Mark-87-951

Since I have to drain the coolant to put in a new drain plug, I was thinking of getting the Lindsey silicone coolant hose kit. I also thought of moving the heater control valve as well.

Is it worth the hassle?

As I understand it, you need to cut a few inches off the front of the metal tube that runs over the headers, add a short straight hose from it to the heater valve that's been moved there and the valve gets connected to the elbow that comes off the water pump.

I'm not sure about what happens at the back though. Does one just replace the heater valve with a coupling or get a longer hose to make the distance? Or do the hose connections also need to get switched so everything works properly?

I was also thinking of going to a metal one eventually.

samluke

The 968's had them in that location. You also have to extend the vacuum control line that controls it. The are a weaker link in the cooling system, but that being said, they operate trouble free for years and they are cheap. Replace them on a regular basis, when your in there for other reasons and you shouldn't have any problems.

Not worth fooling with it (IMO)

spyder348

I just took the valve out of the picture and took the hose going from core to valve and attached it the metal pipe that bolts to head. It fit just fine. I like coolant always running through the core anyways for extra cooling. those valves suck.

Mark-87-951

That doesn't dump heat into the cabin?

minho78

Yes it does. Too hot in the summer. Yes you can move it but is it worth the trouble? All you have to do is run longer hoses for coolant and vaccum.

spyder348

yeah its bad in summer good for winter but hey in summer windows down and top always off also having a DD being 100% stock 944 n/a is nice too. 32 mpg woo hoo

Mark-87-951

So what happens at the back? It seems to me the hose connections need to switch at the firewall because the valve is being moved to the other hose.

esmith904

Does anybody have any pictures of a completed heater control valve relocation?

jerome951

I did this a couple weeks ago. I guess 'worth the hassle?' depends on your risk tolerance of it breaking at an inopportune time and the potential damage to your clutch. For me, I was getting tired of the valve getting in my way while I was changing the clutch (it has to be pushed up to get the clutch housing off or on).

I installed a metal valve (the Audi/Ford item) and used factory hoses to mount mine behind the valve cover. I took the stock S-shaped hose that comes off the firewall to the factory valve and connected it to the outlet from the block, cutting off 1 end. I used a 2nd hose (I had a spare) and only used the end that connects to the firewall (it's a larger diameter than the other connections).

In doing this, I also removed the cycling valve mount bracket and this allowed me to keep the hose close to the engine block and from covering the ground studs (the factory mounting puts the hose right over the grounds, which is a pita).

Access behind the valve cover was pretty tight, so I had to connect the hoses to the valve before putting it in place (made feeding in the long hose difficult). It would be much easier w/ the head off, but you certainly need the intake off to do this comfortably.

Mark-87-951

So the valve just goes to the other hose? I guess I don't understand how the system works well enough.

I think I am going to move it at some point. I'm toying with the idea of using longer hoses to move it over to the strut tower somwhere and maybe eliminating the metal pipe but not sure if that causes more problems or not.

theedge

Anyone have a part number for that metal Audi valve?

Mark-87-951

What do you guys think of moving the valve next to the power steering reservoir? I'm thinking running the hose under the reservoir hoses and back to the water pump. I should have some extra thermotec header wrap that I can put around the hoses and tieing them to the some points on the body around the strut area so they don't hang over the header.

Jeff N.

All I can say is - change that sucker on a regular basis lest you have this happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2QaCcph8EU

Cory9584

I've seen someone install a ball valve in place of a heater valve. Open it in the winter and close it for the summer. Bulletproof

jerome951

This is the valve I installed.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...S_888749176___
Common on Fords and Audis from the '80s.