I have some questions regarding my engine. My window sticker said my car has a block heater option. The manuel says the cord is tucked behind the passenger headlight, just uncoil and plug in. I have looked forever in that engine compartment and can't find anything that looks like a cord for a heater. Can someone help me out with EXACTLY where to find it and what it looks like.

Second. I noticed this engine has a drive belt pulley on the driver side of the engine by the front set of valves. I'm not sure what this is for or how often it should be changed. Is it a timing belt for the valves? I don't see one on the back side of the engine. I believe the Northstar has more valves, but I really don't know much about this engine.

That is the belt for the waterpump. North** and Aurora 4.0'* have that

As for the block heater, do you know if this was installed when the car was built or was it installed later. This may affect where it was routed. You can determine this by looking at the sticker on the cover over your spare tire. If it was factory installed, you'll see the code K05. I will take a picture of my car later and indicate where mine was coiled up by GM. Originally, it was in a clip attached to the engine (slightly forward and right of the sight shield - if you're standing in front of the car looking at the engine).

my block heater cord is bundled up in the area of the waterpump belt and tranny dipstick area.

There it is! Right next to the throttle body. I can hear my mother - "IF IT HAD BEEN A SNAKE....."

Last week the temperature was 6 degress F. Now today it is 67 degrees F.
Missouri weather just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Maybe I'll get to try the
heater next week sometime.
Thanks for the help guys. The manual is just plain incorrect about the location. Maybe it is refering to the 3.8 engines.


One last question.
How long do you have to leave this heater plugged in to have a noticeable effect on
the engine temperature when you start it? I don't want to go out to my car at 3am and
plug it in. That would be just as inconvenient as riding in a cold car for ten minutes.

Plug it in when you are done driving, and unplug when you are ready to drive again.

most bock heaters will tell you to have it pluged in 6-8 hours for a cold motor.