Magnetic Engine Heaters

[Cliff]

Here in Upper East Tennessee we usually experience one week or two each winter of extreme cold (under 5 degrees at night). I would like to try an engine heater this winter during this time. Have any of you used any type of block heater on your FSJ? Can you recommend a type or brand?

[joe]

Lotsa choices and most are minimal effective. The magnetic least of all. They will work somewhat on a steel oil pan to keep the oil thin for start up. The in-the-lower-raditor hose type kill the hose and offer very localized warm water. The freeze plug heaters work decent enough lotsa dsl eng manufactures offer them as options. I had them on Ford dsls and yeah better than nothin but not great. IMHO the only type worth messing with are the tank type circulating block heaters. They mount on the fender well and plumb into the heater hose. Beauty is the tank unit heats the coolant and pumps it through the engine rather than just heating a local area. Also nice bonus on those really cold days once the motor is running and you need to defrost the windshield, the heater/def is already blowing luke warm air. I no longer live in serious real winter country but have most of my life and over the years have pretty much tried them all and decided the tank-circulating type are the most efficient with the least amount of grief.
Just my two cents.

[Tripwire]

agreed i tried some of them and they kinda suck - ended up with a oil pan heater only to help reduce wear on the engine. i also park outside so i ended up getting one of those small under the desk heaters that secretairies often have and putting it on a xmas light timer, my jeep is nice and warm inside and the windows are defrosted, it switches on a hour before i leave for work

trip