Where does Block Heater install on VK56VD engine?

Forum for Infiniti M37, M56 M35h Hybrid and Q70 owners.
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ibc
Posts: 210
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:17 pm
Car: Infiniti M56x

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To all you Canadians, please help?

Where do I install a block heater on my engine? My 2011 M56x has a VK56VD engine. Perhaps it's same for QX56?
The (pathetic) factory service manual (EM.pdf) diagram points vaguely to the upper rear of the engine cylinder block.
That's not specific enough.

Got any photos? Is this block heater effective?

Canadian cars get an optional block heater. USA cars don't, but I want one on my M56x. Problem is, block heaters are NOT normally available in USA, and local Infiniti dealerships don't even know what they are. (To be fair, neither did Ford, Chrysler, etc. for our previous cars). The Infiniti parts guy said it's not available to USA dealerships, so he cannot order it. Infiniti USA seems to refuse to acknowledge that block heaters exist. WTF?

An Infiniti dealer (in Canada) told me I'd need block heater P/N "11001-1NC0B" (cost $47), and the required cord is likely P/N "24076-1MJ0A" (cost $92), and guess-timated installation cost was about 2 hrs labor. Ka-ching!

Hence, I'll just install it myself. I've installed 'em on prior cars. But I don't know exactly where it should go on this M56.
Internet search offers almost nothing on Infiniti block heaters, and very few photos of the VK56VD.

I found only one photo of a VK56VD engine here, but I don't see where the block heater could possibly go:
https://sites.google.com/site/neosgarag ... ine/vk56vd

Fwiw, the "11001-1NC0B" also fits into both M56 and M37. But where & how?
http://www.partsbase.org/infiniti/m37-5 ... l-pan-p-1/
http://www.partsbase.org/infiniti/m37-5 ... l-pan-p-1/


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Debonair
Posts: 1109
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:58 pm
Car: 2011 Infiniti M56
Location: 408 NOR CAL

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Per THIS PAGE it goes here at the front of the block just below the water pump.

Image

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ibc
Posts: 210
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:17 pm
Car: Infiniti M56x

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Oh darn! My engine has a belt-tensioner below the water pump, and there's no other bolt-holes, and no blank plugs in the general vicinity, so it can't possibly go there without disassembling the engine. Awk!

But, that diagram was not the same as my engine, cuz mine is AWD (not 2WD). But if it were same, that would mean the block-heater attaches to the bare block, and is hidden underneath the front cover. Really? I don't know how that could give any way for the block-heater's dangling electrical cord which must plug into a household 120V AC electrical outlet.

I was hoping there's an accessible spot where I could attach the block-heater without any heroics. No engine disassembly, no engine removal. Just bolt it on, same as other cars.

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Debonair
Posts: 1109
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:58 pm
Car: 2011 Infiniti M56
Location: 408 NOR CAL

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The Titan guys have a block heater that installs into a threaded freeze plug behind the alternator. Given they are VK relatives in theory you should be able to do this on the M. The pics you linked to and the ones I found via Google show this same plug.

Titan block heater install


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