Can I add a heater valve?

[ees]

I was wondering if anyone had ever added a heater valve to the heater core return line. My old 88 gas truck required the A/C even on not so hot days because you could never stop the heat from pouring out from under the dash.

Both our cars have heater valves that shut off coolant to the heater core when you have the heater in the off position. I was thinking I could source a similar valve and just manually open and close it when the seasons change.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what this would do to the coolant flow? Would it cause any secondary problems when the valve was shut?

I realize this setup does not isolate the heater core, but I can attest that it makes a big difference. I had a problem with valve in my '85 Audi and I knew it the first day due to how hot my feet got.

Thoughts?

[HowieE]

Heater coolant flow is through a bypass and will not effect the coolant flow in the engine. Yes 99% of the cars have vacuum controled valves in this line as a way of controling heater core temperature. For some reason, cheap, GM has not put valves in our trucks. I installed one about a month ago in mine to improve the AC. The valve was less than $10.00.

[ees]

What application did you use it from? I was planning to use VW/Audi since I am familar with them, but I have not checked yet if the hose size is correct for the return line.

BTW thanks for the feedback. I am glad to hear it will work.

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by HowieE:
Heater coolant flow is through a bypass and will not effect the coolant flow in the engine. Yes 99% of the cars have vacuum controled valves in this line as a way of controling heater core temperature. For some reason, cheap, GM has not put valves in our trucks. I installed one about a month ago in mine to improve the AC. The valve was less than $10.00. HowieE,

Can you provide the detail on this, so I can steal another idea of yours? ;) tongue.gif :cool:

Carey

[HowieE]

I installed a manual heater control valve from Car Quest in the return line just an in. or 2 from were the line enters the radiator. Any auto supply will have this type of valve.
I have set the valve with about 3 turns to the open. This allow just enough water to flow through the heat cores to keep things from cloging up and also gives some heat for defogging and throttling the AC on those not so hot days, but does not have a 180 degree plus core baking away under the AC coil all summer that may be leaking across into the AC because of bad damper door seals.
In the winter I will open the valve for full heat.

[ees]

I picked up one today from Advanced Auto. It was quite cheap. It is all metal construction with just a threaded valve. It looks like it will work perfectly.

Now if I can only get the upper heater hose to come in at the dealer. It is back ordered and they can't tell me when it will be in. And you wonder why discount parts chains do so well...

[JoeyD]

Speaking of radiator hoses, I just replaced the upper and lower and changed out the dex cool and the hoses are expensive at the dealer.

[ees]

I got all my hoses at a discount chain. They however did not carry the upper heater core line that is part aluminum. I am off to the hardware store now to figure something out. Then Monday I will call the dealer to cancel my order with them.