AC & Heater help

[txtrucker75]

I have a 97 dodge ram 1500 2wd 5.9L
My heater hasn't been getting hardly warm, I've felt the send and return line coming from the heater core and both are very warm when i touch them could my heater core be stopped up and sometimes i smell anti-freeze, i'm planning on replacing the heater core. but here is the weird thing to me i turn the dial over to the hot side and place it on defrost my fan switch has two ways one for AC and the other is for fan only, when i turn just the fan on to get the heat some what going I hear the AC compressor kicking on and off, is this normal?

 

[rowdyram]

You likely have a problem with the vacuum control for your blend door. If you have hot water in and out of the heater core it is not plugged.
Yes it is normal for the a/c to cycle when in defrost. Passing the air across the evaporator condenses the moisture to aid in defrosting your window. That is why you have a water drain from your heater box.

 

[txtrucker75]

ok so where would i need to look to find the vacuum control for my blend door? I had a vacuum line break under the hood going into the firewall awhile back and I spliced it back together.

 

[rowdyram]

I usually start by removing the temp switch and starting the engine, you should have vacuum on one line going in. If you don't your problem is that direction if you do, plug the feed line into the switch and check for vacuum out. If none bad switch. If you do you'll need to follow that line to the blend door checking for damage if none unplug at the blend door and check for vacuum. If you have vacuum there replace blend door actuator

 

[txtrucker75]

On my heat switch the vacuum lines are all good the vacuum controls the position like defrost, defrost & floor, floor, floor & vents, and vents. My blend door is controlled by a metal cable. Is there a way to pull the radio and front panel to see the cable to the blend door or do I have to pull the entire dash?

 

[rowdyram]

Oh if its cable and the blend knob seems to be moving the cable correctly and your 100% that your heater hoses are hot enough your going to have to tear down to the blend door lever, I'm not entirely sure exactly where it is so maybe someone else will chime in. And the dash bezel should just pop off then the radio will unbolt from the dash