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Tips

Petcock for heater

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Wana

Wana

Jedi Hopeful
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I tried turning the valve off at the block to the heater. The lever moved fairly easily from the full on (parallel to block) to the off (lever pointing straight out toward fender. Now I have a small bit of coolant leaking from the valve - never leaked before I tried turning it off.

In this valve, does the ball simply have a hole in it and when it is lined up with the hose to the heater it allows fluid to flow and when it is turned sideways it shuts off the flow? Is the reason mine is leaking is that the "socket" that the ball fits in is worn or the ball is worn? I've turned it back "on" and now the leaking seems to have stopped.

Any suggestions on what to do to "fix" the leak if I want to turn the heater supply off?
 
Take the valve apart & clean it. Lightly polish the mating parts. I doubt if anything is worn. The valves don't get used all that much.
D
 
HI Wanna,Dave is right the valves do not get used that much.However, at the back of the valve is a small spring take a good look at it and if it is rusted 0r perished it has lost its tension. To overcome this on an interium basis ,turn the valve back off. Then using a piece of wood gently tap on the ball with a hammer to relock the valve in the body which will stop the leak.-Cheers Keoke
 
Keoke - I take it that the spring pulls the ball into the valve body? Does the ball have a hole through it to let the hot fluid into the heater and/or shut off the flow depending upon alignment? Is the "off" position straight out toward the fender, or do I need to turn it all the way up, pointing toward the firewall?

Dave - I will take it apart and clean it up as you suggested, but don't want to start that now as I have a British/European car show tomorrow and I could see myself arriving with coolant spraying out all over the spectators...
 
Hi Wanna,The ball is an integral part of a small tapered drum inside the housing. The spring maintains pressure on the drum to effect the seal between the outer housing and the drum. The drum has a hole through it and allows water to pass when the handle is at the 6 oclock position. Rotating the handle to the 3 oclock position,pointing out toward the fender shuts the water flow off. When you get it back to the off position just tap it lightly on the top of the ball and it should shut off and not leak---Keoke
 
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