Oil Pan Heaters

[MikePA]

Has anyone ever used one of these? Opinions?

Moroso Oil Pan Heater
While the block heater heats up the coolant around the cylinders to make starting easier in cold temps, it has very little effect on the engine oil, unless you plug in the block heater immeadiately after shutting down the engine for the day. This oil pan heater can reduce warm-up and EBP valve on times as well as cure the sluggishness associated with cold, thick oil. The 5X7 inch pad adhears to the side of the oil pan and has a 22" cord. The pad has a 400 watt rating and will raise the oil temperature on a 5-quart sump from 60 to 160 degrees in 30 minutes. I suggest plugging in the Oil Pan Heater at the same time as the block heater--about 2 hrs before driving, depending on the temperature.
The pad needs to be attached to paint-free metal and the edges sealed with a high-temp silicon sealer (not included)

Moroso Oil Pan Heater: $60.00

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...The pad has a 400 watt rating and will raise the oil temperature on a 5-quart sump from 60 to 160 degrees in 30 minutes. ...</font color=blue>

Most of the block heaters raise the water temp about 20 degrees above ambient air temp ~ 1-2 hrs, and I believe it's quite less as the temp. creeps even lower than 0 degrees...

I think someone is pulling a leg... claiming a "100 degree" raise in temp..., also assuming it's a "magnet type mount" which are the most inefficient for heat transfer...

I don't think dual 1500 watt forced air space heaters blowing directly on the oil pan for a couple hours would raise it 30 or 40 degrees... let alone one 400 watt inefficient magnetic heater raising it "100" degrees... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[MChalkley]

John - You're always so cynical. You have to read between the lines on spec sheets. Don't you know anything? The 400w is just to keep the nuclear reaction going.

(Mike - They do work, but like John says, I don't think they work that well. Leaving it on all night at those temps is more like it.)

 

[BobinCols]

Mike-Just install the block heater you purchased and forget about the oil pan heater. You don't need one. A block heater helps cold weather starting but your tractor does have glow plugs. A high qaulity oil will flow at low temperatures. You don't have a oil pan heater on your car or pickup, a tractor is no different. I'd put my $60 in a synthetic motor oil and your engine will get the use out of it 365 days a year.

 

[MikePA]

Good advice! I traded emails with the place that has these for sale. I asked him if it would raise the oil temp by 100 degrees in 30 minutes if the starting temp was 0 degrees. He didn't know. I'll be buying a freeze plug puller and installing the block heater. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Egon]

While the block heater heats up the coolant around the cylinders to make starting easier in cold temps, it has very little effect on the engine oil

Uhh--- perhaps "Bulldust" would be a good comment.

Egon

 

[cowboydoc]

Another thing to consider before using these is that some of them have been known to overheat the oil they're applied. If this happens then your oil life is going to be shot.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

John,

<font color=blue>I think someone is pulling a leg... </font color=blue> Only if they can catch you sleeping/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

On the flip side if it did raise it 100 Deg F in 30 minutes then in 1 hour, 200 Deg F, then in 2hours 400 Deg F. and in 4 hours Burn't Orange.

In a "perfect" world 100% heat transfer, no heat loss to air and zero mass block:

400 watts x 1/2 hour = 0.2 KWHrs

5 quarts water x 1lb/pint = 10 lbs

10 lbs water x 0.84 (specific gravity of crude) = 8.4 lbs (weight of oil)

8.4 lbs oil x 0.5 BTU's/lbXDeg F (specific heat of oil) x 100 Deg F = 420 BTU's (energy required to raise the temperature of 5 quarts of oil 100 deg F)

420 BTU's x 0.00029 KWHrs/BTU = 0.12 KWHrs (same expressed in KWHr's)

To raise the temperature of 5 quarts of oil 100 deg F, requires 0.12 KWHrs. A 400 watt heater running for 1/2 hour provides 0.2 KWHrs.
Al

 

[MikePA]

Here's the link to the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?CatCode=15014>Moroso</A> site. They have 3 different models, all designed for racing applications.

 

[Steve_in_Ont]

The Moroso heater looks similar to the Besco Alaska Pad that I purchased for my TC21D. I bought it due to installation ease (no draining the coolant & removing a freeze plug), and comments from customers who operate large machinery up north. It seems that this heating method is very effective because:
1. heat rises
2. it heats the lubricating oil... cold start lack of lube failures are due to excessive oil viscosity... not to mention undue stress on the oil pump.

Don't know what Moroso says, or the size of your tractor, but Besco says "15 - 30 watts per quart of oil". Given the 3 quarts of the TC21D, a small (2.5" X 5" pad) 100 watt heater was all that was needed...

good luck.