Pros:
- Cheap
- Easy adhesive-backed universal installation
- Lightweight
- Effective for my 8qt oil capacity
Cons:
- Cord length may be a bit short to reach your transmission
- Does not come with RTV or silicone
Detailed Review:
I own 3 sets of these Kat's oil pan heaters. I am very particular about proper maintenance on my vehicles and care for them diligently. These oil pan heaters are overkill in my application, but provide me with cheap insurance and also piece of mind. I live in New York and drive 1 mile early each morning to the train station. Although the cars are all garaged, cold starts are still very hard on the cars. They also never get a chance to warm up especially when morning temperatures are below 20 degrees. Although I switch all my oils to 0w30 in the winter (the "0w" denotes the low temperature viscosity, the 30 is the operating temperature viscosity), one of my older cars still has a lot of piston slap (engine knocking noise). By pre-heating the oil with this pad, I've noticed faster cranking (when it is VERY cold) and I've eliminated the piston slap in cold temperatures with the side benefit of the heat coming on much sooner. I've recommended these to many of my friends already. They've also noticed the faster cranking and availability of heat, especially when their cars are parked outside.
I currently have all 3 vehicles connected to timers that turn on 2 hours before before I need to leave the house. The timers are connected to the cars via light-up extension cords. I find the lights in the extension cords helpful in reminding myself and my wife to disconnect the cars before driving off.
Regarding the minor cons (not significant enough to take away a star), I had recently considered using the same pad to warm the transmission, but found that the cord length was a bit too short to reach the front bumper. The solution would be to consolidate both the engine and transmission heater into a single extension cord, so this is not a big deal. The second note on the RTV/Silicone relates to the instructions to seal the edges of the pad with silicone to prolong the life of the adhesive. I would not imagine many people to have RTV or silicone readily handy. Including the small amount that the pad requires would have been nice. Although it can be a bit messy or annoying, I would definitely recommend sealing the edges to prevent water, oil and dirt from weakening the adhesive.
Overall, this is a great buy, cheap, effective and easy to install!
| Brand | KAT'S |
|---|---|
| Special Feature | Electronic Thermostat |
| Indoor/Outdoor Usage | Outdoor |
| Product Dimensions | 5"D x 4"W x 0.1"H |
| Mounting Type | Floor Mount |
| Burner type | Radiant |
| Manufacturer | Kat's |
| Model | 24150 |
| Item Weight | 4.8 ounces |
| Item model number | 24150 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Exterior | Machined |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 24150 |
| Special Features | Electronic Thermostat |
| Wattage | 150.00 |
