[Caj1966]

Hello All,
I have a 2001 Dodge Ram Van 3500 5.2L.
I purchased the van in Nov. 2019 and the man I bought it from said the heat/air blower switch needs replaced, it only works in high. it quit blowing on high and would work on/off, when it wanted too. I thought no big deal....HA on me! I went to the auto parts store, the manager said try the resistor? (Hope I called that right) first, under the hood on the firewall next the the a/c cover box, if you do it in parking lot I'll let you return it. Well, it wasn't that and so I went and traded that $30 part for a switch which costs about the same, tried it and it wasn't that either so I got my money back and went on my way. I got one of those dash defrosters and used it the rest of that winter, weather was mild, it was fine. Then this winter hit and it has not been mild so I finally ordered a blower motor and then I got my bf to put it on the van and it blows again BUT only on high. When I bought the van it had some issues like I had to have a new fuel pump, and then I had to start replacing parts till I found the solution to the big issue which was; the van was dying going down road, sometimes would restart, sometimes you had to let it sit for a bit, sometimes ether would work, sometimes not and it got harder to get started the longer time went. So I posted on here to get advice and found it's an issue that's kind of hard to pin down so I replaced all 6 relays, went through the fuses and made sure they were all good and the right size etc... I replaced rotor button, distributor cap, distributor pick up coil, air filter, crankcase breather element (it was clogged), gas cap (had a code), and I solved the issue of it dying by replacing the crankshaft position sensor. Then a heater valve broke and had to be replaced, the headlamp switch had a blade that was burnt and the headlights would sometimes blink off when you hit a bump, I fixed that and finally the blower motor was replaced. I also just got 2 new front tires and hopefully next month will get 2 new back tires. So now you have the history of what I've done so here goes the brain picking....lol
1a. The blower motor only blows on high...resistor, switch or something else?
1b. The air coming out of the heater is lukewarm, why? Can it be fixed?
1c. It doesn't blow very well out of the vents or the floor. Why? How do I fix?
2. Also my gas mileage was really awesome for a vehicle this size, about 17 mph local. I've changed the oil twice since getting the van, we go fishing every day and put a lot of miles on the old girl...and the 2 tires so far and though it does seem better, i haven't fully recovered the great mileage I was getting....what all can mess with my mpg?
3. The gear selector is messed up. Was when I got it. It shows park and reverse then you have to pay attention or count to make sure your in drive. Is this just the cable needing adjusting? If so, can you tell me exactly where the adjuster is located? We've looked under dash under wheel but can't see it. I haven't changed transmission fluid and screen yet and I do know that's when your supposed to adjust/tighten the bands so could it be that? Suggestions?
4. It has the regular old headlamps and I would love to get those nice bright LEDs, do I have to change the whole lamp or do they make replacement bulbs that will fit?
5. The door trims need replaced, water actually runs off the roof and down the doors and through the gap in the middle. I've looked at replacement trim and it's very confusing to me. What do I get?
6. One of the side and one of the back doors have to be slammed or they won't shut all the way. They swing easily though so can I adjust them? How?
I'll stop there for now and once I these issues taken care of, I'll come back and pick your brains some more...lol
Thanks in advance for all your help, thoughts and ideas....they are greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

[punkstarkitch]

1. Should have kept the new resistor. It's a known Dodge problem. The resistor fades away after ~2 years and you know when only the high setting works.

1b. Low heat could be a few things within your cooling system; stuck thermostat, clogged heat core, clogged radiator, worn water pump. Take to a mechanic to pressure test. Check your coolant level and color. Radiators build up calcium deposits.

1c. Check your duct connections.

2. Gas mileage varies on driving style, load weight, wind resistance, hills, etc...

3. Gear selector: I don't know.

4. There are HID and LED bulb retrofit kits available every online. Research the kits that will fill the 9004 light bulb socket.

5. Go to a Dodge dealership parts department and they can search for the exact part. If you don't like their price, then ask for the part number. Many parts are no longer stocked, so if you have the P/N you can continue searching ebay.

6. Not sure if your door is bent or if you're talking about a door jam catch lock (that's adjustable).




Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Caj1966]

I would have kept the resistor but I can't afford to have money tied up in extra parts plus that was at traditional parts store and there are several websites to get same parts cheaper. I will check the resistor.
The overflow was low where that heater valve broke and had to be replaced. It's better now but it still may need a new resistor.
My van gets a fairly consistent 17 mph around town usually. Our fav fishing hole about 45 mins away could be made with $10 and we would have some left. The difference was it was taking $15 and we was lucky to make it to gas station next day a couple miles from house.
With the oil change and 2 new front tires it has gotten better, we can go on $10 but don't have those few gallons left when we get home. I think with 2 new tires for back and a tranny change, it will be back to what it was plus I had s suggestion to check the o2 sensor, it may need changed out, might even get better than I had before.
I'm pretty sure it's the hinge not the door, I've never messed with adjusting doors so I don't know where to start.

***I do have a new question that I forgot to ask first time around....as I stated before, not long after I got van I had to have a new fuel pump, so keep that in mind for this question...
When the mpg dropped we didn't realize it was so bad till we ran out of gas. See once the hand on the fuel gauge drops below a quarter tank it goes forever before the needle moves toward the red and my bf drives mostly and he could tell how far we could go before it ran out but with the sudden change it dropped on us and we ran out if gas. It takes $20 worth of gas to make the van start again once it's out. You can pull in to pump on fumes and as long as you don't shut it off keeps going when you put gas in but let it run out and it's $20. I have never had a vehicle that required that, our friends didn't believe us till the saw for themselves. They suggested that the fuel pump may be just a hair off and that is causing the gauge to read like I described and maybe they was causing the $20 thing.
Does anyone have any ideas? It is it just a thing with these big, huge vans?
Thanks!