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-30C Time For An Engine Heater...


Wanderer
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So I've done a bit of searching and found quite a few different types of heaters (block heaters, oil pan heaters, coolant heaters, etc). I have 2 questions, my fist question is what would be the best option for my truck? I like the stick-on oil pan heaters but I'm a bit worried about how it will last being exposed to the elements (truck has no belly pan like most cars do). The coolant heater is also cool because you can heat up the interior and defrost the windshield right away.

2nd question, currently my truck won't start because its too cold (-20c at noon today), its supposed to stay this cold all week too! Could I use a heat gun to warm up my oil just so I can get it started? Pretty ghetto I know but its all I could think to do LOL

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It should start at that temperature. There's a honeycomb heater in the throttle body that heats the gas as it passes through to help with cold starts.

 

Does the engine crank over fine but not fire? Does it barely crank? Does it crank at all?

 

This might be a little too hillbilly, but if you have one of those big heated blankets...plug it in and drape it over the engine. Believe me, it works...

Edited by Kingman
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The heating blanket helps too, but they also make engine blankets.

 

there is acutally a much lager flat surface of the oil pan above the front diff. the small portion you see is just extra volume. If you can get it to stick to the pan above the front diff that would be your best bet for oil. Are you running 5w30? I have heard that block heaters on the VG somtimes confuse colant temp sensors since the cyl is still cold and needs more fuel so I am going to reccomend if you use a coolant heater you use the kind that spices into your radiator hose so that the heating source is farther away from the temp sensor.

Edited by MY1PATH
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Do what the Germans did with their tanks in Russia, build a fire under the pathy... :D

 

I have never had to deal with a heater, but know people who did and they claimed the coolant heater was the way to go. :shrug:

 

B

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Well if your running any thing thicker then 5w-30 then thats your problem...(and a old starter and or dieing battery)

The thiner the oil then the easyer it is to turn the engine over and faster you get the oil up to temp...

on a side note my 86 c-vic winter beater would only start if it was plugged in for 3 + hours...it was not a too cold engine problem...it was simply time to replace every wire between the dizzy the block...I replaced the plug wires(no efect) replaced the wires that run to the coil...bingo that was the problem...Simply go out at night,open the hood and have somebuddy crank the engine...you should see lighten in a bottle from the bad wires...that should take care of your problem...(if the engine is turning over fine but not catching...)If the engine is turning over slowly,clean the battery temmanal and see if that helps,if it doesnt change to 5w-30(or evan 5w-20) and see if that helps...

You can also help your engine by blocking off some of the radiator to help keep heat in and by putting insulation(the shiny reflextive stuff) on the bottom of the hood to help keep heat in longer after you shut the engine off...

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