it's because the oil tank is inside next to the turbo side of the engine.
Next, YES you will need a good heater core. No, the engine won't keep you warm by its'self. I use the one Matt suggested and I plumbed it in with the out-hose coming out of the little 3/8 plug in the left side of the hose housing on the left side of the engine. I used a "Y" down in front where the hose comes up to the waterpump for the return hose. There is some discussion as to where it is supposed to be, but Mine works great.( it is a good idea to insulate the out hose to keep it hot to the heater core) It also helps to cool the engine because it parallels the radiators.My air fans seldom come on when it is cold outside.
I use the 20 inch rubber tracks and they walk over 5-6 feet of snow unbelievably. They also run over muskeg bogs without leaving much of a track mark. It is so good in fact, that I have to use a GPS to find my way back because I leave so little of a track.
As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't be without the diesel. The power is outstanding and the longivity is unbelieveable. The fuel consumption is very low compared to the gas rigs.
Anyhoo that is my experience on the diesel. Any questions, I will be glad to give my opinion, for whatever it's worth!
( Just for giggles... all of the rigs on the Arctic North Slope oil fields are diesel..thousands of them...cars-trucks-atv'v-track rigs-cranes-and if you can think of it, it's up there)!! I don't think there is a single gas rig up there!!
Bubba

[akexpress]

As far as tracks go the 20" Mudd-Ox tracks could easily be "studded" on the outside 6-7 inches with hex head sheet metal screws for glare ice conditions as that part of the tracks is outside the tub so you would not have to worry about rubbing the tub. A number of guys do this to help when alder surfing as we call it when the machine gets up on top of the thick alder patches and just goes whereever you want.