Since I got my little Bobcat skiddy last year, I've fought with getting it going. Some of you may remember the saga of getting this little workhorse running.

First, the diesel engine that my uncle tried to install in it (originally an air cooled gas engine), dropped almost $1k trying to get it going, including new injection pump and rings/valves/gaskets/pistons. Damn Kubota finally pissed me off enough and I dropped another $1k into a brand new Honda 22hp twin, air cooled. Perfect, now I have an engine that actually works. I REALLY don't like diesel in small equipment...

Then I had blown a few hydro hoses. Normally not a huge deal, but they were buried. One of the pitfalls of a compact machine of a machine that are already known to suck to work on, is you have to pull everything out to get to anything. I replaced that hose after much cursing and a couple custom tools. Up and going again, but starting to have issues with the hydraulics not working: I was starting to get air into the system. It still ran good enough, so I kept working it.

Then I blew another hose, this one even further down. I pulled out all control valve (took almost 4 hours) and replaced ALL the hoses that are buried under that control valve. Great, fixed that. But that air problem is getting bad now...

Kept going, now having a specific warm up procedure that takes 15 minutes before I can run the machine. That gets annoying...

Finally got to the point where even by warming up the oil, I was getting too much air in the hydraulics to run. At this time, with a baby due within a few weeks, I really don't have time to tear into it. Luckily, my younger brother was gracious enough to work on it for me. So I drug it to the farm and he tore into it.

It ended up getting both hydrostatic pumps and the hydraulic pump rebuilt ($220 for the kits for all 3: all new seals, o-rings, wear plates, gaskets, etc.), new hydraulic fittings O-rings, the whole shebang. He had it a week (had to wait on some parts).

Got it back late last night, but I didn't have time to touch it until this morning. It needed about 20 minutes of work (he didn't have enough oil to fill it all the way up, forgot to tighten the spring pin for the hydrostatic pump pintle arms, and I adjusted the creep) and I got to play with my now fixed machine.

And yes, she runs great now. I still have more stuff to do. I tore out the old electrical system when I put in the Honda engine, so I need to put on lights, need to modify and put back the hydraulic lockouts (keeps you from moving the bucket/boom when entering/exiting the skiddy), and it needs new tires, but those will probably wait. Tire chains are on order though, to arrive tomorrow.

Woot! Now I just need to rebuild all 3 cylinders as they leak fluid a bit, but nothing major. Just annoying.

When I was getting parts, I notice they sell a new version of my skiddy. Same chassis, same boom, same cab. The major changes of note: now has a Tier 4 Kubota liquid cooled diesel, and they bumped the hydro pressure to 3000 PSI (mine is 1600 IIRC). The base model is about $12k, but you can get a cab enclosure kit, heater, and some other goodies as options. It only has 100 pounds more lift capacity than my model. The size of the skiddy is the reason you can't hold more. Physics and all, I can already tip the machine with what it can lift. The only reason they got 100 pounds more is because they have more weight in the rear with the diesel instead of a gasser.

The Mrs and I were talking about if its worth it to keep dumping money into my old machine. I don't think it is a mistake putting the money into this one. What I have invested:
$1k into the diesel was just a mistake. Live and learn.
$1k on the Honda, running great.
$220 rebuild kits for pump
$200 ish on hoses, but that happens to all equipment. Hard to count it actually.
$400 tires. Again, maintenance on any machine. I haven't bought the tires, but they are on my short list.
I'm sure there are more little odds and ends I didn't itemize.

So the machine needed about $2k to get up and going, not counting my wasted diesel engine money. That is still $12k less than a loaded new machine. With a brand new engine, basically new hydrostatic and hydraulic pumps (they looked awesome inside, just dried out seals), all new hoses, new tires, I basically have a brand new machine at this point for $3k plus $1k my mistake money. All I regret is trying to get that diesel going. I think it needed a new head and machined deck and it would have been OK, but that would have cost as much or more than the new Honda. I was done at that point.

All I wish I had on my machine that the new ones have is a cab kit (I can make or maybe buy) and a cab heater. The cab heater is easy with a liquid cooled engine (why I originally wanted to keep the diesel), but not so much with an air cooled gasser.

So to backyard engineer a heater for it, I have 2 options as I see it:

• Get a decent sized automotive alternator and put an electric heating element into an enclosure and a fan. Mount in cab (after cab enclosure is procured).
  
• Capture heat from the exhaust and route that heat (via hot air or liquid) into the cab. This is basically "free" heat, I just need to capture it.

I like the second idea better. Any ideas? I was actually thinking of just making a tin shroud around the muffler and route that into the cab, using a fan to move the air. I would probably have to route the intake air from the cab to make sure I don't fume myself out.

Thoughts?

Edit because it takes me a while to write a post this long at work, between phone calls and I didn't proof read.

Its a tech forum, you can read it
No radiator, air cooled engine. Neat jacket, but its actually the legs/feet that will have the most issue since there is not really enough room to have heavy winter gear. I figured I'd have the heat outlet nice and low to maximize warming my legs/feet. Its a very small cab to begin with, and then I'm fat to top it off . Very little room.
The machine had about 900 hours on it when I got it from my uncle. He bought it almost new, used it little, and it sat in a shed for 10 years until I got it. It originally had a 16 or 18hp Kholer, so the 22 is plenty strong.
Pics of what? I can post a pic of my little machine, if that helps

I actually have one, but can't figure where I could put it in that tiny cab where I would't burn my clothing.

Few pics of the machine. This was prior to much work being done, and it was still (sort of) running on diesel. When it was on diesel, it was harder and harder to start and less and less power, but it did get me though getting the foundation done enough to get the house moved on!

I'm driving the machine, and you can see its big brother from the farm for serious work

Unfortunately, that is a "cutout" for the bucket dump cylinder: it moves all the time.

Yeah, not much room at all in there to play with

IIRC, they actually used a shroud around the exhaust like I was thinking about.

did a search, other air cooled vehicles used the cooling air and diverted it right into the cab. Less than ideal, as that air can easily be contaminated.

Is there a door at all? Or is that just a cage?

Could you fit something long and narrow around the inside base of the cage--three sides, leaving out the front--that heat coming all around you would help a lot, even if it's not in the front.  It looks like there's a ledge where the cage mounts onto the body.

I was thinking of something like a "narrow space" dryer duct.  Basically a thin Aluminum rectangle with slits facing you.  You could then mount the heater on the outside of the cage maybe?

Hell, I dunno.  I've never seen anything like what you have, and I could fit in that thing with a Rottweiler, probably.

ETA: Ah, crud.  Anything on the lower outside of the cage would get in the way of the bucket operation I'm guessing.  What about the back of the cage?

Had to look that up, but I think we have a winner.

Now, to see if they make them that run on gas instead of diesel. Wonder how big of a unit I need?

Would you like a picture?

Truth be told, bobcat brand is about the worst for cramming stuff in there, and mine is the smallest they make, which only makes the problem worse. Our full size machines at the farm aren't that bad to work on (cat and New Holland brand).