2003 Freightliner Columbia No Heat

Rideandrepair · Feb 1, 2022

I’m sure it’s obvious. Nows the time to replace hoses if needed. New stats, new coolant. Be good for 4-5 yrs. Best to have shutoffs on all the heater hoses.

Smellfunny · Feb 1, 2022

SOLUTION:

I think the hose hookups were the issue. I came in this morning and installed the hoses like you said. Oil cooler to the top of heater core and the bottom heater core went to the water pump. I went ahead and put in thermostats and it needed them. They had silicone around the base and the rubber was as hard as a brick. Fired it up and had heat. Thank you Rideandrepair. This engine has been swapped out by another shop and someone replaced the oil cooler so I just went with how the lines were hooked up. The bunk was already bypassed so I just assumed that they hooked the heater hoses back up the way they were and the heat was working before.

Rideandrepair said: ↑

I once got the heater hoses hooked up backwards on my bunk heater core. Heat wouldn’t work. Swapped them and it worked. I know you said there’s no valve. The supply should be the one from oil cooler, the return should go to the Waterpump. If it’s showing 180 all the hoses should be hot. If the bottom hose isn’t as hot, including the small hose from Waterpump to oil cooler. I’d guess a thermostat is stuck open, still showing 180 because your idling. If it’s not cold where you are, it could stay at 180, but more likely drop if your fan came on, or if you drove the Truck. Just my theory. Maybe wrong. 2 new thermostats $70-$80. Should call for 180’s. Money well spent regardless. As long as you weren’t losing any coolant, and just lost heat, not any coolant. Thermostats would be the first thing to check. You can take them out, and boil them on the stove, with a thermometer to test them.
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Rideandrepair · Feb 1, 2022

Smellfunny said: ↑

SOLUTION:

I think the hose hookups were the issue. I came in this morning and installed the hoses like you said. Oil cooler to the top of heater core and the bottom heater core went to the water pump. I went ahead and put in thermostats and it needed them. They had silicone around the base and the rubber was as hard as a brick. Fired it up and had heat. Thank you Rideandrepair. This engine has been swapped out by another shop and someone replaced the oil cooler so I just went with how the lines were hooked up. The bunk was already bypassed so I just assumed that they hooked the heater hoses back up the way they were and the heat was working before.
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Great! Now you know what you have. New Waterpump and stats. Peace of mind.

Smellfunny · Feb 1, 2022

Here is a picture of the head where the thermostat housing mounts. It was nasty and looks like they didn’t take care of coolant treatment.

Rideandrepair · Feb 1, 2022

Delete.

Smellfunny · Feb 1, 2022

The customer was doing the minimum work to it. He had already sold it. he did have a new radiator in the truck. I imagine the liners are pretty rough looking from the way that housing looked. The guy that bought it said he will probably overhaul it anyway. Thanks for the replies.

Rideandrepair said: ↑

I’d flush it real good before putting any expensive coolant in it. I used Evapo rust from Harbor freight on mine a few yrs back. It was running hot. My radiator was pretty rusty. It actually worked. They claim it doesn’t hurt aluminum. The same brand also makes a product specifically for radiator flushing. It’s twice the price for less product. Use at your own risk. I used a half gallon, ran it for about an hour, flushed it a few times. It quit getting hot after that. I then put another half gallon. Ran 800 miles, let it sit for 5 days, ran 1000 miles and flushed it out with dishwasher detergent. Flushing it real good about 5 times. That radiator lasted another 3 yrs. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it again. Maybe half gallon, run an hour, flush till clear, then repeat. I don’t suggest leaving it in like I did. Just try to get the rust out, as much as possible. Then refill with new coolant. Buy precharged Final charge, or regular coolant and add 1or 2 quarts of pencool or similar additive, follow directions. Check Dca/Nitrate levels periodically. Might have to add a pint or quart probably after a year or so. Gotta test it with the strips, and keep up on it. You can add a filter w/need release additives as a precaution. Changing it once a year. They have about 4-5 layers of additives with thin sacrificial metal between them. That will help avoid a pinhole in a Liner, and pitting around the tops of liners that cause head gaskets to blow. Probably the cheapest pm you can do to avoid costly problems. Untreated coolant can cause a pinhole on a new engine in 6 mos. It happened to a friend of mines 92 Peterbilt, with a 12.7. I like that final charge. It’s expensive. Not too bad at Farm and Fleet. They make a pure antifreeze also, if you can find it. You can mix it 50/50 with distilled water. Save some money. I used to do 60/40. Knowing I had room to add a half gallon of distilled later if needed. Every year. Now it’s every 2-3 yrs.with the final charge. Its supposed to be good for 5 yrs. All antifreeze loses its additives. It’ll never freeze, but wont condition seals and hoses over time. The DCA/Nitrate level thing is a separate issue, and most important. Keeps it from corroding the system. Some claim the Final charge brand has special anti foaming agents designed to keep cavitation ( bubbles) from forming. The cavitation plays a big part in pitting if a liner, and especially putting around the top of the cylinder, that causes a head gasket to blow. Having blown head gaskets at 560k, 825k, on my last 12.7. And 825k on my current 12.7. I’m a believer. This one lasted 1.3mil. Second time around using Final Charge coolant. Now it’s on its 3rd round with new inframe, radiator, Waterpump, and coolant. Time will tell.
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2003 Freightliner Columbia No Heat

Rideandrepair Road Train Member

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Smellfunny Road Train Member

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