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Engine Block Heater Questions

Do you have an engine block heater and do you like it?

  • Yes- works great

    Votes: 42 82.4%

  • Yes but don't need it

    Votes: 1 2.0%

  • No- don't want one

    Votes: 2 3.9%

  • No but wanting one

    Votes: 6 11.8%
  • Total voters
    51
I found the little buger. Thanks for the pictures, they really helped.

You may want to look at where your plug is located a little closer. I found about three feet of cord tie rapped with mine. After cutting the tie rap off it was easy to run it out through the tow hook hole on the driver?s side. I ended up Velcroing my plug to the support bar next to the battery. I am thinking it should stay a little cleaner there than at the tow hook hole. I?m not too sure when I?ll have to use the heater, it was 71 degree here in Kansas City yesterday (global warming?). But my family likes making trips to Colorado, so I?ll just have to give it a try out there.

Thanks again for the help,

John b.

P.S.
Where did you get your overwheel cladding? I like them and want to get some for my AV. I looked through the ?OverWheel Cladding? thread and got all mixed up. Looks like that thread is looking for the Holy Grail of Overwheel Cladding. What you have would do me just find at least till someone finds or makes the ?Holy Grail of Overwheel Cladding?. Thanks.
 
I have the heater on my '03 Av.

I plugged it in last night for the first time last night. My question is, how can I tell if the darn thing is even working? I can't feel any heat coming from the engine compartment (not that I expected to). When I turn the ignition on, the temp gauge is reads "damn cold".

So what gives?

Chris
 
Chris, the engine block heater is nothing more than a heating element built into a freeze plug. Rather than warming your engine up, it keeps the coolant from getting as cold as it might without it.
 
I've been using mine at work the last 2 nights. When it's below zero and you unplug it, you'll know! The blue flash from the current being interupted was pretty impressive at night! Also, in my Av at least, when I started the engine the temp was already over 100 degrees. One other thing I do is use is one of those extension cords that has the lit plug on the end when there's power to the cord. That way you're pretty sure you've got power to it and that it's going to work. They work and work well, trust me!
 
Well, I'm using mine constantly now, since the nights are getting down to -37 degrees C (or F, at that temp it becomes the same in both measurements :eek: :eek:)

I understood that the block heater was to keep the oil warm, not the coolant. You want the oil warm so it stays thin. That way it is easier on the car for turning it over and starting.

You know what though.....I'm thinking about it and the heater goes into a freeze plug, which is coolant. Hmmmm, I guess I don't know what is going on. :cautious: Ah well, at least my block heater works. Only took 15 minutes warming the truck up before the needle nudged off the cold mark.

Trash
 
Coolant, even with antifreeze, freezes much more readily than oil. "Pour points" for 5W-30 motor oils range from -22f to -76f. If you are in areas with severe winter temperatures, it is critical that an appropriate motor oil is used and coolant condition is up to spec. The block heater works by heating the coolant, thus the entire block through conduction. The motor oil will not begin to really warm until it is pumped through the warm block, as it sits in a stamped sheet metal sump below the block. Again, a block heater is not a substitute for the proper grade motor oil in severe cold weather.
 
Thanks for the Pics kr00g, I haven't looked yet, but I am sure that it is there. That was one of the first things I asked about for my 02' NFE AV.
Also I saw the pic of your defected back window, I have a similar defect on mine except it is on the bottom part. :7: I ordered a new window, but have not picked it up yet, because another member told me that the newer back windows don't have the deep tint. :cautious: Do you know if they do or not.
-James R. :cool:
 
Steelheadchaser, where did you find your block heater plug?
Thanks, James R. :cool:
 
I'm pretty sure the back tint is the same. Thanks for planting that suggestion! Now I'll always wonder every time I look back there!!! BTW, don't any one out there break one. The manager told me that to replace that window (with the defrost option) would be $1200 to $1400!!! Yikes! I may just leave it out all summer! Ya know, if you had to build an AV from parts thru Chevy, it'd cost 1/2 million $ !!!

Look up there high for the plug. It's held up with a small tie wrap. When you're using it you may want to be wearing welding glasses when you unplug it on a cold night..... ;)
 
kr00g, the window I ordered has the defrost on it and the dealer says that it is covered under warranty.

-James R. :cool:
 
Sorry james21, I forgot to mention that my dealer replaced it under warrenty too. I got the idea to look for the defect after reading about it on another thread somewhere on the forum. The funny thing is I'd had it in and out at least 20 to 25 times and never noticed it. I removed the midgate though (for the bass from the subwoofer back there) so removing it will mean I've no place to store it.

Any luck finding the plug?
 
I haven't looked today, it has been really nasty outside, cold rain. So I am going to wait till the boston meet next sunday and I will do it then.

-James R. :cool:
 
James, I'm sorry I missed your question! Did you find the block heater plug?
 
Yeah, I found back in mid-Feb. I was thinkin about relocating it to the driverside towhook area, but decided against it.

-James R. :cool:
 
I don't have one now, but they were 'standard' on all cars when I lived in Minnesota.
One piece of advice. You want to be reminded to unplug it before you drive off. :eek:
So an under-the-hood plug and leaving the hood down but not latched, is one way. And coiling the rest of the extension cord on top of the hood is the favorite way. :)
 
My dealer said I didn't have a Block Heater, after we searched all around under the hood looking for a plug :E:

Thanks to DragonSlayer, and this thread (in particular the fine pics from Kroog), I found mine today. Absolutely unexpected to see the plug dangling inside (front) of the driver side wheelwell. Noooooo way I'd lie in the snow and slush to plug that in :9:

Hope to find a dry day to clip the tiewrap and route this plug to somewhere up under the hood. Not sure if there is enough cable to route this to the front grill (which is where it was located in my previous car).

Even if I gotta raise the hood to plug this in, that'd be a major improvement compared to where it is now :)
 
There's quite a bit of cord. I used some tie wraps and ran mine out by the driver's side tow hook. Much handier than where it was! In the spring I move it back and re-tie it. Glad the pics helped. I know a bunch of people looked for it on my truck before we found it.
 
Kr00g said:
There's quite a bit of cord. I used some tie wraps and ran mine out by the driver's side tow hook.
Click to expand...
Excellent Kr00g. Thanks (y)

I'll target to achieve the same solution. Probably loop it back and secure somewhere in the engine compartment once warm weather returns. :0:
 
Success .... Knocked off the (factory installed) tiewrap and routed the power cord to the front side of the driver's fender (to the front side of the wheel well). Secured it up with a couple of tie wraps. With this placement, I figure it is away from the slush, but still reachable from the side of the AV (no need to kneel down in the slush/snow (y) ). I just reach in, flip the plug down (I tied it off pointing upwards), remove the cap, and plug in.

Note to self: Visit dealer to show him where block heater cord is when AV arrives from factory :)
 
DOES ANYBODY KNOW???

One of my friends wanted the block heater on his AV. He took it to the dealer and the guy at the service department told him that all the 5.3 engines came with the block heater installed, he just needed to hook a wire up to it. Does anybody know how true this is?
 
I'm sure that it's region or state-specific; it wasn't standard on mine in So Calif. for obvious reasons but it may have likely been if I lived in the Sierra-Nevada Mtn. area of CA. I bought one seperately so when I retire elsewhere or travel somewhere cold some winter, I'll have it. 'just don't need to install it yet.
 
CoAvalanche said:
I purchased a magnetic block heater today, but can't figure out where to put it. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

You're leaving yourself wide open with that question, considering some of the wise-crackers we have around here! >:D
 
Some of this (where?) is quite funny. Where is the laughing icon? We need one of those! Steelheadchaser?!?

I had the Engine Block Heater ($31.43 plus labor), battery warmer (wraps the battery), and the like installed at my dealership before I picked up my truck. They looked at me crazy when I asked for it. "It's an Avalanche" I said! Initially, they installed it wrong (just the location of the cord), but fixed it. I like to go snow skiing and think it's just a plain good idea. I also run a quality full synthetic oil like Mobil 1. My Av is a vehicle I plan to take all over North America. Why not outfit one so it can take you there with no worries? :0:
 
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