engine temperature

I saw some freeze plugs that have an electric element and they warm the coolant in cold weather. I would like to use these to have my coolant warm and install a oil stick heater to warm the oil. How do you warm everything prior to start-up?

this year I just installed a heater in the oil pan. I have used a light under the hood in the past when it was emergency

How do you warm the car up? I start the up Preheating the oil does reduce the time to warm it (oil) up Many racers have found that a cool block with hot oil is faster than cool oil or hot oil and hot coolant. I run 5W20Wt oil for that reason, thin oil does not rob as much power as the thicker oils do when cold or below 130F, been there doen that

A warm engine at start up has the metal warm and closes the clearances. The cylinders,rings,etc.are all enlarged and there is less wear and stress on a warm engine at start up only. I have not tried to warm my oil but I bought a external magnetic oil pan heater to try. How do you circulate the oil after it is warm on the bottom of the pan? Just start the engine when it is what temperature?

I just drain the oil and put it in a non-stick pasta pot and let it sit on the kitchen stove for 25 min at about a number 6 setting

Thumper the rabbit in Bambi made a profound statement that I have found so true. " If you can`t say something good, don`t say nothing at all."

I have built and raced NHRA stock motors, the high end go for broke racers, especially on a heads up race, will have oil heaters glued onto the oil pan(no dipstick heaters that I know of )and used them for 20 to 30 minutes before making the run. I have seen some of them pour ice water into the motors jst before pulling out of the staging lanes, they also soak the intake manifold with ice cold towels to get them as cold as they can I have dyno tested a bunch of pump gas and race gas motors, never saw a real differences in power using the thin oils(5W20 or 5W30 wt) in oil temps from 110 F to 210 F, similar results on water temps, no real power gains or losses from 110F to 180 F on N/A motors on a well tuned motor Manifold inlet temps do make a big difference in the same tests, cold (below 110 F) is way better

Are you running a alum block and or alum rods.... the
dip stick header that I seen years ago(in Alaska)
would burn the oil... the freeze plug heaters work but
you better have plenty of time... I myself dont fire
up my car when its below about 55*... E-85 (summer
grade) doesnt like to fire... but being that I run a
dry sump the first time I fire up I pull the belt and
spin the pump to oil it

Thanks for the help!

Im sure that you could make a large -8 or 10 fitting at the bottom of the pan, then run that to a diffy oil pump, and just circulate that through a cool can with a warmer on it. Should be very simple, and easy to do, the oil can doesnt have to be very large as the circulation should ensure all the oil will be warm. You could use a NOS bottle warmer to get it to your desired temp.



KAsey

It is cast iron block with aluminum heads. I called the manufacture of the freeze plug and pan heater and he said that it would not take to long to heat the motor. I guess that I should take a heat gun and check it while it is heating. I live in Texas and ,while it is not cold here as up there, I like to have the motor warm when I arrive at the races, and only have to make a brief drive thru the pits to warm everything else. Just getting old and grumpy!!

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I saw some freeze plugs that have an electric element and they warm the coolant in cold weather. I would like to use these to have my coolant warm and install a oil stick heater to warm the oil. How do you warm everything prior to start-up?

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Instead of using those block heaters you can also buy inline coolant heaters that mount in the rad hoses. Just easier to install, especially if the engine is in the car.

codfish