I have many old outdoor incandescent floodlight bulbs.
Also have sockets I could mount to a 2x4 board and shine the floodlights right up into the engine oil pan, transmission and rear differential.

99% of bulb's output is heat.

The hood and grill can be covered with a cheap blanket purchased from Goodwill.
Would that help heat those parts on super cold nights?

Thank you.

 

Sounds like it just might work. Keep in mind the distance from other meltable parts and gas lines. Some engine heaters will consume at least 1500 watts while also thermostatically controlled. Some people have even left a 25 watt bulb under the hood and it was enough to help keep it from freezing. Be careful with high output lamps without any kind of thermostat to control the heat.

 

My 1997 Expedition has a plug in factory heater that still works. What the problem is with cold strats is trying to vaporize the gasoline. Vapor pressure is way to high. Liquids don't burn and really cold engines don't vaporize for poop. Try starting a Ford Model 'T' in sub zero...you need to blow torch the intake manifold. I digress.

Lights, electric heaters under the oil pan either electric forced air [my choise], or Infared. The trouble wit infared is, "You go the the beach, lay in the sun on a cool day, never really got rid of your goose bumps, never got warm, and you went home with a sun burn." You need warm air to heat the top of the engine, especially if the heater is under the oil pan. Engines don't expirence wind chill like you and I.

skip.

 

are you using synthetic engine oil and trans fluid?

 

Thank you.
Using recommended Motorcraft Synthetic blend 5W-20.
No dipstick so cannot even check the transmission oil. What's with that?

Engine starts immediately.
But on medical emergency transports, the SUV is soon at 60 to 80 mph before the engine or anything has time to warm.
Am worried about damage I am causing.

 

go to full synthetic. Ever seen video's of conventional oil flow through a negative 30' celcuis engine on start-up?