1997 dodge ram B2500 van heating issue

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Rapid Robert

Rapid Robert

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heater blows cold. under the hood there is an inline valve in one of the heater hoses, the one that goes to the top of the core box iirc. it is mechanically switched on/off by it looks like a very small vacuum line. I tried to move the valve by hand with no luck. I could get a plastic coupler line & replace this valve. does it appear like this might be the problem (the eng warms up fine). thank you for your time. RR
 
That would get you some heat, but you won't be able to control it and it won't shut off when you turn on the air conditioning.
By the time you get a connector nipple and plumb it in there, you'd be halfway to getting the right part.
This may not be an identical replacement, but it (or something similar) should serve the function just fine:
For 1996-1997 Dodge Ram 2500 Van HVAC Heater Control Valve Front 4 Seasons | eBay
There are different ones if you have front/rear heating.
 
also there is a good blast of cold air from the outside coming up pretty much past the brake pedal toward my crotch . any thoughts on where it might be coming from? I got down there & saw no holes/passages that might be allowing this & the eng cover appears to be latched tight. RR
 
I am going to pull the vac line off & see if I can now move the valve open as I'm wondering if no vac is causing the valve to not open tho I would think I coulda moved the lever with pliers. I will find out tomorrow if it is locked shut.
 
If it doesn't move with the vacuum disconnected it is no good. If it moves you could have a bad switch or a vacuum hose on wrong. Eliminate it and see if you have heat.

My 03 truck just had a no heat issue. I parked it on a hill face up . Cracked the cap and squeezed the upper hose to get the air out of the heater core. Read it on line and it worked.
 
Cold air issue (without seeing your van) is probably the dog house gasket leaking air. As for the valve- again we need more diagnostic help but if you apply vac to the nipple on the valve and it does not move then it’s bad. I just did the one on my 86 van. It leaked vac like mad. The system is very simple. You may have other issues like stated above but you need a service manual for the vac flow chart.
Syleng1
 
You can buy a manual valve and put it where the vacuum valve is. Used to cost a few bucks at parts store. Turn it on in the winter, off in the summer. Crude solution, but it works.

The heat never worked well in my 1998 dodge van. Wish I knew about the bleeding trick. Maybe that would have helped.
 
Excellent info/advise! I disconnected the vac line & I was able to move the valve lever but it was tight. I dont have a vac pump to check it. I see the correct "heater hose connector valve assy" on ebay & it says in the descrip "vacuum closes non-bypass heater valve" & that makes me wonder if it is open right now & the problem is elsewhere but I will likely go ahead & spring for it since my working on it sprung a slight leak and if it is a problem elsewhere at least I should be able to move the lever between on/off much easier & & maybe wire it open in the winter & closed in the summer but I don't know, that will still not be addressing the problem IF it is open right now. right now the horizontle lever is toward the rear if that tells you if it is open or closed right now please check if you can. thank you for hipping me to the dog house being the likely culprit on the leaking cold air. I will specifically check it closely. thanks again guys I appreciate the comprehensive help, I am freezing!. RR
 
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