Block vs Oil Pan Heater

[fikey]

Last year I was caught a little off guard when our temperature dropped to -20 and had a time getting my L5030 HST started. I vowed to correct that before this winter. It seems there are mixed reviews on which is better, a block heater or an oil pan heater. Certainly the pan heater is less invasive and easier, but is it better or just as good?

 

[fried1765]

Last year I was caught a little off guard when our temperature dropped to -20 and had a time getting my L5030 HST started. I vowed to correct that before this winter. It seems there are mixed reviews on which is better, a block heater or an oil pan heater. Certainly the pan heater is less invasive and easier, but is it better or just as good?

Many moons ago I lived in MN.
I will cast my vote for an engine coolant heater.
My personal preference is Florida......and that is how I will address the issue,..... beginning next week.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Block/ coolant heater. Especially if it is stored outdoors. If it's in a garage or enclosed building, a pan heater may do just fine. I will say, there is a reason that coolant heaters are the factory option for diesels. The heaters are not meant to heat the oil. They heat the cylinders to aid in getting the fuel to ignite.

 

[Henro]

Seems to me that an oil pan heater would be great for heating the oil...but with the diesel the block heater would likely put more heat where it would aid starting, at the cylinders and towards the top of the engine.

Block heater wins hands down.

But if in doubt, do both. Can't hurt in my view...

 

[mcmxi]

Block/ coolant heater. Especially if it is stored outdoors. If it's in a garage or enclosed building, a pan heater may do just fine. I will say, there is a reason that coolant heaters are the factory option for diesels. The heaters are not meant to heat the oil. They heat the cylinders to aid in getting the fuel to ignite.

I have to agree. I recently bought a block heater for the LMTV M1078 but have yet to install it. You're going to get more convection with a block heater too vs. an oil pan heater.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I have to agree. I recently bought a block heater for the LMTV M1078 but have yet to install it. You're going to get more convection with a block heater too vs. an oil pan heater.

Yessir. Really big diesels...like 12 cyl for power generation....have coolant heaters that get hot enough to open the thermostat. That cycles coolant through the entire system. Essentially keeping the unit at operating temp. Our little ones won't do that, but definitely spread the heat through conduction.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

3rd option.. inline, lower rad hose heater....

also, install a battery warming blanket. A warm battery WILL spin the engine, k-k-k-k-cold battery won't

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

from the land of getting many weeks of -30 and having to start diesels every day the block heater / coolant heater hands down is much more efficient.

Stick on oil pan heaters (magnetic/glued/taped) do help but much many times less efficient. Have to use them for longer periods of time to get adequate support, need to block wind/tarp equipment, have to add more wattage than block heaters, etc... Yes they are good, yes they help, but many times less efficient.

 

[fried1765]

3rd option.. inline, lower rad hose heater....

also, install a battery warming blanket. A warm battery WILL spin the engine, k-k-k-k-cold battery won't

"inline, lower rad hose heater"
Pretty much the same as "coolant heater" to me.
It purpose is to heat the coolant!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

OK, two type of 'coolant ' heaters I know of
1) block type, mounts in a 'frost plug'.....
2) lower rad hose, mounts in ,um, the lower rad hose


Oil heaters
1) magnetic ,stick to oil pan
2) dip stick,hmm, replaces dipstick

I've also seen guys use IR lamps ( chicken coop heaters...)

 

[85Hokie]

Lets look at it this way - heating the oil, is like having hot shoes on when cold, not bad but.....

Having a heated coat or vest on is going to do a lot more for the body.

ANY type of coolant heater is going to be a hellva lot better than heating the oil!!!! IF you had a way to pump the oil through the system WITHOUT cutting the tractor on - then you would have something.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Last year I was caught a little off guard when our temperature dropped to -20 and had a time getting my L5030 HST started. I vowed to correct that before this winter. It seems there are mixed reviews on which is better, a block heater or an oil pan heater. Certainly the pan heater is less invasive and easier, but is it better or just as good?

Greetings for 10min south of you.
I'm Elmira area.

Block heater all the way, I have 6 Kubota engines here and they all have block heaters and I use several for winter operations and they never let me down.

 

[hodge]

Heating the oil pan has virture- it allows the engine to spin more freely because the oil isn't as thick (effectiveness depending on what oil you're running) . It's an additional measure, but heating the block is the primary goal. A warmed block means that combustion will happen more easily.
I've used a magnetic heater, and it did very little to aid in starting/combustion. I have a coolant heater on my JD 310 backhoe, and it does wonders.

 

[lynnmor]

Lets look at it this way - heating the oil, is like having hot shoes on when cold, not bad but.....

Having a heated coat or vest on is going to do a lot more for the body.

ANY type of coolant heater is going to be a hellva lot better than heating the oil!!!! IF you had a way to pump the oil through the system WITHOUT cutting the tractor on - then you would have something.

I like your analogy but since the coat of oil is about .001" thick, the warm shoes would instantly cool off if they too were .001" thick. How anyone can think that pushing an extremely thin coat of warm oil between many pounds of extremely cold cast iron, aluminum and steel will do much because that metal will instantly cool the oil to the temperature of the surrounding metal.

 

[SDT]

Last year I was caught a little off guard when our temperature dropped to -20 and had a time getting my L5030 HST started. I vowed to correct that before this winter. It seems there are mixed reviews on which is better, a block heater or an oil pan heater. Certainly the pan heater is less invasive and easier, but is it better or just as good?

Coolant heater is more effective.

Nothing wrong with both.

 

[D2Cat]

Pan heater puts out about 300 watts. You can get a block heater that uses 1200-1500 watts. One heats much better than the other!!

 

[Mowbizz]

I’ve had 2 (failed) block heaters. I tried to swap it out with a new one but could not, for the life of me, get the old (dealer installed) one out. Returned the block heater for a refund and bought the oil pan heater. Just hooked it up last week along with a battery heater. We’ll see how it wants to start first snowstorm. Block heater is superior but I have to take what I can get or pay the piper and get raped.

 

[will721]

Oil heaters don't really help with engine starting. They save wear and tear once its running as the oil will be thinner and help warm critical wear points. However, because it is just sitting in the pan and not circulating unless the engine is running it doesn't do much.

Coolant heaters on the other hand do help with engine starting. That is because the coolant isn't just sitting in a pan it is "floating" in the system. Therefore a coolant heater isn't just heating the coolant but also the block itself and cylinders. Diesels use heat for combustion. Not the glowplugs which just aid in cold starting and cease function once the engine is running. So heating the cylinders then makes combustion easier at those cold temperatures. Of course it also means faster heat from hvac in cab tractors.

Battery warmers also ease in engine starting but in a different way. Batteries naturally lose potency in cold weather causing the engine to turn over slower. Warming the battery just gives it the ability to use all of its potential and crank the engine faster.

 

[GeoHorn]

A block heater will aid start-up…but what harm comes from a running engine starving for lubricant that can’t be pumped because it’s turned to cold grease..??

I suggest BOTH….if you can’t keep the equipment in a heated bldg.

 

[Swanny]

Chiming in on an older thread.....
Putting on my engineering cap, the two types of heaters serve two different purposes. The coolant/block heaters primary function is to aid in starting & provide a quicker warm up. The oil pan heater is more to prevent excessive wear on the engine resulting from the oil flowing much slower due to the higher viscosity. The ideal situation is to have both. Having one over the other can actually cause excessive wear, and here's why: Coolant/block heater only could give a false sense of 'warm up' & the operator may then run the engine harder, before the oil has had a chance to warm up. No-the warmer coolant isn't going to warm the oil very quickly due to much less flow rate and volume. As for having only an oil pan heater, as mentioned in an earlier reply, the oil would cool down very quickly once its circulated in the cold block. BUT....its better than no heater at all. If I had to choose one over the other, and since I've never had a problem cold starting my Kubota in sub zero temperatures, I'd go for the oil pan heater-to reduce the excessive wear caused by cold startup.

Also-if your machine is hydrostatic, another heater mounted under the trans is a good thing for the same reasons.