How to: Add Dual Zone ATC to a Tradesman

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wayned87

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If anyone is in need of a blend door actuator let me know, I have 3 available. I purchased the "dual zone" harness from eBay and it came with extra actuators. I also have my factory "single zone" harness if anyone would want to use it instead of cutting/splicing or making their own, you could easily pull the wires out of this one and use, i think.

Anyway shoot me a message.
 

elcabong

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Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here, but I've been long time reader of many great and wonderful things on this forum and I've finally come to a problem that my research couldn't find an answer to.

I'm not sure any of y'all would have an answer to this but I figure it would be worth a shot. I've got a 2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn, Crew cab, with the 5.7 hemi and I'm looking to do this dual zone upgrade. I've looked at dozens of online mopar parts pages and have boiled down the possible part for the distribution housing to the following 2 options:

68214902AB - 3.0 diesel - $120 shipped
68197463AC - 5.7 and 3.6 - $455 shipped

These are both listed as dual zone distribution housings for the crew cab model, the only notable difference being the engine of the truck (and the astronomical price difference). Normally for me it would be easy to just get the exact part for my truck even if it is a little more, but in this case where it's almost 4x as expensive it's a little hard to justify that much money. I'm wondering if anyone has tried putting this one for the diesel crew cab in their gasser crew cab, or knows someone who would know if the one for the diesel would work for my gasser. I've looked over what pictures I could find of both housing units and everything I can see from them would indicate they are the same (most pages actually use the picture of the one for the 5.7 in the listing for the 3.0). I've even checked to see if the parts attached to it might be different, but the heater core, evaporator core, and the blower fan box are all the same between the two. One of the Mopar parts websites I visited did indicate that the 3.0 diesel housing was compatible with my truck but I didn't want to take their word for it and end up with an extra $120 non-returnable large paperweight.

Anyway, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
 

Jimmy07

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Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here, but I've been long time reader of many great and wonderful things on this forum and I've finally come to a problem that my research couldn't find an answer to.

I'm not sure any of y'all would have an answer to this but I figure it would be worth a shot. I've got a 2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn, Crew cab, with the 5.7 hemi and I'm looking to do this dual zone upgrade. I've looked at dozens of online mopar parts pages and have boiled down the possible part for the distribution housing to the following 2 options:

68214902AB - 3.0 diesel - $120 shipped
68197463AC - 5.7 and 3.6 - $455 shipped

These are both listed as dual zone distribution housings for the crew cab model, the only notable difference being the engine of the truck (and the astronomical price difference). Normally for me it would be easy to just get the exact part for my truck even if it is a little more, but in this case where it's almost 4x as expensive it's a little hard to justify that much money. I'm wondering if anyone has tried putting this one for the diesel crew cab in their gasser crew cab, or knows someone who would know if the one for the diesel would work for my gasser. I've looked over what pictures I could find of both housing units and everything I can see from them would indicate they are the same (most pages actually use the picture of the one for the 5.7 in the listing for the 3.0). I've even checked to see if the parts attached to it might be different, but the heater core, evaporator core, and the blower fan box are all the same between the two. One of the Mopar parts websites I visited did indicate that the 3.0 diesel housing was compatible with my truck but I didn't want to take their word for it and end up with an extra $120 non-returnable large paperweight.

Anyway, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
Just realized something with this- the OP of this thread has an eco diesel, which has a PTC cabin heater. It’s just an electric heating element inserted into the box for quicker warm air in cold weather while the engine coolant is warming up. The cheaper box has the hole for that heating element. I suppose if there’s a plastic cover you can fabricate to cover that hole, that box would work fine.
5F6E7559-4968-428A-B6BA-70A71E669B35.jpeg
EDF18859-CCDA-4FCC-AE84-3B4D59C228CB.jpeg
 

elcabong

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Just realized something with this- the OP of this thread has an eco diesel, which has a PTC cabin heater. It’s just an electric heating element inserted into the box for quicker warm air in cold weather while the engine coolant is warming up. The cheaper box has the hole for that heating element. I suppose if there’s a plastic cover you can fabricate to cover that hole, that box would work fine.
View attachment 478925
View attachment 478926

Is that really the only difference? Well crap, for a savings of $355 I'm sure I could find a way to cover that hole. I didn't even realize that was an electric heating element in that picture, but now that you mention it, I'm wondering how hard it would be to add that electric heating element to a truck that doesn't have it and make it work....

And thank you for responding! I feared this thread may have died based on what little has been posted here over the last year.
 

Jimmy07

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Is that really the only difference? Well crap, for a savings of $355 I'm sure I could find a way to cover that hole. I didn't even realize that was an electric heating element in that picture, but now that you mention it, I'm wondering how hard it would be to add that electric heating element to a truck that doesn't have it and make it work....

And thank you for responding! I feared this thread may have died based on what little has been posted here over the last year.
It actually wouldn’t be hard at all to add the cabin heater. There are 3 circuits you would add to the BCM, which is wide open when the dash is pulled. All the settings for it are there in AlfaOBD. Here’s a schematic for the 2019+ Heavy duty ram with cabin heat, which is the same. You basically need a relay box for 3 relays and 3 50amp fuses
 

wayned87

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I would like to add my $.02 in here so that hopefully it helps or saves someone some money or possibly time.

I have a 2015 RAM 2500 SLT Cummins. I have upgraded the truck to a full Laramie, yes all down to the wiring harnesses. (I was able to get my hands on salvage truck parts for cheap).

When I converted my single zone to the dual zone, I originally ordered a complete distribution housing. It was on a very long back ordered and I was tasked to deploy so I had to cancel the order. When I was able to start this project back up, I did a bunch of research and ended up finding this product -

Make sure you click the drop down arrow and select "dual zone".

Once the blend door came in I took my dash and distribution housing out. Took it to the kitchen table (don't tell the wife, but I did put a blanket down so it wouldn't scratch it lol). Completely dis-assembled it via screws and clips, it was actually pretty easy. I took the "single zone blend door" out and replaced it with the blenddoorusa.com "dual zone blend door". Tested the functionality and everything worked.

I had access to the dual zone wire harness and extra blend door actuator. This is the harness that wraps around the distribution housing. I put everything back together and programmed via AlfaOBD, and all worked as it should.

NOTE: I figured since I was already going to have the distribution housing open, I went ahead and ordered the complete blenddoorusa.com kit for our trucks.
At the time I had roughly 55K miles on the truck and the foam on the blend doors was already coming off.

I am sure I am missing a step or two here so feel free to ask away.

So long story short here, I was able to use my original distribution housing and I only changed out the blend doors, wire harness, and added the extra blend door actuator.
 
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Ryno1500

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I would like to add my $.02 in here so that hopefully it helps or saves someone some money or possibly time.

I have a 2015 RAM 2500 SLT Cummins. I have upgraded the truck to a full Laramie, yes all down to the wiring harnesses. (I was able to get my hands on salvage truck parts for cheap).

When I converted my single zone to the dual zone, I originally ordered a complete distribution housing. It was on a very long back ordered and I was tasked to deploy so I had to cancel the order. When I was able to start this project back up, I did a bunch of research and ended up finding this product -

Make sure you click the drop down arrow and select "dual zone".

Once the blend door came in I took my dash and distribution housing out. Took it to the kitchen table (don't tell the wife, but I did put a blanket down so it wouldn't scratch it lol). Completely dis-assembled it via screws and clips, it was actually pretty easy. I took the "single zone blend door" out and replaced it with the blenddoorusa.com "dual zone blend door". Tested the functionality and everything worked.

I had access to the dual zone wire harness and extra blend door actuator. This is the harness that wraps around the distribution housing. I put everything back together and programmed via AlfaOBD, and all worked as it should.

NOTE: I figured since I was already going to have the distribution housing open, I went ahead and ordered the complete blenddoorusa.com kit for our trucks.
At the time I had roughly 55K miles on the truck and the foam on the blend doors was already coming off.

I am sure I am missing a step or two here so feel free to ask away.

So long story short here, I was able to use my original distribution housing and I only changed out the blend doors, wire harness, and added the extra blend door actuator.
Well son of a....my new distribution housing just shipped this morning...

Mine is a 2014 at least so the housing was only $108.00, but twenty bucks is twenty bucks.
 

wayned87

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Yeah that’s not too bad. I am sure with shipping you might be pretty close.

I took a bunch of videos when I did this to make a nice DIY. I am just trying to find a good program to download on the MacBook to piece them together.
 

elcabong

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Yeah that’s not too bad. I am sure with shipping you might be pretty close.

I took a bunch of videos when I did this to make a nice DIY. I am just trying to find a good program to download on the MacBook to piece them together.
Post a link when you have your video up please! I haven't bought any of the parts yet and I'm not in a hurry, and I'm sure I could figure it out on my own from your description, but I'm also good at messing things up.
 

Ryno1500

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I just finished this install on my 2014 Express Crew Cab. I would say it probably took me longer than it should have. Here are the hangups that got me…one, didn’t unhook all the vents under the carpet before moving the dash. The drivers side had clips molded into the original plenum box for that vent. The bottom one on the left side of the vent was a pain to get to. The new box doesn’t have these, thankfully. I was able to get the center one out, but back in was not as easy. Until I slept on it and came back this morning. Pull the tray attached to the floor so you can slide the vent extension that runs under the center console back. Then remove the entire center dash, remove the radio vent bezel, bottom trim (two dash bolts are here anyways), and then there are 6 bolts that hold the drawer assembly in (4 top, two bottom). Then pull the entire assembly out, you’ll probably have to go behind the glovebox to unhook the USB power. This will allow you to hook and unhook the center duct to vent much easier.

Second, there were the nuts on the firewall inside the engine compartment. The clip for the heater hoses covers one nut and it would not come off. Finally had to cut it with my dremel and then twist off. Of course, I didn’t realize there was a second one behind the ECU and fought forever before finding it and then of course the entire box came right out.

Third, double and triple check that you plugged everything back in. I could have sworn I plugged the recirc actuator back in, but I didn’t. Luckily I can pull the entire dash in about 15-20 minutes now.

Also, I spent way too long looking for the bolt that goes in the bottom bracket for the plenum box. Still no clue where that darn thing went.

Comparatively speaking, I installed a bed cover afterwards in about 30 minutes. Haha.
 

HighShyGuy

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I located the needed heater plenum on ebay, can't wait to do this. I need to replace my hvac front cooler/condenser behind the grill anyways... so nows the time.
 
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HighShyGuy

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I received my plenum today from eBay... The sticker on it has part "68092162AB"
The Auction listed it as
"11-18 DODGE RAM OEM MOPAR HEATER BOX DISTRIBUTION HOUSING 68197463AC 182604"

I can't find this part 68092162AB to verify this box will work, or I was just sent the wrong item, or an improperly listed item.
Does anyone have a better way to look the part up I got? I was looking for "replaces" but didn't come up with much.
 

jawzs2

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is there a white sticker on it with either the letters SZ or DZ
 

HighShyGuy

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There is a tag on it from the seller that has the VIN 3C63RRML5DG593097 Tag also says its from a 2013 Mega Cab, Dual Zone
It does have 5 blend door motors (4 on the box, one hanging on the attached wiring harness)
(I missed the VIN the first time i looked)
So I'd guess it is a DZ... ?
 

HighShyGuy

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The sticker i did find looks like it had a DZ...
 

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Mpgrimm2

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HighShyGuy

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I would like to add my $.02 in here so that hopefully it helps or saves someone some money or possibly time.

I have a 2015 RAM 2500 SLT Cummins. I have upgraded the truck to a full Laramie, yes all down to the wiring harnesses. (I was able to get my hands on salvage truck parts for cheap).

When I converted my single zone to the dual zone, I originally ordered a complete distribution housing. It was on a very long back ordered and I was tasked to deploy so I had to cancel the order. When I was able to start this project back up, I did a bunch of research and ended up finding this product -

Make sure you click the drop down arrow and select "dual zone".

Once the blend door came in I took my dash and distribution housing out. Took it to the kitchen table (don't tell the wife, but I did put a blanket down so it wouldn't scratch it lol). Completely dis-assembled it via screws and clips, it was actually pretty easy. I took the "single zone blend door" out and replaced it with the blenddoorusa.com "dual zone blend door". Tested the functionality and everything worked.

I had access to the dual zone wire harness and extra blend door actuator. This is the harness that wraps around the distribution housing. I put everything back together and programmed via AlfaOBD, and all worked as it should.

NOTE: I figured since I was already going to have the distribution housing open, I went ahead and ordered the complete blenddoorusa.com kit for our trucks.
At the time I had roughly 55K miles on the truck and the foam on the blend doors was already coming off.

I am sure I am missing a step or two here so feel free to ask away.

So long story short here, I was able to use my original distribution housing and I only changed out the blend doors, wire harness, and added the extra blend door actuator.

So, reading this, it sounds like you can convert a single zone to a dual zone? I read the above
1 - Swap SZ harness for DZ harness
2 - Swap SZ door for DZ door
2 b - you can replace all the doors with the kit
3 - Add a 5th door actuator to the D Z harness
4 - Reassemble

Am I understanding this correctly? If I don't have to use the hvac box I bought used, and can re-use mine, and just take parts off the DZ box, add the blend doors, and harness, 'd prefer that.

I see the poster above converted to a laramie harness as well, as I had Mike add the DZ to my 8.4, I'll have the needed harness too...

It seems this may be a different way to do this add-on?
 
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