Kind of a spinoff from the methanol oil thread.
Is anyone using a pad type heater on the bottom of the oil pan to heat their oil? What if you use a diaper? I have a Kats 100w pad that I was thinking about putting on the pan.
Block heaters in the freeze plug hole, what are you using? On a SBC which position are you putting them? I use stock motor mount placement with solid mounts.

I have the stick on pan oil heater and freeze plug block heater on one side. Starter prevents use on the other side. I use a piece of plumbers cloth between the heater and diaper to protect the diaper. It has worked quite well. Although I wouldn't recommend it, but I have accidently left it plugged in over night and had no issues. Also use it between my headers and diaper where its tight. The heaters are a good investment to protect your engine. Always make sure I have at least 120 degree of oil temp when I start. Oil temp is critical for long oil life. I put 80 to 100 passes on my oil with no issues

Good luck

The stick on Moroso's are extremely effective. But, I struggled to keep from burning the diaper. So I welded a bung into the pan and use a probe heater. It isn't as fast as the stick on. I switched to a containment pan, and I am impatient, so I could probably add a stick on now.
I don't know that I ever hurt anything including bearings without the heater. But I use an oil temp gauge, and find that consistent oil temps actually have been a better predictor than water temperatures. And, it really prevents milking the oil right from the beginning of the day. I don't want to wear out parts warming up. Warm up the oil, start it up and lean it out, no time at all it is ready to go to the lanes. I like 150 before a pass.

Do you know what wattage your stick on heater is? They make a 100W and a 150W. Their site said 100 for 5qts and 150 for up to 8 qts. How hot does it get the oil 120 deg? Have you pulled the pan since using a stick on, did it burn any oil to the pan or leave any residue? My diaper came from DRE and has what looks like carpet felt backing in it and I was afraid to let the heater sit directly on it.
On the freeze plug heater is yours in the rear freeze plug on the drivers side?

Years ago I used a stick on Moroso which didn’t last at all then switched to the weld on stefs which I still use now,much faster then the stick on was.

I use the jegs brand stick on. At one point, when pulling the motor, I damaged the pad. I order a moroso to replace it and it last two races. Went back to the jegs brand and no issues.

I bought a Moroso stick on last season and still working good so far

quote:

Originally posted by seabass:
Years ago I used a stick on Moroso which didn’t last at all then switched to the weld on stefs which I still use now,much faster then the stick on was.

Well dang. Mine was slower. I guess it's all about the watts.

Glad you started this discussion, Eman.
I think an oil heater is another weapon I need to deploy in my battle against oil contamination. As well as the obvious other benefits of quicker warm-ups, more consistent ET's, and better oil flow on cold starts.

I would like to hear more about the cartridge style heater that Curtis mentioned on the oil thread:

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
Something you guys may not consider that I do is that I have an oil heater cartridge in mine. I don't want to have to use a bunch of alcohol getting it to temp and I don't have room to easily add a primer.

You can start as many times as you like for short periods, then just plug it in and let it heat the oil. Open your oil fill cap or whatever you have to vent moisture out of the valve covers and you're good to go. I use my oil heater year round to get the oil warmed up before starting my routine on race day.
Curtis

Who makes them, and where do you install it?

I put a small soldering/welding blanket in the bottom of my engine diaper...after melting a hole in the first one. No problems since.

quote:

Originally posted by FootbrakeJim:

I would like to hear more about the cartridge style heater that Curtis mentioned on the oil thread:

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
Something you guys may not consider that I do is that I have an oil heater cartridge in mine. I don't want to have to use a bunch of alcohol getting it to temp and I don't have room to easily add a primer.

You can start as many times as you like for short periods, then just plug it in and let it heat the oil. Open your oil fill cap or whatever you have to vent moisture out of the valve covers and you're good to go. I use my oil heater year round to get the oil warmed up before starting my routine on race day.
Curtis

Who makes them, and where do you install it?

You can buy them from Stef’s and you will have to weld a bung in the sump. Just make sure it won’t interfere with the pick up.

I actually made my own by welding up a stainless steel sleeve into a ss reducer bushing. I bought a screw in heater cartridge from the company that supplies the catridge and heater pads we use in our products and put heat transfer paste inside it then screwed the cartridge in.

Curtis

Both the Moroso and the Jegs are 400 watts, that's a lot more than my 100 watt Kats! I think I'll put one of those welding shields or some other protective sheet over the absorbent pad in my diaper and try it.
I've got a new motor and I'd like to figure out where to put the frezze plug heater before I put the motor in.

Another question, for those with an oil temperature sensor where id you place the sensor? If in the pan where in the pan? I drilled a drain plug and put a sensor in it but had to take it off when I installed a diaper.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
Another question, for those with an oil temperature sensor where id you place the sensor? If in the pan where in the pan? I drilled a drain plug and put a sensor in it but had to take it off when I installed a diaper.

I just welded a 1/8 npt bung in the left side of the sump about 2 inches from the bottom. Never had any issue with the diaper clearing

My diaper is like putting socks on a Rooster! It's very tight fitting around the pan.

Mine is in the front of the sump. My diaper doesn’t fit close at the front. 1/8” bung welded in 1 1/2” from the bottom.

Just bought a pan for my next motor and I'll weld in a bung for a temp sensor. I guess 1/8" pipe is the standard size for the sensor.
I spoke to DRE and he really didn't recommend a pan pad heater inside the diaper. His concerns were melting the diaper which I guess the welding shield should prevent. but he was also concerned about an oil leak wetting the pad with oil that might catch fire. What are the thoughts on this?
I spoke to Kats about the pad I have and the biggest thing he said was to be sure it's stuck good to the pan and sealed to it. He said if you plug it in and it's not on the pan it will burn itself up. That would be a concern inside a diaper too.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
Just bought a pan for my next motor and I'll weld in a bung for a temp sensor. I guess 1/8" pipe is the standard size for the sensor.
I spoke to DRE and he really didn't recommend a pan pad heater inside the diaper. His concerns were melting the diaper which I guess the welding shield should prevent. but he was also concerned about an oil leak wetting the pad with oil that might catch fire. What are the thoughts on this?
I spoke to Kats about the pad I have and the biggest thing he said was to be sure it's stuck good to the pan and sealed to it. He said if you plug it in and it's not on the pan it will burn itself up. That would be a concern inside a diaper too.

We sell and use 115v 125watt silicone heat pads for our products. They will hit 400°. I haven't looked at the wattage of the pads sold for automotive use for years so I don't remember. They will bake the silicone construction to a point that it is hard and crumbly if it doesn't have good adhesion so it can transfer and sluff off the heat it makes. Then it can actually burn the inner wire in two from it overheating and vibration causing it to break.

Curtis

I just put a Jegs on my pan and it started smoking the sides of the pan. I shot a temp gun at it and it was reading right at 400 degrees. This was without the blanket and I'm to scared to use it with the blanket on. My pan bungs seep a little oil so no good for me.

I use the Kats 400 on the air compressor and pump on the service truck. It sits out side in the below zero weather. Keeps the synthetic oils very workable.I would not use it in a contained space at all especially with a diaper. i was joking with the ole girl and told her if the oven goes out use this.