Overhauling heater valve?

[Arshloch]

Is it doable for the later style valve or I have to get a brand new unit? Mine leaks where the lever attaches.

[Harv]

You can take it apart. It needs a new O ring. I forget the size.

John

[Arshloch]

Mine has seized screws in it and it leaks from

[Chris_B]

Here are a couple of pics of disassembled earlier style valves, which are substantially the same as the newer valves WRT the O ring and sealing. The newer valves have a plastic insert, but use an O ring to seal the top. I have found that the O rings can be matched closely enough at the local hardware store to do the job. Sorry, these pics don't show exactly how the O ring mounts in the top, but there is a groove around the edge that seals the top to the body of the valve.

Disassembling the valve can be a challenge if the screws are seized. You will probably have to use an impact driver to get them loose.

[2002Targa]

If you drill the heads out of the countersunk screws, you can get the cap off with enough room to grab the rest of the screw with a pair of vise grips and pull out the seized portion of the screw. Then, just take the whole thing to the hardware store to get O-rings and new screws. My local ACE had short stubby stainless phillips screws in the metric drawers that fit perfectly.

TK

[Ray-2002tii]

One note. The heater valve does not use an o-ring. It uses a quad ring. It is like an o-ring but has 4 sealing sides. An o-ring will work at first but leak shortly after.

[Chris_B]

In the absence of a quad ring of the right size (probably could be found from an Internet source...), I have used hardware store O rings that were slightly oversized and lubed them well with synthetic rubber/plastic friendly grease. Have rebuilt 8 or 9 of these valves over the last few years and AFAIK, none of them has leaked. My first was done for my own car 8 years ago and is that valve is still in service.

Also, I have never been unable to get the screws out with an impact driver, even when severely rusted/corroded. When reinstalling, use a dab of antiseize on each, and you will never have that problem again.

[Harv]

The heater valve does not use an o-ring. It uses a quad ring.

I was trying to think of what a square o-ring was called.

Thanks

John

[mtriple]

I remember using a bit oversized standard ring on mine and no issues so far in the past 4 months.

Hamada