Heater barely working
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Lehi, Utah
Heater barely working
Alright...
So I kick my truck over and turn on my heater. It takes 15 minutes (of driving) or so before I have actual heat coming out of the vents. I could have this heat starting to do decent and then out of nowhere, it goes back to blowing cold air. There is no coolant leak and it seems that the truck makes heat when it wants to. Is this all caused by a "stuck thermostat" as a had a Dodge man tell me? What is the fix on this? Is not real cold out here (10-30 degrees), but I have started plugging up the engine at night
Advice?
Thanks ahead time.
So I kick my truck over and turn on my heater. It takes 15 minutes (of driving) or so before I have actual heat coming out of the vents. I could have this heat starting to do decent and then out of nowhere, it goes back to blowing cold air. There is no coolant leak and it seems that the truck makes heat when it wants to. Is this all caused by a "stuck thermostat" as a had a Dodge man tell me? What is the fix on this? Is not real cold out here (10-30 degrees), but I have started plugging up the engine at night
Advice?
Thanks ahead time.
Token Redneck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 343
From: Breckenridge, TX
6.0L right?
Do you have a gauge that can read ECT? That will tell you if the t-stat is stuck open or not. If you have the coolant gauge on the dash, you should start getting heat about the time that need starts to budge, but the idiot needle won't give you enough resolution to diagnose a t-stat problem.
Have you ever had the oil cooler replaced? You can clog the heater core with debris from chemically flushing the oil cooler, or from a very poorly maintained cooling system.
Do you have a gauge that can read ECT? That will tell you if the t-stat is stuck open or not. If you have the coolant gauge on the dash, you should start getting heat about the time that need starts to budge, but the idiot needle won't give you enough resolution to diagnose a t-stat problem.
Have you ever had the oil cooler replaced? You can clog the heater core with debris from chemically flushing the oil cooler, or from a very poorly maintained cooling system.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 40
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From: Lehi, Utah
Texas,
Yes, it's a 6.0L.
I do not have a gauge for the ECT. The only thing that has been replaced in my truck was the HPOP and batteries. Suppose I could do a cooler flush, but a month ago I found I had a hose leak, so the coolant for awhile was always new Gold.
I'd like to think it un-related, but I have a whistle (sounds like on the intake side) at certain PSIs. I think it's on the intake side of the air as it's only as it's building up pressure/building speed. This would effect this, would it?
Yes, it's a 6.0L.
I do not have a gauge for the ECT. The only thing that has been replaced in my truck was the HPOP and batteries. Suppose I could do a cooler flush, but a month ago I found I had a hose leak, so the coolant for awhile was always new Gold.
I'd like to think it un-related, but I have a whistle (sounds like on the intake side) at certain PSIs. I think it's on the intake side of the air as it's only as it's building up pressure/building speed. This would effect this, would it?
Token Redneck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 343
From: Breckenridge, TX
To diagnose the t-stat, you'll need to see what ECT is. The cheapest option is a Scangauge:
There are threads floating around the 6.0L forum where they can be had for about $109 (obviously not on the link I posted, that's just for reference as to what it is). You can also look at DashBoss if you have an iPhone, TorqueApp if you have an Android, or an Edge Insight if you want a standalone unit. If ECT is consistently in the 170s*f, then you need a replacement t-stat. If ECT is getting up into the high 180s or low 190s*f, then the t-stat is fine and you're having other problems.
The whistle, inspect your CAC boots and the plastic CAC tube for cracks. If the boots are oil soaked there's a good chance they've failed or will in the future. The cap on the degas bottle is also a common failure, over time they start not holding pressure correctly. A new cap is cheap over the parts counter at a dealer.
Riff Raff Diesel makes nice replacement CAC boots, better than stock replacements:
http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/interc...c-boots-03-07/
There are threads floating around the 6.0L forum where they can be had for about $109 (obviously not on the link I posted, that's just for reference as to what it is). You can also look at DashBoss if you have an iPhone, TorqueApp if you have an Android, or an Edge Insight if you want a standalone unit. If ECT is consistently in the 170s*f, then you need a replacement t-stat. If ECT is getting up into the high 180s or low 190s*f, then the t-stat is fine and you're having other problems.
The whistle, inspect your CAC boots and the plastic CAC tube for cracks. If the boots are oil soaked there's a good chance they've failed or will in the future. The cap on the degas bottle is also a common failure, over time they start not holding pressure correctly. A new cap is cheap over the parts counter at a dealer.
Riff Raff Diesel makes nice replacement CAC boots, better than stock replacements:
http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/interc...c-boots-03-07/
Token Redneck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 343
From: Breckenridge, TX
Random question, do you have the fancy climate controls that came in the Lariat/KRs? Or the plain jane three **** setup?
If you look just to the left of the turbo, on the heater line there's a vacuum controlled valve that closes when you put it on "Max A/C". On the fancy trucks, it should sweep itself when you start the truck. Make sure the grey vac line is plugged into it, and that it moves position if you have someone swing the **** from max a/c around to defrost if you have the plain setup.
If you look just to the left of the turbo, on the heater line there's a vacuum controlled valve that closes when you put it on "Max A/C". On the fancy trucks, it should sweep itself when you start the truck. Make sure the grey vac line is plugged into it, and that it moves position if you have someone swing the **** from max a/c around to defrost if you have the plain setup.
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