New Alternative to Factory Heater Valve

[1st 5er]

[MisterFixit]

Hey Sherman! I knew you'd take an interest in this...

[davintosh]

Me too!

Just this week I noticed a little weepage around the heater valve in my car. If it ain’t one thing…

[MisterFixit]

Solved! Now if the forum will take new posts, I will explain.

[MisterFixit]

Mission Accomplished! Here are the particulars... and THANKS BE TO FORUM ADMINS for fixing this wonderful forum.

Approach- Bypass the broken "automatic temperature control" electric heater valve with a manual valve.

Parts- SAE (inch) dimensions
1- 3/4 male hose barb x 3/4 Male Iron Pipe (MIP), straight adapter
1- 3/4 male hose barb x 3/4 MIP, 90 degree adapter
1- Brass 1/4 turn valve, 3/4 FIP, stainless steel ball, unrestricted, handle- flat, 3/4 x 4 inches
(the valve I used closes by turning the handle clockwise 90 degrees with the handle facing you)
Teflon tape for threaded connections
2- new hose clamps

Installation-
With new valve OPEN, handle up, install 90 degree fitting on top and straight fitting on bottom using teflon tape.
DO NOT OVERTIGHTENl The system only holds 15 or so psia.
Drain some coolant from catch tank.
Remove 2 mounting screws (7mm) holding heater valve to bracket on firewall.
Loosen top hose clamp, rock valve to loosen/remove, replace hose clamp, and install 90 deg. fitting in hose.
Tighten hose clamp.
Loosen lower hose clamp, rock valve to loosen, replace hose clamp, and install new valve straight fitting in hose.
Tighten hose clamp.
Adjust valve so handle is accessible and moves freely with no interference from brake hard lines.
(In my car, handle is "up" parallel to valve when open, & swings down towards the front left wheel to close.
From above, the handle points "Northwest" when closed, with "North" straight ahead.)
Double check hose clamps are tight.
Top off coolant, open valve, run engine to purge air, and warm up to operating temperature.
Test by running heater fan: open defroster, then close and open foot-well.
Test drive the new valve, be sure it blows HOT AIR!
Re-check coolant level, top off as needed.
Note- check coolant for protection level, or flush and refill with new is a good idea... winter is coming

Operation-
Handle vertical to open valve, horizontal to close, intermediate position as desired for 'throttling' to adjust cabin temperature. This is a simple procedure, but you must open the hood to do it. You may want to clean off all the surfaces and pipes in the vicinity. This avoids getting greasy when adjusting the valve.

Concerns-
metallurgical compatibility with engine and coolant

I am ready tor your comments and suggestions. I KNOW you want pictures; I am still looking for the cable to down- load them from my old digital camera (it's NOT a smartphone).

It's a manual solution, not nearly as elegant as the 'fingertip' adjustment of a temperature wheel, BUT it was under $30 total, took half an hour, and should last for the life of the car (or the driver) - whichever comes first.

Simple, inexpensive, and effective, my favorite combination (next to a mint julep).

[1st 5er]

Headed to Ace.

Sounds like a perfect fix for our southeast Texas climate when freezing, or near, temps which make heat a necessity, come around only a couple times throughout the season.

Thanks for putting in the .

[MisterFixit]

Headed to Ace.

Sounds like a perfect fix for our southeast Texas climate when freezing, or near, temps which make heat a necessity, come around only a couple times throughout the season.

Thanks for putting in the .

Good Idea for Texas, indeed! Let's pray the Arctic Blast doesn't occur again in our lifetimes!

(What the #%*^@ are those yellow blobs at the end of your post?)

[1st 5er]

Headed to Ace.

Sounds like a perfect fix for our southeast Texas climate when freezing, or near, temps which make heat a necessity, come around only a couple times throughout the season.

Thanks for putting in the .

Good Idea for Texas, indeed! Let's pray the Arctic Blast doesn't occur again in our lifetimes!

(What the #%*^@ are those yellow blobs at the end of your post?)

Bicep flexes!!! =