heater valve

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Jeff Here's a pic of the inside of the heater box on Willit? before it was painted. It shows the hole for the heater core tubes quite nicely both inside and engine compartment. I can't take a pic of the heater valve, it's hiding under the altermator on my V-6 configuraion. The pics are in thread #10. HTH.

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/6b-cool...html#post45515

[SpringGT]

After seeing your newest pictures, I can see why you might be a bit confused about the heater setup. The PO has cut a large cross section out of your heater box, including the oval hole where the original heater tubes used to come through.
Namba's picture post gives you some idea of the way it used to be and how much was removed. Maybe someone with a crusher- ready body could cut this piece out for you.

[jvandyke]

After seeing your newest pictures, I can see why you might be a bit confused about the heater setup. The PO has cut a large cross section out of your heater box, including the oval hole where the original heater tubes used to come through.
Namba's picture post gives you some idea of the way it used to be and how much was removed. Maybe someone with a crusher- ready body could cut this piece out for you.

Yep, that picture says it all (thanks Namba!). I knew some serious rearranging had been done.
Am I correct that the heater valve control cable goes out between these tubes?
My plan now is too revert back to original heater core metal tubing (I have some from spare).
This new box the PO put in appears to be held in by sheet metal screws. I'm hoping I can un screw it, install the heater box and tubes, then hack the PO's walls up to accomadate the tubes, seal up the gaps, and be off and running. I'm afraid though that the wall of the box is pretty much right in line with the tubes so, well, we'll see.

Now I can put the valve on the correct hose although it will probably still be my Bronco valve and in-line.

[jvandyke]

Here's how it is, overlaid with a drawing of how I think it was, next to Namba's picture for reference. The drain hole is my reference point. It will live again. I'll take out the screwed in sheet metal, mock up the heater box, see where the tubes want to be, hack up the sheet metal pieces accordingly and put it all together.
Hopefully I can resurrect a good working system from all this. Little leery on where and how to hook up the heater valve, that cable is toast on both my units. Will figure something out.
I had fun swapping the fan motor last night, neglected to notice the rubber spacers didn't come along with the new motor, as I tried to compensate by tightening the bolt, snap, off came the lug. Fixing that chewed up most of my time last night.

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Jeff, maybe to clarify a little bit, the physical location of the heater flow control valve is determined by the end of the push-pull cable that goes to it. The cable, in the original configuration, runs along the tubes from the heater core, along the hoses to the valve. You are correct, that the valve can be left loose, that is not secured to the structure. The hoses will hold it in place. HTH.

[jvandyke]

....it should be installed honoring the flow direction marked on the valve.
Since the thermostat tube is the pressure source, the valve should be installed such that the "seat" side of the valve is toward the thermostat and the "stem" side of thevalve faces downstream away from the thermostat. This takes the pressure off of the stem when the valve is closed and should prevent water from eventually breaching the stem seal and spraying your engine compartment. That is the reason for the directional markings on the valve.

If I'm finally getting my head around this; by returning to stock (nearly) hose routing I can put the valve on the correct hose (the one between the T-housing and heater) the flow would be into the heater, thus the arrow on the valve should point that way, and all is right with the world. Had I known I was going to end up this way (and I still don't know) I would have opted for a "real" GT valve, but oh well. I've got $25 into this one and I can't see why it won't work fine, provided I can make the loop from valve over to T-housing without the 90 degree of the original valve.

How important are the little ribs in the end of the metal hoses? I may have to cut them back and of course I'd have to cut off the ribs. I imagine a clamp will still suffice?

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Jeff, don't cut the tubes at all, there's very little of them going through the heater box/firewall to put the hoses and clamps on them in a normal configuration. If you need to cut them because of corrosion, I had to purschase a twenty foot length of thick wall tubing for mine and have some left over. You will have to use the original flanges or make new ones and have the tubes bent in order for them to fit, but you're welcome to get a pair of 16" tubes, if you need them.

[opelbits]

jvandyke-

If you have all of this stuff apart, have you considered having the heater core cleaned by a shop? I had mine done a few years ago and it was pretty clogged, same muck that siezed the heater control valve. Afterwards, the heater put out much more heat.
Even if it seems "okay", now would be the time to do it. It cost me less than $40.

[jvandyke]

okay, got heater box rebuilt (lots of parts swapping, splicing, rebuilding) I did flush out the heater core, I was planning on bringing it in for a pressure test, but now I want to install it.
All cables, levers, and such work freely and nice.
my drawing above ended up being just what happened, the black sheet metal wall was two pieces, the back wall part removed revealing just the right space for the tubes to come through, so the tubes are completely exposed, they could be cut back but don't have to be.
Now I'm guessing the heater valve provided 1 90 degree bend towards the T-housing, is there one on the T-housing too? Mine just goes straight back along the valve cover, can't find a good picture in the FSM. Seems like that hose pretty much heads straight over to the T-housing so it must have a 90 right there?

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Jeff, in the original configuration, as shown in the drawing previously, there were a couple of "T" fittings for the water choke and the 90 fitting on the valve. What I've done is run a short piece of hose from the inlet tube to the water valve, then a hose from that 90 degree fitting up to the thermostat nipple. The other hose goes straight from the outlet pipe to the water pump nipple. HTH.

[jvandyke]

yeah, I saw that the drawing said "90 degree elbow" , "use pre-formed hose"
I'll have to get one or the other, which was it stock I wonder? preformed hoses I'd imagine.

[soybean]

I used the pre-formed hose, I believe it was off a Ford product. I took the old hose with me to match the Id of the hose, went to Advance Auto and got them to let me look through their assortment of hoses until I found the right one. I believe I trimed about an inch off each end and it's worked so far. Hth, Jarrell

[jvandyke]

Any more info? I don't have an old one to go by?....
Don't bother. I just did the same thing (looked through the rack at an Autozone) and picked one that looked like it should fit. If not, I'll go back and try another.

[jvandyke]

jvandyke-

If you have all of this stuff apart, have you considered having the heater core cleaned by a shop? I had mine done a few years ago and it was pretty clogged, same muck that siezed the heater control valve. Afterwards, the heater put out much more heat.
Even if it seems "okay", now would be the time to do it. It cost me less than $40.

I took it to a shop, he tested for leaks, said "it's a keeper", maybe not as good as a cleaning but at least I have some confidence I won't have to go back in there after a leak right away.

[opelbits]

At least you know that much. A leak is much worse than no heat.

On my car, the hose coming out of the thermostat housing runs back along the head, around the carb, and back up to the heater control valve. I think this is how Opel used to run them. I found that making that 90 degree turn put a heater hose right under the fuel bowl or fuel line.

[jvandyke]

nearly done: everything in and working (except stereo....?? dead??)
dash, clock even works now -different thread, windshield back in, car run coolant capped off. Cool.
tonight; button up interior and well, drive it??
Wow, first real "work" on the GT, baptism by fire I hope.
Kinda surprised it works. I did rig the electric fuel pump to the rear defroster switch. Works fine. Fan motor, both speeds, no hideous noise. Both side vents fixed and re-ducted. Heater valve seems to be set up decently pics later. Thanks all. Not an easy intro to GT mechanics but so far I've not made anything worse, well beside the stereo is DOA where it worked before.

[jvandyke]

added picture, I hope, very grumpy server

[MarkRHayes]

trying to replace the old one with a metal one and need to get the knobs off so i can slide the arms out of the old one. what deal with the devil do i have to agree to, to get these things off?

[opelspyder]

You are talking about the control plate and knobs I assume, these are easy, take a mini flat blade screwdriver and you will see underneath the knobs there are holes where set screws are in. Simply unscrew set screw a bit, and they slide right off
Keith