I installed an oil pan heating pad

[TheGodfather]

Just prior to my recent transmission cooler line leak woes (repaired.) I installed a heating pad on my oil pan. I am hoping this will serve to aid in helping the X5 survive the garage-less -30C nights. Also, even if just a little, I am hoping the pad will decrease the likelihood of an oil separator system failure.

I will be redundant and mention, that the only certain way to combat the oil separator freeze-up is to take a lot of "hot" trips to prevent moisture build up in the first place/ never drive in the winter at all/ exclusively use a garage/ clean out the system regularly in addition to the above. I personally, never turn off the car until the engine gets to optimal operating temperature. I often drive with the heater off, so as to speed up this process. Of course this is all aggregated info/advice garnered from the vet's here at xoutpost. But I digress.

Below are some pics of my install. I have seen others inquire about this, so I thought I would share. I will let everyone know how useful/ effective this product is at a later date. We are having an unusually warm winter in Alberta so far though I am sure I will be able to test out the pad in the coming months.

I plan to only use it on very cold nights/mornings. The product description says it can heat 6 quarts of oil from -40C to +20C in less than 2 hours. I plan to use an auto timer to fire it up ~3 hours before I start her up in the mornings.

I purchased the CP 512 Polar Pad model from Canadian Tire for ~$120. I am sure you can get better/cheaper ones in the States and/or online.

Specifications: CP 512 Model : 3.5 X 5.125 X .075 inches. 250 Watts nominal/120 V, 2.1 amps. Suggested for engines with a 4.5-12.5 L oil capacity.

Simply peel and stick to a clean and flat surface of the oil pan. Apply heat resistant silicon around pad. Route wire to safe and convenient location. The pad just barely fit onto the oil pan, there is a small amount of pad, <1cm on the corner, that does not have any contact with the metal pan (which is not recommended.) You cannot cut the pad to fit.

It is easy to install. I was able to install it outside without a jack. Though reinstalling and tightening the reinforcement plate was an pain in the ass! The location of the front passenger bolt was just a real PIA to re-tighten. Perhaps it was just the darkness, and the cold at the time, but I was ready to flip out while tackling the reinforcement plate. I should probably get the bolts torqued to spec. I read somewhere they may even be one time use? Anyhow, I reused them, and tightened by hand as best I could for now.

Also, can anyone comment on the safety of the deadening material (pictured) attached to the reinforcement plate contacting the heating pad? I would imagine this should not be a fire safety issue, as the contact will be minimal, and the material should be designed to withstand high temperatures, seeing as how its right below the oil pan.

Hope this info is of some use to someone.

[SlickGT1]

Looks good. Let us know how it works out.

[RickM5X3]

Canadian Polar Pad -- "Made in the USA" Cool. Helps our balance of trade.

Even though my X is in your noted category of 'exclusively use a garage,' I really want one of these!

Good luck. and try not to break off a door handle carrier in those cold temps!

[xriderob]

Great write up and how to! thanks I have been looking into this for a while but can not figure out how to mount the pad on the N62 oil pan, it is not flat on the bottom like yours is. It has fins...making it awkward. I emailed mnft to see what they think. thanks for the write up though.

[ECS Tuning]

Great write up and clean install!

ECS Tuning

[TheGodfather]

Winter has finally decided to show up here in Alberta. At 7am this morning the temperature was -34 degrees Celsius (-29 F).

I have the pad hooked up to a timer. I set it to activate for 3 hours prior to departure.

The X5 did start, albeit rough. I am glad I bought a new battery in Sept. Obviously I can't exactly expect it to immediately purr serenely at such frigid ambient temps. Of course only the oil is a little warmed, the engine and its components are still crazy cold. Everything about the car sounds,feels and looks like a brittle block of ice. Happy the old girl made it though, considering how poorly it has faired in the past. The X5 sat outside overnight for 9 hours in temperatures as low as-35 .

I noticed the engine coolant temp needle begins to move very shortly after driving. And it should right? That is the point of the oil heater. I remember it taking twice as long under the similar or even warmer conditions.

Tomorrow I plan to set it to turn on for ~4.5 hours prior to departure and see how it goes. It is expected to be -30 tomorrow morning as well.

Two things have raised some concern though:

1. How long is too long? ie. boiling the oil?
2. What is the likelihood that the pad could warp the aluminium oil pan?

The second was brought to my attention by someone on-line, I never considered it before. I personally do not think it is likely, but I would rather not take a chance. I imagine it would only be possible if the pad was left turned on for +10hrs in warmer temperatures.

Thanks for the comments.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by TheGodfather

I noticed the engine coolant temp needle begins to move very shortly after driving. And it should right? That is the point of the oil heater. I remember it taking twice as long under the similar or even warmer conditions.

Tomorrow I plan to set it to turn on for ~4.5 hours prior to departure and see how it goes. It is expected to be -30 tomorrow morning as well.

Two things have raised some concern though:

1. How long is too long? ie. boiling the oil?
2. What is the likelihood that the pad could warp the aluminium oil pan?

I have used these same pads (or very similar) on larger engines without any issues.

First point is to not trust your temperature gauge, it isn't very accurate. It has three positions, essentially, according to the buffer and programming built into it. Left is cold, right is too hot, and anywhere remotely close to the right temperature results in straight up. Analyzing it beyond those three conditions is fraught with risk.

You can't leave it on too long. It can't boil the oil. Once you determine how long it takes to reach equilibrium, however, any more time is just wasting electricity. Move it up an hour or two and see if it makes a difference. It shouldn't take any more than 3 or 4 hours IMO.

You can't warp the pan. You may contact the splash guard insulation or something else that doesn't like heat, but the pan is fine. Again, IMO.

If you have an oil immersion heater, you can get coking of the oil on the element, not good. Given how these silicon pads mount, they are very safe.

To put it in perspective, my four cylinder Volvo block heater was about 500 or 600 watts, mounted in the water jacket. It took 2 hours to get to equilibrium in Edmonton winters. I had one vehicle with a 1200 watt block heater, again, in the water jacket. It was hot in an hour, it was like plugging in a kettle (1500 watts).

You mention your battery. Are you using a battery blanket? A 50 watt blanket from Canadian Tire will make it turn over much more reliably. That does not need to be plugged in as long. We always used automatic timers.

If the interior of the vehicle feels like a block of ice (and it will) then get an interior car heater.

We would mount multiple heaters (jacket water, oil pan, battery blanket, interior) and run them all to a common power bar, on a timer. When I left in the morning I would unplug, and plug in my wife's vehicle so that it was ready an hour later for the school run.

Haven't used a plug in since 1990, but remember the drill very well.

[SlickGT1]

Originally Posted by JCL

I have used these same pads (or very similar) on larger engines without any issues.

First point is to not trust your temperature gauge, it isn't very accurate. It has three positions, essentially, according to the buffer and programming built into it. Left is cold, right is too hot, and anywhere remotely close to the right temperature results in straight up. Analyzing it beyond those three conditions is fraught with risk.

You can't leave it on too long. It can't boil the oil. Once you determine how long it takes to reach equilibrium, however, any more time is just wasting electricity. Move it up an hour or two and see if it makes a difference. It shouldn't take any more than 3 or 4 hours IMO.

You can't warp the pan. You may contact the splash guard insulation or something else that doesn't like heat, but the pan is fine. Again, IMO.

If you have an oil immersion heater, you can get coking of the oil on the element, not good. Given how these silicon pads mount, they are very safe.

To put it in perspective, my four cylinder Volvo block heater was about 500 or 600 watts, mounted in the water jacket. It took 2 hours to get to equilibrium in Edmonton winters. I had one vehicle with a 1200 watt block heater, again, in the water jacket. It was hot in an hour, it was like plugging in a kettle (1500 watts).

You mention your battery. Are you using a battery blanket? A 50 watt blanket from Canadian Tire will make it turn over much more reliably. That does not need to be plugged in as long. We always used automatic timers.

If the interior of the vehicle feels like a block of ice (and it will) then get an interior car heater.

We would mount multiple heaters (jacket water, oil pan, battery blanket, interior) and run them all to a common power bar, on a timer. When I left in the morning I would unplug, and plug in my wife's vehicle so that it was ready an hour later for the school run.

Haven't used a plug in since 1990, but remember the drill very well.

Good post JCL.

Yea my pops just read this threat as well. He said you have nothing to worry about.

The wattage on that pad is really not that high, and it is not even in the block. I would give it a few more hours run time to get it toastier.

[SlickGT1]

I don't think that pad will be able to boil the oil. It is way too small and it needs to compete against the cold.

I also am not sure about it warping the pan. I am more worries about it making that pan gasket leak. I doubt both of these would happen though.

How about leaving that pad plugged in all night? I figure this would be the best option. Come home, car is warm, and you keep it warm. You would reduce the chances of anything warping.

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by SlickGT1

How about leaving that pad plugged in all night? I figure this would be the best option. Come home, car is warm, and you keep it warm. You would reduce the chances of anything warping.

I really hope that I can get some consensus that this idea is most likely safe.

It would be really awesome if I could do this. Plus it would greatly aid in preventing OSV issues.