Block heater, oil pan type

[brucepick]

I thought somebody here installed the kind of block heater that bonds outside the oil pan and warms the oil and block from below. Sounds like a much easier install than the freeze plug type - I might try it.

I did a search and couldn't find the thread.

Anybody? Comments?

[lovemysan]

The saturn uses a surface mount block heater. They are extremely inefficient and generally disliked. They waste a good amount of your grid power. A better alternative is the coolant circulating type. They start around $20.

[brucepick]

Coolant circulating?
You mean the one that goes in a lower rad hose?

Prolly not an option for me - that's where my rad fan temp switch is. Will make the fan run! Not wired thru ign. switch, circuit is always live.

[Rick Rae]

Originally Posted by brucepick

...the kind of block heater that bonds outside the oil pan and warms the oil and block from below.

I've been wondering about the magnetic version of those. Over the Winter I'll probably only be driving two (possibly three) days a week, and I thought it might be a good way to experiment to see if something more permanent is worthwhile. So, I'll be interested in the replies you get.

I remember seeing mention of an oil pan heater very recently. Maybe in one of the FETC team discussions? I just did a quick search and didn't turn it up, but maybe whoever mentioned it will chime in.

Rick

[GasSavers_Brock]

I use a coolant heater and really like it. I also have a oil pan heater and the coolant heater does a much better job warming up the whole engine. I think the oil pan heater helps but when you start it even after 4 hours of warming I see about a 10 degree warm up. With the coolant heater I am typically up to 180F or so, of course the oil pan heater takes 250w and the coolant heater takes 900w.

Basically the coolant heater tends to warm up everything, even the oil and the oil heater only warms the oil, better then nothing I guess.

Oh I see about a 10 mpg improvement in my mpg’s on my trip to work with the coolant heater and see no difference in mpg’s with the oil heater.

[lovemysan]

Originally Posted by brucepick

Coolant circulating?
You mean the one that goes in a lower rad hose?

Prolly not an option for me - that's where my rad fan temp switch is. Will make the fan run! Not wired thru ign. switch, circuit is always live.

Well you could wire a relay off the ignition switch that would energize the fan circuit. You could also set the block heater to below the temp threshold of the fan switch.