Yesterday I installed a regular plumbing valve to the in line to the front
heater core.

 I took the hose into the hardware store and just found the best fit, they
did not have the 3/8 barbs for the end. The best fit was a regular
1/2" not ball valve, unfortunately. there was not alot of nub to get the
hose on and I had to force the hose on, but it went on tight so I went with
it.

  At first I chose to take out a strait splicer that was in the out line
hose, it seemed it would be easier to work on than replacing the valve that
was further up the other hose. However I found out that this old hose that
had hose clamps crimped on it for years was not going to give to the 1/2
valve.  I would need to cut right into some fresh hose to install this. I
had some reservations about this and started to think that my van is not
plumbing in a house and maybe I should just do this right. But at this point
I was soaked with antifreeze and determined to do something about this heat
problem. So I cut into my good hose before the bad valve
and installed the plumbing valve.

  Well it worked, I cranked on the hose clamps to be sure they stayed.  My
temp gauge finally sat right in the middle, I must have a pin hole leak in
the heater core. Maybe I will get a real vanagon valve when I replace the
heater core.
 For now, the the van is running cooler, and the cab is cooler, although the
area near the shifter is hot, must be heat from the rad ?

   I was mostly frustrated that the valve went bad that I had replaced not
that long ago.

Brian
87 vanagon "Nietzsche"
on the east coast
 riding out the heat wave, whehhh