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HELP!!!Heat only blows when driving

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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 12:36 PM
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Exclamation HELP!!!Heat only blows when driving

I have a 06 F350 Diesel 6L

When my truck is idling the heat does not work. I am going to have to replace the vacuum pump for sure because I am only getting air through my defrost which I believe is the default if the pump fails. When I am driving the heat works great pumping through the defrost vents, but when I am at idle it cools down. Any help would be great thank you.
 

Last edited by martinkjc; Oct 22, 2012 at 01:06 PM. Reason: no replies with many views
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 01:37 PM
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Two things to check: Your coolant level for no heat at idle and for air only through the defrost vents you need to check for a vacuum leak or defective vacuum pump. Is your vehicle 4wd?
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 01:38 PM
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Have you done any work on your truck recently? I know when i had my exhaust system installed the tech knocked a vacuum line off of the heater valve on the hose that runs over the passenger valve cover and my A/C would only blow out the defrost. I also believe there are vacuum lines that run down to the front wheel hubs.
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 02:34 PM
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the truck is 4wd yes my coolant level was Empty, which does not make sense to me. I am not blowing smoke, I am not over heating....
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 02:35 PM
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I did do my track bar and track bar bushing a week or two ago. PITA by the way
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 02:41 PM
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From: Spanaway
When was the last time you did any thing with the coolant?
It could of been a bubble that took it's time getting to the tank.
But you should have the system tested to make sure that you are not
leaking any.
Back to that air in the system. That is why the use that negative pressure
fill system on the cooling system to fill it. It clears the bubbles.

Sean

EDIT:WOW I see bad sentence structure. Guess I'll get some RED marks from the teacher
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Yahiko
When was the last time you did any thing with the coolant?
It could of been a bubble that took it's time getting to the tank.
But you should have the system tested to make sure that you are not
leaking any.
Back to that air in the system. That is why the use that negative pressure
fill system on the cooling system to fill it. It clears the bubbles.

Sean

EDIT:WOW I see bad sentence structure. Guess I'll get some RED marks from the teacher
I actually just look and my coolant was Empty. The last time I had did anything was about a year ago other than check it. I am not smoking at all, I am not leaking visibly, and I do not smell coolant.....
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 03:31 PM
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Originally Posted by npccpartsman
Two things to check: Your coolant level for no heat at idle and for air only through the defrost vents you need to check for a vacuum leak or defective vacuum pump. Is your vehicle 4wd?
So i checked it, the pump is running but im stilll not getting air through the vents just the defrost vents? does this make any sense
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 03:32 PM
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By reading both your threads, if you're smoking white when you start the truck then it's either fuel or coolant, and since you're low on coolant I'd say you have an EGR cooler leaking which leads me to believe you also have a potentially plugged oil cooler (the root cause of EGR cooler failure).
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 03:34 PM
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Does your front wheel drive engage properly? Or do you have to manually turn the hubs? You may have a leak at your hubs.
 
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Old Oct 22, 2012 | 05:37 PM
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baffled

So i changed the pump and still nothing, i have went through the lines and it seems like there isn't a leak....Would a relay or something be the culprit? this is a 4x4 so i checked at the hubs
and nothing
 
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 08:04 PM
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Originally Posted by martinkjc
So i changed the pump and still nothing, i have went through the lines and it seems like there isn't a leak....Would a relay or something be the culprit? this is a 4x4 so i checked at the hubs
and nothing
check your vacuum canister. battery corrosion ate a hole in mine. i fixed it with jb weld.
 
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 08:21 PM
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Originally Posted by amill
check your vacuum canister. battery corrosion ate a hole in mine. i fixed it with jb weld.
now i remember,by the time i cut out all the softened plastic the hole was so big i had to patch it with a piece if sheet metal and seal it with jb weld.
 
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 09:00 PM
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From: Spanaway
Go t oAutozone or some place like that and do the
loaner program and get this tool
Mityvac/Silverline elite vacuum pump test kit (MITMV8500) | Vacuum Pump Brake Bleed Kit | AutoZone.com
Then one at a time remove the lines and plug then see if they hold vacuum or leak.
work you way through the system till you find the leak. Sorry that I don't know of
an easy way to find this. I also posted in a post about a vacuum leak the
heater line diagrams for you. All I can say is your doing what anyone else
would have to do. One line at a time. You can also use the pump to check
the 4X4 system for leaks.

Sean
 
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 12:24 AM
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I have narrowed it down to the 4x4 solenoid or a leak in my hub will be figuring out next friday. thanks a lot boys i appreciate all of your help
 
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