> Do you know if the metal ball valve types are any easier to actuate??
> The vlave on my van is really stiff, and difficult, especially in winter.

Well, they're easier in the sense that they're not controlled remotely
by a cable, but by you grabbing a metal handle and turning it 90
degrees; but they're also harder in that the most accessable place you
can usually splice them is inline with the heater hose coming up out
of the floor, meaning you have to pull off the footwell heat deflector
thingy to get at 'em. The general idea behind a second, more reliable
valve is the observation that the factory valves develop trouble
shutting all the way, but are still fine for adjusting the flow rate
up and down. The plumbing valve is installed to act as simply a
dependable shutoff valve you turn off in spring and turn back on in
fall.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"