Birdie

Indeed, I am familiar with IE’s offering of this part. Unfortunately, with shipping, this part(s) will run me ~$75. Considering, I only need one piece of the pair - it just doesn’t make sense. Hence, hoping to find a more affordable used one that I can clean up. Thanks though!

Looking for the 'circled in red' air cleaner bracket. I saw some other sold in on the forum in years past that were zinc plated.. If those are still going around I'd be interested in a pair.

For the record this sensor and its corresponding hole is an M14 x 1.5 The one listed on eBay above is a very nice option. Better than I found elsewhere. Plug inserted.. Rebuilt starter installed. Good time drives to be had.

Pm’d you.

I removed my smog equipment sometime ago and all’s well. However, I recently removed the starter and the abandoned coolant sensor under the intake manifold was in the way. I had to remove it and deal with coolant etc. Before I reinstall my starter I’d like to (1) confirm that without the smog equipment this sensor is obsolete and (2) find out what size it is so I can plug it.

I just wanted to properly wrap up this thread for future forum generations - it is the least can I do for all that this forum and it's members have given me. It's a very happy ending but here are some take aways from a very determined novice. - I was able to rebuild the valve with parts from the local hardware store. That said, if you live in a cold climate get a rebuild kick. I am sure my valve will not last forever if I were to crank on the instruments more than I do. - When pulling the heater (multiple times) you can alleviate any concern of leaking coolant in your car by getting some 18mm hose caps and stick them on the heater in/out openings while still in the cowl. This will allow you to work freely because a heater-pendecomy can be a bit messy if unprepared. - replace the heater instrument lights while you are at it - this next one is a big one for me and maybe I am missing something bc I feel like someone would have mentioned it. This will be a lot of writing but the attached picture at the end says it all: The heater is held against the firewall with nuts on two stems. The stems pass through two metal channels on the heater, these channels give the plastic flange some rigidity (like linear washers). However, the metal flange is deeper than the plastic heater flange. Therefore, you can crank the nuts all you want and there will still be a small gap. All of this is to say, that if you try to make the gasket with just enough 3m strip calk (you are a precise kinda person) then you may still have a gap. As I mentioned, I pull/tested/installed the heater several times and, at least in my world, I had to use a very fat bead of strip calk. Like a fat. That said, I am very confident in the result. All told finding and fixing floor rust can be a fairly complicated project with many twists and turns, however, for those that want an intimate relationship their your e10, I highly recommend diving right in and don't stop until you figure it out. All's well that ends well. Resealed heater system, resealed drain plugs, por15 treated pans, new butyl deadener throughout, new carpet, new seats, new everything I could touch during the project. This car and forum are a never ending source of satisfaction.

Post deleted

The heater leak saga continues. I pulled heater, performed a once over and reinstalled. I was super pleased with myself. However, a new leak has sprung up. This new leak is at the pivot point of the valve lever arm; where is passes into the interior of the valve (all brass valve). Turns out, I watched a video of a guy on YT who after rebuilding his heater had the same leak appear. That lever does get a bit torqued here and there during the process of reseating the cable, etc. so not that surprsing. My question, is this something I can fix myself quickly with hardware store parts: rubber o-ring on the inside that can be replaced or can this pivot arm be tightened, etc? I really don't want to do a valve rebuild / $100+ conversion to plastic. My dream answer is "open it up and you can tighten the nut or replace a little o-ring. "Survey says?!"

I just couldn't help myself. Of course, the tab holding the valve broke before I even got started. I will post questions about that on another thread. The interior project continues.

@'76mintgrün'02 very good tidbits of info you provided. My heater lever and valve seem to be working pretty well and I also closed the valve by hand for the tests. Therefore your mention that my '76 was designed to let some coolant through even when the valve is closed is likely the reason I get coolant leaking out when the car is started and the valve is "closed". To me, that suggests plugging my coolant loop completely might not be the best idea; at least not what the engineers planned for. Do you have opinion as to whether I should temporarily plug the system at the valve or reconnect it?

The results are back and the prognosis is the short hose between the valve and the heater core was leaking like a sieve. @Mike Self nailed it. I also had to break it up with channel locks. There is one thing to add about my predicament: the heater valve has an internal leak / does not close properly. Therefore, even with it closed (heater set to the off position), when I start the car, coolant starts shooting out of the valve into the cowl. Therefore my options are to replace the hose (reconnect the system) or plug both the valve and the heater core inlet for now. I am leaning towards plugging the system because reconnecting them means that coolant would be flowing through the valve and core at all times. There is no upside to this (I don't need heat right away) and a downside of more potential leaking. The heater/cowl seal is non-existent, so just keeping all fluids away from this area seems the safest way for me to get the carpet back into this car. Opinions? Things I am overlooking? I really could go either way on this one. Then, I will come back and fix the valve (I see there are rebuild kits) and reseal the heater/cowl. Quick question, I think I know the answer, is there any way to fix the heater/cowl seal without completely taking out the heater? Now that I am fairly certain my heater is not leaking, the whole electrical, cables, etc. just make that project seem a pita to replace the seal since I don't drive in the rain, ever (California)..

Unfortunately with the interior and dash panels out, I put the seats back in and went for a heater leak test drive... During the drive we didn't see any coolant. However, I left the heater control all the way on and the next day coolant began dripping down the passenger side firewall. What a bummer. Observations / Context - that test drive was definitely the longest I have ever run the heater. I'm not sure I have ever actually turned it all the way on bc I had a hunch there was a leak when I bought the car (PO "mentioned" it). - I also left the heater valve open for at least a day after the drive before I saw the leak. - I drive this car quite a bit - even right before pulling the interior and there was no sign of moisture (coolant or otherwise) when the carpet came out. - However, I always drive with the heater set to 'off' there is always a low amount of nice heat coming from under the dash. I say this to emphasize that it if my heater valve is broken it should have been leaking the whole time and thus, been quite prevalent when the carpet came up. Questions - While pulling/fixing the heater doesn't seem beyond my skillset this is by all means a rolling restoration that my daughter and I prefer to keep rolling as much as possible. Therefore, is it possible to temporarily stop the leak (heater bypass or some other crazy idea?) so that I can finish the interior and come back to it? I have no problem doing things twice - like removing the glovebox, dash panels etc. I only seem to get better and find things to improve each time I do it. - My dream path forward would be to pull the box now, put the interior back in and make the car operable while I work on repairing the heater. I understand that sounds highly unorthodox but I really try to keep the "rolling" in rolling restoration. All suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks y'all. I spent the day investigating and indeed, I was able to pull a wee bit of open cell foam gasket from around the heater box in the cowl. That definitely seems like the culprit. Luckily the pans only have a surface rust and are very solid - so nothing to worry about. I will get the heater out in the near future, rebuild and reinstall with proper butyl tape.

@TobyB Actually I've seen quite a bit posted about leaky heater cores and floor drain plugs but not cowl drains. However, you might be on to something.

Have a gander at the rust I uncovered below the carpet. I've read just about every article on FAQ regarding this common discovery. I would like a group opinion: do you think this was a leaky heater core, leaky floor pan drain, both, neither? - Note the small trail of rust coming from under dash into pedal box. Btw - the pedal box has almost no rust in it. - My car hasn't seen rain in ages - The heat has been stuck on a low warm draft for ages and I drive this car 2-3 hours a week. The rust trail certainly doesn't seem recent/wet. I don't want to put in new carpet until I know what I am dealing with. All forensic guesses and subsequent next step suggestions welcomed. p.s. dry ice covering rear floor pan drains (zero rust in the rear / fun and effective project).

Interesting that you believe I can make some tacks on the interior that won’t blemish the exterior paint. What gauge/profile steel do you think would be suitable for this beam? Actually something just came to mind. The diameter of the holes in the door skin that accept plastic belt trim clips are smaller than stock. Stock clips won’t fit. I think I’ve seen after market doors that do not come with holes. Therefore, I’m going w, I have aftermarket doors. And thanks for broader context - it’s always helpful.

So in summary, considering I don't care to paint my car right now, tack welding a beam on to the interior of my door panel is not a great option as it will surely blemish my already crappy paint. I do plan to paint in the future and will re evaluate my door at that time. I could "temporarily" adhese a beam to the skin with epoxy, etc. Being careful not to make a continuous connection so that water can make its way down and out. I don't love this kind of fix so.. Therefore, I think I will start with nothing more than sound deadening and see what that offers in the way of rigidity. While not my dream fix it might do for now and when I repaint, maybe I concoct a clever way to weld a beam that also lets water flow down. One last thing for what it's worth - in reading this thread I realize that it is important to use single vertical strips of sound deadening, thus avoiding any horizontal seams where water can get between the SD panels. Will post pics and results - good or bad - when complete.

@JsnPpp any chance for a pic?

Excellent feedback gents. It is a '76 and I thought that when I pulled the door card I would surely find some sort of beam stiffener. But alas, nothing. Definitely a replacement of some sort. Yes, the plastic acella cloth was in place and as you can imagine, very old and brittle. I will be replacing it once I figure out what to do with the "oil canning" panel (learned a new term this morning and already throwing it around liberally). With winter around the corner I think I'll throw on some deadening, adhese some new acella cloth and close her up for the rainy season. Can evaluate the outcome between now and spring time.

My 2002 was acquired this year (2023) and I have always noticed a knock/clunk when closing the driver's door. I am also aware that the driver's side has had a fair bit of body work done over the years. Turns out the knock/clunk is the door panel reverberating upon impact. Check out this video of how just how thin and 'unstructured' the panel is. First: Is it a good bet that this is a replacement door skin and either a cheap one or just one that was poorly installed? Second: Does anyone have a clever idea for a fix that doesn't require a door tear down? I'm thinking of ways to reinforce the skin from the inside. I can weld but matching the shape of the door with a metal sheet sounds fairly complicated in and of itself. One thing of mention: I had the passenger door card off recently, refurbishing the window mechanism, and noticed some sort of - what was once - semi-flexible sheet material applied to the inside of the door panel (see pic below). Almost like sound proofing. It had been painted at some point (the other door might be a replacement too). Wondering if something like this would be enough to stabilize the weak driver's panel. All feedback/ideas welcomed.

Five-out-of-five stars for this project. If you have a paper clip in your Hazard switch like I did - just make a little time (<1 hour np) and perform this fix. It's easy and a lot of fun. Keep that old part working - don't replace with a new part unless you have to. I used a single, much smaller screwdriver (eye glasses screwdriver) than the ones in the pics earlier in this thread. And as I separated the male clip from it's female square, I inserted little segments of a paper clip that I pre-cut. After mostly making my way around (not all of the clips had to be separated) the switch came open. Nothing dramatic, no springs popping out, nothing to worry about. Bent the tang per the entries above (doesn't take much), put some grease in the channel and boom: 47 year old fully functional Hazard switch. I am always really happy when I get to keep an original part on the car.

@Rich Oh no! So, I certainly posted the abridged story of my odometer fix. Everyone knows, but no one wants to hear the iterative desperation these projects can require. Even if you’ve resolved your issue my less abridged story below may help. I also had to remove my newly vice pressed pin from the assembly - three times. I won’t go into why (but once bc of misaligned numbers). Each time was more harrowing. So first and foremost, I would secure the numbers. Some videos on YouTube recommend scotch tape and it worked for me. I repeatedly removed the shaft by prying under the sprocket with a very small flathead screwdriver. And not just the sprocket but the base of the sprocket that keeps the actual sprocket from touching the assembly. First, by simply rotating the flat head (not truly prying) and then using progressively larger flatheads. The tricky part was stopping at just the right spot so as to switch to the nail and pushing by hand. And, I know it’s too late but a vice is preferred to pliars for any number of reasons - the most important is less chance of catastrophic failure. Best of luck. Let me know how it goes.

Great project. Lots of fun. Thanks for the write up and subsequent comments everyone. A piece of tape on the numbers will help keep them in line throughout the process. It can be very frustrating to try and get the numbers realigned should they move. Tough lesson. 🙂 I should mention that just about every connection from the Speedo to the failed friction fit needed attention: degrease/regrease. The friction fit was just the final fix. Definitely don’t need much distortion on the shaft to get a good friction fit. I found pressing the shaft with a vice to be a much safer method of reassembly. I could push the temporary nail out and the permanent shaft back to where the friction fit was firm but no further (not sticking back out the other side). The vice inserted the shaft just that last little bit… slowly and safely. Test on drill. Be sure to clean up the speedo window while you’re in there. It looks great. Highly recommended project.

This step by step is quite helpful except that it glosses over how to get the screw from under the chrome clip on the armrest. Can anyone clarify how the chrome clip is moved/removed to access this third screw? would rather not “experiment”.