Air conditioning Hack

[Ram4Lou]

I have now put a little over 1,700 miles on my 2020. (build date was 6/26 - picked up on 7/20)
This thread and many others like it almost persuaded me to skip getting a Ram. (you should not have to hack a new truck!!)
But everything else about the truck had me hooked.
I even contemplated taking a clamp with me when I went to pick up my new truck, for the 3 hour drive back in the heat.

I am glad I still chose to get the Ram. It definitely helps that I got one of the lucky ones that has an adequately working A/C.
Since I know pics are mandatory, I used the only thermometer I had at the house. I need to get a better one and test it again.
I have not added a clamp or valve yet since this is what I am getting out of it.....
when I tested it today (95* outside w/ 45% humidity)
Drivers side center vent... I'm guessing 48*


Passenger side center vent... 42* ish

With the A/C on auto and set to 67* even on the hottest days so far, it will blow hard for the first ten or so minutes and then lower the fan speed down to maintain temp.
Would adding a valve drop the temp, absolutely. But so far I don't feel that I have to just yet to be comfortable.

And for anyone wondering why I am only averaging 14.5 mpg so far.... I have taken a handful (aprox. 700 miles) of fishing trips pulling the boat.
I love that I can set cruse control at 80 on flat roads and it will tach just under 2,000 rpm w/ my 3.21 rear-end. Way better gas mileage than my last F150.

Almost 50 degrees on the driver center vent and a 6 degrees cooler reading on the passenger center vent tells me you have blend door issues, just like everyone else. You need to compare the drivers side vent to the left of steering wheel for accurate testing as that is the vent that typically has the highest temperatures due to its proximity to the blend doors. Also, getting 48 degrees on the drivers center vent on a 95 degree day with 45% humidity is not a tough enough test. I’ve lived my whole life in New Orleans and Houston and every vehicle I’ve ever owned would have no problem cooling the cabin quickly in 100+ temperatures with 90% and higher humidity. This Ram without the hack NEVER cooled the cabin down in those conditions. If the vehicle was sitting in the sun for an hour in those same conditions... forget it!! With the hack, it works much better. The vent temps out of every vehicle I’ve ever owned has dipped into the upper 30’s and that’s the way it should be. When you place your fingernails to the vents, you should feel a slight “burn” from the cool. This Ram does not. Even with the hack it is only marginally good. Without the hack in 100+ temps and humidity above 90%, this system is very sub par.
Best Regards,
Lou

 

[Nibis]

Did U put any type of pipe dope on the end of the hoses or just clamp tight???

I wouldn't recommend any pipe dope, don't want any of that getting in your system. Teflon tape on the threads is all you need, if you decide to go with that type of set up.

 

[bobzilla]

Honestly, I clamped it down until I assumed it was 90% or so closed in the beginning. I was trying to just lower temps, but still have heat if I needed. It didn't move my temps at all............so I just clamped it down as far as my 3 fingers could and that's when the temps dropped.

Do you have a link on how to add the clamp or where to add it?

 

[COSPILOT]

I don’t disagree with the results that you guys/gals have seen, but this should be addressed by FCA, not swept under the rug. Make louder noise with your dealer and social media.

 

[turkeybird56]

I don’t disagree with the results that you guys/gals have seen, but this should be addressed by FCA, not swept under the rug. Make louder noise with your dealer and social media.

HAVE: I have a good SA at Dealership. Truck been in: Checked system: within specs. Had the TSB done. Nothing else Dealership can do. I mentioned the Blend Door BS/and RAM removing the HCV going with blend door BS. He could not officially acknowledge it, but he knows. He told me straight out: Start an official; complaint with Ram/Star Cares: and maybe he can work it to get HCV put in under warranty status. Not sure I want that misery or just put in a valve myself. Waiting around for FCA to repair something, OMG, LOL< who knows.

 

[ColoradoCub]

Do you have a link on how to add the clamp or where to add it?

Go to the 1st page of this thread!

 

[Hez]

I may be the fortunate one, but I checked my vent temps this morning with max AC on and was reading 33* F temps from the vent to the immediate right of the steering wheel.

I will check again this afternoon in the Florida heat

 

[turkeybird56]

I may be the fortunate one, but I checked my vent temps this morning with max AC on and was reading 33* F temps from the vent to the immediate right of the steering wheel.

I will check again this afternoon in the Florida heat

DO U have a 5th Gen DT truck or a 1500 Classic?????

 

[Hez]

DO U have a 5th Gen DT truck or a 1500 Classic?????

2019 5th Gen DT

 

[turkeybird56]

2019 5th Gen DT

Well then, U R lucky. U got one that is configured and blend doors working properly, etc etc.,.On MY 19 DT, w/o clamp, I get 50-53, and FCA says within specs, so be happy.....

Which engine????? 4 X 4???

 

[Hez]

Well then, U R lucky. U got one that is configured and blend doors working properly, etc etc.,.On MY 19 DT, w/o clamp, I get 50-53, and FCA says within specs, so be happy.....

Which engine????? 4 X 4???

5.7 w/ e-torque. 4 x 2

I am going to check it again when I go for lunch here in a bit...and see what temps we get in 100° temps.

 

[turkeybird56]

OK, I know why. U have a 3 way coolant valve in the heater hose line. That valve controls flow to both the HVAC and the rear end. On the 4 X 2's, U have a rear end cooling line that runs from the heater hose to the rear end, and your truck has that Heater Control Valve in the system. SO when U hit max air, the HCV closes and no hot engine coolant goes to the heater core.

The DT trucks 4 X 4 do not have this valve as there is no coolant line running to the rear end. They redesigned and Removed the HCV from the system so all the PPL with 4 X 4's have hot coolant running through the lines all the times to the heater core with no valve to stop it. Explains why U have great AC. So U got a great truck, and with the 4 X 2, great AC.

Excerpt from article: The new RAM 1500, for example, has the same transmission cooler-warmer that has been in use on many cars and trucks for the past half-dozen years or so (it provides a corporate average fuel economy [CAFE] credit, a powerful incentive). Now it adds a new circuit—a cooling line to/from the rear axle. Yes, the rear axle, as Fiat Chrysler found that running the warmer circuit through a heat exchanger in the two-wheel-drive rear axle would improve fuel economy by reducing oil viscosity during overall vehicle warm-up. The engine control module monitors coolant temperature and heater flow demand per the setting on the HVAC control unit. The computer control logic sets engine warm-up and passenger heat demand as the priorities and can even shut off the coolant flow to the rear axle heat exchanger, if necessary.

 

[Hez]

OK, I know why. U have a 3 way coolant valve in the heater hose line. That valve controls flow to both the HVAC and the rear end. On the 4 X 2's, U have a rear end cooling line that runs from the heater hose to the rear end, and your truck has that Heater Control Valve in the system. SO when U hit max air, the HCV closes and no hot engine coolant goes to the heater core.

The DT trucks 4 X 4 do not have this valve as there is no coolant line running to the rear end. They redesigned and Removed the HCV from the system so all the PPL with 4 X 4's have hot coolant running through the lines all the times to the heater core with no valve to stop it. Explains why U have great AC. So U got a great truck, and with the 4 X 2, great AC.

Excerpt from article: The new RAM 1500, for example, has the same transmission cooler-warmer that has been in use on many cars and trucks for the past half-dozen years or so (it provides a corporate average fuel economy [CAFE] credit, a powerful incentive). Now it adds a new circuit—a cooling line to/from the rear axle. Yes, the rear axle, as Fiat Chrysler found that running the warmer circuit through a heat exchanger in the two-wheel-drive rear axle would improve fuel economy by reducing oil viscosity during overall vehicle warm-up. The engine control module monitors coolant temperature and heater flow demand per the setting on the HVAC control unit. The computer control logic sets engine warm-up and passenger heat demand as the priorities and can even shut off the coolant flow to the rear axle heat exchanger, if necessary.

View attachment 66385

Damn! Who would've thought? Good research man.

 

[COSPILOT]

I may be the fortunate one, but I checked my vent temps this morning with max AC on and was reading 33* F temps from the vent to the immediate right of the steering wheel.

I will check again this afternoon in the Florida heat

Buy a different temp gauge, physically impossible to have 33 degree discharge temp. I’m an A/C guy and will have to find my charts showing wet bulb/dry bulb, but Florida is hot and and humid enough this can’t happen. My charts are in Colorado and I’m currently in Hawaii, but come October I’ll take a screenshot of them.

33 degrees at the vent would mean the coil is well below 32, which would cause it to ice over and not work at all.

 

[Hez]

Buy a different temp gauge, physically impossible to have 33 degree discharge temp. I’m an A/C guy and will have to find my charts showing wet bulb/dry bulb, but Florida is hot and and humid enough this can’t happen. My charts are in Colorado and I’m currently in Hawaii, but come October I’ll take a screenshot of them.

33 degrees at the vent would mean the coil is well below 32, which would cause it to ice over and not work at all.

Sorry, I’m not gonna buy a new gauge...I have no reason to believe that it’s not very close to being accurate...within a couple of degrees...


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[turkeybird56]

Sorry, I’m not gonna buy a new gauge...I have no reason to believe that it’s not very close to being accurate...within a couple of degrees...


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HEZ, he is right ref icing. If U got 33 degrees, holy crapola Batman, that is way below threshold and can cause icing, just be aware.

 

[turkeybird56]

Damn! Who would've thought? Good research man.

TOOK me forever to remember that line to the rear and find info, LOL Dementia and Senility, roflmao.......

 

[Hez]

HEZ, he is right ref icing. If U got 33 degrees, holy crapola Batman, that is way below threshold and can cause icing, just be aware.

Understood, that’s why I say within a couple of degrees.


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[COSPILOT]

Sorry, I’m not gonna buy a new gauge...I have no reason to believe that it’s not very close to being accurate...within a couple of degrees...


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I’m not going to hold your hand on this one, but take a look at psychrometric charts available online and you will see. Your temp gauge is wrong. Nothing Ram can do that would defy physics and somehow allow your truck to work in some mysterious way. Probe thermometers are relatively cheap, you can pick one up at pretty much any HVAC supply house, even as a non contractor

 

[Hez]

I’m not going to hold your hand on this one, but take a look at psychrometric charts available online and you will see. Your temp gauge is wrong. Nothing Ram can do that would defy physics and somehow allow your truck to work in some mysterious way. Probe thermometers are relatively cheap, you can pick one up at pretty much any HVAC supply house, even as a non contractor

Yeah, I’m sure they are cheap - but my AC blows ice cold, literally - I have no complaints. So why even waste the effort and money to track down one that might be a little more accurate? I was just sharing that not every truck has AC issues...I got a lower temp reading...although we’ve established it’s probably a little off...but the fact remains that my 5th Gen Ram AC works great.


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