Oil Pan Heater

[Cooker]

Does anyone use a oil pan heater. The one in particular I was looking at using was the 250 watt from ProHeat.

I'm thinking this could be helpful for two reasons on the really cold days I could use both the block heater and the oil pan heater, and on the warmer days I could use just the oil pan heater and draw a little less electricity.

What are the pros and cons to using one of these? The price isn't too bad so the addition of one of these may be worth the money.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[illflem]

I went out and measured the temp of the bottom of my oilpan with my infrared thermometer when the outside temp was 0°and the truck had been parked outside with the block heater plugged in for 12 hours,it was 42°. At that temp you don't need 10-40 oil let alone a pan heater. With just the oilpan heater you will probably still need to cycle the grid heater until the outside temp is 50°. I like using the block heater because the grid heaters don't come on at all,for me down to -25°. I figure it saves on wear of the grid heater components and batteries so that you will have them when you need them.

------------------
95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks Stinger,Warn fender flairs and running boards(work truck)
95 3500,5 speed 3:54,Driftwood,Banks&Psycotty,34,000 GCVW apple and tractor hauler(works harder truck)

 

[Cooker]

illflem,

Thanks for the temp reading. I would have figured that the oil pan temp would have been lower. I wonder if there is any difference if the block heater is only plugged in for only a couple hours because I have mine on a timer. I agree though, if the temp of the oil is 42 with the block heater alone, no need for anything else. Thanks a lot, I also appreciate the factual info, ie temp reading, this made my decision much easier.

 

[drawson]

Bill, Your having too much fun with the thermometer #ad

 

[illflem]

Cooker,I'm sure the amount of time the heater is plugged in will make a difference. The oil is only warmed by heat transfer though the block. Here's other temps I recorded the same 0°day,top of hood:10°,side of block:72°,intake manifold:82°,radiator&heater hoses:122° and center of steering wheel:20°.

 

[NETim]

Steering wheel heater

Oh jeez! <B>Another</B> worry! Does anyone know of a good steering wheel heater? Illflem's post clearly demonstrates the urgent need for one.



Tim

 

[LarryB]

Bill

Were you checking to see if your tongue was going to stick?

 

[JohnE]

Ryan;



I ordered the 150 Watt Fleetguard heater from Cummins a long time ago and was planning to install it when I changed to brand &quot;A&quot; 5W-30 oil.

Well, the overnight temps were dipping below 0&deg; F and the 15W-40 molasses was taking a slow ten count to register oil pressure. (This is even with running the block heater for 3-4 hours. ) I finally just changed oil without the heater (heater still not in). I picked up a 200 watt P&amp;T magnetic heater today at the local farm store. Once temps dip below 0, if the pickup stands outside overnight the grid heaters always cycle even with running the block heater for 6 hours.



I talked to my resident Cummins mechanic on oil <strike>pan</strike> immersion heaters. The only limitations they have found is that you can only use <strike>a pan</strike>an immersion heater if the oil is warm, as in liquid. Once the oil has gelled it does not warm well. In fact, they have coked oil on the heaters.



Bill;

I don't know how your truck warms so well. My tongue would stick to the oil pan on a sub-zero morning even with the block heater plugged in for hours. We have a pretty steady wind and that really strips heat.





-John



<font size=1>edit

corrected to state &quot;immersion&quot; and not pan. </font>

 

[LarryB]

Here's some pan heaters.

http://www.partssystems.com/shop/products.html?category_id=RES HEAT

 

[illflem]

Who drug up this thread, it's exactly a year old



Boy Larry that thing looks too expensive and complicated. I use the magnetic type of pan heaters on rigs without block heat, in fact I have one stuck on the side of my Toyota oil pan that hasn't moved in 10 years. Think I paid about $12 for it, works great.



John you're right about the wind, when I lived in WA my truck was protected from it. Here in MT it's not, thought of using a magnetic pan heater but switched to Delo 5-40 instead, pressure comes right up even at 10 below.



Did I ever tell you about the time my then 4 year old daughter got her tongue stuck to the freezer in Safeway? Mom freaked and called 911, the paramedics came and released my daughter with a cup of water. Glad I'm not married to that woman anymore!

 

[JohnE]

Bill;



I missed the starting date. In fact I missed the entire thread. I was off line from mid December 2000 until late March 2001 when I moved from WA to Minnesota and the computer was packed away in storage.



When did you move from WA to MT?



Same here with Amsoil 5W-30. The timer didn't time last night and the truck did a cold start this morning. A slow 3 second count and the oild pressure was up. The longest 20 seconds of my life was last January and waiting for the oil pressure to come when I still had 15W-40 Delo in the pan. That was even with running the block heater 5 hours and a packing quilt over the head.



LOL

My wife has warned the kids NOT to stick tongues on cold metal surfaces. They have followed the warning to date. I'm waiting for the panic call at work though. I'll have to remember to grab the digital camera on my way out the door on that fateful day.



Ryan;



Did you ever get a pan heater or just go with winter oil?



-John

 

[NETim]

pan heater

I am the guilty party. I resurrected this thread after doing a search on oil pan heaters. Couldn't resist making a comment on the steering wheel temp at 0 degrees ambient w/the block heater plugged in. That's thorough research!



I recently acquired a magnetic Phillips/Temro pan heater at a good price and I guess I wanted to see if there was anything to be aware of before I used it.



My rig lives in a sorta heated garage, so I think I can get away with Rotella and a pan heater. It doesn't get near so cold as often here in Nebraska as it does in the hinterland up north.



Eventually though I think I'll switch to some kind of synthetic oil once my supply of Rotella is used up. (Still got two cases of it. That darn Sam's club anyway!)



Tim

 

[illflem]

Tim, when it gets to zero the old infrared thermo gun flails about madly in an effort to keep the kook holding it from freezing, hence the readings from all over the place...



The only problems I've heard of with oil heaters are the type that go down the dipstick hole. If they aren't well regulated they will burn the oil around them sort of like shutting down a hot turbo. The mag types don't have that problem since they aren't in direct contact with the oil. An oil heater is good for your engine because of the better flowing oil but they don't provide enough heat to the intake area for a fast smooth startup. Best when used in conjunction with the block heater. Most every car in Montana has a plug hanging out the front for a pan heater.

 

[Animal]

Oil pan heaters

I live in Alaska and we use oil pan heaters on everything. But 250 watts is way too much, we use 60-100 Watt heaters ($15) and it gets down to -60. I drove my 99 at -55 with no problems, my 97 has seen -45 and also works fine. Up here if you don't use synthetics and pan heaters you don't move! If it doesn’t get any colder than –10 you don’t need an oil pan heater if you run synthetics, if not, I’d use one.

 

[ACoyle]

Espar - If you want to heat something, you might as well heat it all and make the driver happy too!



My $. 02

 

[juicedcummins]

Believe it or not JC WHITTNEY has-em and they work!But on our pans you have to stick them on the side because of the oil-bung. Another bonus is some heat makes it to the trany,and pan. I know this because my trans-gauge is in pan.

 

[C Schomer]

I've never used any kind of an oil heater but the best thing I've done besides a block heater, is warm the batteries. I learned this when I lived in the 'Polar' midwest! Battery heater plates are pricey($40@, twenty years ago) so I've used a 100w trouble light against each battery on my diesels when they are out all night. Try it - you won't believe the difference!! A battery looses 60% of it's cranking power at 0 degrees. Craig

 

[NETim]

pan heaters

My Temro magnetic pan heater is rated @200W. I seriously doubt if that entire amount is making it into the oil. It doesn't make full contact with the pan. I only use it when it's below +20 Fahrenheit. So I don't think that I have to worry about cooking the Rotella. Usually 2-3 hours is all it gets.



Thanks to all,



Tim