its starting to get really cold up here in western ny... the other day me and the wife were coming home from the Sabres game and after about 30 mins of driving on the thruway.. the heater wouldnt get hot... it would be warm but not as hot as i can remember....i mean it was REALLY cold... and the temp gauge was reading really cool for running that long... i was wondering if it would hurt anything to up a peice of cardboard across the radiator to help block the really cold air coming in and warm up the truck a bit better... ive seen guys do this with farm trucks and heavy duty trucks that run in sever cold weather... on warmer days.. (the other day it got 50 deg. out) the temp gauge read normal and the heat blew hot as can be... nice and cozy... so i think my t-stat cooling and heater core systems are running noraml.. what do you fellas think? also i boughgt this truck from down south where freezing isnt really a problem.. i was wondering if i should get the coolant flushed and replaced ...i have no idea whats in it...if it is antifreeze or some other kind of coolant that doesnt have the same properties as coolant.. thanks guys!

 

Did you put an 180 thermostat in? or do you still have the stock one? I would try the cardboard but start with a small size piece and work your way up to a bigger on untill you had the right size. But I could be totally wrong on this one. Down here in Arkansas we have some pretty cold winter days sometimes in the teens too, and I never had a problem with the heater. Frankly it will run you out of the truck because it gets so hot. But check your thermostat.

 

t-stat is a stocker

 

i've seen semi's with covers on their front grills and that's the only reason that i could come up with for doing that, to block air from the radiator that is. i agree with classic, you don't want too big of a piece if you're going to do it. let us know how it turns out. you could get a block heater.

 

If you got it from down south I would flush the coolant for sure then make you sure you mix it 50/50. Can never be too safe New coolant will help it warm up quicker too on those freezing days!

 

I don't think they relize how cold it was here Friday night, mine was running a little cooler also. We run covers on some of the buses around here too. Put on some cardboard to cover less then half and watch your gauge adjust it as needed. You have it lucky again this week, the southern half is going to get nailed again.

 

dodgeram man... your from ny? we saposed to get bashed with some this weekend ..from what i hear... i put some cardboard on the rad. and it helped out ALOT!!! heater warms up nice... im lookin for a block heater...not sure what i need or where to get it nor how it works... im having a hard time getting it to stay at the top half of the rad... god forbid i block the bottom half... havnt had a tranny problem yet... knock on wood! thanks fellas!!!

 

duct tape....

 

I would be willing to bet that your t-stat went bad on ya. If you do replace it absolutely replace the coolant cause I'd also bet it is original and not up to the protection level you need with your cold weather. I only use the DexCool stuff, more expensive but it is silicate free and phosphorus free which is much less evil on internals of todays radiators. If ya stay with the cardboard (must be something else wrong if need that) use a few zip ties stuck thru it and thru the fins of the rad to keep it in place.

 

awesome thanks for the info.... stupid question and i should know the answer...but how much coolant/water do you put in yours...i was thinkin about taking it in tomorow to have the system flushed anyway...who knows whats in there.