Front Heater Control Valve
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Elder User
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From: North Alabama
Front Heater Control Valve
Just replaced a front heater control valve of some sort on the right front fender well. It had 4 hose connections, and seems to allow coolant to circulate without going through the heater core if the heat is turned off, controlled by vacuum.
Can one of the experts confirm my suspicion as to what this is and how it works? The plastic cracked and it started loosing coolant. I used a hose splice kit to bypass the thing until I could get the van home. It appears to be original on my 94 van.
The thing I am most proud of is that my 17-year-old daughter went to AutoZone and got the right part. . .she knew the year, engine type, that it had dual heat. . .all the info she needed to get the right part.
Can one of the experts confirm my suspicion as to what this is and how it works? The plastic cracked and it started loosing coolant. I used a hose splice kit to bypass the thing until I could get the van home. It appears to be original on my 94 van.
The thing I am most proud of is that my 17-year-old daughter went to AutoZone and got the right part. . .she knew the year, engine type, that it had dual heat. . .all the info she needed to get the right part.
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Elder User
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From: North Alabama
So it is the air conditioner that controls the valve. I couldn't get anything to make it move and didn't think about its being tied to the air conditioner. I was afraid I had either a bad valve or another issue. Thanks for the tip.
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Elder User
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From: North Alabama
Great photo. I still haven't figured out how the hose clamps on mine were installed with the screws on the bottom. My valve seems to be opening and closing properly, so I am happy. If I ever have to replace the heater core, I think I'll use slightly longer hoses to get that valve another inch away from the A/C parts and ignition module.
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From: Knoxville
A/C connection?
Are you sure that 4-way valve has a vacuum connection related to the air conditioner? I thought that little metal diaphragm was a heater on-off flow control mechanism? Are you certain it is controlled by A/C? Thanks, Tim
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upside down clamp screw heads
Great photo. I still haven't figured out how the hose clamps on mine were installed with the screws on the bottom. My valve seems to be opening and closing properly, so I am happy. If I ever have to replace the heater core, I think I'll use slightly longer hoses to get that valve another inch away from the A/C parts and ignition module.
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Elder User
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From: North Alabama
See the photo a couple of posts below. That looks like a wire but it is a vacuum line. My 92 doesn't have one, and I can tell the difference in air temperature in the cabin. The air conditioner evaporator and the heater core are in the same housing and the cabin air is blown by the same fan. If the core is kept cool, the air conditioner seems to work better.
Lead Driver
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From: SoCal
I'm sure cutting out hot water flow from the heater core helps to keep the interior cooler, but none of my cars have that control valve. They just rely on the heater blend door in the HVAC box. Do the vans with the heater control valve not have a heater blend door in the box?
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Since the A/C evaporator and heater core share a common housing separated only by the temperature blend door, the diverter valve was an attempt to reduce the amount of heat next to the evap core. The conversion from r12 to r134 coolants meant less cooling capacity with the existing A/C components. The valve was used to try to prevent heat bleed over into the evap side. It is vacuum controlled and as mentioned, works only when the A/C or climate control mode is activated.
Good memory Tom! I tried a retro fit with a non-OEM valve I found on eBay. After one year, it developed slow seepage from poor construction and I eventually just pulled it out. I had converted my system to r134 several years ago and honestly, I could not tell any meaningful difference with or without the valve.
Good memory Tom! I tried a retro fit with a non-OEM valve I found on eBay. After one year, it developed slow seepage from poor construction and I eventually just pulled it out. I had converted my system to r134 several years ago and honestly, I could not tell any meaningful difference with or without the valve.
Last edited by aerocolorado; Jul 16, 2008 at 09:30 AM. Reason: adding additional comment
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