Advanced Engine Warming Idea's?

[bazeng]

i'm just about to finish a build with my engine..
i just want to make it last as long as possible..
i dont look forward to another rebuild (already 1 1/2 years)

great input guys

[Glenno]

A few v8 super car teams put a fan heater in the radiator inlet duct and either in the boot or onto the bellhousing depending on where the oil sump is located

Potsy, those Mo Warm things plugged in 24/7 so the emergency vehicles are ready to thrash right from start up?

[BigMuz]

We had an external oil tank on the blown cosworth, which make insane oil pressure with cold oil. So we bought a camping lpg bottle powered hotplate, and ran that under the back of the oil tank.

Worked really well, some officials get a bit nervous with a live flame in the pits though :D

It also would boil the water and meths out of the oil if we had run it without getting the oil up to temperature.

In terms of engine life a pre oiler is probably much more useful. Or just wind it a couple times on the starter before turning the ignition on.

Muz

[Ben Wilson]

I've read about somebody using a big shed heater pointed at the radiator to pre heat a car with an electric water pump prior to starting with a new motor before.

[Jim]

better off with an oil pressure accumulator for start up than any of that crap in a warm country like we have. block heaters are for places where it gets so cold everything friezes solid.

but the reality is, as long as you only drive on light load and medium revs until it's warmed up you don't need to do anything else for engine longevity.

for initial start up, wind it over on the key as stated until you get oil pressure then start it up.

[Ben Wilson]

for initial start up, wind it over on the key as stated until you get oil pressure then start it up.

Unless you've got a 2lt Escort motor, just pull the distributor, jamb a long hexagonal shaft in to the oil pump and pump up the oil pressure with a cordless drill first..

[Billzilla]

for initial start up, wind it over on the key as stated until you get oil pressure then start it up.

It's probably obvious but I don't think it's been mentioned yet - We take the sparkplugs out so there's not load on the bearings when we wind it over to get pressure the firrst time.

[Jim]

Bill, I do the same but mainly to let it spin a bit faster to bring pressure up quicker.