64 Heater Control Wire and Manual Gate Water Valve

[Markus64]

Hi guys,

 

I have two issues with my heater System in my 64 without AC:

 

1. The Heater Temperature Control Wire, which connects the Heater Temp Control Lever with the Temperature Door Lever and the Manual Gate Water Valve Control Wire, is torn.

The torn part is not very far away from  the Lever where the wire is usually connected with the Heater Temp Control Lever (one or two inches). Is it possible with the help of the adjuster nuts to make the wire longer for 3 or 4 Inches so that the wire can be connected to the lever?

Or do I have to exchange the wire? 

 

2. I tested the Manual Gate Water Valve and I´m not sure if it is broken or not. When the Lever on the top is closed water flows trough the Lever, if it is open the water runs trough as well. It seems to be less when the Lever is closed. Is it normal that water runs trough the Valve if it is closed or shall there be no water running trough in closed Position?

 

I´ve read that the manual gate water valve get stuck after a few years and I think, when this happened the wire got torn. Then they exchanged the manual gate water valve without repairing the wire.

 

 

 

[telriv]

Should NOT flow water, or very little, when the valve is closed.

[KongaMan]

Don't analyze the valve by the position of the control lever (it could be way out of whack).  Rather, look at the valve itself.  Disconnect the control cable, then turn it fully CW to close.  These valves sometimes get a little stubborn at either end of their travel.  Turn it back and forth through out the entire range a few times.

 

The procedure for adjusting the cable is in the manual.

[DrownedRiv]

I dont think you can lengthen the wire 3" with the adjustment. The cables are available, i would replace it.

[Markus64]

Hi guys, thanks for your help. I checked the valve and the lever don´t move the inside of the valve which closes and opens the water stream. It is completely stucked. I think I will order the mechanical Valve of the 61-62 Chevy Impala: 

 

For the wire I will get the Control wires from Old Air products.

 

Thanks.

[RivNut]

You can probably do the same thing on your 64 as Jim Cannon did on his 63. He replaced the mechanical valve with a vacuum one. 65 went to a vacuum controlled valve.

[KongaMan]

1 hour ago, Markus64 said:

I checked the valve and the lever don´t move the inside of the valve which closes and opens the water stream. It is completely stucked.

Put a squirt of penetrating oil on the shaft and let it soak in for a bit.  Then grab the lever with some pliers and twist it back and forth firmly to see if it loosens up.  If that doesn't work, take it off the car and soak it in straight CLR for a while.  The valves often get jammed from minerals in the water used to fill the cooling system; the CLR thing might be helpful even if the twisting frees it up.

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by KongaMan (see edit history)

[Markus64]

 

15 minutes ago, KongaMan said:

Put a squirt of penetrating oil on the shaft and let it soak in for a bit.  Then grab the lever with some pliers and twist it back and forth firmly to see if it loosens up.  If that doesn't work, take it off the car and soak it in straight CLR for a while.  The valves often get jammed from minerals in the water used to fill the cooling system; the CLR thing might be helpful even if the twisting frees it up.

Ok Konga Man, Thanks I´ll try that.

 

39 minutes ago, RivNut said:

You can probably do the same thing on your 64 as Jim Cannon did on his 63. He replaced the mechanical valve with a vacuum one. 65 went to a vacuum controlled valve.

I´d rather prefer as original as possible, but when the mechanical doesn´t work I will try the vacuum sollution. 

[KongaMan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a vacuum valve is not a perfect functional replacement.  Specifically, I believe that a vacuum valve would be either open or closed; a mechanical valve can be anywhere between closed and fully open.  IOW, you might get finer temperature control with the mechanical valve (although you still have the temperature door to direct air flow across the core).

[telriv]

Totally correct Chip. A vacuum valve is either fully open or fully closed with NO in-between settings. Whereas with the mechanical valve you have the option of controlling the actual temp. of the heat coming from the heater/defrost by restricting the amount of coolant going through the core.  I'm sure we can all remember when driving these vehicles when new or fairly new your right leg would be burning after awhile, especially on the '63's which had no scope directing the air down & right against your leg.  The reason for the re-vision on the '64 & '65 consoles.

 

Tom T.

[KongaMan]

Dunno that your thinking should be influenced by a story, but I once had a vacuum heater valve go out about 10pm, 20° outside, and several hundred miles from home.  No amount of sucking would get that thing to open (I knew I should've brought the girlfriend), and no replacements to be had.  I drove all night freezing my butt off, using a credit card to scrape the frozen condensation off the inside of the windshield.  Didn't think of it at the time, but I should have disconnected the hoses and shoved a screwdriver through to rip it open.  If the cable breaks on a manual valve, you can still twist it open.

 

But then, most of these cars are parked for the winter, so it's not clear how important a fully functioning heater is.

[Markus64]

9 hours ago, KongaMan said:

Dunno that your thinking should be influenced by a story, but I once had a vacuum heater valve go out about 10pm, 20° outside, and several hundred miles from home.  No amount of sucking would get that thing to open (I knew I should've brought the girlfriend), and no replacements to be had.  I drove all night freezing my butt off, using a credit card to scrape the frozen condensation off the inside of the windshield.  Didn't think of it at the time, but I should have disconnected the hoses and shoved a screwdriver through to rip it open.  If the cable breaks on a manual valve, you can still twist it open.

 

But then, most of these cars are parked for the winter, so it's not clear how important a fully functioning heater is.

 

When I first realised that something was wrong with my heater system it was 35 Degrees outside and my water valve got stuck in the open position. The temperature door was adjusted on Temp Max and I didn´t know how to manually adjust it in the engine compartment during this time (Heater Temp Control Lever was on off, but without any influence on the temperature door and water valve due to the torn wire) Even without the blower on, hot air got into the car turning the inside of the car into a sauna. Though the windows were open the 160 mile drive home felt like walking trough death valley.