Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG
Can you explain the oil pan heater mod? Is it a factory heater that prevents use outside a certain temp range? I recall that some other GM OEM block heaters had this "feature" that frustrates some of our members who would prefer to use them more than GM thinks they should be used.
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GM puts a thermostat switch in the heater power cord that only closes below -18C (0F). This is done to avoid confusing the ECU diagnostics on cold starts. The ECU compares the temperature readings of the IAT and ECT sensors on a cold start, and under certain conditions if the difference between the two exceeds a certain amount, a DTC is set.
Of course, I discovered all of this information AFTER putting the oil pan heater option on the car when ordering it.
The salesman asked me if I wanted the BLOCK heater, to which I said YES. Turns out it is an oil pan heater and is only rated at 200W. The option only added $65 to the cost of the car so I can't complain too much. It does exactly what it was intended to do: warm the oil during extreme low temperatures.
I took pictures of the process and will post a DIY when I get a chance.
It really is a small world... when researching block heater options I came across your site MetroMPG. I bought a Zerostart 3308002 1000W tank/circulation heater I intend to install, so we'll see if I can screw with the start-up diagnostics then.
