Heater Valve
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MT
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Heater Valve
My heater valve, and just that little region in general has been giving me problems since i've owned my car. First the paper gasket blew out (the one between the head and the little elbow) I've had the small hose connecting the heater valve itself and the elbow blow out. Now again... the hose from the heater valve to that same elbow piece is leaking. The car has been sitting all winter, i've had it on jackstands the whole time, havent turned it on or anything, but coolant just keeps dripping out of this area. It's made a nice little pool below my car now, and it's getting annoying that this same area i already TRIED taking care of just fails every few months. does anyone else have problems with this area? is there some magical fix im not seeing or something. I have the 928 MS aftermarket heater valve installed, however it was only done recently, after i had the hose bursting and gasket blowing up issue.
It seems now like its the hose isnt tight enough? but i literally can't tighten it without breaking something
It seems now like its the hose isnt tight enough? but i literally can't tighten it without breaking something
#3
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MT
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
yup, that was a problem at one point, actually it kept happening until i put a stop to it with rtv instead of the paper gasket. idk if thats the best thing to use but it hasn't leaked sinse... now its just the little 2.5" hose going to the heater valve that keeps giving me issues.
#4
Replace that short hose. That's a replaceable item. Same with the heater valve if it's original. Clamping it tighter won't do any good since the hose is probably gone and probably the valve (if it's old).
#5
Burning Brakes
Did you change the short hose to the heater valve? Everyone says that it is a common failure point. Did you perhaps over-tighten the hose clamp? Many hose clamps have many thin rectangular slots which can cut the hose (ask me how I know this.)
Can you take a picture of the problem? Maybe one of the Rennlist wise men (i.e. not me) can diagnose.
Can you take a picture of the problem? Maybe one of the Rennlist wise men (i.e. not me) can diagnose.
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MT
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow, but when i put my finger below the clamp on the hose over the end of the heater valve, i get lots of coolant on my hand, i do the same for the clamp over the elbow and i dont get any, so i know exactly where it is, i just don't know why it keeps failing. I've tried tightening but its as tight as it will go without breaking.
It's creating a huge mess on the back of the engine though
It's creating a huge mess on the back of the engine though
#7
Burning Brakes
Is the short hose old, or did you just change it? What year is the car?
If it is the wrong hose, you will have problems. Read this post. Either the hose is shot, or perhaps it is not of the correct dimensions for your aftermarket heater valve.
If it is the wrong hose, you will have problems. Read this post. Either the hose is shot, or perhaps it is not of the correct dimensions for your aftermarket heater valve.
Trending Topics
#8
While not a common failure, that long hose the heater valve connects to can also fail. Mine did at least. Again, it's not common though. The short hose is more than likely bad. Change it. It's cheap. Call Roger.
#9
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MT
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I did replace that hose not long ago
now that you mention it though, it was just similar ID hose i grabbed somewhere, it may not be small enough for the aftermarket heater valve
now that you mention it though, it was just similar ID hose i grabbed somewhere, it may not be small enough for the aftermarket heater valve
#11
Rennlist Member
The short hose on my 86.5 blew while driving hard. There was a small puff of white smoke and then the smell of antifreeze.
I had a new stock valve on hand but had a tough time finding the right size hose locally. I vaguely recall that the head nipple and valve nipple were different sizes. It was a bear getting that hose on, one end more than the other.
I would bet you don't have a good seal between the hose and this aftermarket valve.
Last edited by depami; 12-30-2013 at 10:34 AM.
#12
Drifting
The short hose has different dimensions on its ends, so you cannot replace it with a generic "single size" hose. The OE hose is molded with different sized ends.
#13
Rennlist Member
Is the short hose the same for all years?
#14
There was also a bad batch of heater valves that came out last year. They leaked at the mating point between the black and green halves.
#15
Rennlist Member