Hi,
If there was no valve, you would have heat at all times. The valve is to stop the flow of coolant to the heater core.
Do me a favor. Check for the production date of the truck. You should be able to find it on a label under the hood or on the door frame. I have a feeling this truck is a late-year production vehicle. If that is the case, you will have an electric blend door actuator under the dash. See pic below. That was the design used on the 1997 trucks. If it was made late in the year, they may have used that design. It's a theory. Let me know.
Also, I want you to check something for me. Turn the heater on high, start the engine, and allow the engine to reach operating temp. Once that is reached, turn the engine off and feel both heater core hoses. Both should be hot; one will be a little hotter than the other. Let me know what you find.
Joe
See pic below.
Image (Click to make bigger)
Monday, December 4th, 2023 AT 8:23 PM