SouthernSon

Considering most of us run an oil grade for warmer temperatures at the track, I wonder what kind of creative ideas you guys have come up with to mitigate effects of cold oil during winter at the track during the first, cold start up? Douche bag with hot water, water bed heating element (110v.), pour in the last 2 quarts of hot oil at the track?

davidfarmer

they make specific oil pan heaters, but I've never found the need. In sub freezing weather, I just keep the revs at idle until the oil gets over 100F. Mosport in the spring can be ridiculously cold, but never managed to damage an engine.

I an just picture you heating oil over a camp-fire, then carefully pouring it into the engine.

****I HAVE used hot water (from my normal water heater) to fill the radiator when starting a NEW engine for the first time. Just something to get the temps up and stable as quickly as possible. Might be easier than heating the oil, but would still leave you with cold oil initially****

GOTHAM VETTE

Get one of the heaters that you glue on to the bottom of the oil pan.....or just get a block heater.

SouthernSon

Yeah, that is an old bush pilot trick from Alaska. They drain the oil at shutdown, take it inside and heat it the next day before putting it back in. Of course, some planes, such as the dehavilands, have a gasoline injector, I believe, to thin out the oil which then evaporates at temp.

Falcon

Turn on the Accusump, pressurize the engine to ~10#, start the car, let it idle until oil temp gets to ~120*, then do a slow out lap until oil temp gets to 150*, then put the hammer down. (I run 15/50w)

SouthernSon

That would probably be the best but I don't run in the cold that much. I like things simple and I just don't like adding stuff that can come off, short out, or just generally mess up if I can get by without it. Of course, the heated oil dip stick might be an answer or maybe a better grade oil for the start of the season. I figured there might be some other 'make-do' solutions that others have come up with.

SouthernSon

Exact same setup here. Maybe amsoil 10w-40 for start of season?

travisnd

I run 10w40 Amsoil all year... start it up and let it idle a bit to get some heat in it, then keep the car under 3000 rpms and no WOT until 150 on the DIC.

I'm more concerned about the water in the cooling system freezing than cold oil. I've seen guys plug in a light bulp and keep it under the hood w/ the cover on... all that's needed is a little bit of heat.

John Shiels

you can easily splice in a coolant heat like I have on my diesel rough terrain forklifts which heats and circulates the coolant. They last for many many years. Just plug them in.

JVetthead

I run with no cooling fans and have a 3 gallon oil tank so idling the engine for long periods is not allways an option.
I have a heating strip clamped to the oil tank and on those cold mornings plug it in for 30-60 minutes and oil comes up to temp nicely.