Heater Core Clogged Already?

[68PowerWagon]

Over the last several weeks I have noticed the air coming out of my heater is just barely warm. Turned the temp setting as high as it will go but I don't seem to be getting much heat. Surely don't have a clogged heater core already? Possibly something in the electronics is not telling it the temp I set it at?
Truck is a 2016 2500 6.4 with 40,000mi.

 

[Blackdodge2010]

These trucks are known for the blend doors failing. The actuator over extends the arm and over time breaks off. This would cause the symptoms you describe.

 

[Ratket]

Is it possible the heater core is clogged? oh hell yes it is, but the only way that happens is if someone mixed in Hoat with Oat anti freeze. Sadly if this is the case a lot more things are going to get clogged. Not saying by any means this is your problem, you prolly haven’t even touched the coolant. But if you had the dealer do some work that involved coolant, I would be checking that receipt.
Again not trying to scare you, prolly just ur blend door.

 

[olyelr]

Is your truck running at normal temps?

 

[68PowerWagon]

Is your truck running at normal temps?

Yes the engine is running at normal temps. About 200-208* when fully warmed up. Oddly enough it is acting like an under powered air conditioner in the summer. Today driving it at lunch with the ambient temps at 45* it is coming out much hotter than it was this morning at 28*. Once it warms up to normal operating temp I wouldn't think ambient temp would matter.
To my knowledge the coolant has not been messed with. It has only gone in for recalls & I don't usually do a flush & fill until about 100k.

 

[RamCares]

Over the last several weeks I have noticed the air coming out of my heater is just barely warm. Turned the temp setting as high as it will go but I don't seem to be getting much heat. Surely don't have a clogged heater core already? Possibly something in the electronics is not telling it the temp I set it at?
Truck is a 2016 2500 6.4 with 40,000mi.

Hi 68PowerWagon,
We apologize that you are experiencing this concern. Feel free to send us a private message if you would like some additional assistance!
Alex
Ram Social Care Specialist

 

[R.D.J.]

Here's a "quick and dirty" to diagnose an obstructed heater core.

Get truck to proper operating temp, and turn heater temp on high, fan speed on medium.
Open hood and either use a laser thermometer, or just simply touch the heater hoses with your hand, and take note of the difference in temp between the in and out flow hoses. IF there is a difference that can obviously be found just by touch, the heater core is clogged. If they feel relatively the same temp, your issue is within the heater box/actuator/software, etc.

 

[1ram2500]

i have a 2016 ram 2500 6.4l with the same issue. the truck has always been serviced at the dealer. i brought the truck in for no heat and was told it needed a new thermostat. that didn't solve the problem. i don't feel that a 4 year old truck with 75000 miles should need a heater core already. but that is the way it's looking.

 

[Rick Ram-jet]

Do you travel with a dog or have a lot of debris in the cab?

The heater core on my previous chevy (no cabin filter back then) was so packed with dog hair it looked like it had a sweater and had to be replaced!

You can start by checking and or replacing the cabin filter.
Except for the hottest days, you can run your a/c on vent vs recycle to avoid pulling hair/debris into the filter/core...

 

[1ram2500]

no pets or debris in cab. cabin air filter is good. it has good air flow coming out of the vents just wont blow hot air.

 

[crazy jerry]

i have a 2016 ram 2500 6.4l with the same issue. the truck has always been serviced at the dealer. i brought the truck in for no heat and was told it needed a new thermostat. that didn't solve the problem. i don't feel that a 4 year old truck with 75000 miles should need a heater core already. but that is the way it's looking.

if the temp gauge was acting normal, the shop changed the thermostat for no reason and the money you paid went up in smoke. so many shops have zero diagnosing skills so they just unload the parts cannon because thats all the know how to do

 

[MSgtZ]

Hate to say it, but good chance the core is plugged, just went through the same issue on my 2014 6.4l. The darn core was plugged with sand (new to me truck truck, replaced at 93K after wife and I discovered no heat on one of the rare cold days here south central Texas). Yes I had a bad thermostat too to add to it. I hope not for you as it isn't easy to replace and far from cheap if someone else is doing the work.

 

[thkbaron]

my dad's 2014 had to have the thermostat replaced and that solved his problems.

 

[crazy jerry]

Hate to say it, but good chance the core is plugged, just went through the same issue on my 2014 6.4l. The darn core was plugged with sand (new to me truck truck, replaced at 93K after wife and I discovered no heat on one of the rare cold days here south central Texas). Yes I had a bad thermostat too to add to it. I hope not for you as it isn't easy to replace and far from cheap if someone else is doing the work.

thermostat on 6.4 isnt difficult to change. atleast i didnt think so. and other than the vacuum tool to refill the system ,no expensive special tools are needed.
people always go right to the thermostat if the heater isnt working but often times its not the problem

 

[MSgtZ]

thermostat on 6.4 isnt difficult to change. atleast i didnt think so. and other than the vacuum tool to refill the system ,no expensive special tools are needed.
people always go right to the thermostat if the heater isnt working but often times its not the problem

Thermostat was easy to replace, the heater core is another matter.

 

[RandomRam]

On the HD Gasser Facebook page there are a lot of posts about clogged heater cores under 100k. I’m going to have my coolant flushed at the 20k mark in hopes it pushes that debris out.

 

[BadHemi2014]

I have a different beast, 2014 1500 hemi, but it never had decent heat since I bought it with 106K on the clock. I tried flushing the heater core last summer hoping it would help but no luck. This winter still barely-warm heat, then I started smelling coolant with the heat on so I knew it was starting to leak. Went ahead and changed it out last month and finally I have HEAT!
It's not that bad of a job, but it is time consuming. I figure I saved at least a grand doing it myself though.

 

[Ishoeum]

Over the last several weeks I have noticed the air coming out of my heater is just barely warm. Turned the temp setting as high as it will go but I don't seem to be getting much heat. Surely don't have a clogged heater core already? Possibly something in the electronics is not telling it the temp I set it at?
Truck is a 2016 2500 6.4 with 40,000mi.

It’s not the blend doors it’s the heater core plugs up. I have flushed my heater core out every three weeks through the cold season. I get heat for 2 1/2 three weeks and then it stops until you hit a really big bump sometimes that’ll jar some of the sand out. What I’d like to know is why First second why doesn’t ram warranty this crap and third is there someway to put a filter system on these trucks to stop that sand from going through the core

 

[4xdad]

I just did the thermostat and heater core flush on my 2015 pw. The biggest pita is getting the hoses off. As was noted check the difference in the temperature of the two hoses before you start. If you decide to do a flush you can clock the hose clamps to make it easier next time Check what type of thermostat you have as some are a whole housing that has the temperature sensor in it to. 206 cad at Napa after I got the wrong one from Amazon. It’s only two bolts but they are kind of apita if you remove the upper rad hose first it’s a little easier and you have to remove it anyway

 

[4xdad]

I disconnected the heater hoses at the hard line because the clamps are such apita on the firewall then I put a couple of small pieces of 1/2 inch copper pipe in the end of each then to some clear vinyl tubing into pails to catch the old stuff and that way you can see if it’s running clear I also put clr in the heater core and let it sit for 15 minutes and flushed it again