Pneumatic system and method for heating compressor oil and/or components of the system

A method of operating a pneumatic system installed on a vehicle to increase a temperature of oil in the pneumatic system, the method comprising:

• operating an engine of the vehicle to warm an engine coolant contained in an engine cooling system of the vehicle;
• delivering a portion of the engine coolant to a heating element located within a separation tank of the pneumatic system that separates oil from air prior to the oil being returned to a compressor of the pneumatic system;
• using the heating element to transfer heat from the engine coolant to the oil within the separation tank to increase the temperature of the oil in the separation tank prior to starting the compressor;
• and then
• starting the compressor and simultaneously delivering the heated oil from the separation tank to the compressor during start-up of the compressor.