(2003 ram qc 4.7) This place is great!! I'm new and have been reading for hours trying to figure this out myself..... and decided to just ask ya'll! A couple problems may or may not be related. When a/c is blowing it makes loping sound around glove box. Hubby tore into it a year ago and removed that door that flaps so now it blows, but lopes. Heater sounds like it should blow your air back but air barely trickles out, no defrost to speak of. When I pull my 5,300 lb horse trailer (gooseneck) in the summer w/ a couple horses The temp gauge goes up past the middle, not all the way to hot but probably would if i had to go further. My dad had a radiator put in it when he had it bout 4 years ago. Could the heat and overheat issue be linked or is that just too big of a load? It seems to pull fine in cool weather I get in no hurry. SEEMS fine in summer too Only sign of trouble is the temp gauge. I'm in Texas where it's all flat. Sorry so long! Its summer again and I need to pull my trailer Any input would be beyond appreciated!! Is the load just really too big??

 

Welcome to DF!!

The two are unrelated. Check out http://www.heatertreater.net/index.html to get your heater doors replaced. There basically flimsy plastic flaps that are always breaking.

As for the overheating, do not let your 4.7 overheat! Bad bad things can happen. If the trailer weighs 5300lbs w/o the horses then you are probably getting close to the capacity of the truck once the horses get in. Does your truck have a factory tow package? Clean your radiator and A/C condensor out with some soapy water/degreaser to get all the bugs, road grime and rocks out of the fins. Anything to help airflow.

 

The maximum rated towing capacity of a 2003 QC Ram 1500 with the 4.7L V8 is 7150 lbs. That is assuming it has the optional tow package (transmission cooler, etc.) and 3.92 gearing. The standard 3.55 gears reduces this by 1000 lbs. to 6150 lbs. and having 20" wheels as opposed to 17s would reduce capacity by another 1000 lbs.

You are in all probability simply overloading it and coupled with warmer weather it's causing the problem.

I'm actually surprised you haven't had a serious issue yet. The 4.7 is infamous for not liking even mild over-heats. Aluminum heads expand quite rapidly and the difference between them and steel components attached to them not expanding often causes head cracks/deformities, dropped valve seats and head gasket issues...

 

Thanks for the replies! I'm not sure if it has a tow package or not?? But thats kind of what I thought it's just too much for it. I haven't had any problems yet because I rarely do it even in the cooler weather. We'll be getting the 5.9 asap!! It's been a good little truck though. Thanks so much for the heater link!! I fully intend to lurk here and continue learning, Thanks again!