external oil preheaters... Anybody use them?
 

I was looking at these external oil preheaters. i was wondering if anybody ever used one of them. My use for it would be to preheat the oil in my engine before i start it in this below freezing weather. I have 20w-50 oil in it from summer and racing and i havent started it in a while because the oil is too thick on start up. Im thinking this will thing it out. Iv been to busy to change the oil and see this may work. Car has a blown transmission so i cant drive it but id like to start it once a week or so just to keep the juices flowing. Here is what im talking about for reference. thanks for any help http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-23996/

if need be i will change the oil with some 5-30 its just with it snowing twice a week and im very busy just bought a house i have really not time.....

Fire it up you'll be fine, I have 20w50 in my car.

nahh i stated it once in like 40 degree weather in the fall the damn thing was chugging and shaking like the motor was fighting to turn in the sludge of cold oil... then it leveled out after a few seconds... i have to much $$ invested to chance it...

it wont hurt it to sit a few months. sta-bil in the gas is far more important then running it a few minutes each week.

ok good that makes me feel better.. maybe after this storm ill change the oil then and run it for a bit... i used sta bil too.. gonna put some more in with some fresh gas too though...

We used em at my old job with pretty good luck,but that was for a larger diesel with HD40 oil etc.

Get a heated nest for that bird :)

Have you looked at block heaters Brandon?

They make smaller types that replace freeze plugs and then have a quick connect for an extension cord, IMO that would be better than just a mat to boil your oil.

Block heater could be left on a timer so your engine can be warmed over night etc etc.

This ^^^

I've seen enough of those aftermarket block heaters fail to not want one. They are really geared towards people who live in real cold areas.

Don't solve a non-problem.

right so dont even bother with the heating pad either?

what kind of continuous use/duty cycle are they rated for, how long can you run it? I really don't see why you are bothering. If this was a real issue we'd all have been doing it for years, but no one does.

He is off of a very fresh rebuild and is too damn preoccupied to change the oil. Dang kids just wanna get in and go!

I am used to ones you can leave plugged in over night. But you are right, it seems like re inventing things here.

Simple Brandon,
http://zenstoves.net/GelledAlcohol/SmallSterno.jpg

Or, ya know, put your car in the garage already! :lol:

yea i gotta get it towed there probably in a couple weeks.. garage has building materials in it right now..

It's not good to start a car and let it run for a bit...there was a couple write ups on it in recent magazines. Unless you run it >20 min under decent conditions to burn off the oil, it doesn't accomplish anything and in fact is worse than letting it sit all winter.

We spoke about this and Brandon says he lets it get up to operating temp and lets the fans cycle a few times. He's smarter than he looks :wink:

yea i let it run for lots more than 20 minutes.. it takes 15 20 mins alone in this weather for the fans to kick on once... i like to do it to keep the oil at the seals so they don't dry up and also to keep the condensation in the engine down from sitting outside all the time...

Well if you don't let it get warm, there won't be much condensation.... :lol: