Block warmer

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Originally Posted By: 285south
Block heaters are a must in COLD (below zero fahrenheit) climates like the midwest.


Complete, total and utter nonsense. Cars around here start just fine in sub-zero temperatures without block heaters. Even my 68 year old tractor started in sub-zero temperatures without a block heater-and it uses 15W-40 oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: 285south
Block heaters are a must in COLD (below zero fahrenheit) climates like the midwest.


Complete, total and utter nonsense. Cars around here start just fine in sub-zero temperatures without block heaters. Even my 68 year old tractor started in sub-zero temperatures without a block heater-and it uses 15W-40 oil.


May be a smarter approach to getting some quick heat in subzero temperatures, as compared to idling a vehicle in the driveway/garage for a half hour.

Why folks cant add a layer of clothes and be a little tough is beyond me, but you know how many fight for their desire to burn a gallon of gas to warn the car up...
 
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
They work really good in the trucks at work. Where do you get them for cars and pick-ups?

Canadian Tire sells them, for one.

Kira: Oil pan heaters are of several different designs. Some physically plumb into the oil pan. Others stick on with an adhesive. Others have a mounting bracket. Still others use a magnet. So, regardless of pan material and construction, there will be a way.
 
Originally Posted By: lars11

As a secondary point, you will also freeze. Keep something warm in the car, like blankets, for the event of a breakdown or accident that may keep you out longer than the car will run. Stay safe.

That is some really good advice.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: 285south
Block heaters are a must in COLD (below zero fahrenheit) climates like the midwest.


Complete, total and utter nonsense. Cars around here start just fine in sub-zero temperatures without block heaters. Even my 68 year old tractor started in sub-zero temperatures without a block heater-and it uses 15W-40 oil.


May be a smarter approach to getting some quick heat in subzero temperatures, as compared to idling a vehicle in the driveway/garage for a half hour.

Why folks cant add a layer of clothes and be a little tough is beyond me, but you know how many fight for their desire to burn a gallon of gas to warn the car up...


Couldn't agree more about leaving a car run for half an hour in the drive. My grandma gave me a car starter for Christmas and I returned it because I think they are stupid. I'd much rather have a block warmer than a car starter.

I'm not interested in getting a block warmer for my personal comfort of a warm car, it's an attempt to reduce cold start engine wear. Granted running Amsoil with a pour point of -63F helps a lot, a block heater would be the cats meow. For the low cost I think I'm going to go ahead and get one and as soon as the weather here isn't in the negatives, get it up on ramps and glued on.

I've decided on Wolverine (http://www.wolverineheater.com) as opposed to Kats.
 
Originally Posted By: Throt
Couldn't agree more about leaving a car run for half an hour in the drive. My grandma gave me a car starter for Christmas and I returned it because I think they are stupid. I'd much rather have a block warmer than a car starter.

I'm not interested in getting a block warmer for my personal comfort of a warm car, it's an attempt to reduce cold start engine wear.


The only wear you MIGHT reduce is on your starter and that's a big might. But this dead horse just won't die
18.gif
 
I have to disagree. Clearly pre-warmed oil will flow much quicker and easier in a cold weather start in temps close to and below zero.
 
I'd rather have a remote starter than a block heater. One is just a push of a button to work, the other requires me to rig up something so that it will gracefully unplug when I forget to unplug. And plug back in when I get home. And deal with a 100' extension cord (or run underground wires, etc). Whereas I can hit the button 2 min before walking out the door, or 10min if it was like today, -12F. I let my truck idle for almost a whole 10min, although I'm sure 5 would have been fine.

Or could, I've been too cheap to buy either a block heater or a remote starter. If it's too cold, I just run out and start, otherwise I just drive gingerly.
 
Originally Posted By: Throt
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: 285south
Block heaters are a must in COLD (below zero fahrenheit) climates like the midwest.


Complete, total and utter nonsense. Cars around here start just fine in sub-zero temperatures without block heaters. Even my 68 year old tractor started in sub-zero temperatures without a block heater-and it uses 15W-40 oil.


May be a smarter approach to getting some quick heat in subzero temperatures, as compared to idling a vehicle in the driveway/garage for a half hour.

Why folks cant add a layer of clothes and be a little tough is beyond me, but you know how many fight for their desire to burn a gallon of gas to warn the car up...


Couldn't agree more about leaving a car run for half an hour in the drive. My grandma gave me a car starter for Christmas and I returned it because I think they are stupid. I'd much rather have a block warmer than a car starter.

I'm not interested in getting a block warmer for my personal comfort of a warm car, it's an attempt to reduce cold start engine wear. Granted running Amsoil with a pour point of -63F helps a lot, a block heater would be the cats meow. For the low cost I think I'm going to go ahead and get one and as soon as the weather here isn't in the negatives, get it up on ramps and glued on.

I've decided on Wolverine (http://www.wolverineheater.com) as opposed to Kats.



Or find a friend with a heated garage for installation!
laugh.gif
Perhaps one could do the install after the car is nice and hot and even use a dryer if more warmth is necessary to warm the pan.
I looked on the web site but could not find the recommended temperature necessary for the glue to stick good to the pan.

I'll just say that when I first moved to the midwest(from south texas!) about 25 years, this midwest cold was something I could not tolerate and I installed a mag mount oil heater as well as a coolant heater on my truck and that was really nice. But as the years went by and I acclimated, i did away with those devices and focused on using the right fluids and keeping up with the maintenance of vehicle. This includes oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid as wells as belts. The battery is critical and load testing this before the severe winter hits is a very good idea. Just some food for thought and your post has also given me some food for thought as i get older and contemplate using one of these again! LOL

good day
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: Clevy
A recirculating coolant heater is the best out there. Easily plumbed in and inexpensive to buy. And instant heat once the engine starts.

...Wait, what?

If you have to pick one thing to be warm first (the oil or the engine), it should be the oil...



The oil warms by default because the block itself will radiate the heat it absorbs.
My charger last winter when plugged in heated the oil as well as coolant. I'm not sure exactly what type heater it has but it warmed coolant as well as the oil.

And for those who comment about half hour warm ups obviously have never experienced -30c. At that temp if you just get in and drive your breath will immediately frost the inside of the windshield which will require scraping til the defroster blows heat.
I dress for winter every day since I work outside. It's way easier on engine components to allow a warm up so all the fluids can get somewhat warm.
I don't care about fuel consumption in relation to warming up. I'd rather the vehicle be warm and thus I'm comfortable instead of the opposite.
Ultimately my car is an appliance bought to serve me.
 
"And for those who comment about half hour warm ups obviously have never experienced -30c. At that temp if you just get in and drive your breath will immediately frost the inside of the windshield which will require scraping til the defroster blows heat.
I dress for winter every day since I work outside. It's way easier on engine components to allow a warm up so all the fluids can get somewhat warm.
I don't care about fuel consumption in relation to warming up. I'd rather the vehicle be warm and thus I'm comfortable instead of the opposite.
Ultimately my car is an appliance bought to serve me."


I couldn't have said it any better!
 
Last edited:
Block heaters are nice if you live in cold temps. Growing up in MN where sub-zero temps were common, it was almost a necessity to plug your car in if you wanted it to start in the morning. This is back when cars had carburetors. With the heater plugged in, the car started as easy as a summer day and the heat would come on very quickly.
 
Throt,
You're wasting money if you're trying to prevent wear. I've got rid of many cars with 300,000 miles because the body was rusted. The engine will outlast the rest of the car.
 
Whoever says an oil pan heater will not reduce wear is delusional. Fuel savings as well, yes. Less fuel oil dilution, yes. Less water contamination, yes. They are a win, win, win.

A 250watt oil pan heater is what you want, Throt
 
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
"
Ultimately my car is an appliance bought to serve me."


I couldn't have said it any better!


MY NEW SIG!
 
Aside from reducing start-up wear, coolant heaters of all sorts prevent coolant leaks under the extreme contraction of cold ambient temperatures. I have had many a leaky coolant system on an engine left to the outside elements. Sometimes once they start leaking, they don't stop even after warmed up and you have a repair on hand. I can't count how many times I've found new leaks on cold/frozen engines. With a coolant heater plugged in, they never leak.

Engine blocks that are warm have lower start-up oil pressure than engines that are cold. This is largely in part to bearing clearance. Engines that are frozen have incredibly tight bearing clearance and that can contribute to accelerated wear. An engine under the warmth of a heater of sorts, when started, has oil pressure much lower. Why? because the clearance has increased. The tighter the bearing to journal clearance in an engine the more wear you get. Thick cold oil is a contributor too, and I'm not naïve to that fact.

Every vehicle I own gets plugged in on a timer (factory frost plug heater), full synthetic oil, and is equipped with an insulated winter-front.

Oil pan heaters are great at supplementing a coolant heater, but with full synthetic oil I don't feel the need.

Winter-fronts are so often forgotten about nowadays - block airflow into the radiator and you get more heat into the cabin and a much faster warm-up. You will never hear me complain about having an inefficient heater and cold cabin, because I have a winter-front.
 
For the temperatures that Ohio will usually see, either one will do. The 150 watt oil pan heaters on both cars make them crank noticeably easier on cold mornings. Heat comes a bit faster as well.
 
While a vehicle may start fine without all the heater stuff, an engine will truly love you for using them. They are real inexpensive and you can even have them on a timer where you plug them in so that you are not using electricity all night long. Set it to start warming everything an hour or two before you normally start in the morning.

I am truly amazed every day when I see what folks will spend for their autos and pickups that has virtually no use except cosmetic show and tell or they perceive something to be some sort of a status symbol or chick magnet, yet they will go into a brain seizure about something that actually has a some benefit to it. They will exhibit OCD over what oil and filter to use, but use a block or oil pan heater, God forbid! I got sold on block, oil pan, and battery blanket warmers while I lived near Fairbanks Alaska. Even though I now live back in Iowa, I still use these little tools to help out my vehicles. You definitely notice the difference between having and not having this sort of stuff on a real cold morning.

Is it necessary? Probably not. Is it beneficial? Definitely.
 
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