dewfpo

Have your buddy check all the temp sensors, engine, air, etc.... with the Scan II. If a temp sensor is out of whack it will affect how much fuel is injected and the ignition timing so you can have a no start condition. Also have him check the crank position sensor which tells the ECM when to fire the coils. DEWFPO

x2, The 3 things you list I do not feel will help. The alternator is not going to keep up with the load, it cannot and is not supposed to. The batteries are there to make up the difference when the load exceeds alternator output. The alternator just pumps the batteries back up as their capacity is reduced. An extra ground from engine to chassis might help but I agree with sdeeter19555. Run it as you have it and see what the issues really are now. DEWFPO

Disconnect the atf inflow line to your trans (and put a hose on it into a pan) and have someone start it for just 5 seconds. You can then eyeball the flow coming out of the coolers and back into your trans to see if you have good flow, low flow or no flow. Does the gauge and your temp gun come close when you compare them? 220F is not normal but it's not going to kill your atf either. If it gets to 240-250 then I would worry some. You said you 'tried' flushing the coolers. Did you get good flow thru them? DEWFPO

Have you checked out the dash gauge to see if it's reading accurately? Did this problem start all of a sudden or have the temps been climbing up over time? What temps are you seeing? DEWFPO

I bought Kool Vue as well. I've got a little vibration in the mirrors but I got use to it and they're still way better than the OE power extending tow mirrors that came on the truck. DEWFPO

I have an '05 with the OE power extending mirrors and they were terrible for so many reasons. I put the same mirrors on my truck that you are looking at. On my '05 I had to shim them so they wouldn't be crooked but on your '07 they should sit just fine. I have not seen this style mirror with power telescoping capability. DEWFPO

I run 0W40 in mine. I drive in -20F to +105F so the 0W40 works great for me. It also seems I go thru a little less oil with the 40 weight on the high side. DEWFPO

What causes you think 5W30 is a thin oil? That is a very old wives tale that holds no water. A 0W30, 5W30 and 10W30 oil all have a similar viscosity at engine operating temps (100C/212F rating). The #W number reflects it's flow characteristics when cold (0C/32F rating).

I heard they made changes to the intake manifold bolts in the 2004 MY to solve this problem. Mine doesn't use much oil either and it's a '05. DEWFPO

My understanding is that....... the OBDII systems on our vehicles need to be able to determine if the sensors are working properly. GM took the cheap route in determining if the temp sensors are within spec. The ECM checks the ECT (engine coolant temp) and compares it to the AIT (Air Intake Temp) and compares it to the ATT (Automatic Transmission Temp) and/or any other temp sensor on the vehicle and if one is not reading a comparable temp for a certain number of starts, then the OBDII systems sets a code for a bad sensor (whichever one it thinks is off). When we plug in the block heater, the ECT will be higher than any other temp sensor, and after so many starts, it will set a code. I have removed my block heater thermostat a couple of years ago and plug my truck in whenever I want to and have never set a code. But I think that is because all my starts are not cold starts. So if the ECT is reading warm on my first start that morning, the sensors are in sync the rest of the day on all my other restarts. So I never have a series of starts where the ECT is off. At least that is my theory why I haven't set a code yet. The reason I say I think GM cheaped out, is because the programming for what I stated above is super easy and virtually no cost to them. So few owners have or need a block heater, that GM basically left us out in the cold wind. Whereas I use a block heater on a newer vehicle and never have to worry about it causing a problem, so other manufacturers have taken a different approach that does'nt negatively affect the customer. Just my 2 cents. DEWFPO

It's hard to imagine the heating element itself being bad, there are no moving parts and it's a simple design. So, I would check to make sure the plug connector is firmly seated on the block heater itself. A PITA because of it's location, but if it's on, then you may have a plug with a bad thermostat in it. If it is the blister kind of plug, then cut off the round part of the blister, pull out the little round, thin metallic thermostat and stick a small metal washer or a dime in there, make sure it is tight, put the rubber blister back on and tape it back together tight. Make sure the washer is making contact all the time. That will eliminate the thermostat in the plug and you should get current to the block heater regardless of temp. Just use caution when cutting the blister, at those temperatures, that rubber is like hard plastic and difficult to cut. I first tried using a utility knife but that was useless, I wound up using a Dremel tool and that worked sweet. Good luck. BTDT. DEWFPO

I bought a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser and installed a factory block heater. No thermostat on it, and no warnings for its use. I use it all the time, have had it plugged in for 48 hours straight and it and it never sets a code. It's only a 400 watt heater like the on on my 05 2500HD 8.1L. So I can't say if Ford or Chrysler's block heaters are set up like the GM's, but the Toyota's are certainly not. DEWFPO

I modified my plug 3 years ago so that the thermostat is inoperative (heater comes on when plugged in) and I have never set a code. The only other thing to be aware of is the '05 and up block heaters are only 400 watts. DEWFPO

On my old Ford (no d**n thermostat) I use a HD timer and a TC-2 (+20F) Thermocube in series so that it ONLY comes on if it's below +20F and then only for a few hours. Works great. Now, I just have to remove that d**n plug on my 05 Silverado. DEWFPO

You would think there would be a way for the ECM to determine that the block heater was energized and therfore temporarily ignore the Engine Coolant Temp reading for that particular driving segment and not cause any problems. DEWFPO