Anyone run an oil pan heater in the winter?

[resq302]

Just curious if anyone runs an oil pan heater in the winter months.  I am looking into getting a magnetic oil pan heater since occasionally I have to move the cars on and off of our 4 post lift inside our Cover-it garage at my parents house.  Needless to say, with all of the cold weather we have been having lately, I don't want to damage the engine parts but trying to start an freezing cold engine in temps in the teens with Valvoline VR1 20w-50 oil.  I was thinking a magnetic oil pan heater would warm up the oil and make it a little thinner and help the starting process and also make the oil circulate a lot faster than letting it warm up while the engine is already on high idle.

Anyones input is greatly appreciated.

[Musicman]

I've often thought about doing something similar myself I drive my car all year round, so I hear what your saying. I had it out today in fact... it was 17 degrees here when I started it. I have a good choke system on it though, so I just let it come up slow and easy until she warms up.
I know a few folks that use the in-line water heaters which connect to the lower radiator hose, but I like the idea of an oil heater better. The heat from the warm oil in the pan should warm the block internally anyway... especially out of the wind in a garage or other enclosed area.

[resq302]

Im more concerned with the engine trying to crank over and adding less stress on the system if the oil is warm and flowing better.  Ive had it where the engine has been so cold that it barely turns over even with having the battery on the battery tender so you know it is a full charge.  I am also looking for something that is NOT permanant like the stick on ones so I can remove it during the summer for cruising and shows.  I know that block heaters are the best thing out there for keeping an engine warm but at the same time, our cars did not have block heaters from the factory and I am trying to keep that appearance.

[Musicman]

Kats makes a 300 Watt magnetic style...

http://www.amazon.com/Kats-1160-Magnum-Handi-Heat-Magnetic/dp/B000I8YOR4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1262208129&sr=8-7

http://www.fivestarmanufacturing.com/Kat_s

[RD]

kats also has dipstick heaters too that you may want to look into.  most autoparts stores carry them (my store keeps 4 on hand during the winter).

[hemihead nc]

...dip stick heater are CRAP..they only heat the oil that touches the stick and then it will 'coke" up and burn the oil. I have even seen them burn the oil so bad that you cant get the dip stick out of the tube!!!! A circulating oil or water heater is the most efficient, but the magnetic pan heater has it's benefits. I would think that a side benefit would be controlling condensation, if you left it plugged in all of the time. From stone cold to warm with a pan heater I would imagine it would take a LONG time. I plug my Cummins in not for the starting value, but more for the instant de-fog/ de-frost time savings on warm-up. Good idea for your situation.

[RD]

your situation may have been different, but i have NEVER heard of them being "crap" nor have I have seen examples that you state happened in your situation, maybe yours was faulty?  I never did say they were the best solution, just "A" solution.

they do make inline antifreeze block heaters which would be a great choice as it would require only a lower heater hose replacement.

~~~ edit ~~~

ultimately,  you will need a multiple based approach to totally alleviate any starting woes for winter usage.  A block heater, a oil heater, and a intake heater would be needed to overcome the starting issues of cold winter driving, but all of these can be overkill.


YOU COULD.... just change the oil out to a 10w30 VR1 racing oil if starting your vehicle with a thicker weight oil is your biggest fear.

[resq302]

Again, its not for ease of starting but a cocern for the oil to start circulating propperly.  Lets face it, even if I put the 10w-30 oil in for the winter, if it gets down to 10 degrees or so, that oil will still be pretty thick and hard to turn over the engine.

[Musicman]

Warming up the oil would be my only concern as well. Getting the oil up to pressure and flowing quickly, that's the ticket

The magnet heater may not be as efficient as a full contact pad heater, but it should do the trick. It may take a little longer, but as long as it gets the job done it shouldn't matter to much I would think. I would attach a handle to the thing though, to make it easier to get on and off.

[The70RT]

I am not sure of your garage size but mine is insulated and I have a couple small space heaters in my 26X32 and it keeps it 50ish in there most of the time when I am not out there burning wood. Mainly to get the temp up easier when I decide work in there. Plus to keep things from freezing.

[resq302]

Garage size is 12 wide x 12 high x 20 deep.  It is a temporary shelter type of garage basically just to keep the elements and environmental fallout off of the cars.  By no means is it insulated, heated (aside from a propane heater or kerosene torpedo heater that we use when we are working)  or sealed.

[Nitrox]

 

[green69rt]

Garage size is 12 wide x 12 high x 20 deep.  It is a temporary shelter type of garage basically just to keep the elements and environmental fallout off of the cars.  By no means is it insulated, heated (aside from a propane heater or kerosene torpedo heater that we use when we are working)  or sealed.

This may sound a little stupid but during my years in New Hampsire in an unheated garage I laid a 60 watt bulb on the top of my intake manifold.  That was enough to keep the metal of the engine block warm enough that I had little problems starting the car and the oil pressure was a little high to start but not excessive.  The only problem I ever had was the coolant lines to the heater sometimes froze up so it took a while to get heat in the passenger compartment.  For reference, there where times when the temp did not get above 32 deg for weeks at a time, many days below 10 deg.  I would think that anything to add a few degrees to the temp of the block would be a benefit.

[Musicman]

I wouldn't call that stupid, especially if it worked for you... Having the heat source at the top of the block would not be my first choice however. Actually, being the cheap bastard that I am... at one time I had thought about building a sheet metal box to fit under the engine compartment. Small enough and low enough that I could drive right over it, and placing my heat source(s) in that. Of course resq302 has got me thinking again, so maybe I'll have to have another look at that idea and see if I can't come up with something safe & efficient that will actually work, at least in the sheltered environment of a garage or other enclosed area.

[resq302]

I wouldn't call that stupid, especially if it worked for you... Having the heat source at the top of the block would not be my first choice however. Actually, being the cheap bastard that I am... at one time I had thought about building a sheet metal box to fit under the engine compartment. Small enough and low enough that I could drive right over it, and placing my heat source(s) in that. Of course resq302 has got me thinking again, so maybe I'll have to have another look at that idea and see if I can't come up with something safe & efficient that will actually work, at least in the sheltered environment of a garage or other enclosed area.

Sorry to get the brain in gear again.  Its just that I know I will be having to do some work on my wifes daily driver and I know I will need to use the lift at my parents house.  That being said, I would like to get the antique cars oil thinned out or at least warmed up so it will crank over easier and get the oil flowing that much faster so I can just jockey them around so I can get my wifes explorer onto the lift.