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Heater Valve died!

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R

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Hi All,

Just before arriving at work this morning I noticed steam coming from under the hood, so I pulled over to investigate, and it looks like the valve on the interior heater has given up the ghost. When I open it up, engine coolant spurts out of the valve, from the slots. The hoses seem ok.

One other thing is that after the valve went the temp guage was going up and down a lot, so I wonder if somthing came off the valve and is stuck in the cooling system somewhere plugging it up?

This is the third problem I've had to deal with in 4 days. I've had this car for many years and never had this many problems in a season let alone a week! I'm starting to think I should just take the car off the road and start on a rebuild either that or trade it for a Miata!
 
The overheating may have cause some crud to have come loose from the radiator or something, causing times of free flow and times of blockage as the peice moves around.

I am suspecting the same thing with my 6, as after the heater valve went (and was replaced) the car runs hotter now. I replaced the thermo and the temp sender, but it didnt change anything, so I am suspecting a blockage someplace.

- Aldwyn
 
The gauge is probably going up and down a lot because you have air pockets in the system that back flushing and proper refilling will correct.

Take your time and give it a good cleaning and don't forget to open the new valve so that the heater core gets cleaned out as well.
 
Yeah, I was thinking that too, air pockets.

But do ya'll think I can drive it home as is? With the valve closed there's no coolant leaking out. My drive home will be about 70km (or 45 miles?)

I phoned the local parts place and they don't have any valves in stock, otherwise I'd just get a lift over there and fix it right now.
 
Thanks, Bill. I missed that little zinger.

Roos, what were you thinking when you typed that?????
 
I was wondering when some one would notice.

Anyhow back to my immediate problem:

Since the valve is not leaking when it's closed do you think I can chance driving it home (70 km, 35 miles??)

Or is it time to admit defeat and hang my head low, suck it in and get a lift?
 
I made it back in one piece. The valve held out.

I guess the Vancouver Miata club will have to wait a little longer to get some dues outta me!

Cheers
 
I have the same problem (leaky heater valve). Have a new one and am waiting to install it (after finishing my front suspension). As long as I keep it shut it leaks minimally.
 
I had the same problem last fall on the way to 6-pack trials. Lucky for my Team Triumph was on the way and I was able to get one same day. I was told by a couple of participants there that they had repaired theirs. Simple just drill out the rivets press and twist. Should come apart. There is a rubber diaphragm in there that can be made out of a rubber innter-tube. They both told me that I would not like the new valves being produced today because they leak or poor control over flow. I took the Tr250 for it's first 07 ride tonight and there was heat coming out of the vents with the valve off. May be worth a try or carry a spare. Any body try this?
 
Heater valves being produced today are of suspect quality. I am sure they all come from the same manufacturer. I am on my third new heater valve. I now carry a spare in the boot.
 
They were EXTREMELY pricey 'back-in-the-day'. Now they're cheap... as in cheaply constructed. I've used the innertube repair, and also went to the trouble of making a mold for the diaphragm. Devcon has a great two-part product for this app (I used it last a decade ago, can't recall the name just now).

The vavle "youse-guys" have is the same one on my two Elans. The guts are the same as the MGB and many older Rollies. IIRC there were only two configurations: one with a flange base {BMC used} and the threaded base for all the rest.
 
I once read an interesting comment from a forum member
who said he got tired of replacing this part. He went to
the local hardware store and somehow replaced the thing
with a water valve of sorts and says now he's happy.

Interesting. That might be worth hearing again here, sir,
if you're reading this.

2wrench
 
I think it was a "spigot" style valve used. Kinda inconvenient if you want to regulate it. There's an in-line fix using a Ford truck <-GASP!-> control valve and the original cable floating someplace too. I'll see if I can locate that if there's an interest.
 
What do you guys think of putting some kind of a valve
after the "replacement(s) OEM valve -- like between
that valve and the bulkhead, cut into that hose, so that
if you want to stop the OEM from allowing water to seep
past, the second valve (a simple on/off valve) will
actually stop the water there.

Thought of doing this because if it's cold, small seepage
of warm air is not that big a deal. We all know that in
the warm weather we live for, the last thing we want is a
constant flow of hot air to our feet.

What do you think?
 
YEA!!!! on both counts.

Tinkerman
 
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