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nutt7

nutt7

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I was pulling a tranny cooler and bumper from a work truck and noticed the PO had 2 ball valves, one in line with each heater hose. Anyone know why? Does the heater "leak" hot air in the cab in the summer?
This winter I had finally installed a heater core so I never experienced any hot air leakage before. If this is true, does it blend with the A/C and warm it up? In Phx I need every degree of A/C I gan get!
BTW, if I decide to do this, wouldn't one valve be enough? It doesn't seem necessary to block both hoses.

Thanks
 
Alot of cars are equipped with a heater shut off valve, controlled by the heater controls, which shuts off water flow to the heater core. These trucks do not have such a valve, at least that I have seen. So, this leaves engine temp coolant flowing through the heater core at all times. A properly working HVAC unit should close the door to the heater core and only allow air flow through the a/c evap to cool the cab, or something along those lines.

I kinda like the ball valve idea, especially since I don't have a/c. Why didn't I think of that?
 
exactly what he said. first seen this idea on cummins forum. alot of guys use a t junction with a lenght of hose going in between the valves that way the coolant still circulates just without going to heater core first.
 
That's what I figured, but "properly working" isn't the way I would typically describe my burb as a whole :rolleyes:. I had to rig up some things in the air controller flaps due to old parts doing what they do best. It seems to work but I swear my vents are dumping a small amount of heat with the fan off, even if the temp is set on cold. Thought it was in my imagination, but searching around it seems this is the case with some others too.
 
Smokinthehippies said:
that way the coolant still circulates just without going to heater core first.
Click to expand...

Do you think it is a big deal for the coolant to make a circuit? It seems like it wouldn't since the heater is not interrupt/hinder the primary flow of the coolant, but I have no idea besides saying "it seems like...":rolleyes:.
 
i doubt it, theoretically you'd think as the block is still pushing pressure it would cause a bottleneck in the line, and maybe build pressure, but other then that, i doubt it would really be an issue, considering there were guys that just did one ball valve and left it at that.


but my advice is worth nada so dont do anything based on my "expertise" lol
 
Two valves would work a little bit better than just one - one of the reasons for doing this is to keep pressurized coolant from flowing through the heater core, which can prematurely wear it out. With just one valve the heater core will still get hot from heat transfer from the coolant in the hose without the valve.

Dave
 
Thanks, I just went back to the yard and snagged both of them. Good point about the pressure and heat transfer. I will install both of them. I won't worry about the coolant circuit, unless someone has anyone who is knowledgeable in fluid dynamics knows/advises something else...?

Thanks everyone
 
I'll say this.......my Suburban leaks hot air with everything off and irritates the heck out of me on a hot summer day! I'm heading down now to get the "T" idea and make a loop circuit in mine......

thanks for the info!!!
 
nutt7 said:
Thanks, I just went back to the yard and snagged both of them. Good point about the pressure and heat transfer. I will install both of them. I won't worry about the coolant circuit, unless someone has anyone who is knowledgeable in fluid dynamics knows/advises something else...?

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...

Can you post pics of these things. Im more curious than anything.
 
I've only noticed a difference between Chevy and everyone else. My S10 leaks a little hot air, especially after a WOT run. I can warm up the cab just by setting the temp. Every other vehicle I've ever been in, you need temp setting AND fan on... to get any change in cab temp. I like it, I don't need the fan running to warm up the cab. Interesting that my 01 and father 06 Chevys still do this. My moms infiniti, bros 07 mustang, friends 06 ranger....do not.
 
badmix said:
Can you post pics of these things. Im more curious than anything.
Click to expand...

In my case, it was a couple standard lever operated ball valves from a hardware store plumbed in line with each heater hose. I can post pics of the valves if you want, but they are not installed in my vehicle yet.
 
Funny, I was just thinking about doing this for my truck. Anyway, I found a ton of them here:

http://www2.shopping.com/automotive-parts-and-accessories/heater-control-valve/products

And this looks like and OEM Delco valve:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C9DDEO...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B000C9DDEO

The only issue is that appears to be vacuum activated. Electric would be better, but I bet you can tap into the vacuum lines of the HVAC control so that it has vacuum only when heat or defrost is selected. I also found an electronic vacuum switch which might be better, then you could just use it to turn on the heat when you wanted, kind of like an A/C on/off switch.

Here that is:

http://www.carjunky.com/partstore/?...1172623864W45e4d1f8afe06&cjSIVS23egvaso92k2gm
 
most modern vehicles/cars have them automatically, whenever you turn the AC to "Max AC", it electronically/vacuum activates the valves to close it down.
 
I got mine from a dodge truck, 1975 to be exact. It works great and is cable activated with a lever, has 2 ports. I still need to install it, but I got it from my buddies powerwagon and it worked good.

heatervalvedodge.jpg
 
Last edited:
Smokinthehippies said:
exactly what he said. first seen this idea on cummins forum. alot of guys use a t junction with a lenght of hose going in between the valves that way the coolant still circulates just without going to heater core first.
Click to expand...

I'll be doing this at some point before the temps get too high this summer. The AcDelco 15-5543 looks like it might be useful but how do you actuate a vacuum canister with no manifold vacuum? Maybe convert it to a cable pull...:dunno: Nevermind, I see the post above me.
 
Around here we just use ball valves. When it starts to get warm in the spring, just pop the hood and shut the valves until late fall.

Dave
 
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