# Diesel engine oil pan heater



## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

You're correct. It's always cheaper factory-installed. But as you explained, you didn't place the order for this vehicle. 

I'm guessing that it may be covered in the service manual. 

FWIW I've never used mine, and I live at 45 degrees north latitude.


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## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

There's a plug that's tied up under the hood in my car. It's sitting off to the side, is that the oil pan heater? I never even used it last winter. Should I start? Does it actually help prevent any issues arising from cold starts?


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## Preston378 (Jun 12, 2014)

I bought a wolverine brand oil pan heater. Works great and installed easy. Sticks right to the side of the oil pan basically. Then i ran the wire right up next to the air filter box.


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## Scott M. (Apr 23, 2013)

I ordered it on mine never used it once. Waste of money. Its not like old school diesels. the car starts as easy as any other small car in the winter.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

We could've used something to keep the entire fuel system warm this past winter. There was a night (conveniently a Sunday night) it got down to -15*F ambient. Wasn't able to get the vehicle started until 4PM when my brother's wife was able to swing by, pick us up, drive us to Meijer, so we could get some Diesel 911. I literally tried starting the **** thing until the battery finally started sounding strained (which, took a very long time, considering it has that massive battery). We had no choice but to take a vacation day. From then on, if it was below 0*F out, we park it in the garage, since it is insulated and stays above 0.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

As you point out with your Diesel 911 reference, your no start last winter was a fuel gelling problem related to a tank of fuel that was not sufficiently seasonally adjusted. This is something that can happen to any motor burning diesel and has happened to one or two other CTD owners.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

flapjack's fuel gelling is well described in this thread: http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/201-...d-cruze-diesel-cold-temperature-starting.html


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Tomko said:


> As you point out with your Diesel 911 reference, your no start last winter was a fuel gelling problem related to a tank of fuel that was not sufficiently seasonally adjusted. This is something that can happen to any motor burning diesel and has happened to one or two other CTD owners.


Yep. They have anti-gel in the diesel, but from what I've read online, that's still only good till about maybe 4 below. We've started it successfully at about -6*F, but it wasn't thrilled about it.

Since this was our first diesel vehicle, we weren't really privy to the exact temps at which diesel gelled (I always just assumed it was much colder than we'd experience), but now that we know, we A) have 1.5 bottles of 911 on hand just in case, and B) can easily park the cruze in the garage on nights we know will be that cold.

What pissed me off the most was my fiance's boss told her that "she needs a more reliable vehicle", when he clearly didn't understand the physics of how diesel works. Another higher up that she worked with had many diesel tractors so he fully understood what happened.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I never had any issues with mine down to -9F (that was the coldest I experienced). No pan heaters.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I think we may have had it -10 one morning, and it took a good few turnovers to get it to fire and it ran real rough for a little bit until it re-liquified the fuel, then it was fine. The -16 was the killer...but maybe it was a blessing in disguise - didn't have to make the 1/4-mile walk into work from the car.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

-32°c one morning plus windchill. Started up no problem.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Well windchill doesn't really do much to a system that's tucked up and away from the majority of the wind...but ~ -25*F is cold. Wonder what kind of anti-gel they throw in your diesel. Ours was definitely not potent enough for the temps they probably didn't expect us to hit.


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## CruzeDan (May 17, 2015)

I know I won't need the heater, I just want to use it to help reduce unnecessary wear on the engine. It's been pretty cold here in NJ the past couple of winters, have had days around 0 degrees. I use dieselkleen in my fuel, I'm going to switch to the white bottle when it gets cold. GM Parts Direct responded to me this morning. 

12654016 Engine oil heater bracket
95389557 Engine oil heater power cable
12654414 Engine oil heater
94719599 Engine oil heater power cable 
connector lock

Something isn't right with this list though, because the bracket is $129. The other parts come up to a little under $200. I am going to use these P/N as a start to try to figure it out with my parts guy. Chevrolet hasn't responded yet.


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## warloc (Dec 10, 2013)

When I tried to add the heater to my CTD it was originally quoted by dealer at $125. Later the quote grew to around $500 to add factory block heater. I skipped the effort and have not needed it.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

MP81 said:


> Well windchill doesn't really do much to a system that's tucked up and away from the majority of the wind...but ~ -25*F is cold. Wonder what kind of anti-gel they throw in your diesel. Ours was definitely not potent enough for the temps they probably didn't expect us to hit.


Not sure. Haven't heard of anyone with gelling problems locally in a while.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

CruzeDan said:


> I know I won't need the heater, I just want to use it to help reduce unnecessary wear on the engine. It's been pretty cold here in NJ the past couple of winters, have had days around 0 degrees. I use dieselkleen in my fuel, I'm going to switch to the white bottle when it gets cold. GM Parts Direct responded to me this morning.
> 
> 12654016 Engine oil heater bracket
> 95389557 Engine oil heater power cable
> ...


sounds aboot right price wise

buy a car whole for $x

buy a car in parts for $11tyx


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

money_man said:


> Not sure. Haven't heard of anyone with gelling problems locally in a while.


areas of canada with real winter wont have gelling issues

windchill has zero to do with temperature for a car or rock or block of cheese


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## dougc905 (May 24, 2015)

I used my block heater last winter whenever the temp was forecast to be below freezing. I also forgot a few times and didn't notice any difference in starting or warmup. Initially I thought that it would help with initial oil flow through the turbo. Since there is no way of really testing this, I will probably keep on using it.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

even the stock oil which is semi synth is way thin at -40 and lower

i had the oil pan heater CORD recall and didnt have time to get it fixed, so i just didnt plug it in.

i pulled the dipstick at -40 something and the oil was thin

i plugged in one night and in the am pulled the dipstick at -40 something and the oil FELT no different....it didnt give off any heat or anything but the tip of the dipstick and the oil on it were warmer than the top of the dipstick which was cold to the touch

my car was started everyday unplugged -40 or colder easily 30x last winter, starts right up zero issues.


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