F18Rep

I always thought the real risk of a leaking heater valve was to the clutch. Get your clutch plate wet with oil/antifreeze and its never the same....Bruce

rlm328

The valve is not that difficult item to change out. One other word of caution on this valve is that they do not always fail catastropically. I had one that cracked and leaked coolant at a slow rate. The valve is located exactly over the access to the fly wheel to determine top dead center. When it leaked through this port it ended up on the clutch. The clutch and coolant are not exactly real tolerant of each other and I ended up having to replace the clutch also.

The plastic items in these cars were first and second generation plastics and as such they probably are way past their useful lives and should be placed on ones change out to do list.

DLS

How many 944 owners have tried the metallic HCV?
I´m thinking of trying one

951Tom

Does the Audi valve default to open or closed?

jerome951

I put one on my car when changing the clutch over the winter. I also relocated it behind the head so it's no longer over the bellhousing opening and gives better access to the grounds. Seems to work just fine.

eyeball kid

Jerome,

Did you get a part number?

jerome951

This is what I bought:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...S_888749176___

Fits some Audis and several 90's Fords so relatively easy to find.

2bridges

That was the cause of my first clutch replacement... fawkin valve was seeping antifreeze right in the clutch assembly...... by the time the leak was identified, clutch was cooked

Jfrahm

I have used a couple of them, one the item pictured and another metal one with a different design. No problems with either except the need for a twist of wire or a ziptie on the vacuum line to keep the line for popping off.

They fail or default open like the stock valve (which is typical.)

I have not suffered a catastrophic failure of the stock valve but I have had them leak through to the heater core even when closed resulting in hot air and poor AC performance.

The Porsche part is reasonably priced but I think it's too risky to use. Even newish ones have suffered early failures.

-Joel.

ehall

It's not at all if you replace it before the engine goes back in. Otherwise, large hands are not helpful!

That is the standard way that they fail. I've had 2 burst. Both times it happened as a result of some air left in the system and the resulting over heating.

racerxrick

I used The Autozone part number and bought one today!

racerxrick

I am really glad I read this post...very helpful. "Phlip" is doing the headgasket/turbo install, etc. on my car so i brought the steel Audi valve to him. Turns out the hoses were suspect too...wrong size hose clamped tight.

The stcok valve looked fine...just no way i could have been comfy after seeing the pic, watching the video and reading the post!

Thanks!

FASTRNU

Cost me $17 at NAPA,good investment compared to price of clutch repair
BTW nice save Jeff,was that Bremerton?

Jeff N.

Yup. Bremerton.

Iridium

Who was that with Jeff? next time give me a shout when you're going out.