Hi , I need some help...

First of all, i have no heat on left side of truck for driver it cold , on the right the passenger still has heat... now i also heard a noise when im turning it souds like water shifting. shifting i can only describe like... the nois thats made when u go pee i guess only when i turn. water trickleing i guess would be best to describe it.


My Truck is a 2002 Dodge Ram 4.7 liter V8, 2 wheel drive, Regular cab, short box. It has 112000 KM on it right now. I just took it to dodge dealership today... I paid $100 dollars just for them to look at it for 30 minutes.... WTF... then he goes to me and says hes not 100 % sure but 98.5% that the vent door to drivers side is not open for heat. thats why passenger has heat but driver doesnt and that he needs to take whole dash out and that it will cost $1658 !!! OMG the part only costs 40 dollars he says. i dont know if i can trust them i dont have the money for that.... He couldnt answer why i am hearing a water noise liquidy noise sloshing if i rev engine to 1000 rpm or go from a stop sign to start like a gargiling. Almost like u had a half full water bottle and u tilt it back and forth it sounds like..


can someone help me?

 

There was a TSB on this. It is a HUGE job to repair. Not something you want to tackle yourself. Mine broke twice on me. Lucky for me, it was under warranty both times. Otherwise, I'd be about $1200 poorer for each time.

 

how can it be such a diffcult job? the dash just needs to be removed which is undoing screws and popping off panels..?? right its just a doit yourself job just probably be without truck for 3 days or so maybe 4

 

I have the same problem. I drove the truck up a very steep hill, removed the radiator cap, heat on full. This is suppose to get any air out of the heater core. It worked for a couple days, but then drivers side started getting cold again. Gurgles in the morning then goes away. Any one have any other ideas. Is there a TSB on this problem, 2002 Ram 1500?

 

I just replaced my heater core in mine, and let me tell you it was a job. Nothing for the faint at heart. Getting to that HVAC unit is a pain. But half way into it I was beginning to second guess why I tackled the job, but after I got it done and realized the cost savings, I was glad I did it. Plus I knew it was done right.

As for you specific problem, I don't know why it would be doing that. Do you have Dual Zone Control?? Anyway I looked around my unit when I took it out, just out of curiosity to see how everything worked. The flaps are controlled with a armature that's driven by two gears. One gear (the driven gear) is attached to the armature, and the drive gear is a spiral gear attached to the motor shaft. Maybe the drive gear attached to the motor is spinning on the shaft. Don't know just throwing something out there for you. As far as the water sound your hearing, I have no idea. Hopefully your core isn't busted either, but you would know by the antifreeze running out into your floor board. There is an over flow spout on that HVAC unit to allow antifreeze to run out if the core does bust. The spout is on the lower passenger firewall in your engine bay. It may be possible to fish a string down in it, and pull it out and see if its wet. If so, then time for a new core.

If you feel like tackling the job yourself, just post back in this thread and I'll help you out if you get hung up on something. I'm only 2 weeks removed from doing mine, and it's still kinda fresh in my head. Just remember, if it don't come out willing, don't force it. There is a lot of hidden bolts and screws. Post back in here and I will guide you. Also AIR RAM also knows how to do this, he gave me a good heads up to get started, and some help along the way. Here is my original post. If you don't have to change out the heater core, then you won't have to discharge your AC. But you won't know till you crack into it I guess.

At any rate everything I typed my not apply to you, especcially if you have dual zone, but I can help you get to the HVAC unit if needed

 

My 02 1500 QC 2wd with the 4.7 just developed a heater core problem. It's always worked great, blown hot, been quiet, etc. However, I got in the truck last night after work and smelled anti-freeze pretty strong. I drove home and the temp gauge stayed at normal temp. But when I got home, I checked around and quickly noticed that the passenger floor mat and carpet was quite wet with antifreeze. I pulled the bottom of the dash and can sort of see where it is dripping from, though I can't see well enough to pinpoint the source. As an interim fix, I pulled both 5/8" hoses in the engine compartment off of the studs coming through the firewall from the core and inserted a 5/8" capped tee in between them, so basically I just bypassed going through the core. The lines were flexible enough to bend toward each other to connect to the tee without too much twisting and are not in a bind at all. I then topped off with antifreeze mix to make up for what had been lost. This at least buys me some time until I can determine what to do for fixing. I'm in central Florida and it doesn't get cold much, so having no heater for a while isn't really a big deal. Anybody got a link to that TSB or a rough idea cost-wise of having the core repaired/replaced? And GSXR1181, I might be checking back with you if I decide to tackle this myself. Thanks to all.

 

She's busted. Same symptoms I had. Actually the core didn't bust, it was where the pipe was attached to the core. Just a poor coupler. Anyway the shop around here quoted me 500 to do the job. But a new core only cost me $70 from the Dodge dealership. Plus the man hours I put in. When you pull the HVAC unit out, you WILL have to discharge the A/C. There is no way around it. I tried to find a way and there just isn't. I have a friend of mine who knew how to recharge it, so I just paid him, and he took care of me cheaper then the shop would. I will tell you it's going to be at least a 12-15 hour job, although now I could probably do it under that.

 

Thanks for the reply. Bummer about having to discharge the A/C. Dealer here quoted me about 600 to do the work based on my description over the phone. I don't see spending that kind of money to replace something I don't really need (often) anyway. Maybe if I can carve out some time, I'll just buy the core and do it myself. My father-in-law is in the motorhome business and has some A/C contacts, so that might be another option, at least for the recharge. He does live 1000 miles away. As I mentioned, I've got it bypassed just outside the firewall with a tee and clamps, so that should last. Is there reason why that wouldn't suffice, with the understanding that I'll have no heat? The tubes aren't in a bind and are not touching anything where they should get cut, burned, etc. and they aren't "flopping around" either. Am I overlooking anything?

 

No it won't hurt anything since your going to replace the core anyway. I did that to a friend of mines 89 Ranger, and he went forever driving it that way, even in the below freezing weather we have here. I think he drove it 2 years till he totaled it.

 

One quick word of advice on discharging the a/c. Let it out very slowly through the smaller (condenser) line. This keeps the oil in it. Once you have all the refrigerant out, cap the lines as tightly as you can to keep moisture and dirt--of any kind--out. The oil absorbs moisture readily and that can create an acid if it not all dehydrated out before you recharge it with r-134a.

Good Luck!!!!!