Extending engine life, or just wasting electricity

[Catchlight]

Here's a question for the mechanics and engineers on this forum.

Because I go skiing at times in the BC interior where it can get pretty cold, I installed an engine block heater on my TE. At home here on Vancouver Island we get the occasional sub-zero spell, but night-time temperatures in winter are typically at, or just above, freezing.

I've got the block heater on a timer which activates it at 4am, about five hours before I start the engine, making the oil temperature and engine warmup time as short as on a summer day. Am I reducing wear and extending my engine's life, or am I just making the utility barons a bit richer?

Thanks for any expertise on this.

 

[dekeman]

You're doing the right thing. The few hydro dollars spent each month to keep your engine oil warm in the winter will balance out with the extra fuel that would be burned under a cold start. Cold starts are anything below 5C.

Just don't forget to unplug the thing when you back out.

 

[1engineer]

If you are using the full synthetic OEM spec oil then you are doing more for your comfort than you are for the engine. Petroleum based oils get much more viscous, or "thicker" at cold temperatures and heating the oil causes it to "thin out" a little so starting and pumping the oil is easier on the engine. A synthetic oil has a much better and flatter viscosity index which means that the viscosity cold vs. the viscosity hot does not change much. Dekeman is right though on the cold start side. You engine will start up in a "mode" that adusts the air/fuel mixture (think high tech choke) until the operating temperature reaches a preset level. In this mode more fuel is burned. By having a warm block you will stay in start mode for less time saving gas and improving performance.

Save on wear and tear? Not so much
Save on cold buns and better fuel economy? Yes you will.

Hope this helps.

 

[Catchlight]

Thanks for confirming what I thought/hoped, guys. And for the record:

1. I'm using synthetic oil, and
2. In the past I have taken off dragging a block heater extension cord up the driveway.

 

[dekeman]

The added bonus is cabin heat in seconds as opposed to minutes.