Heater in sleeper

[alan0043]

Hi Everyone,

I returned home from the ECR. I was unpacking the truck. I had a few things in the passenger side storage compartment that I was removing. I noticed a little bit of anti-freeze on the top of the mat beside the sleeper heater. Is there any little tips or tricks that I should know before I try to remove the top of the heater. I noticed small clips going around the heater. It looks like I need to remove these clips before I can think about trying to remove the top. Is there anything else I need to be aware of ? I want to repair this before it becomes a problem. Is there a valve inside the heater compartment something like in the front heater that could be leaking ?

Thank you for any help,
Al

 

[Shawn Patterson]

Al,

I have the same problem on mine. I talked to Gregg about it and apparently, it is common for the heater core to go bad and leak. From what I have found online for the part, it is about $60 and Gregg's words were "it's super easy to replace".

I have no other words of wisdom to help with the actual replacement though.

I think this is the part, but haven't verified it yet...  https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BU1T70/

[alan0043]

On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 11:13 AM, Shawn Patterson said:

Al,

I have the same problem on mine. I talked to Gregg about it and apparently, it is common for the heater core to go bad and leak. From what I have found online for the part, it is about $60 and Gregg's words were "it's super easy to replace".

I have no other words of wisdom to help with the actual replacement though.

I think this is the part, but haven't verified it yet...  https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BU1T70/

Thanks Shawn for posting an answer. Sorry I am so later posting a 'Thank You'. I will try to take the top of the heater off and see what happens. I have been busy trying to get my lawn cut. I have about 4 1/2 acres to mow.

Al

[Shawn Patterson]

No worries Al!!

That's a lot of mowing...

I am hoping to get into mine in the next week or two myself.

[SuiteSuccess]

1 hour ago, alan0043 said:

Thanks Shawn for posting an answer. Sorry I am so later posting a 'Thank You'. I will try to take the top of the heater off and see what happens. I have been busy trying to get my lawn cut. I have about 4 1/2 acres to mow.

Al

Al,

Just finished my mowing.  4 1/2 acres knee high grass.

[rickeieio]

1 minute ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Al,

Just finished my mowing.  4 1/2 acres knee high grass.

Sounds like you guys need cows.

[Pipeman, VE3PJF]

Was that with a push mower???????

[alan0043]

18 hours ago, Shawn Patterson said:

No worries Al!!

That's a lot of mowing...

I am hoping to get into mine in the next week or two myself.

Hi Shawn,

I would be interested in knowing how you make out with your repair. I started to remove the small clips along the top of the heater. I was also looking to see what else needs to come off. To get the top of the heater off, it looks like I might need to remove the storage closet behind the passenger seat. The reason that I am saying that, there looks to be a bolt that holds the top of the heater is bolted to the side of the bed support. Take a look at the front of the heater and tell me what you see. Is there any video's out there that show this repair ? How to remove heater core in the sleeper.

Al

[Shawn Patterson]

Will do Al! I am hoping to get into it this coming week.

[alan0043]

13 hours ago, Shawn Patterson said:

Will do Al! I am hoping to get into it this coming week.

Hi Shawn,

I will be interested in knowing how you make out once you get started. I might keep going on my truck for this repair, if I have time on my side. I have plenty of yard work for this weekend that needs to get done. If I do start, I will post any results. Do you have your new heater core ?

Talk to you later,
Al

[Sculptor]

I just started this job too.  Any progress?  

[alan0043]

13 hours ago, Sculptor said:

I just started this job too.  Any progress?  

Hi Sculptor,

I did not replace my heater core. Maybe Shawn will chime in on his repairs. I cleaned the area on top of the heater and any area that I saw coolant. I really wanted to remove the whole housing for the heater core so I could clean up any coolant vapors that stuck to the housing. The more that I started that job the bigger is was getting, so I stopped. It looked like if I wanted to get out the housing the heater core needed to be removed. I believe to get the heater core out you will need to lower the coolant level in the radiator below the heater core height. There is a cover on top of the housing that has  two screws holding that cover. Remove that cover and you should be able to see the heater core. On my truck there is one bolt that holds the pipes to the heater core. My truck was leaking or weeping  that this bolt. I tighten that bolt up and no more leak. This is were I am not sure, but I believe you can lift up the heater core to remove it now. Maybe some of the other guys will chime in.

Best of luck on your repair, sorry for the long answer,
Al

[Sculptor]

So far we have removed most of the clips and screws.  I even took a look at some CAD files, but no conclusions yet.  Looks like the "netted" bin keeps the bed board trapped. I need to figure out if the top half of the blower manifold box can be removed without dismantling the wall and bunk board.  

I will want to get the mess cleaned up also, that's why I want to get the whole thing out.  I bought the o-rings and core yesterday so I'm ready at least. 

[alan0043]

16 hours ago, Sculptor said:

So far we have removed most of the clips and screws.  I even took a look at some CAD files, but no conclusions yet.  Looks like the "netted" bin keeps the bed board trapped. I need to figure out if the top half of the blower manifold box can be removed without dismantling the wall and bunk board.  

I will want to get the mess cleaned up also, that's why I want to get the whole thing out.  I bought the o-rings and core yesterday so I'm ready at least. 

Hi Kevin,

If my memory serves me right, there is two bolts that hold the side of the housing. The heads of the bolts face forward. They are on the short little wall that helps support the bunk. Now that is on my truck ( VNL 630). The only way that I could get to those bolts is to remove the closet or at least loosen the bolts that hold the closet and move it so I could get my hand in the area where the bolts are. I chose to move the closet to get room for my hand. This is where I stopped. I kept thinking I am opening another can of worms. I don't know how much coolant you have in your truck. I felt my truck was not that bad to keep going. I am sorry that is all the help that I can be. Look for those two bolts. They should be about half way in the middle of that wall.

Best of luck,
Al

[Sculptor]

On 9/25/2017 at 8:57 AM, alan0043 said:

If my memory serves me right, there is two bolts that hold the side of the housing. The heads of the bolts face forward. They are on the short little wall that helps support the bunk. Now that is on my truck ( VNL 630).

Thanks Al,  We found the 2 bolts.  Removal is progressing.  ABOUT THE COOLANT; do you think there is any way to clamp the rubber hoses under the sleeper, or maybe disconnect and plug them?  I think I might get very wet in the process.

 

[Imurphy907]

I have several hose pinchers. they come in sizes for different hoses. Go to NAPA or your favorite part store and tell them you want hose pinch off pliers.

 

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SER3791

[Sculptor]

Thanks I will do that I think.  Thinking about buying a new hose and putting in a shutoff valve. 

Added Saturday: we used welding vise grips, and (Thanks Murph!!) newly purchased hose pincher for the heater hoses.  I have taken some photos and since I can't find any, am considering creating some sort of instructional video for YouTube.  The plenum is out of the truck and completely disassembled at this moment.  Tomorrow we will scrub the mats and steel inside the bunk and hopefully get it all back together.

[Sculptor]

I had trouble with photo resizing on Friday, so today my test pic is the bottom of the bunk heater area outside under the sleeper.

Before the excitement.  Breaking this screw is not recommended.

View from the other side, showing HIDDEN screw at heater core. (ARROW) The only way to access this screw is thru the storage door/jockey box.  Note that I knew exactly where it was but could not see it until the plenum/manifold/box was out of the truck.  The broken screw is mislabeled as missing.

Bottom view

[rpsinc]

On 10/6/2017 at 2:43 PM, Sculptor said:

Thinking about buying a new hose and putting in a shutoff valve

My IH4700 has this setup and as I understand, most of them do also.  Need the heater, open the valve.

[Darryl&Rita]

If you put in a valve, add two. Both lines have pressure, relative to atmospheric. One valve will kill the heat to the loop, but won't let you open the system for service, without a bath.

[MrSeas]

Does anyone have pictures of the added valve(s) setup that they can share?

Thanks

[Darryl&Rita]

All depends how fancy, ambitious you want to get. Stock set-up typically has valves on both lines, right at the engine block. This allows for work on the hoses, heat exchanger, or anything else downstream. Typical is a NPT thread on one end of the valve, with a hose connection on the other end. There is usually a set of valves on the dash heat lines, and a separate set on the sleeper lines. An inline valve can be added anywhere in the system, without draining it, using two of the hose closers posted earlier. Take your choice.

[MrSeas]

Thanks

[Sculptor]

54 minutes ago, MrSeas said:

Does anyone have pictures of the added valve(s) setup that they can share?

This one I bought, I'm waiting for the second one to arrive.

This is under the hood Passenger side near the air filter, and acts as a manifold to distribute to front and back heaters. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS IS AN ON/OFF or just a manifold?  I can't turn it but it looks like it might turn?  The brand is Behr.