Which heater to get? Oil Pan or Coolant

[SoTxBill]

maybe Im all wet,, but I would get a coolant heater.
with the newer synthetic oils,, cranking is not a problem..
the coolant heater will fool the ecu into thinking the engine is warm and thats ok because it is warm...
No different that if I drove my car in winter,, then stopped in a store for an hour and came back out..
The snow is still there and its still cold out side but the water jacket still has some heat in it.

the engine will start quicker, and the heater will be warmer quicker and you will save fuel "quicker".

oil pan heaters were great when we ran streight 40w in our diesels in years back, but excellent oils like amsoil (for sky pup and other group III/IV oils have very low poor points (-50).. If your howver in the artic,, then you need both and a heated garage..

 

[Sugz]

Or both?

Thanks for your input.

Peter

 

[Michael Moore]

For everyone's information, oil pan heaters are no longer available for sale in Ontario, it seems the fire marshal's office does not like them. They have not been available for sale in Quebec either (for a long time) for the same reason.

Michael

 

[red golf tdi]

TDIHeater.com /images/graemlins/cool.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Michael Moore]

RedGolf, the reason that the Fire Marshal offices in Ontario and Quebec pulled the oil pan heater from the market is because the electrical cable that supplies it is permanantly wired into the element - in other words, the cable cannot be replaced by itself, without using tools. There is nothing wrong or unsafe with the oil pan heater itself - the problem is that if the power supply cable is damaged due to exposure to heat or fluids, the owner cannot replace the cable.

So, please advise if the heater you are (constantly) plugging here on the BB comes supplied with a cable that has a plug-in type connector at the heater itself - the way old-fashioned block heaters did - and thus would conform to the safety regulations in these two provinces.

It is difficult to tell from the picture at your website if the power cable has a quick-disconnect connector where it enters the heater assembly, or if it just has a grommet and is hard-wired in, same as the VW oil pan heaters.

If the cable on your heater does have a quick-disconnect feature to allow easy cable replacement, would you please provide us with the part number (Zero-Start's part number) or the ANSI or IEEE specification of the connector, so we could replace the cable when replacement is needed?

Michael

This is the component that is no longer for sale in Ontario or Quebec

 

[GeWilli]

coolant - definately coolant (gets the head warm where the wear is esp critical...)

no question coolant... Crappy Tire (sorry suds /images/graemlins/wink.gif sells the Zerostart heaters cheap from what I hear....

 

[Vik F]

Crappy..I mean Canadian tire sells the Zero start for around $60, u will most likely have to order it, so go here, www.zerostart.com, find your part#, and place an order.

if u STILL want an oil pan heater, www.engineheater.com, i believe the VW type one is the 512 model. I used this website to find a local distributor, had it delivered to MY DOOR for $30 less than what VW sold them for B4 tax.

i use both on a timer, but to choose one only, the 1000 watt coolant heater from zerostart, hands down.

Also, make sure whatever extension cord u are using, is rated for the power that "the heater of choice" will be drawing.

 

[red golf tdi]

Michael Moore- I don’t quite understand why the Fire Marshal is concerned with “Ease of Cord Replacement” when he should be concerned with FIRES! In addition, I don’t believe you have the correct photo above. From what I understand, the oil pan which was pulled from the market (by Volkswagen, I might add) was the old "Clamp-On" thick metal style which could burn the insulation/sound deadening on the belly pan. The one you have pictured above is the replacement and is still available in VW's catalog.

I don't see anything in the Fire Marshal's recall list:
http://www.ofm.gov.on.ca/english/FirePrevention/Recalls/default.asp


The TDIHeater uses ZeroStart's most popular tank type heater they offer. The cords are physically replaceable, but ZeroStart and other brands don’t offer a replaceable cord for sale because they don't want folks opening them up. If your cord is that cracked and deteriorated, it's time for a whole new heater. I will say, compared to an oil pan heater, a tank heater is completely different when it comes to how the cord is routed and sealed inside the heater itself, where as the oil pan heater is exposed to the elements and is in close proximity to the belly pan.

 

[VelvetFoot]

I guess my metal oil heater is ok then since I now have the metal skid plate. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Instructions, if I recall, say to mount the plug up top, under the hood. I wonder how many people really do that.

That being said, I've probably used the darn thing 4 times. For me, it was a waste.

 

[Michael Moore]

Terry:

The information about the "withdrawal of the product from the market" was given to me by my VW dealer parts manager. I asked if it was being "recalled", and he said no, not a recall, just that they weren't selling them anymore.

I had my Golf in for an oil pan replacement, and wanted to get the same stick-on oil pan heater that was on my original oil pan installed on the replacement oil pan, which has a oil level sensor in it. I live in a fairly mild area (beside Lake Ontario), so I don't need the capability of the coolant heater. I only use the oil pan heater when I go skiing in Quebec, about once or twice a year.

Anyway - even though I bought the original oil pan heater (pictured above) from this dealer, and the parts manager had the oil pan with heater attached on his desk (therefore I think he had the right part number), I was unable to get another one. I will ask him to double-check when I am next at the dealership, and give me the supporting documentation (VW documentation or provincial documentation) so I can post it here.

He did explain that the cause of the concern was that the cord could not be replaced - seems there are no problems with the element, but the cord does get damaged over time, and the cord cannot be replaced by itself. Makes sense to me, but I don't have any supporting documentation. I'll try to get it.

Michael

 

[Sootman]

The coolant heater!!! That's the one to get. It works GREAT!!! End of story.

 

[Brock_from_WI]

Just for the record the coolant heater does heat the oil. If you have it on for an hour and then feel the oil pan it is quite warm to the touch. I wouldn't say hot, but certainly not cold. So the coolant heater really heats the entire engine. Personally I like the http://tdiheater.com/

 

[Michael Moore]

I think that the oil pan heater can be a good answer for those of us who don't live in really, really cold places.

No question about it, the coolant heater is more powerful, but the oil pan heater is a quick install and non-intrusive. It's just too bad that VW pulled it from the market in Ontario and Quebec.

Now, if you want to get REALLY serious about heating, here's a VW OEM install coolant heater that runs off the diesel fuel in the car's tank (not electricity), and heats the cabin of the car (using the existing heating, defrosting, and ventilation system) as well as heating the coolant. If you want to do the high-end install, you simply tie it into your OEM VW telephone install, and you can then telephone your car out in the parking lot, and tell it you want it warmed up and ready to go by the time you get there. All of this is available as a factory order option in Europe. About USD $1,800 on a factory order.

Webasto Car Coolant Heater

 

[Pat Dolan]

Michael:

This is an Eberspacher (Espar in NA) heater, available in many sizes from your nearest heavy truck dealer anywhere in NA for a lot less than $1,800 Cdn. Typically, VW is gouging the living crap out of the customer.

You can get a similar heater from Webasto (same sources) and I believe both have electronic timers available.

Pat

 

[Hydesmith]

I just bought a 97 Jetta III from a VW dealer, and it has the remains of what appears to be a immersed oil pan heater, as opposed to a strap-on job. Metal sheaths come out of the oil pan and the under-engine cover has been carved away to accommodate it. Problem is the cord is missing, and the dealer is unwilling to replace it, citing the safety concerns. I somehow think this might be a different thing than the one you mention as being no longer available. I'm not too concerned as my 97 Jetta also has a standard block heater, but it can get to bone-chilling -40C here, and it would be nice to have access to both at times.

I put a strap-on oil pan heater on my 83 Westfalia and find it smokes if grit and grime get between the heater and the heat-sink fins of the engine.