Have you got a small electric heater (perhaps a radiant) that could sit on a piece of metal or a brick on the ground under the engine for an hour before starting?  My grandfather in Ireland used to do this on the occasional frosty morning to help his old Rover start - no block heaters there!

You don't need to warm the oil much - up to the freezing point would do, to make it thinner.

James
Ottawa, ON

> Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2016 05:59:37 -0800
> From: camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM
> Subject: Re: Dodged a bullet -- blowed the oil filter right off
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> 
> On 01/01/2016 11:03 PM, Mark Tuovinen wrote:
> 
> "If you are going to start your engine in cold
> temperatures use an engine heater, its better for your engine, your bank
> account, and the environment."
> 
> I'd love to use an engine heater, but prior posts to this list inquiring
> about heaters that work well with the 1.9 have not turned up a promising
> one. The ridged bottom of the block doesn't provide an effective surface
> for good heat transfer, the dipsticks are advised against, and Van
> Cafe's coolant heater thingy doesn't seem to me like it would do much to
> heat the oil in the block. Is there anything good?
> 
> It's 5 degrees F this morning, and while I'm fortunate I don't have
> anywhere I need to drive to today, tomorrow morning I have a radio show
> to put on and walking to the station when it's this cold doesn't appeal
> to me for some reason, possibly related to a decadent attachment to comfort.
> 
> Taxi ride, $8 each way.
> 
> So, walk, taxi, or start the van?
> 
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> Bend, Ore.