e-21 heat question

[BillWilliams]

a friend is getting ready to head to the PA Highlands area in his e-21 tomorrow,

He says the heat knob just rotates. Is there a fix for this?

[Paul7002]

(nt)

[wagnerf15]

THAT was an in-depth answer.

[bugtustlebub]

Bill,

It may be that the cable has come unattached or the plastic that the cable attaches to has broken. He can look at the heater valve, under the hood, and see if the cable is still attached there. Move it manually, to the desired temperature, if he doesn't want to begin rooting around inside of a cold, plastic dash.

I have found that all of that fine stuff has a way of cracking and breaking on even a warm day. It's a bit simpler and more open on a non-A/C car, too, otherwise it's really crowded in there.

Regards,

Randy Bryant

Elkton, VA

[BillWilliams]

When he gets up, he will have something useful.

Thanks Randy, the gent is stopping by soon for us to take a look at it.

A fully loaded dawg at Jess's awaits you.

[bugtustlebub]

Bill,

Jess's, downtown location, is already open! they serve breakfast, too. it's really not too early for a 'dog though.

let me know what you find. the heat knob is on a North/South axis and moves the cable, attached to the rear, on an East/West axis. mostly plastic with a bit of metal. there just ain't no room. heat temperature cable runs through a rubber grommet type of thingy in the firewall. cable has a fixed cover and the internal wire does the moving.

i was just back up in MD, for about an hour, on this past Saturday, to pick up another car.....a Sahara 73 2002a that i bought from Cuttie a month or two ago.

Regards,

Randy Bryant

Elkton, VA

[Mike87]

I believe that the 320 has a plastic u-joint that connects the control knob to the valve. These typically fail, but are easily replaced. Check with realoem for the parts.

[BarryA]

that protrudes through the dash.

If I remember correctly from rebuilding my E21's dash when I got the a/c back in operation a couple of years ago, the shafts are "D" shaped, and there are little spring clips that press into the shaft tunnel in the knob to retain the knob on the shaft. If the clips have come out or the knob is cracked internally, the knob won't turn the shaft and move the cable.

The knobs should be a pretty tight fit - if they pull off very easily, there's probably something wrong.

[Poon]

that protrudes through the dash.

If I remember correctly from rebuilding my E21's dash when I got the a/c back in operation a couple of years ago, the shafts are "D" shaped, and there are little spring clips that press into the shaft tunnel in the knob to retain the knob on the shaft. If the clips have come out or the knob is cracked internally, the knob won't turn the shaft and move the cable.

The knobs should be a pretty tight fit - if they pull off very easily, there's probably something wrong.

This is exactly what happened to a couple of the switches in my 320is. You can either get new ones, or if you're in a pickle and need heat ASAP, just pull the switches off and turn them with your fingers/pliers.

-Andrew Poon

[BillWilliams]

It seemed the cable was frozen so we just pushed the valve to the down position and he now has plenty of heat.

The fix will come later.

Again, thanks!