65 Riv water valve

[Yellowriv]

Hi everyone,

Whilst cleaning up my battery tray I noticed a small pool of coolant at the front of the valley cover under the water valve. Tightening the hose from the thermostat housing didnt fix it so thinking the hose had split I took it all off (note the horrible Jubillee clips). Turns out there is a slight weep from the hole at the base of the water valve, so I'm guessing the diaphram is shot and the valve needs replacing, or is this normal?

Thanks

[1965rivgs]

Hi John,

You will need to replace the valve. In the mean time be sure you do not use the heat or at least remove the vacuum line from the valve. I have seen failure of this valve result in drawing coolant into the control mechanism and fouling/corroding it beyond repair.

Replacement valves are readily available and very inexpensive but be forewarned the body of the replacement valve will not have the machined "notch" which allows the holddown clip to be inserted from above. The replacement will also not index into the mounting bracket because the body of the replacement valve will be too wide. You can enlarge the opening of the bracket to accommodate but if you are a stickler for originality your only recourse will be to find NOS or have your valve rebuilt.

BTW, it is rather unusual to find the original valve and push in clip intact. Hope this helps,

Tom Mooney

[alini]

I would definitely disconnect and cap that vaccum line if you are going to use the car til you get it fixed. You dont want liquid getting sucked into the manifold

[Don McClair]

I have a question regarding the placement of the valve. Everyone that I have seen thus far has had the valve turned up right with the vacuum line connection on the top rather than on the side. If those are wrong, please let me know.

[1965rivgs]

Hi Don,

Correct placement of the valve is as pictured above. Folks are probably turning the valve as you describe because the body of the typical replacement valves will not fit in the bracket as I described above.

Tom Mooney

[Don McClair]

Thanks Tom! I have a couple of spare mounting brackets and will look for a locking clip.

[alini]

What year does this valve apply to, because my '65 401 doesnt have it on it

[John]

IIRC that valve was used on 65 Riv's with AC.

John

[Yellowriv]

Thanks Tom, much appreciated. I see what you mean about replacements

Regards

[1965rivgs]

In post #7 Alini implies, or John`s response in post #8 raises, an interesting question for me as an advisor. When first viewing the question my response would have been that all `65 Rivs, whether AC equipped or not, should have the vacuum controlled heater control valve. But it has been many years since I have owned or worked on a Riv without AC so I checked both the `65 Buick parts book and the shop manual. While it seems clear the lesser Buick models did not use the valve unless equipped with AC, the Riviera specific text and diagrams indicate the valve should be present even on non-AC equipped Rivieras. As I have stated, it has been years since I have had practical hands on experience with a non-AC Riv, so any help from members with Non-AC equipped cars would be appreciated. If the valve was originally installed there should a vacuum line present in the engine compartment or a vacuum nipple on the hot/cold control panel in the console. In the mean time I will check the barn for a non-AC control panel.

I`d like to know to satisfy my curiosity, confirm my suspicions memory has once again failed me, and make the appropriate notations to my parts book and shop manual. Thanks in advance for any help,

Tom Mooney

Edited September 3, 2012 by 1965rivgs (see edit history)

[alini]

Well that adds a nice twist to my restore. Thanks to all for pointing it out. I did look in the manual and see that the valve is called for with A/C....which my car has. Now the fun part, I dont have a valve, I dont have a bracket. All the vacuum lines were garbage and I dont know what went where really, so I was going to have to follow the manual to put it all back together anyway. At this point I can only assume the previous owners removed it for some reason. Without it the hot water will flow through the heater core all the time, so its definitely not something I want to have here in the desert, so Im gonna have to go hunting for pieces.

[RivNut]

Until such time as you can find the OE type parts that you need, you can use something like I've pictured below to keep water from circulating through your heater core.

Ed

[1965rivgs]

Alini,

The manual also illustrates the valve in the no A/c, heater only section.

Tom

[1965rivgs]

Checked my used heater control panels and they are all from A/C cars...anyone on the forum with a non A/C equipped `65 Riv? Do you have a heater control valve?

Tom Mooney