| Author | Message | ||
| JR
Rating: N/A |
Don't have a block heater on my 6V92, and probably should have. Any ideas on what is the best type of 110V block heater. Thought I'd seen a screw-in heater that fits into an existing oil pan plug on the side of the oil pan...? Water heater would keep the water warm, but looks as though the oil would be cold and thick. Oil heater seems best idea...Any ideas? Dipstick heater clearly the easiest. Thanks, JR | ||
| mel 4104 Rating: N/A |
JR the water type that go in the side of the block are the most common and they do a great job and if plugged in long enough they even warm the oil a little enough to loosen the oil. they can be left plugged in over nite without any harm. just be sure that if you put them in to follow the instructions as to not having the element touch any part on the inside of the motor. | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
AND.....if you own a Pancake...beware...if the cavity is not full, to the brim, you'll melt a brand new $50-$60 heater element..... BTDT. FWIW RCB '64 Crown Supercoach (HWC) | ||
| califbob Rating: N/A |
I have a water heater type and works great. Mel is right don't let it touch the block. How do you know if it is touching the block in the water jacket? Use an ohm meter! | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Rating: N/A |
My bus came with 2 immersed electric element heaters in the engine. It doesn't take long to heat the engine to over 100F with both on (When they are on, you can hear the water sizzeling). I left them plugged in for a week or two last winter during a cold snap. The heaters kept the engine bay quite warm. I will not be doing that again as the power bill was quite HIGH!!!!!!!!!! While it did not trip a 20A breaker, it did overheat the 20A (10 ga) extension cord ends. When first using a block heater, keep an eye on the coolant level until you know how it's going to behave. Good luck, kyle4501 | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
So hey RC, I noticed that. I bought a factory heater for my 220 but when I realized it was on "top" because of the engine orientation, I didn't even install it. Seems to me a heater on top won't do much good where it counts... what's your experience if any? Gary | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Gary....I use a Webasto which, of course, makes an engine heater redundant and, usnless one is concerned about that giving out, therefore, why a need for an heater element. If I were to decide to use one, I think I would find another place on the engine (must be one somewhere) that would be satisfactory. NAU had installed a n element which was burned out, but I thought nothing of it, until I installed a new one..... lasted 10 seconds.....and I thought the coolant level was high enuf that it wouldn't be a problem....I've wondered if there might be a ceramic or some such heating element that would not fall apart so easily. Wrong.  RCB | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Rating: N/A |
Hello. The primary purpose of a plug-in heater is to warm up the engine sufficiently to help get the engine started when the temperature of the cylinders won't reach the magic 40 Celsius degree flashpoint of diesel. It needs to be down a bit below freezing before a motor with good compression will need some auxiliary assistance to get the compression stroke compressed air charge up to temp. (Physics rule about compressing a gas raising it's temperature takes care of things to this point) A warm block will lend heat to the cold incoming air, so that when the charge is compressed, it will reach the critical temp for ignition when the fuel is sprayed in by the injector. Or prevent the block from absorbing the heat from the compressed air, whatever. Most popularly, immersion heaters in the water passages are used. Webasto and company also do a great job in a short amount of time in this category. These plug-in heaters come in a variety of wattages. No need to spin that electric meter any faster than neccessary! Also, there are oil pan immersion heaters, that will put heat into the oil, so that it flows more easily, so that cranking speeds when attempting to start can be higher. Higher cranking speed, means higher cylinder temps, means better chance of starting. The issue is more cranking speed of the starter, less so on lubrication. If you are concerned about lubrication, you should be running the appropriate oil for your weather conditions, and the oil will take care of itself! Also, for the hardcore northern busnut, there are battery warmers available, to help with cranking speed: warmer battery has more power to turn that big 'ol diesel. One of the combinations I've seen (in a Freightliner highway tractor) is a two part set-up, oil and water immersion heaters, each selected with small enough wattages, that they are wired together inside the truck and a neat built-in covered male recepticle is available under the door to plug a single extension cord in from a 15 amp circuit. And three or four group 31's in a box fending for themselves on the frame rail. To save on electric costs, there is no need to leave it plugged in all night, unless you are in the arctic in winter. Do some experimentation by plugging it in and seeing how long for the block to warm. I have found that the one in my 8V71 has put some heat into the block in two hours. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Rating: N/A |
Hello JR Forgot to mention... A dipstick heater will not accomplish very much in our big motors. Not enough contact area and not enough power. I have also heard of problems with the magnetic oil pan heaters burning the oil just like a pan on the stove that is left too long without stirring. Perhaps others know more? happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| R.C, Bishop
Rating: N/A |
I had forgotten about the oil pan heaters, Used one in Colorado...altitude 9450 feet and 25 below, + -, years ago. Thanx BW for refreshing the memory (when you get to be my age you'll understand....  ) For those that don't know about them, it really makes a difference. Same with battery warmers....even a trickle charge helps a bunch in such climate. FWIW RCB | ||
| Christopher Goodwin (Cgoodwin)
Rating: N/A |
Look into immersion elements used for race cars, they are stainless and designed to heat all the oil in the pan to temp rapidly (without doing this the high volume oil pump would blow all the seals out pushing cold oil on startup) summitracing.com, stefs fabrication, moroso, etc. These can easily be installed in an oil pan and are designed not to burn the oil. Another option is install a block heater on a thermoswitch which comes on at 40F and shuts off at 60F. My bus uses engine coolant to heat the bus interior, Seattle winters are not terribly cold but they are very humid, to avoid condensation and mildew in the interior I designed a constant heating system. The engine coolant and coolant which runs through the interior radiators feeds into a 8" round tube 24" long which has a water heater element installed lengthwise and a small circulation pump. When the thermostat in the bus drops below 65F it turns on the pump and runs it until temp is back at 65F. The water heater element has a thermostat which keeps it at no more than 170F. The system keeps the engine and interior warm enough to start easily every time and the bus interior is nice and toasty, I added 3 dessicant units to keep moisture from becomming an issue in the bedrooms and livingroom and so far so good. Chris | ||
| Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A |
Moroso makes glue on tank heaters that run on 110. You can stick one directly on your oil pan. For a large diesel, get 2 of them. Seems like it would be pretty easy to set them up on a timer to go on for 3 or 4 hours at say 4am or something like that. There has to be many different options. |