It seams my truck doesnt want me to be warm on my drive to work The truck comes up to opperating temp ( 190*) and i still get very little heat. My friends got a PowerJoke and if he cranks the heat and you put your hand by the vent it seriosly feels like it will burn you. My truck if i turn the fan past the second notch it barly feels luke warm. What gives? I have all new coolant, no leaks ( well no coolant leaks anyway) Can anyone help get me warm in the morning? ( Not like that! lol) just want a warmer truck

Thanks

 

If the truck is warming up to 190 the heater should work good.
Sounds like a restriction in the lines to the heater core or the core itself clogged. Disconnect both lines, hook a hose up to it and see how it flows.

It could also be the outer heater core plugged up with leafs especially if you park under trees. They easily get though the louvers at the base of the windshield and stopped by the core.

 

Realizing probably not many people have thermometers laying around: what temp should we (blackcloud and my truck as well) expect at the vents?

Since its all part of the same subject, my truck takes a long, long time to reach operating temp (plugged in or not). Is there anything I can do, besides the 3-cyl idle flash to make it get engine heat any quicker? Does a radiator blanket do any good to a passenger truck?

Thanks for any replies.

 

my turck is the same way except my truck wont get up to temp it stays at 140 my drive to work is miserable.

 

Black Cloud. I would suspect the heater core isn't doing its job. Either it's going out or there is a blockage or clog in the system. Take the hoses off infidel stated. Or flush your coolant system really well.

what's the temp's like where your at? Diesel's don't warm up very fast. Or you have a bad thermostat.

If you do have a good thermostat then look into doing a grill covering AKA :winter front style setup. They sell inserts for your grill to block wind. Or you can make one like i did out of sheet metal.
Do not place cardboard between the radiator and inter-cooler. or wrap the radiator
I replaced the zip tie setup with bolt's right after i took these pics. But it works great for me and the temps are down into the low 30's here already.

 

If your truck is not warming up to 190, you have no thermostat or it is suck open. If you have 190 temp, on gauge your hand should get uncomfortably hot when put over heat vents. Up here at -40 i can drive all day in a shirt. I would not consider covering rad at 30. degrees yet, i usually wait for until about 0 F.

 

I have my rad completely blocked off already with inserts and its still +15 here. Truck gets up to 90 C but thats it. I have replaced the heater core as it was leaking. I'm thinking that you're probably plugged. Not a fun job replacing it either. About 6 or 7 hours of shop time plus the rad core.

 

Just replaced the heater core and at 130 on the oil temp it is pushing out heat. I am saying it is the heater core because that is the same way mine was

 

Thanks guys, my truck has no problem reaching 190*F so i guess its time to either flush or replace my heater core. Maybe ill try the winter front first. Whats the problem with blocking the radiator with card board?

 

You don't want to block too much right in front of the rad, otherwise you can suck the fan into the rad if you work it hard and the fan locks up. Plus you want to make sure that the cardboard is even so that its not pulling more on 1 side of the fan than the other. Very hard on bearings.

 

BlackCloud
I'll bet that your evaporator is completely plugged with oily dirt (kinda normal with any AC system) problem is its between the fan and the heater core. just make sure the heater core is not plugged internally, when the engine is up to temp check the 2 hoses at the heater core they should be near the same temp, if one is hot and the other cold, the heater core is plugged. if both are hot, then likely (could still be a partially blocked heater core) its an air flow problem, blend door not opening or plugged evap core. You should be able to see the evap core if you remove the fan motor, if you can see it then you can clean it with a can of brake/electrical contact cleaner, it will wash/degrease the evap core so that air can flow thru it to get to the heater core. keep in mind its gonna stink to high heavens, and literially you will be high, so drive with the window down. which by the way you will be able to do as it will be freaking hot in the cab!!

 

Thanks Nickg, Im gonna try that as soon as I get home. The weather is supposed to kinda nice for the next few days so ill drive my mustang while thr truck airs out.

 

i feel for you that dont have heat. i dont either. 3 cummins thermos engine will not reach 140 on 85 degree day after 20 mile trip. have checked with infra red. 124 degrees at top of radiator in my 82. even called cummins tech they said it cant do that. told them that is why they were called. 5years and still dont have an answer. will say the original poster sounds like core plugged or blocked.

 

I also suggest back flushing your heater core to check flow and maybe remove any blockages.
I would also like to make some general suggestions to everyone concerning faster warm ups. I do use a winter front even though it does not get as cold as alot of my Northern brethren. I crank the truck and select recirculate and hot. This keeps the outside air from making contact with my heater core and the inner temp rises faster. You cannot sit in the truck with recirc on or the windows will fog. Also, since I have an auto, I will set the parking brake, block a wheel and put the truck in D or R depending on parking spot. This does two things. It slightly loads the engine to speed coolant temp and it also heats the trans fluid whick will in turn heat the coolant up.

I hope that helps everyone that reads this.

Ronnie