Installing an oil pan heater on new 2024 Tacoma Off Road

I went to install an oil pan heater on my new 2024 and discovered it has a black plastic insulated protective covering on the oil pan. Wondering if it's fine to put the heater pad on the metal pan and then cover it with this black plastic insulated cover. Basically want to make sure I won't be in danger of melting the insulated plastic. Thanks for any advice

 

How cold does the tunda hellscape you live in get? I've been -30F and been okay with a block heater. It wasn't persistently cold at that temp though. Just a few mornings. I know it's common further north than where I lived to go block, oil, and battery heater. I've also seen guys leave diesels running 24/7 in the extreme cold.

 

Absolutely not. Pan heaters have started a lot of fires. At the very least remove the plastic cover. But you're best off just installing the block heater and being done with it.

Modern engines that use 0W20 like tacoma start just fine in -40 as long as the block heater is plugged in, maybe get a battery warmer.

 

OPs user name checks out for sure....

 

I keep waiting for a video that. I've looked and can't find the hole.

 

To be quoted out of context later.

 

It's best to see through the drivers fender with the rear apron removed.

 

Thanks. I'll take a gander at it.

 

Oil pan heaters & battery blankets were standard on alot of vehicles when I lived near the arctic ocean. But it would be -35/40c for weeks on end.

 

He lives in interior Alaska where -40° is not uncommon. Everyone runs oil pan heaters and it makes a huge difference in start up. Yea my trucks have always started at those temps when not able to be plugged in but they run much smoother if things are slightly warmed.

 

I always hated that sound when I opened the door in the extreme cold. The door would make a screaming sound as it opened. Then when starting the car, all the lights are dim, the LCDs move really slow, it just goes oom oom oom and then finally catches.

 

I'm aware, we see -40 (in bursts) here as well but we also see numerous fires. I saw pan heaters fall off and burn cars/houses to the ground.

Toyota had to rework all their block heaters simply because of fires caused by the cords.

All of my cars start just fine when left in -40 for days if the oem block heater is plugged in, but I always run 0W oil.