5.3L engine block heater

[GMCStepSide]

You forget, we all move down there to whatever hot spot you're living in and there's no one up here to keep the oil flowing. Once that happens, you'll see $8 a gallon gas, then you'll be begging us to move back up north.

 

As for shivering in my boots, no, I just want my fellow taxpaying citizens to know about this so they can make an informed decision before purchasing a GM truck. In the wintertime, the air used to get an unhealthful to breath rating that led to EPA fines that were paid by the taxpayers. Most of us don't want to have to fund those fines and I might have thought twice before picking up a truck with a block heater that is inoperable above zero degrees. Would have looked harder for a good used 2003 - 2004 model.

 

As for GM, they've got their own problems and mine may be minor but at least folks should know about this so they can make an informed decision before purchasing. Who knows, the next thing the Municipality of Anchorage will do is implement a tax on those of us with this screwed up plug as we're "big polluters".

Edited January 13, 2006 by GMCStepSide

[GM-Tech]

You forget, we all move down there to whatever hot spot you're living in and there's no one up here to keep the oil flowing.  Once that happens, you'll see $8 a gallon gas, then you'll be begging us to move back up north.

 

Actually, we're already beggin' the newcomers to go back. The place is overflowing with people, growth is out of hand, my $135,000 house purchased 10 years ago would now cost me a half-million, and trust me, it's not what I would think of as a half-million dollar home. Roads are crammed like never before. Thank goodness I'm only a few miles from work and the opposite way traffic flows in the morning and night.

Edited January 13, 2006 by GM-Tech

[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

[hoorders]

Guys give me a day or two,When I get a free minute (Been out all morning plowing the lot here at the dealership!) I'm going to call GM-Partech on this and see if they can tell me something (I'm not holding my breath though!)

 

Arctic,Your right it wasn't always like this,As I said in an earlier post before all my other trucks worked no matter what the temp.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Definately has not always been like this....................my 2000 Z71 5.3 has a factory block heater and the cord end is just a black 3 prong plug.....the thermastat B.S in there.....it works no matter what the temp is outside.......

[GMCStepSide]

On the way home I stopped at the dealership and was informed by the Service Manager that they were still attempting to get information about the block heater "thermostat". He said they had called the Fairbanks dealership and they were just as baffled as they hadn't heard of it.

 

I gave him this scenario. If I was living in Fairbanks, and it was -5 degrees outside, and I had the truck plugged in for four days, wouldn't it throw a code. He apologized as he said he couldn't answer it because he still didn't understand why there was a thermostat on it and the entire code issue.

 

I asked him about the wear and tear on an engine being started at 5 degrees above without being plugged in (or the screwey thermostat not letting it come on until it was below zero) and he stated there was significantly more wear and tear on an engine when if it wasn't plugged in. I then asked if GM was going to warranty the engines for those of us living in colder climate (I already knew the answer) and he simply stated he was waiting to hear back from GM. It's supposed to be -5 here tonight so you can bet I'll be out there freezing my a## off making sure that thing has kick on. I'm going to plug it in all night long and pour the AC to it...try to get a code tomorrow...assuming the darn thing actually kicks on tonight.

[GM-Tech]

Instead of all this darn moanin' and groanin', just cut the d**n plug off and put a standard three prong plug on it and be done with it. If the SES light comes on, deal with it by leaving it on or have it checked and cleared every time.

[redbugdave]

Hi GM Tech and y'all...(I'm from the south),

 

I did cut my "tumored" plug off and spliced in a new one. Me thinks the GM guys at Fixit Center sometimes talk with forked tongue.

My question...When the light comes on, does my engine run in a different mode...or less efficiently like they said?

 

Otherwise, I can live with the engine light on...black electrical tape over the light should do it, ha ha. But my temperature guage also quit working because of the code issue. I WANT THE TEMP GUAGE TO WORK! Maybe plugging in a scan tool and deleting the codes every time you use the truck and an aftermarket temp guage...just run the wires over the hood to the engine. Sounds like a good aftermarket gimmick...err...tool....lotsa money....

 

Awww, quit whining you whiners. In my grandad's day, they used reindeer and a pack of dogs to get to work. Do you know what it costs to feed a pack of dogs? Next thing, someone will ask if they can have have a heater on their sled for only a 5 hour trip to work....sorry for the sarcasm....

GM goofed on this one!

[GM-Tech]

The code does not disable your temp gauge. Something unrelated is wrong there. Also, your engine should not run any differently.

[GMCStepSide]

Well, GM-Tech, I took your advice and late last night decided to cut the d**n factory plug off and install a quality grounded plug. At 2 degrees, the fingers got a little cold but I was able to get it accomplished in a few minutes. When I got up this morning, the truck started like it was 75 degrees outside (the temp was actually -9 degrees). I had it plugged into my timer so that it was only on for 4 hours. The truck started up nicely and you could see on the windshield where the warm air had convected out the defrost vents onto the winshield.

 

I drove it 90 miles, ran a bunch of errands and was back home with no problems at all. No codes or lights, and the temp guage worked fine the whole time.

 

IMHO, if you live in cold climates where it gets below 20 degrees on a regular basis, you need to cut the plug and replace it with a quality grounded plug. Then be sure to use a timer to help it get warm, plus the timer will help save on the electricity bill.

[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

[GM-Tech]

I drove it 90 miles, ran a bunch of errands and was back home with no problems at all.  No codes or lights, and the temp guage worked fine the whole time. 

 

There's actually some logic in the P0116 DTC test that tries to determine if a block heater has been used.

 

On the other hand, this is a type B code, which means the DTC test has to fail on two consecutive ignition cycles (in which the test runs) for it to turn the light on. So you're not in the clear yet on the light not coming on.

[GMCStepSide]

No sweat...I cut the plug off so it had a 12" tail on it thus I'll be able to replace it should I end up with the dreaded code. I figured rather than complaining about it, I'd work on a solution. We'll see if it works. Heck, if that's the only issue I ever have with this truck, I've got it made.

[ArcticJ]

I drove it 90 miles, ran a bunch of errands and was back home with no problems at all.  No codes or lights, and the temp guage worked fine the whole time. 

 

There's actually some logic in the P0116 DTC test that tries to determine if a block heater has been used.

 

On the other hand, this is a type B code, which means the DTC test has to fail on two consecutive ignition cycles (in which the test runs) for it to turn the light on. So you're not in the clear yet on the light not coming on.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

 

Hey GMCStepSide...any problems yet...have you had the opportunity to use the heater a second time?

[GMCStepSide]

Not a problem in the world. Everything seems to be functioning as usual except I can hear that block heater run when I plug it in...however, I'm running the timer so the only time I hear it is when I go out to start it in the morning. And I've been using the block heater nightly - with the timer - since I cut the thermo plug off and replaced it.

 

Would I do this again - you bet as it hasn't seemed to affect anything. I've gone through roughly 15 start/shut down cycles and no light, nothing. And the temp gauge has worked consistently.

 

By the way, I did get a message back from the Municipality of Anchorage I/M Program Administrator...it read -

 

Thank you for sharing this information. I will have our office research this issue and we will pass our findings on to all of our I/M licensed mechanics and facilities.

 

Who knows, perhaps the Muni will be recommended everyone in Anchorage driving an 05 or new GM truck cut the plug off and use a timer....we'll see. But it worked fine for me!

Edited January 18, 2006 by GMCStepSide

[slemmer]

You forget, we all move down there to whatever hot spot you're living in and there's no one up here to keep the oil flowing.  Once that happens, you'll see $8 a gallon gas, then you'll be begging us to move back up north.

 

Actually, we're already beggin' the newcomers to go back. The place is overflowing with people, growth is out of hand, my $135,000 house purchased 10 years ago would now cost me a half-million, and trust me, it's not what I would think of as a half-million dollar home. Roads are crammed like never before. Thank goodness I'm only a few miles from work and the opposite way traffic flows in the morning and night.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

That's so true - I just came back from 4 days in Bonita Springs. S.Tamiami Trail s. of Coconut Road is contruction hell - I saw it back in September and they're still at it!