For those who live in the northern climes, I am in Toronto, its good to have a block heater to avoid those cold engine starts.

As I do not have one, I have seen a product at my local Canadian Tire outlet that is a pad that is adhesed to the bottom flat portion of the oil pan.

This led me to google a search and I came up with a couple sites, and one with a cheaper brand.


The sites indicate that it heats the whole engine core and not just the cylinder head as the block heater does.

I am not promoting any product, but does anyone know more about this and I do use synthetic oil and my previous car a Cutlass Ciera did last 350,000 Km easily. so maybe it is overkill. I have a 1998 Maxima GXE.

I also wonder if that means I can also heat the inside of my car much quicker.

If you want the site, please PM me.

 

An oil pan heater will warm your oil, but not much the block if it's real cold outside. Warm oil is great! It circulates much faster and is much easier to pump due to a more reasonable (lower) viscosity than if it were freezing cold. So if you live in a very cold climate an oil pan heater should reduce wear on your top end (quicker oil circulation) and your oil pump (easier to pump).

 

does anyone have a block heater in the maxima? or do ppl even use them?

 

I don't have one(nor did i check), but it's an option for sure

 

Thanks, but can it also heat the cabin inside faster?

 

Someone just posted a thread about block heater. They're trying to figure out where to put it. I'm sure it does heat the cabin faster.

I like the oil heater thing tho. They have the heated dipsticks too I believe. Anyone use tho?

 

Heater core has hot coolant running through it, not oil...an oil pan heater will not heat up your coolant any faster.

 

your cabin wont heat any faster...

oil pan heater is good if you dont havea block heater.. but a block heater (depending on type) can heat oil as well...

in very cold climates... they have a plug they plug into a wall outlet.. that keeps the engine warm over night... (best thing to have)

OEM option in canada offers a heater i believe...

 

There does seem to be interest on this, so here is the site for more info

http://www.padheaters.com/