oil pan heaters

dogfarm · Dec 8, 2005

I've just got my new Kama 554. I'm trying to make a decision on lube oil warmers. Where I am in western Mass, the temperature can go to -30F, This morning it was 10F when we left the house to go to work.

I'm thinking the right solution is an oilpan heater. I don't want to mess with freeze plugs and I've heard it's a hassle to install a block heater on the lower radiator hose because of the short hose. The configuration of the oil pan on the Kama is that it only has a couple of flat surfaces on the bottom that are 2x5 inches or so. I am limited to what I can fit to the oil pan.

I've seen small stick-on Wolverine units that are 1 1/4 x 4 but only heat small engines. A pair is rated for 4 qt oil capacity at 90 watts. That doesn't seem enough.
I can get a 250 watt magnetic block heater at my local Agway. It's a lot cheaper, but I've read the magnetic type doesn't stick well enough to transfer heat adequately
J.C. Whitney sells 1 2 1/8 x 4 unit that sticks on and is rated at 125 watts. Two of those would get me to 250 watts.

Does anyone have any experience with these units or other?

greg_g · Dec 8, 2005

( I've seen small stick-on Wolverine units that are 1 1/4 x 4 but only heat small engines. )
Forget magnetic heaters. I thought cheap was the way to go too, and it ended up costing me more in the long run. But you're way behind the information curve on Wolverines. They've got heaters up to 1000w. CLICK HERE.

I'm using them on my 3rd tractor now. Dunno if your 554 has the same oil pan tunnel as my 454, but I bought a pair of 125w Wolverines (Model 9.1) and put one on either side of the drive shaft housing. Spliced the cords together into a single plug, and she's warm as toast now.

//greg//

dogfarm · Dec 8, 2005

Greg

Thanks for the quick reply! I actually remember reading something about a pair of Wolverines, but I couldn't remember where. I just found your reply to Paddy and was about to PM you. You beat me to it!

I was worried that the 6" length was too long, but if they work on yours, they should work on mine! The only concern I have is that they would be damaged by driving over brush. Do you have any kind of a skid plate protecting yours or is that not a problem for you?

Steve

greg_g · Dec 8, 2005

It's pretty much a matter of following the instructions and using the provided installation materials/tools. I used an angle grinder and wire brush cup to get the surface of the oil pan down to bare metal, and then cleaned the exposed surface with isopropyl. After applying the self-adhesive pad to a pre-warmed oil pan, I helped cure the edges with a hair dryer. Then I applied the supplied silicon sealer around all four edges to keep dirt/moisture from working its way between the pad and the pan.

In six years of using Wolverines, I've never so much as seen an edge lift. What's more vulnerable is the power cord. Even though I've never snagged one, it's still very very important to make sure the cord is drawn high and tight to make sure it doesn't catch on anything while the tractor is motion. I'm pretty sure the cord would stay in the field, and the pad would stay on the tractor.

//greg//

Paddy · Dec 8, 2005

I'll be taking Greg's advice...if I ever take my Kama out out her heated garage /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I used the preheat today for first time but, since it's 50 deg in the garage I don't know if it made any diff. Here in Indiana we recieved a lovely gift of 6.5" (and still snowing) of snow. got to play a bit.

Greg has some very good advice, take notes!

Patrick

JINMA224XR · Dec 8, 2005

Greg has some very good advice, take notes!


Hey Patrick,

We are in agreement.

I try to attend class everyday, if I can. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

schmalts · Dec 11, 2005

I think you would do better to do a freeze plug heater over an oil pan heater for starting reasons. I dislike oil pan heaters because if they are a high wattage heater they will break down the oil where the oil sits over the hot spot. I would recommend a coolant heater and Synthetic oil instead.

Ranch_Hand_Supp · Dec 11, 2005

I also like to heat the water/coolant in a engine when ever possible.

Ronald

Ranch Hand Supply

greg_g · Dec 11, 2005

( I dislike oil pan heaters because if they are a high wattage heater they will break down the oil where the oil sits over the hot spot. )

No offense schmalts. But that's an uninformed statement, very likely based upon incorrect selection and/or installation in the past. It's been stated repeatedly - on this forum and others - that pan heaters must be selected on the basis of engine oil capacity.

I've seen pan heaters as small as 40w and as large as 1000w. Like anything else, it's a matter of picking the right tool for the job. In the case of the brand I use on my KAMA, a pair of 125w pads will never heat the oil over 125 degrees (Fahrenheit).

//greg//

schmalts · Dec 11, 2005

Heating the oil is also not going to help start the engine in cold weather as well as heating the coolant. Heating the coolant will warm the cylinder walls and heads where it counts. Coolant also will not get thermal damage from being heated.
No offense to you either gregg but i have had engines apart that had pan heaters on them. Many times i have seen oil cokeing on the inside of the pan where the heater was placed. In order for the oil to be heated to 125 degrees, the heater has to be much hotter than that to keep up. The oil that is right on the other side of the heater will suffer some thermal damage. Maybe not much, but it will suffer.
The problem i have with oil heaters is that they do not heat the rest of the engine up as well as a coolant heater will, and i use a heater for starting ability, nothing more.
Your best bang for the buck is a freeze plug installed block heater when talking about cold starting.
The very worst heaters or dipstick heaters. they are nothing more than an oil destroying joke.
As far as what is said on this and other forums, i ignore a lot of it because it is said by guys with thier own opinions, rather than research and development data. If oil pan heaters were so great i think you would see more of them installed on commercial diesel engines from the factory but they use block heaters instead because its what they found works best.