Block heater options for diesel 90 series?

[armstrong486]

So I’m trying to prep for winter. Can’t find an OEM block heater, and I don’t want to go through the trouble of removing a freeze plug, only for a universal block heater to not fit.

So option 2, heating the oil instead of the coolant. I don’t necessarily want to do a magnet or stick on heating pad, I’d rather have something bolted in physically to the oil pan. So here’s my question

1. Is there room in the oil pan for a heating probe to fit in all the way without hitting anything that moves?
2. Is the oil pan removal process relatively standard or are there any pitfalls or odd things to look out for?
3. And lastly, where should I source a quality oil pan gasket from and what is the part number for a 1996 KZJ with the 1KZ?

Or better yet, does anyone here have any tried and true methods they’ve done and like? Thanks in advance

 

[philip g]

I was just going to install a diesel webasto water top and an extra battery to run it. Then I’d also have auxiliary heat in the cold when the diesel doesn’t get very warm

Why mess removing the oil pan? Just glue a pad to the sump

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER Pan 3M stick on Pad (120V U.S.A. / Long CORD) Designed for: 4 Cylinder Engines by Z-TOOL HEATER TEC.
https://a.co/d/3xVFQkz

 

[armstrong486]

I was just going to install a diesel webasto water top and an extra battery to run it. Then I’d also have auxiliary heat in the cold when the diesel doesn’t get very warm

Why mess removing the oil pan? Just glue a pad to the sump

ENGINE BLOCK HEATER Pan 3M stick on Pad (120V U.S.A. / Long CORD) Designed for: 4 Cylinder Engines by Z-TOOL HEATER TEC.
https://a.co/d/3xVFQkz

I considered it but I kind of want something like locked into the pan. Not stuck on with adhesive that’ll start peeling in 3 years after a few salty winters

 

[philip g]

I considered it but I kind of want something like locked into the pan. Not stuck on with adhesive that’ll start peeling in 3 years after a few salty winters

I’ve had those on many vehicles. Cars. Airplanes. I have yet to see one peel.

 

[Squash]

Search convection heater.
Utilizes the block drain plug location and ties in up above where the heater hose and mixer are near the top of firewall.