Wth is this? Block heater on gas motor?

[Japslapr]

Just found this... never seen anything like it.. block heater? Thought that was a diesel thing.

I did find maintainence records for this thing in French.... so I think it came from Canada... which might explain the need?

 

[LeesEvoX]

Not uncommon for a gas motor to have a block heater. Especially if in a cold climate. It stops the coolant from freezing in extreme weather

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[Travelin Ram]

It’s common in the great white North.

 

[Buddy]

Yep, block heater. I use mine anytime it's cold out parked at work. I love it. Helps truck start like a dream on even the coldest nights and I start getting heat out of the vents down the road way sooner than if it hadn't been plugged in. Block heaters on even gas engine vehicles have been a staple up here my whole life.

 

[Brandon-w]

Yupp block heater. Even gas engines don't like starting in - 60 I have a hard time starting in - 60 [emoji23]

 

[NETim]

I love the outlets in the parking lots of motels in ND and northern MN.

 

[Wild one]

Just found this... never seen anything like it.. block heater? Thought that was a diesel thing.

I did find maintainence records for this thing in French.... so I think it came from Canada... which might explain the need?
View attachment 199962

Pretty well standard equipment on any gas motor/vehicle sold in Canada or the Northern States,lol

 

[rampower2012]

Yes it is my truck has one I found it last summer hid behind the grill

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

Yep. Had one in every truck for yrs. Took it out of my 2500 now that I'm in TN.

 

[bigdodge]

Use mine every year. Have it set on a timer so it come on about 3 hours before I leave. Why wouldn't you want your engine to start up at about 60* even when it's 20*

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[Brandon-w]

I prefer an oil pan heater over block heater. Who cares if your coolant is cold you're still. Trying to push cold molasses oil through your engine if the oil ain't warm.

 

[rampower2012]

That's a valid ansore on that an a good point and it well help on a cold start up

 

[MoparBrent]

Believe me they are well used and needed up here and northern Ontario lol

 

[CVX20]

I prefer an oil pan heater over block heater. Who cares if your coolant is cold you're still. Trying to push cold molasses oil through your engine if the oil ain't warm.

If it's on long enough it will warm the oil as well to a certain extent.

 

[Brandon-w]

If it's on long enough it will warm the oil as well to a certain extent.

Maybe a little but not not really. With the oil pan heater I have full oil pressure within a second or two and with just the block heater it's usually 6-8 seconds before its fully up to pressure. Don't get me wrong it's not terrible but every time you start in the cold it adds up and without the pan heater I feel it shortens the life of the engine by just that much more waiting for the oil to get to the top end.

 

[Wild one]

If it's on long enough it will warm the oil as well to a certain extent.

It would have to be on basically from when you shut the truck off to have any real heat in the oil.The oilpan sump is a fair ways from any coolant passage,and if you're figuring the block heater will heat the oil,it's not gonna happen if the temps are at -20 or more,unless the block heater is plugged in while the oil is still warm,but to bring cold oil up in temp it's not going to do that to any significant degree.After -20 an oilpan heater isn't a requirement,but it sure does make a difference in how fast the motor quits rattling and banging at you,lol

 

[PaulTGarrett]

Yep. Had one in every truck for yrs. Took it out of my 2500 now that I'm in TN.

When I lived in Nashville, TN I had a heat lamp mounted on a couple of 2x4's... I'd plug it in and slide it under the engine of my '78 Bronco at night. Made that heavily modified 460 spin over nicely in the mornings and the heater caught up faster. Thought about a block heater but I never could find one for a 460, just the kind you cut into your radiator hoses to install. Heat lamp on a board worked fine!

 

[Wild one]

When I lived in Nashville, TN I had a heat lamp mounted on a couple of 2x4's... I'd plug it in and slide it under the engine of my '78 Bronco at night. Made that heavily modified 460 spin over nicely in the mornings and the heater caught up faster. Thought about a block heater but I never could find one for a 460, just the kind you cut into your radiator hoses to install. Heat lamp on a board worked fine!

That reminds of the old stove pipe and tiger torch stuck under the oilpan,lol. More then one truck burned to the ground though,but it sure made a vehicle start easily at -40F in about 5 minutes,lol

 

[Michael barnette]

Molar been doing this for a long time. Had a 1966 Dodge Charger built in Canada that had one back then.

 

[CVX20]

It would have to be on basically from when you shut the truck off to have any real heat in the oil.The oilpan sump is a fair ways from any coolant passage,and if you're figuring the block heater will heat the oil,it's not gonna happen if the temps are at -20 or more,unless the block heater is plugged in while the oil is still warm,but to bring cold oil up in temp it's not going to do that to any significant degree.After -20 an oilpan heater isn't a requirement,but it sure does make a difference in how fast the motor quits rattling and banging at you,lol

Not saying that the oil pan heater isn't better but the heater heats the coolant which heats the block and heads and will eventually transfer to the pan to a certain extent.Block heaters throw a lot of heat.