[DeTomaso] heater valve

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/19/13 21 52 25, forestg at att.net writes:


> Actually that is not a compression fitting, i ia a flare fitting. The 
> valve Asa
> showed is a rotary style valve whereas the one you show is a plunger type.
> 

>>>Ah, right you are!   Thanks for the clarification!

I confess I hadn't actually looked at AJ's photos when I replied.   Those 
rotary valves are aftermarket replacements, and are notorious for working 
well for only a fixed time.   Lori has one in her car and it is completely 
frozen.   With considerable effort, it can be opened by hand (that is, by 
reaching under the dash and pushing on the valve with your thumb, leaving a deep 
indentation in the thumb for some time).   It can be closed with the cable, 
but the cable isn't strong enough to open it.   The 'fix' for now is to just 
leave the valve open all the time, and control the temperature in the cabin 
by opening or closing the manual shutoff valves in the engine bay, which are 
positioned to be very easy to reach from above.

Besides my NOS Ford Pantera heater valve, I also have a vendor-sourced 
replacement valve.   I bought it more than 20 years ago but have yet to get 
around to plumbing my heater.   I believe the stock Pantera valves were no 
longer available even back then, and this was the work-around replacement.   If 
my memory is correct, it was purported to be an OEM Longchamp valve.   It 
works in basically the same fashion, but I also seem to recall that it works 
backwards--that is, when it is installed in the car, due to its orientation, 
it functions backwards.   That is, when you put the dash lever to 'hot', it 
closes the valve, and vice-versa?

Here's a photo:

http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=40284

Mike