1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Would an engine heater help with slow clutch take up?

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by pushgears, Dec 23, 2022.

  1. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:27 PM
    #1
    pushgears

    pushgears [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2021
    Member:
    #358351
    Messages:
    455
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 OR DCSB MT
    Would an engine heater, such as the OEM block heater, or an after-market oil pan heater, like the Wolverine, help with the slow clutch take up in cold weather?
     
  2. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:28 PM
    #2
    Trail Limo

    Trail Limo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2018
    Member:
    #262048
    Messages:
    805
    Nope. Just ignore it... Or move to a more tropical location.
     
    TexasWhiteIce likes this.
  3. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:29 PM
    #3
    Bishop84

    Bishop84 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2015
    Member:
    #172494
    Messages:
    12,049
    Gender:
    Male
    No, it inserts into the back of the block and would not affect clutch movement or hydraulic fluid temps.
     
    shakerhood and Chew like this.
  4. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:35 PM
    #4
    Firn

    Firn Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2022
    Member:
    #405191
    Messages:
    1,249
    Vehicle:
    White OR
    Nope.

    Good for the engine but won't affect the clutch.

    The clutch gets slow because the fluid gets thick when it's cold. Roughly speaking the viscosity of brake fluid is about 15-20 cst when it's warm out, in contrast at -5F brake fluid is about 1500 cst, so from 15 to 1500.

    You can get brake fluid that doesn't get as thick when cold (but is still about the same thickness when warm) by using Low Viscosity fluid, seen usually as dot-4+ or super dot-4 (iso 4925 class 6). It's cold viscosity is HALF that of regular brake fluid at around 0F
     
    FishaRnekEd likes this.
  5. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:36 PM
    #5
    crazysccrmd

    crazysccrmd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2016
    Member:
    #181592
    Messages:
    9,255
    Gender:
    Male
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    Aprilia Tuareg 660
    It will, eventually. With an oil pan heater, blocker heater and battery heater all running the rest of the engine bay and transmission does warm up somewhat.
     
  6. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:37 PM
    #6
    Trail Limo

    Trail Limo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2018
    Member:
    #262048
    Messages:
    805
    Depends on how cold it is outside :eek:. Below zero... Would need a LOT of heat going in.
     
    Chew likes this.
  7. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:39 PM
    #7
    Bishop84

    Bishop84 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2015
    Member:
    #172494
    Messages:
    12,049
    Gender:
    Male
    The modern block heaters really don’t get as hot as the old ones, we think it’s due to liability concerns over fires. It may warm it up but it would be inconsequential
     
    Chew likes this.
  8. Dec 23, 2022 at 6:42 PM
    #8
    crazysccrmd

    crazysccrmd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2016
    Member:
    #181592
    Messages:
    9,255
    Gender:
    Male
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    Aprilia Tuareg 660
    With my 2nd gen at -4°F it took three hours and my transmission warmed up to 14° just from the heat radiating around it and through the metal.


     
  9. Dec 23, 2022 at 7:09 PM
    #9
    Tacosha

    Tacosha Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2020
    Member:
    #341728
    Messages:
    348
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    Calgary, AB, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2019 Black Tacoma TRD OR ACLB 6MT
    minor, TRD skid plate, front recovery points, Regken mud flaps, rear diff breather, AC drain pipe extended. Upgraded sound with active sub woofer, tonneau cover, CB radio.
    Block heater not helping clutch. When my truck started and warmed up for at least 20 minutes, (-32Celcium, Canada, Eh?) starting driving slowly, not
    pushing throttle before clutch fully engaged (my experience is 1,5 seconds delay). You can form this skill as fast as 2-3 really cold starts. My experience.
     
  10. Dec 23, 2022 at 7:40 PM
    #10
    Trail Limo

    Trail Limo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2018
    Member:
    #262048
    Messages:
    805
    Sure the transmission itself which is a direct metal connection to the block, but the clutch pedal is separate.

    I will admit my taco is an auto, so I'm not directly comparing to op vehicle, but in my manual car the block heater does absolutely nothing for the clutch pedal stiffness.
     
  11. Dec 23, 2022 at 7:41 PM
    #11
    shakerhood

    shakerhood Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2015
    Member:
    #161370
    Messages:
    37,122
    Gender:
    Male
    Southern Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM DCSB Off Road, 6 Speed MT, P&T
  12. Dec 24, 2022 at 11:42 AM
    #12
    jjsinaz

    jjsinaz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2022
    Member:
    #407190
    Messages:
    311
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jim
    Sun City West, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2023 TRD Sport DCLB Ice Cap 4X4
    I guess this would be a "No" as well....
     
    shakerhood[QUOTED] likes this.
  13. Dec 24, 2022 at 11:55 AM
    #13
    Trail Limo

    Trail Limo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2018
    Member:
    #262048
    Messages:
    805
    Well, the clutch won't be sticking...
     
    shakerhood likes this.
  14. Dec 24, 2022 at 1:18 PM
    #14
    jjsinaz

    jjsinaz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2022
    Member:
    #407190
    Messages:
    311
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jim
    Sun City West, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2023 TRD Sport DCLB Ice Cap 4X4
    True…..
     
    shakerhood likes this.
  15. Dec 24, 2022 at 1:33 PM
    #15
    cryptolime

    cryptolime Here to Help

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2021
    Member:
    #383651
    Messages:
    2,466
    Gender:
    Male
    Wilmington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2021 SR 4x4 2.7L
    it won't help. you might have a bit of moisture in the clutch lines. i would bleed them.
     
    Chew likes this.
  16. Dec 24, 2022 at 1:49 PM
    #16
    eurowner

    eurowner Duke Sky

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2017
    Member:
    #211429
    Messages:
    7,347
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Scoty
    The Syncro Ranch, Salida ColoRADo
    Vehicle:
    '17 TRDOR DCLB FTMFWBBQ Silver Sky Met
    Bilstein 8112+650lb coils, 8100+Deaver Stage II leaf pack, SPC UCA, DuroBumps, Mobtown 0* sliders W/fill plates, Mobtown Recovery Bar, Radium PVC & CCV Dual Oil Separator Catch Can System, Snugtop Hiliner Sport, ATH bed Stiffeners (cuz bottle openers!) + front corner tie down, Badger plates for Firestone airbag + Relentless U-bolt flip + Daystar cradles, TRD Pro shift knob, TRD Exhaust, HPS Silicone intake tube, Green Filter, TRD Intake Air Accelerator, 265-70-17 Toyo Open Country ATIII on TRD 17" Rockwarrior Cold Forged wheels, TRD alloy front skid, RCI Aluminum transmission & transfer case skids. Much Meso awesomeness, FreshMexicanTaco TacoGarage Camera Controller + DDM, 67 Designs cradles, Banks Pedal Monster + iDash gauge, WarFab Sheridan hitch skid, Ricochet LCA aluminum skids, Rago lower rear shock guards, FN Koning Countersteer 16" spare, OEM T4R 90105-14104 coilover lower mounting eye bolts
    Make a clutch pressure plate and disk heater then become rich!


    When it is that cold, everything is slow-stiff.
     
  17. Dec 25, 2022 at 10:56 AM
    #17
    JDKred

    JDKred Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2020
    Member:
    #348298
    Messages:
    593
    First Name:
    JD
    Vehicle:
    16 MT KDMax Tuned
    Nope. Get low viscosity oil and flush old oil. Pump clutch a few times on cold days to generate a little heat in the oil
     
  18. Dec 25, 2022 at 2:44 PM
    #18
    Supr4Lo

    Supr4Lo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2018
    Member:
    #260306
    Messages:
    3,666
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jason
    Surprise, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2020 DCSB Offroad MT, Supercharged, NWF Eco-Crawler, 4.88's Locked F&R on 37's
    I'm in the frozen land that is Wisconsin and replaced the clutch fluid with DOT-4 and it is very noticeably better in the cold. The other morning it was -4F and the clutch felt normal.
     
    Firn[QUOTED] likes this.
  19. Dec 26, 2022 at 2:07 AM
    #19
    FishaRnekEd

    FishaRnekEd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2013
    Member:
    #118381
    Messages:
    1,586
    Gender:
    Male
    New Orleans, LA
    Vehicle:
    2005 4.0 6spd 4x4 Dbl Cb short bed
    Crazy idea here-. Just put a small generic heater near the clutch reservoir. Or something like that... It's not so complicated
     
  20. Dec 26, 2022 at 8:45 AM
    #20
    cryptolime

    cryptolime Here to Help

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2021
    Member:
    #383651
    Messages:
    2,466
    Gender:
    Male
    Wilmington, NC
    Vehicle:
    2021 SR 4x4 2.7L
    maybe you could install a small electric heater for the clutch fluid reservoir. although, i don't think that's worth the fire risk.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top