Diesel: cold weather starting

[PhysAssist]

Snow belt on the east coast of lake Huron.
I figured given the long list of advantages of 1-4hrs of preheat before starting. Most operators would pre-heat if there was 120V nearby.

Short of running ext cords out into the driveway from inside the house, this was another reason that we never started using any engine heaters.

Ask me again next winter after my barn is wired and you may get a different answer.

 

[terryknight]

Does anyone use one of the magnetic block heaters that stick onto the oil pan? How do they work? Any down sides?

i have heard of them never seen or used them

 

[buickanddeere]

Thanks, you read me correctly, I have no axe to grind, no dog in the race, or whatever aphorism is appropriate, I was just sharing my "upstate New York" winter experiences regarding vehicle use and maintenance, withoit block, oil, radiator hose, or other heaters.

I do have a question about them.

Does anyone use one of the magnetic block heaters that stick onto the oil pan? How do they work? Any down sides?

Thanks,
Thomas

A couple of magnetic heaters on the oil pan are certainly better than a dip stick heater. Still fully synthetic oil is better than heating mineral oil. Magnetic oil pan heaters while they have a tendency to fall off. They are one of the few ways to pre-heat an air cooled engine.
I'll admit to putting a 200W magnetic on the oil pan of the tractor when parking it in the shed after the tractor being fully warmed up blowing snow. If the tractor is going to be used again within the next 6-24 hrs and the weather is not extremely cold. It's almost enough heat to keep a hot engine warm.

 

[3930dave]

I use a 300 watt Katt's magnetic heater. They were sold out of the 200w when I went for one. Where I am, the extra 100w can be useful, so I'm glad I ended up with it.

Kat's Handi-Heat Magnetic Heater 300 Watt, Model# 1160 | Engine Heaters Blankets| Northern Tool + Equipment

I use it on my tractor oil pan, only when it is really cold. I noticed the difference in cranking the most before I got the old conventional oil (I bought a Used tractor) out of it. I've run 5w40 synth since, and now 0W40 this Winter.

This Katt's 300w does have a strong magnet, and throws decent heat. I don't remember the manuf. instructions, but I'd say the only thing to watch is that you have most/all of the heat surface in contact with the pan. A rounded surface might let the heat buildup too high on the heater - it should have a safety cutoff in it, but it would be expensive to find out that it only functions once.

I don't have an HST, but am thinking another use for these mag heaters is pre-heating the trani-fluid when it is really cold.

I don't use this 300w heater too often, but I'm glad to have it when I do.

Rgds, D.

 

[Clint S]

Thanks, you read me correctly, I have no axe to grind, no dog in the race, or whatever aphorism is appropriate, I was just sharing my "upstate New York" winter experiences regarding vehicle use and maintenance, withoit block, oil, radiator hose, or other heaters.

I do have a question about them.

Does anyone use one of the magnetic block heaters that stick onto the oil pan? How do they work? Any down sides?

Thanks,
Thomas

First year I put the LR heater in mine I was gung ho and left it plugged in all the time for the first month and then I got my electric bill and it was 25 to 30$$ higher than normal. Pulled the plug and did the 2 hour thing only when going to need it and it was back in line. I figured why throw money away.
I felt I had to install one as I do not have glow plugs and the first year without it was a little tough to start when it was really cold. I live 30 miles North of cuse right up 81. I was also thinking of either a blanket or a heating magnet for the pan too. This will be the first year with the synthetic and I think it will make a difference.

 

[jymbee]

Hi Jymbee,

...

What area are you in generally?

Thomas

Hi Phys,

Interesting reading of your experience w/ cold weather starting. Thanks for the input.
We live in the northern Catskill Mountain region of upstate NY.

 

[PhysAssist]

Hi Phys,

Interesting reading of your experience w/ cold weather starting. Thanks for the input.
We live in the northern Catskill Mountain region of upstate NY.

Hi JymBee,

Thanks for appreciating the rambling.

You and Clint definitely suffer winter too. I spent a couple of years in the mountains of eastern PA and would much rather be in the flatlands, despite lake effect snow and lake plains winds.

Clint probably gets more of both than either of us because of the prevailing winds off the big lake hitting that range east of him.

By the way, we of the real "Upstate NY" (between western NY and the capitol district) consider the Catskill area to be part of "downstate NY", but I understand anyone sane would want to be disassociated from those real downstate people in NYC and LI, so nothing further will be mentioned.

I went to college in KY for a while, and very few of those folks understood the distances (physical, psychiatric, and economic, etc.) between being from the actual STATE of NY (i.e., upstate rural farm country), and being from NYC.

Clint, thanks for your experiences and the info. I was thinking along the same lines re: hydraulic heating with the magnetic.

Take care,
Thomas

 

[jymbee]

Hi JymBee,

By the way, we of the real "Upstate NY" (between western NY and the capitol district) consider the Catskill area to be part of "downstate NY", but I understand anyone sane would want to be disassociated from those real downstate people in NYC and LI, so nothing further will be mentioned.

Thomas,

Got a good laugh out of the "upstate" comment. Obviously it's all relative-- and even quite contentious with some. Personally I think those people just take the description of their geographic area too seriously. I know some folks in Yonkers that think THEY are upstate.

 

[fish6942]

I have a block heater on the BX. It gets parked in an unheated outbuilding that's about 75' from the house. It only gets used once or twice a week. I leave the block heater plugged into a remote control outlet and can control the outlet with the remote from the house. Usually running the BH for 1-2 hours ahead of time will have the engine temp halfway up to operating temp even before starting the engine. The BH is 400W. I also have a lamp plugged into the outlet so I can tell from the house when the outlet is on.

The electricity expense is easily offset by less start up wear.

 

[PhysAssist]

I have a block heater on the BX. It gets parked in an unheated outbuilding that's about 75' from the house. It only gets used once or twice a week. I leave the block heater plugged into a remote control outlet and can control the outlet with the remote from the house. Usually running the BH for 1-2 hours ahead of time will have the engine temp halfway up to operating temp even before starting the engine. The BH is 400W. I also have a lamp plugged into the outlet so I can tell from the house when the outlet is on.

The electricity expense is easily offset by less start up wear.

That sounds like a good plan for anyone who doesn't have their vehicle in an attached garage set up.

Can you share sources for the remote set up?

What kind of block heater do you have?

Thanks,
Thomas