Heater control valve

[MacGyver]

Is there a water shut-off valve somewhere in the heater box I'm missing or do I need to install an inline one in the heater hose? It's getting a little hot with this weather!!!!

Thanks, Matt

[bmeyer29]

I have a similar issue. This car has a 351W and two 5/8 inch hoses between the water pump and the heater core. I assume you can purchase a valve and put it inline to or from the heater core. It seems that an electrically controlled valve would be fairly straight forward to do. Any suggestions as to part number, location, and wiring?

Many thanks!

[duke]

The heater needs a on / off flow control valve in the outlet heater hose line. There are cable and vacuum operated valves from any auto parts store. You can go to www.vintageair.com, look in their download section under "compact heater" and get the installation instructions. It is much cooler not hot water going through the heater core.

[SuperHart]

I use a manual cable operated coolant control valve from NAPA, #6601141 spliced into the INLET side of the heater core. It has 5/8" hose inlet and outlet and is a straight-line model. I used a choke cable from NAPA and mounted it under the dash with the bracket included in the cable kit.

[patrickt]

Most of us just put a valve in the manifold -- it's closed from about May to September and only open at the very beginning and end of the "Cobra season." Here's a pic:

[bmeyer29]

Thanks for the great suggestions, parts numbers and pictures!

It is a vintage-aire heater so I will see what options are available through them. I also love the simplicity of the manual valve. (I'm a simple guy, just ask my wife...).

I am hoping to get the engine back into the car next weekend, so my direction may be more a function of parts availablilty and my impatience.

Thanks again!

[lnfletcher]

I put a control to adjust the amount of coolant would flow for a temperature control. It works very well. Some may not like the knob on the dash.
http://lnfletcher.homeip.net/66Cobra/heater.html

[PANAVIA]

Four Seasons has one that is an inline 5/8" that works via a bowden(choke) cable.

[MacGyver]

Thank you SuperHart. I purchased and installed one of the NAPA valves and it works great. All black and obscure nestled neatly with the heater hoses. My feet thank you!!!!!! Matt

[D&M2]

Thanks MacGyver for asking this question and the various suggestions that everyone has provided. I had not thought about the heat from the heater during warmer weather so I had not considered putting in a valve for the heater before.

I do have a couple of questions:

1) In another thread I thought I had read that on cars that did not have a heater, removing and blocking off the hose that went from the manifold to the water pump connection was not a good idea. Wouldn't turning off the water flow to the heater be the same as blocking off the connection in a car without a heater?

2) A couple of people that I've spoken to indicated that turning off the water flowing thru the heater core could cause the core to dry out and deteriate. Have any of you that have installed the shutoff valve experienced any similar problem?

Thanks

Mike

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by D&M2

1) In another thread I thought I had read that on cars that did not have a heater, removing and blocking off the hose that went from the manifold to the water pump connection was not a good idea. Wouldn't turning off the water flow to the heater be the same as blocking off the connection in a car without a heater?

You are confusing the bypass hose with the heater hose. There is no danger in blocking off your heater hose outlet, either permanently or with a valve.

Originally Posted by D&M2

Have any of you that have installed the shutoff valve experienced any similar problem?

I shut my valve off in late May and open it back up in October. So far, no problems.

[D&M2]

Thanks Patrickt for clear that up.

Mike