Ok This is my deal, I have noticed that the heater is not always blowing as hot as it should. I have Two themometers in my air vent on the drivers side and when the temp is around 180 on the engine The air temp is only about 140. Yes that is hot but it takes a long time to get to that temp. It usually is about 120. What I am saying is the **** thing should burn you out of the cab when it is on high but it wont always do it. It is like a hit or a miss type thing, sometimes it will and sometimes it won't. Is this common? I dont want to be out of a truck for a week to have it fixed if this is normal.<br>oh yeah it was 38 this morning, but this should not make that huge of a difference.<br>Chase

 

Are you using &quot;Winter Fronts&quot; or blocking the airflow to the radiator?
If not that might be a contributing factor.
The radiator on these trucks is HUGE, and makes it hard to keep heat in the truck when the temps get really cold and you're moving down the road.

 

[quote author=slimchase link=board=5;threadid=9314;start=0#89362 date=1041952125]
........Is this common? I dont want to be out of a truck for a week to have it fixed if this is normal.
oh yeah it was 38 this morning, but this should not make that huge of a difference.
Chase
[/quote]

Not on my 02. I drive in the single digits without fronts, at highway speeds and the water temp comes up gradually to 180-190. The heat is blasting out the vents within 5-7 miles. I live about a mile from my interstate on-ramp. Now, if you're doing in town driving, it does take a heck-of-lot longer. What you're describing sounds more like a problem in the heater box or water pump as opposed to a coolant thermostat problem. It sounds like you're getting up to operating temp, but the hot water isn't making it back to the heater core, or you're getting poor transfer of air. Is this the case?

 

yeah I leave it plugged in at night and I live 10 miles from town. The truck is usually on for at least an hour at a time with a coolant temp of 180-190. The engine temp warms up pretty fast, In the cold, but the air temp varies. Yesterday it would only get to 140 all day, just a minute ago I hoped out of the truck and went in the store, got back in and the temp showed 164 from both of the guages. Who knows guess I might have to let the ol Dodge boys take care of this one.<br>Chase

 

Sounds like you may have a blend door or control valve sticking under the dash.

 

My 02 cooks me out of my cab. never had a problem with it not heating. I do plug in and I don't use a winter front.