Author Topic: Oil pad heater (Read 3380 times)

overtakeyouintheleftlane · « **on:** December 05, 2009, 12:30:14 pm »

Do oil pad heaters actually work? How effective do you find them? Does it actually warm up the engine? I wouldn't imagine it would actually provide heat as well as an engine block heater. Opinions are appreciated.

http://www.canadianpolarpad.com/

21Rouge · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2009, 08:02:10 pm »

For those cars not having a block heater an oil pan heater is an easy install. Having said this the one you link to is expensive.

articsteve · « **Reply #2 on:** December 05, 2009, 08:30:01 pm »

They are useless for cars that drive in snow and need metal to metal contact. Can't see an adhesive being a good conductor.

I've used them on tractors that use powerful magnets to hold them to the hydraulic reservoir effectively. They used to call them "Mag Heaters".

No H2O · « **Reply #3 on:** December 05, 2009, 09:28:58 pm »

Quote from: overtakeyouintheleftlane on December 05, 2009, 12:30:14 pm

Does it actually warm up the engine?

They're supposed to warm up the oil. That to me is more important than warming up the coolant.

HeliDriver · « **Reply #4 on:** December 05, 2009, 10:19:43 pm »

That looks interesting - I think I'll pick one up this week and check it out.

Our GM has a silly block heater that only works when it's minus 18 or colder. If you jury rig it to come on at warmer temperatures, then the ECU will throw a code. Apparently it was designed that way - something about emissions regulations and the computer getting confused if the coolant is too warm for what the MAF sensor is reading.

I'm thinking maybe this Polar Pad thing will let me heat the oil when it's minus 10-15, without heating the coolant enough to throw a code.

overtakeyouintheleftlane · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2009, 10:21:12 pm »

What kind of GM is it? My block heater turns on when plugged in (can hear the hissing noise) or when I set a timer regardless of temperature.

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2009, 11:27:10 pm »

Quote from: overtakeyouintheleftlane on December 05, 2009, 12:30:14 pm

I wouldn't imagine it would actually provide heat as well as an engine block heater.

I think that is about it. The advantage of a block heater is that the whole engine is heated up. Oil heaters made sense when oils turned to grease when cold, but modern synthetic 0w oils flow freely at quite cold temps.

HeliDriver · « **Reply #7 on:** December 06, 2009, 12:05:11 am »

Quote from: overtakeyouintheleftlane on December 05, 2009, 10:21:12 pm

What kind of GM is it? My block heater turns on when plugged in (can hear the hissing noise) or when I set a timer regardless of temperature.

It's a 2007 Suburban. I read somewhere that all GM trucks (maybe all GMs?) since 2006 have this "feature."

From a quick Google search, this is about the best explanation I could find:

"GM has installed temperature sensing circuitry into the plug on factory installed block heaters. It prevents the heater from operating unless it is colder than 0°F or -18C. It may seem insane, but it really does make sense if you understand why. If you install an aftermarket block heater without this circuitry, the PCM will see warm coolant, but a cold engine and cold air coming into it. Remember, it's the PCM's job to determine the correct air/fuel mixture. A cold engine block and cylinder head act as a fire extinguisher when you first start up the engine. So the computer commands a very rich mixture. How does it know what temperature the engine is? It used to look at only the coolant temperature. But now it looks at both coolant temp and the temp of the metal itself. If it see a discrepency between the two numbers, and the outside air temp coming in through the intake is 0° or above, it assumes there's something wrong with the coolant temp sensor and sets a trouble code.

Bottom line, if you add an aftermarket heater, it must have the temperature sensing circuitry in it or you WILL set a trouble code. Also, if you ever have to replace the power cord to the factory block heater, you must use a new GM power cable."

http://www.ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/repair-topics/engine/block-heater-on-gm-vehicles

21Rouge · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2009, 06:46:43 am »

Quote from: SiRCivic on December 05, 2009, 10:19:43 pm

That looks interesting - I think I'll pick one up this week and check it out.

This one is significantly less expensive than the Polar Pad and 'sticks' via a magnet and is available through Princess Auto.

http://www.princessauto.com/truck-trailer/truck-accessories/12v-heaters/4270100-300-watt-magnetic-heater?keyword=oil+pan+heater

Rupert · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2009, 09:10:06 am »

Warming the oil with a heater will reduce the viscosity and on start-up will make friction less. I wonder if there is a way of pressurising the oil so that circulation around sliding parts occurs before the engine is started. In the old early motoring days this function was performed with a manual pump.
I read somewhere that oil was routinely heated to operating temp before starts in motorcycle racing. Gave a few extra HP at the start I suppose.
Even with modern multi-viscous oils, start up viscosity will be significantly higher than at opperating temp. Pity you can not direct some exhaust gasses by the sump to keep the oil warm on very cold days.

tpl · « **Reply #10 on:** December 06, 2009, 09:16:36 am »

Quote from: Rupert on December 06, 2009, 09:10:06 am

Warming the oil with a heater will reduce the viscosity and on start-up will make friction less. I wonder if there is a way of pressurising the oil so that circulation around sliding parts occurs before the engine is started. In the old early motoring days this function was performed with a manual pump.
I read somewhere that oil was routinely heated to operating temp before starts in motorcycle racing. Gave a few extra HP at the start I suppose.
Even with modern multi-viscous oils, start up viscosity will be significantly higher than at opperating temp. Pity you can not direct some exhaust gasses by the sump to keep the oil warm on very cold days.

I remember seeing ads for "pre-oilers" for car engines. A canister that was filled with oil by the oil pump when the engine was running with some kind of non-return valve. The canister had a diaphragm so that there was compressed air in there. When the ignition was turned on this oil was forced around the bearings before the starter engaged.

I just did a Google and Amsoil makes them still as do some others.

Rupert · « **Reply #11 on:** December 06, 2009, 12:12:48 pm »

Hmmm...neat. I wonder what the reasons are for this not catching on, apart from cost. It seems to me that for ordinary folk anyway...most of the engine wear occurs at start-up.
Prolonging engine life would be a green thing to do would it not.

tpl · « **Reply #12 on:** December 06, 2009, 01:49:46 pm »

probably because they are unnecessary for 90+% of the vehicles in NA with modern oils and the prevailing temperatures.

Rupert · « **Reply #13 on:** December 06, 2009, 04:11:36 pm »

Not so. I would suggest. But rust probably is the major killer.

overtakeyouintheleftlane · « **Reply #14 on:** December 06, 2009, 09:14:50 pm »

I'm guessing it may be unnecessary for my case as my block heater does activate when plugged in or when on a timer as after 2 hours if I touch the engine, it's warm and the temperature gauge climbs. My gf's car '98 Civic has no block heater and parks outside. Have given a thought to this but doubt she would bother plugging it in.

Rupert · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2009, 08:39:10 am »

We keep a small gas sipping vehicle that does day to day duties for most of the year and a larger one for light trailer towing that sits most of the time doing little or nothing. Maybe a pre-oiler would be valuable on our tow vehicle to pump oil around before starting after an extended period of non use. The above noted are interesting pieces of equipment and I wondered about something like it for quite a while but did not know that these were available. It seems to me that they can not do any harm and might be valuable in some circumstances. How about Car Talk trying one out.

I will have to try to install a quiet travel kit on the small vehicle also...sometime...hmmm.

blur911 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2009, 10:18:37 am »

Quote from: Rupert on December 08, 2009, 08:39:10 am

Maybe a pre-oiler would be valuable on our tow vehicle to pump oil around before starting after an extended period of non use. The above noted are interesting pieces of equipment and I wondered about something like it for quite a while but did not know that these were available. It seems to me that they can not do any harm and might be valuable in some circumstances. How about Car Talk trying one out.

Racers have been using them for years. Accusump is probably the most popular, they are also handy for use in non-dry-sump engines than can lose oil supply at higher lateral Gees. A friend has one on his Jensen-Healey.
http://www.accusump.com/

johngenx · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2009, 11:04:17 am »

My 1976 Civic lived its live in the Yukon, and had to start at temps down into the -50C range. I cut out the stock battery pan and cut and welded a new one to allow a "Cat" battery (best back then), had a block heater, a coolant circulation heater and an oil pan warmer element. We had to redo the panel for the exterior plugs, but my little 1300cc car started no matter what.

Even with all that, starting it was a chore. You had to manipulate a manual choke and throttle. It meant sitting in the car while it warmed, or at least ruinning back out every couple minutes.

The cars heater worked, but lacking the heat generation ability of the large V-8 engines so prevalent then, it sucked in comparision to the Domestics. But, with knobbly snow tires, the FWD beast excelled in the snow. Only 4WD's were better.

This morning I hopped in the Forester, started it, and drove off. In a couple minutes, the heater was blasting hot air and I had to switch off the heated seat. How times have changed...

overtakeyouintheleftlane · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2009, 11:12:16 am »

My co-worker told me today he uses one, he used to live in NWT, used this with a block heater and a battery blanket to start his car as he also parked outdoors all the time. He said it helped.

aquadorhj · « **Reply #19 on:** December 13, 2009, 06:06:30 pm »

I had a new oil pan heater installed on my Jetta last week when the -20 weather started.

There was a cord present when I bought the car, and I assumed it was a block heater, plugged in, but my car had a heck of time starting, and it sounded like a bucket of nails in a blender when it did.

So I bought a volt meter and checked...

the heater was dead.

That's why I bought a new heating pad, had it installed.. worked alright for couple of -20 days, but now that it's -30, IT'S NOT WORKING!

well, it works, but the heat it produces is so minor, i can touch the heating element itself and it's barely warmer than ambient weather.

man, does my VW not like cold weather... it doesn't sound like bucket of nails anymore, though. more like, really hard rubber compound in blender now..

Never had trouble starting my Honda as long as I plugged in the block heater.

So in conclusion... i don't think the oil pan heater is as good as block heater.