I, too, got tired of going through heater valves like tankfuls of gas. (Ok,
I bent the truth a little, but heater valves are hardly reliable).
I disassembled the valve using a drill, and realized there was nothing I
could do make it leak-proof. So I made it leak proof.
I had a piece of aluminum welded on the valve body to turn it into an elbow.
You see, the outlet pipe is still there, and the base is still there too.
The troublesome 'valve' and its related platform are in the garbage.
In the summer, a hose runs from the outlet pipe to the water pump, bypassing
the heater core. In winter, a hose runs from the outlet pipe to the heater
core. 100%, full-blast, let's-fire-pottery-in-the-footwells heat. Or as
much heat as the engine can muster.
The continual "winter mode" heat flow doesn't bother me too much in Chicago.
Even with a hard top, I've yet to feel hot. Come to think of it, I don't
think I've felt hot since I've moved here. South Mississippi was too warm
for me to ever hook up the heater. (Note to self: move South).
$.02
Thomas Pokrefke
1970 MGB
pokrefke1@home.com
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Max Heim
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2000 10:41 PM
To: MG List
Subject: Re: Fw: Replacement Heater Valve
One thing I've noticed about the heater valve is that the range of motion
of the valve lever (from full open to full closed) is slightly larger
than the range of motion of the cable when actuated by the control knob.
What this means is that you have to carefully judge how you adjust the
cable, including the free play. You kind of have to decide if you want
maximum flow, or if you want the valve to close completely. If you go for
positive shutoff, it tends to stop opening at about the 3/4 to 7/8th open
position. If you adjust the cable so it will open all the way, it tends
to stop before the valve is quite closed. I think this is what accounts
for the wildly varying experiences -- "hot all the time" vs "never hot
enough".
In this climate, I chose "positive shutoff", but I suppose it would be
worth it to try a slight readjustment each spring and fall.
Tim Economu had this to say:
>CR:
>
> Thanks for the heads up but no, it mostly comes thru the heater core on my
>car. With the water flow shut off, the cabin runs very cool, or at least
> very close to ambient temp. Of course I tested the theory before I
>installed
> the valve, which is easy to do. You might try the test...it might be
partly
> your problem also...
>
> P.S. Unbushed holes? How can that be on a 30 year old car?? <smile>
>
>Kind regards..
> Tim
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Charley & Peggy Robinson" <ccrobins@ktc.com>
>> To: "Tim Economu" <economu@whidbey.com>
>> Cc: <rrobertsmg@hotmail.com>; "MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
>> Sent: Friday, November 17, 2000 4:59 PM
>> Subject: Re: Replacement Heater Valve
>>
>>
>> >
>> > I put in a new stock valve last year, heater works fine, plenty of
>> > heat. I thought the valve didn't shut off, in the summer. Turned out
>> > that there was lots of heat coming into the interior thru the firewall.
>> > All those little unbushed holes for wiring and cables, y'see. Might
>> > take a look at your car, in that respect.
>> >
>> > FWIW and Cheers,
>> >
>> > CR
>> >
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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