I believe the heater core just went inMy 2000 ram 1500 5.2l . The windshield started fogging up with the defrost on and then I noticed coolant dripping on the passenger floor. If I shut the heat off it doesn't seem drip though. I believe I can just not use the heat and still drive the truck without loosing fluid. Is this true ? I have a 200 mile round trip drive to make on fri and don't have time to repair it before. Could I just drive it without using heat? Also could I just "bypass " the heater core by just connecting the inlet and exit hoses together effectively taking the heater core out of the loop?

 

The heater in your truck is constant flow, there is no valve to shut off coolant flow to the heater core, so, it's likely still leaking, just somewhere ya can't see it. You can bypass it without issue, but, it IS November....... Guess it depends on where ya live.

 

I live in a colder climate but I can deal without heat until I have a chance to fix it. Is bypassing it as easy is just connecting the 2 hoses together?

 

yes...

 

Mine's starting to go too. I get the fog and a nice sweet smell when I turn the heater on. Ugh. Maybe next spring sometime I'll tackle it.

 

If you live in a cold climate, fix it before it gets really cold out....... otherwise, you will come out some fine day, when it's -5 in the sun, and discover a green swimming pool on the floor of your truck.

 

I'm in WA so it only gets to jacket weather, not snowmobile coat cold.

I'm also swamped with work until at least mid-January so maybe somewhere after that I may get a week vacation.

 

I just pulled a 1391 code on top of the heater core issue. Camshaft position sensor . It's the 5.2 so hopefully it's just a sensor?

 

Cam or crank sensor.... I wish they would have separated those out......

 

I replaced the crank sensor 6 months ago...