In my dad's day he once did the same with a hibachi under the motor.
A Ford, I believe.  When it's -40, you do what you gotta do.

Up until I stopped running my van during the winter about 4 years ago,
I got by with an oilpan heater, and a trickle charger on the battery.
I could always get the van to turn over but often it wouldn't catch.
Gas with ethanol was helpful.

Jeff

On 15-Jan-09, at 7:34 PM, joel walker wrote:

>> Here south of the Mason Dixon line (okay DC isn't very far south,
>> but
>> it is technically..) we don't often get these frigid temps and
>> certainly the last couple of winters have been warm enough to not
>> have
>> to worry about draining the water tank on the Westy.
>
> actual vanagon content ... for those of us down south where it is
> gonna get really really cold tonight, and for those of you who live
> elsewhere that it is already really really cold,
>
> i remind you of the engine heater you can make out of a cardboard box,
> a roll of aluminum foil, and a 60-watt light bulb. and a cord to make
> the light stay on all night, of course. ;)
>
> line the box with foil.  a couple of layers just to make sure the heat
> doesn't get through to the cardboard. put the light fixture  in the
> middle and leave the light on all night long. keeps the engine block
> warmer than it would be otherwise.
>
> the trick is to get a box that is very nearly the same height as your
> ground clearance under the bus at the engine. so the wind doesn't blow
> in and cool the bulb too much.
>
> and if you have an automatic transmission, it might not be a bad idea
> to put another box/bulb under the transmission pan.
>
> a worklight works great, but not the flourescent kind ... they don't
> put out enough heat to do any good. :(
> and don't put a huge 100 watt bulb in the light ... you don't want to
> catch the engine on fire. :(
> even a 40-watt bulb would work.
> and make sure you do not have any oil leaks or gasoline leaks!!! a
> cleaner engine is better.
>
> i thought there was a web site that had directions and photos, but i
> can't find it. :(
>
> this also works for other-than-vanagon cars. :)
>
> good luck!
> unca joel