Are block heaters necessary with synthetic oil?

[newbe46]

Doesn't the block heater just heat up the coolant but not the oil?

The coolant being closer to the operating temperature of course would be sooner to achieve closed-loop operation but the oil should still be at the ambient temperature.

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted by newbe46
Doesn't the block heater just heat up the coolant but not the oil?

The coolant being closer to the operating temperature of course would be sooner to achieve closed-loop operation but the oil should still be at the ambient temperature.



I have little experience with them but the ones I have seen heat the oil/oil pan. Don\t think I have seen ones that heated the coolant.

If I lived somewhere that cold yea its helps the car/truck but I hate cold weather so I want to be warm faster as well.

 

[Hall]

My wife's '14 Fusion has a factory-installed engine-block heater (they put these on as standard equipment on vehicles originally delivered to 'northern' states and Canada). The owner's manual states that it works by "warming the engine coolant".

 

[E365]

Here's how mine is installed. Threads into the iron block. Directly heats the coolant, but should slightly heat the oil too, indirectly. Even bringing the oil from -20F to 20F would be a huge help. Necessary, probably not. But it's gotta help a bit.

2015 Focus EcoBoost

 

[newbe46]

I remember I looked at this a few years ago there is an oil heater for E46s as an option for colder climate markets. I was going to run the car in the summer only so I didn't care too much.

I think heating the coolant or heater core helps getting the cabin warming up quicker. But the oil heater actually helps warming up the oil which truly helps cold starts.

 

[Garak]

One can play with the semantics about "necessary," but I wouldn't go without a block heater (or other competing/complementing goodies) when feasible, irrespective of oil choice. If you had an LPG vehicle and the temperatures got low enough (which they do in this province), starting without an actual block heater simply won't happen, without a bunch of silliness on a very cold morning.

 

[Number_35]

Originally Posted by jongies3
Had a lot of people tell me that block heaters are no longer required if you use a good synthetic oil. But are they right or wrong? My Tacoma doesn't even have one, but I use M1 AFE 0W-30 in it, and it can get as low as -20 here in winter and even colder at times. It's parked outside as I don't have the luxury of a garage, would it be a good idea to have a block heater installed or is running a 0W grade make that null and void? I've had the rig going into my 4th winter now and haven't had any troubles starting it at all but can definitely tell it's trying harder on those real cold mornings.

I am a big fan of block heaters. The capital cost of the part and installation (if you pay to have it done) plus the operational cost (i.e. electricity) is quickly recovered in fuel savings. Longer term, there will be reduced wear and tear on your engine, even with synthetic oil.

An old disassembled engine up here will typically show reduced wear in those cylinders closest to the block heater, making me think that a circulating heater (rather than one that just relies on convection) would be better yet.

 

[Snagglefoot]

When it comes to cold starts and block heaters, I'd rather get my advice from the guy in Winnipeg where the average low in January is -20 F rather then the folks from Southern Ontario, IE Toronna, where the average low in January is 0 F.

" Southern Ontario" is the Hawaii of Canada.

www.weatherspark.com

 

[dlundblad]

Does anyone know if a block heater can warm the oil? Without having an oil temp sensor, it's really hard to say.

I think what you want is a pan heater, but it won't warm up your engine like a block heater.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
Does anyone know if a block heater can warm the oil? Without having an oil temp sensor, it's really hard to say.

I think what you want is a pan heater, but it won't warm up your engine like a block heater.



I have both. The block heater warms the oil a little, certainly not as much as the oil pan heater. Where the block heater shines is for faster heat and defrosting of windows. For really cold weather I use both. The oil pan heater if left on long enough will also warm the coolant. Heat rises and since the oil pan heater is on the lowest part of the engine, the coolant will be heated a bit.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
When it comes to cold starts and block heaters, I'd rather get my advice from the guy in Winnipeg where the average low in January is -20 F rather then the folks from Southern Ontario, IE Toronna, where the average low in January is 0 F.

" Southern Ontario" is the Hawaii of Canada.

www.weatherspark.com


We can get some nasty cold temperatures for a couple weeks in February but not the majority of the winter like Winterpeg.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
Does anyone know if a block heater can warm the oil? Without having an oil temp sensor, it's really hard to say.

I think what you want is a pan heater, but it won't warm up your engine like a block heater.


I think there is some warming going on of the oil when the block is being warmed by the heater and the pick-up tube for the oil is sunk in the pan of oil which is also connected to the warm block. It's not the best way to heat the oil like a heating pad on the pan sort of thing but I think there is some heat transfer taking place.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
When it comes to cold starts and block heaters, I'd rather get my advice from the guy in Winnipeg where the average low in January is -20 F rather then the folks from Southern Ontario, IE Toronna, where the average low in January is 0 F.

" Southern Ontario" is the Hawaii of Canada.

www.weatherspark.com


It still feels pretty cold to me

Seriously though, we can sometimes go an entire winter without even getting down to 0F overnight here, so I doubt that the average low is that cold. I'd say our average low in the winter months in this area is closer to 10-15F.

 

[kschachn]

Of course you could also get a Webasto parking heater like they offered for many BMW models. Ran off of gasoline and heated the passenger compartment too.

 

[newbe46]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
When it comes to cold starts and block heaters, I'd rather get my advice from the guy in Winnipeg where the average low in January is -20 F rather then the folks from Southern Ontario, IE Toronna, where the average low in January is 0 F.

" Southern Ontario" is the Hawaii of Canada.

www.weatherspark.com


Hang on, I thought Southern BC is the Hawaii of Canada. Lived in YVR a few years and almost feels like spring and fall most of the time in winter.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Since it starts OK with your current oil, I wouldn't say a block heater is "necessary." But like many have said, the benefits will be faster heat (a plus for defrosting since you park outside) and better mileage--if you can manage the cord situation while parking outside.

I spent a few winters in Michigan and plugged in my 2001 Silverado for those benefits, even though it never got anywhere near Montana cold. I had a garage, so it was easy.

In high school, I overhauled my 1970 Pontiac 400 during the winter, and had SAE 30 in it for break-in. Parked in an unheated Quonset with the block heater on, it started just fine in a stretch of the coldest Eastern Colorado weather I can remember.

 

[leeaspell]

Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by dlundblad
Does anyone know if a block heater can warm the oil? Without having an oil temp sensor, it's really hard to say.

I think what you want is a pan heater, but it won't warm up your engine like a block heater.


I think there is some warming going on of the oil when the block is being warmed by the heater and the pick-up tube for the oil is sunk in the pan of oil which is also connected to the warm block. It's not the best way to heat the oil like a heating pad on the pan sort of thing but I think there is some heat transfer taking place.



Here's my results from a couple years back. All temps are in Celsius

Ambient temperature was -20.8
Coolant temperature was +23.5
Oil temperature was +11 sensor is at the filter which is about 2 Inches from the top of the oil pa.
Trans temp was -8

Upon start up

Coolant dropped to +11.5
Oil dropped to +5.3
Trans temp dropped to -16.7.

 

[Garak]

Nice. Which vehicle was it, out of curiosity? I know the upper rad hose on the F-150 gets pretty warm.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Spent 32 years in subzero winters. Block heaters aren't necessary. I never used one. Synthetic oil is a must, however.

 

[leeaspell]

Originally Posted by Garak
Nice. Which vehicle was it, out of curiosity? I know the upper rad hose on the F-150 gets pretty warm.

2013 F350 6.7