Oil Heater

[Cary and Don]

Hi all,

I think I heard that there was an oil heater that can be dropped down the fill tube.  Has anyone heard of such a thing?  We would like to add a little engine warming to our 4107, 6V92, but the water port on the side we can get to ,that would take a coolant heater, is being used by something else.  We don't go into cold weather all that often, so an easy way to warm the engine up a little would be nice.  We have either cold start on it, but warm would be nice. 

Don and Cary 4107

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Don & Cary,

I'm not sure where to get that type of heater but, have you concidered a engine preheater?

One is called a ProHeat, that is diesel fired and preheats the coolant. Another is electric with the

same theroy. I believe that the Aquahots have the electric option.

Good Luck
Nick-

[ChuckMC8]

Since you don't need it often, the kind with a magnet that sticks to the oil pan would do the trick....and might easy to install. I did a Google search and heres just one that I came up with-$33.00 or so...
http://www.tractorpartsinc.com/magnetic_block_heaters_mh1153_3953_prd1.htm
I'd prefer this type to the dipstick variety
HTH, chuck

[HighTechRedneck]

I've seen dipstick oil heaters, but those are more for small engines with one gallon of oil.  I'm not sure they could heat 8 gallons of oil in a week.    I agree with Chuck that with your limited needs, the magnetic type might work for you.

In general though, coolant heaters make more sense to me in that the heat spreads throughout the block via the coolant.

[Cary and Don]

Our new bus will have the aqua hot with pre-heat for the engine.  We don't want to go into that for this bus.  I didn't know there were magnetic heaters.  It might give that little extra help so the starter won't have to work as hard.  We are seldom out in below freezing temps.  We got stuck out one night down into the low teens and we started it every couple hours just to make sure it did start the next morning.  Good thing we didn't have any neighbors.  LOL  Cary

[JackConrad]

Heating the oil may halp, but the biggest problem starting diesels in cold weather is that diesels engine rely on heat from compression to ignite the fuel. A cold combustion chamber makes it difficult to produce enough heat to ignite the fuel until the engine has cranked over for awhile to warm up the combustion chamber. Jack

[HighTechRedneck]

Heating the oil may halp, but the biggest problem starting diesels in cold weather is that diesels engine rely on heat from compression to ignite the fuel. A cold combustion chamber makes it difficult to produce enough heat to ignite the fuel until the engine has cranked over for awhile to warm up the combustion chamber. Jack

That's what I was thinking.  Although I'm sure heating the oil pan keeps the cylinders from getting as cold as they would be unheated, a coolant based engine heater can get the cylinders and heads up to a nice warm temp.

[scanzel]

I have the engine block electric heater on my 8V92 and even when it is near the low teens i plug it in the night before and the next morning it fires right up just as if it was 60 to 70 degrees out. You can even feel that the whole block area is warm. Makes for easy starting.