’63 Riv ac/heater control switch unit/ broken lever

[Finn Riv]

Hello! I want to buy ac/heater control switch unit for 1963 Riviera. My unit have cracked temp switch.

 

 

My email is jyrki.ikalainen@yahoo.com

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by Finn Riv (see edit history)

[Finn Riv]

And question.

Is ”air, temp, def and rear” switch section same in non ac car?  And is it same part in Electra, LeSabre and Wildcat?

Edited July 13, 2021 by Finn Riv (see edit history)

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

3 hours ago, Finn Riv said:

And question.

Is ”air, temp, def and rear” switch section same in non ac car?  And is it same part in Electra, LeSabre and Wildcat?

There are differences between AC and none AC cars as can be seen in the following extracts from the owners manual.

 

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

Here is a (bad) picture from a none AC car:

 

[Jim Cannon]

4 hours ago, Finn Riv said:

Hello! I want to buy ac/heater control switch unit for 1963 Riviera. My unit have cracked temp switch.

 

 

My email is jyrki.ikalainen@yahoo.com

 

 

Your Temperature Control lever is broken. This is very common in 1963 cars, with or without A/C.

 

You can swap out just the broken lever with another one from another control unit, even if that control unit is from a non-A/C car because this knob and lever is the same in A/C and non-AC cars.

 

The stack of levers is held in with a pin. You gently drive the pin out, then swap out the broken piece and insert a new lever. Drive pin back in as you found it.

 

You can also take the broken lever pieces out, reassemble them temporarily (just to get dimensions), and use it as a template to make a new lever out of some flat steel stock. It will require some cutting and bending and welding, but if you can fabricate something, it will be better than the original weak pot metal lever. They break when the heater valve sticks and you push on the Temp knob. The lever is up inside the dash where no one will see it, so the fact that it is fabricated steel can be your little secret.

 

Hope this helps.

 

PS - if you have not done so already, please send me a close-up photo of your data plate above the power brke booster unit (for my database).

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by Jim Cannon (see edit history)

[RivNut]

The section that you outlined in red is the same on all 63 full sized cars.  But doing a Jim says, making a new arm from flat stock is preferable.  Once you get that made, fix the water temperature control valve so it won’t happen again.

[Finn Riv]

Thank you Jim and RivNut, you understood what I’m trying to ask. 
Is anybody tryed to print new lever with 3-d printer?

I looked that pin and I thought that it’s a rivet. And that water valve is on my to-do list.😀

[RivNut]

If a metal lever can be broken, I don’t think a 3D printed version would be any better.  Chances of finding a good 63 (one year Riviera only) water temperature control valve are slim and none. Slim just hopped the last stage out of town. Jim Cannon has come up with a way to incorporate a later model vacuum controlled valve in place of the original mechanical valve.

[Finn Riv]

18 hours ago, Jim Cannon said:

PS - if you have not done so already, please send me a close-up photo of your data plate above the power brke booster unit (for my database).

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Hey Jim, please send me a private message, I will send a photo for you. I’m so new here that I cannot send any personal messages.

[Turbinator]

On 7/14/2021 at 2:49 AM, Finn Riv said:

Thank you Jim and RivNut, you understood what I’m trying to ask. 
Is anybody tryed to print new lever with 3-d printer?

I looked that pin and I thought that it’s a rivet. And that water valve is on my to-do list.😀

Sir, if you want a used 1963 water valve I have one for sale. If you want to save money use the replacement vacuum control valve Jim Cannon described. I put a vacuum water control valve on my 63 and easily tucked the valve out of the way.

Turbinator

[Turbinator]

On 7/13/2021 at 5:25 PM, Jim Cannon said:

Your Temperature Control lever is broken. This is very common in 1963 cars, with or without A/C.

 

You can swap out just the broken lever with another one from another control unit, even if that control unit is from a non-A/C car because this knob and lever is the same in A/C and non-AC cars.

 

The stack of levers is held in with a pin. You gently drive the pin out, then swap out the broken piece and insert a new lever. Drive pin back in as you found it.

 

You can also take the broken lever pieces out, reassemble them temporarily (just to get dimensions), and use it as a template to make a new lever out of some flat steel stock. It will require some cutting and bending and welding, but if you can fabricate something, it will be better than the original weak pot metal lever. They break when the heater valve sticks and you push on the Temp knob. The lever is up inside the dash where no one will see it, so the fact that it is fabricated steel can be your little secret.

 

Hope this helps.

 

PS - if you have not done so already, please send me a close-up photo of your data plate above the power brke booster unit (for my database).

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

If you want take the HVAC FONTROL PANEL out and take it to a welding fabricator. That is what I did. The fabricator made a new part and put it back together. $300 USD.

Turbinstor

[XframeFX]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:25 PM, Jim Cannon said:

The stack of levers is held in with a pin. You gently drive the pin out, then swap out the broken piece and insert a new lever. Drive pin back in as you found it.

An FYI alternative to the Pin. I used a bolt with a shank, washers and a "well-nut" from Lowes. This made for a sturdier pivot point.

A design flaw? the longer "7" lever is at the top of the stack where the pin is more likely to wobble?

Edited July 18, 2021 by XframeFX (see edit history)

[XframeFX]

On 7/14/2021 at 1:17 AM, RivNut said:

Jim Cannon has come up with a way to incorporate a later model vacuum controlled valve in place of the original mechanical valve.

I didn't try a search on this because no accurate description. I agree describing it as a vacuum valve.

Details on a replacement?

Thank-You.

[Jim Cannon]

3 hours ago, XframeFX said:

I didn't try a search on this because no accurate description. I agree describing it as a vacuum valve.

Details on a replacement?

Thank-You.

The heater hot water valve on the ’63 Riviera is a one year only, one model only unit. Unfortunately these valves are known to stick, to get corroded inside and seize up. There are no aftermarket replacements available. NOS GM parts come on the market occasionally for a lot of money. So you mainly need to get your valve working again by soaking it with something like PB Blaster (off of the car, fill it up inside with the fluid, work the lever free with your fingers).

 

The heater temperature control knob inside the car connects to the hot water valve with a heavy steel cable and a lever. WHEN THE HEATER VALVE FREEZES UP, AND YOU TRY TO TURN ON THE HEAT, YOU WILL BREAK THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER INSIDE THE DASH. It happens before you realize it. So many old Rivieras have broken temperature control levers; now you know why.

 

You can prevent the broken lever problem by disconnecting the hot water valve from the temperature control cable and operate the valve manually twice each year (open the valve in the fall when you start to want heat, and close it in the spring when it is warm).

 

If your hot water valve begins to leak, you will need to replace it. A used valve works. But if you’d rather have a new valve, you can use a modern vacuum-operated valve as a replacement.

 

One valve that I found that works (I'm sure there are others) is a Murray (Factory Air) #74603 for about $15. It sits right on top of the metal housing that the original valve mounts to. I tie-wrapped it up to the heater control cable to keep it from wandering around, but that's probably not required. The valve installs with the original heater hoses with no modifications. It is a normally open valve. The vacuum to close it comes from a T into the vacuum hose that goes to the center nipple of the dash vacuum "motor" (diaphragm), right next to the big A/C STV valve.

 

If you do not have A/C, so you don't have this dash vacuum motor diaphragm, you will need to find a similar valve that is manually operated, instead of vacuum, and turn it on and off under the hood with your fingers when you need heat.

Edited July 18, 2021 by Jim Cannon (see edit history)

[Finn Riv]

Now I have 3d printed temperature control lever made of carbon fiber material. Lets see how it can handle steel cable. 
Lever is also reinforced from weak points.

Edited April 10, 2022 by Finn Riv (see edit history)

[XframeFX]

On 4/10/2022 at 8:29 AM, Finn Riv said:

Now I have 3d printed temperature control lever made of carbon fiber material.

Very nice! Should do the job if your cable is free.

I have a steel replacement fab'd with a plasma cutter, old skool style.

Did you use a bolt with a shank and well-nut in place of the pivot pin? It filled the well making for a solid anchor, much sturdier.

[OldGerman]

Many other Automotive heater valves can  possibly work. I had a VW Golf/ Polo valve in my 63 as an interim Solution as Long as I worked on the original AC valve. Original valve is now back in, but it’s still slightly leaking. 

[Finn Riv]

Here’s better pictures from lever.

I will put some spray grease to steel wires before installation.

I have some general purpose valve in pipe. Original valve was leaking thru. 

[Turbinator]

I’ve read the name for levers in discussion are known as bell arms.

what you have is a very good job.

Replacing all the bell arms along with cable lubrication should put you great shape for distant future. 

[RivNut]

On 7/18/2021 at 4:44 PM, Jim Cannon said:

The heater hot water valve on the ’63 Riviera is a one year only, one model only unit. Unfortunately these valves are known to stick, to get corroded inside and seize up. There are no aftermarket replacements available. NOS GM parts come on the market occasionally for a lot of money. So you mainly need to get your valve working again by soaking it with something like PB Blaster (off of the car, fill it up inside with the fluid, work the lever free with your fingers).

 

The heater temperature control knob inside the car connects to the hot water valve with a heavy steel cable and a lever. WHEN THE HEATER VALVE FREEZES UP, AND YOU TRY TO TURN ON THE HEAT, YOU WILL BREAK THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER INSIDE THE DASH. It happens before you realize it. So many old Rivieras have broken temperature control levers; now you know why.

 

You can prevent the broken lever problem by disconnecting the hot water valve from the temperature control cable and operate the valve manually twice each year (open the valve in the fall when you start to want heat, and close it in the spring when it is warm).

 

If your hot water valve begins to leak, you will need to replace it. A used valve works. But if you’d rather have a new valve, you can use a modern vacuum-operated valve as a replacement.

 

One valve that I found that works (I'm sure there are others) is a Murray (Factory Air) #74603 for about $15. It sits right on top of the metal housing that the original valve mounts to. I tie-wrapped it up to the heater control cable to keep it from wandering around, but that's probably not required. The valve installs with the original heater hoses with no modifications. It is a normally open valve. The vacuum to close it comes from a T into the vacuum hose that goes to the center nipple of the dash vacuum "motor" (diaphragm), right next to the big A/C STV valve.

 

If you do not have A/C, so you don't have this dash vacuum motor diaphragm, you will need to find a similar valve that is manually operated, instead of vacuum, and turn it on and off under the hood with your fingers when you need heat.

I was perusing the Vintage Air catalog the other day trying to figure out everything that I’d need to do a complete tear out and install a new VA system in my 64.  I ran across this item and it reminded me of this post that Jim made some time ago.  Using Jim’s schematic for using vacuum to control the water temperature control valve, I thought this unit might look somewhat more OE sitting on the firewall.  It’s vacuum controlled rather than cable controlled.