Dave,

There's a heater valve for sale on thesamba dot com

www.thesamba dot com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=205238

that is pretty easy to install.  You only have to remove the cowling that's
below the dash and is snapped into place -- no screws -- unsnap the cowling
on both sides and slide it out.

 The stock vanagon valve often doesn't work very well.  The Vanagon heater
valve is in the hose in tunnel underneath the van - you get at it from the
bottom of the van.  I don't think it requires taking out the dash but it's
in a spot that isn't all that easy to get at.

Also you can get hose clamps at Sears - they're red plastic and look like
scissors except they don't have sharp edges and have a sliding ring to keep
them closed.  You can pinch off the flow of coolant with the hose clamps.  I
keep some in my van just in case.

Werner

On Tue, 3 Aug 2010 15:32:37 -0500, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:

>I just returned to Edmond, OK from a drive to Spokane, Washington and
Glacier National Park in my 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile .  ...

However, when we started home we briefly put the heater on to warm the
chilly vehicle (temperature in the forties F).  Mistake.  It now won't turn
off, so we had to shut the heater vents for the entire trip home.  Any
simple fixes?  No, of course not.  The valve is stuck open, and can only be
gotten to by removing the dash.  I probably won't tackle this job myself,
and so will pay considerably for it.
>
>--
>David McNeely