Engine heater?

llamas1 · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:20 am Post subject: Engine heater?

I was changing the oil in my new bus for the first time this weekend. As I got underneath I saw this strange contraption. At first I thought it was some kind of thermostat because there were two wires coming from it. After I removed and cleaned it I found that it was labeled an engine heater. Not only that I traced the wires back up into the engine compartment where the other end was a 120v plug that was tucked away behind the battery. Anybody ever use this engine heater?

I live in Houston so I left it off after my oil change.

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Chillkoot · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 6:07 am Post subject:

I have used ones like it in alaska.. not for my A/C stuff.. that is a pretty common oil drain heater.. Hell you live in an apartment in alaska in all the carport they have plugs.. It is a lot better to plug your car in, thinner oil at start up compared to oil that is often below 0
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AlaskaWesty · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 10:08 am Post subject:

Boy I tell you, I lived in Houston (Spring) for 12 years before moving to Alaska and never once gave thought to an engine block heater there. Heck, I did not know they made 'em for the buses. Cool. Now at -20 I can see it but the coldest Houston ever got was in the 20's for like a day. Makes you wonder where that old bus has been!

If you are going to just chuck it let me know!

Paul

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jeremysmithatshawdotca · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 12:55 pm Post subject:

Isn't the element supposed to be inside in the sump? A lot of cars just won't start in the winter here if they're not plugged in, not enough juice to try and move the thick oil around in the morning. Not my vw though, started right up at -35 without being plugged in in Feb. this year! Jeremy

bljones · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:50 pm Post subject:

old school block heaters are a fairly common item in this area. On water cooled cars, the element is inside the block, but all of the air cooled models i have seen mount the same way, to the drain plate, and the heat conducts through the case.
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chabanais · Samba Member Joined: July 27, 2002 Posts: 4866

Zee Germans did not hov this teknology in Stalingrad...
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chillz1 · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 8:28 pm Post subject:

I had one on a fastback parts car I purchased. I tried it during some winter mornings (if you can call it winter here in New Mexico) and it seemed to work very well. Any engine will benefit from warm oil upon startup, especially in a colder climate.


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