Fast warm up ideas: Double engine block heaters

[oil pan 4]

This one is easy.
Install a second stock engine block heater or find your vehicles stock heater, get 2 of them and install.

What does that do?
You might think it wastes double the power.
It actually saves power. Instead of leaving the standard single 600 watt heater plugged in all night I have found that you really only need about two hours with double block heaters to reach close to the same level of heat you get running a single block heater all night.

[ThermionicScott]

As in, two of the ones that screw in to the block and heat up the coolant? I could see that working nicely.

I just got one of those 50W stick-on pads to see if applying a little heat to the oil helps out any. (The car already has a block heater.) If it doesn't, I'm only out $20.

[oil pan 4]

Depending on what engine you have, they may be screw in or freeze plug type.
I have my 8L big block Chevy on an engine stand about to put freeze plug heaters in.
If I can make the pictures small enough on my phone to post on here I will.

Look for a post soon for an immersion oil sump heater using a 1,200 watt hot water heater element.

[me and my metro]

Pretty common up north to have two block heaters and plug in battery blankets. Good idea, fire trucks also have thermostatic switches on their block heaters since they are plugged in 24/7.

[oil pan 4]

I have a 1/2npt hole in the aluminum cylinder heads I would love to be able to plug thst hole with a temperature switch and use that to cut the block heater off above say around 100°F. Put one in each head to control each heater and I would be all set.

[slowmover]

Amp draw versus heaters is my usual (and not well researched) question. Coolant and engine oil. Then battery blankets.

[skyking]

My plan: I got a yard light timer that is rated for 1875 watts resistive, and has a water resistant housing.
I just got the cord for my truck (yay!), and what I would do is add an oil pan pad, while keeping the load under 1500 watts or so total.
Then I would figure out a proper amount of time through trial and error. Set the timer, plug in and go to bed.

[me and my metro]

Zerostart makes thermostats and y-cords.

[skyking]

That won't do for me. I see no point in keeping an uninsulated cast iron 950 pound mass at a constant temperature all night, so the timer is still a part of my equation.

[oil pan 4]

This is what they look like:




The engine block heaters on most engines look like this.