Dave, just replace the OEM heater valve or have it replaced.

End of problem...

Jake

On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 10:40 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:

> I appreciate all the responses concerning the heater.  It is somewhat of an
> ordeal to drive in the heat of the SW with the heater running.  Closing the
> vents doesn't keep absolutely all the hot air out.
>
> So, I took out the cover below the heater controls and in front of the
> shifter.  Lots of wires, pipes, and presumably cables running through there,
> along with heater hoses.  Good access point, thanks for the tip.  Now, I
> can't tell which conduits in there are cables.  No cables are visible,
> everything is inside conduits of some sort.  Most of the things are
> electrical wires, some look like they convey fluids (two small metal pipes
> that might be brake fluid related?) in addition to the coolant hoses.  I can
> barely see the slider that controls the coolant valve for the heater, and
> when I operate it, I can't see anything move except the slider itself.  I
> cannot see what it is connected to.  I squeezed each conduit that I could
> squeeze with my fingers while operating the slider, and could find nothing
> that moved that way, either.
>
> Could it be that a kink in the cable is unlikely, that in my model ('91) VW
> had fixed that problem by putting the cable inside conduit so that it would
> run smoothly?  Which is more likely, that the cable is broken, or that the
> valve is bad.  I am not contortionist enough to reach where the cable would
> connect to the slider and reattach it if it is broken there.
>
> So, what that is in there is or contains the cable to the heater valve?
>
> I did see that this would be a good access point to put clamps on the hoses
> so that the coolant would be shut off, or to put in an auxiliary valve.  The
> problem with the auxiliary valve installation is that one would have to get
> down in there to turn the heater on or off.  In this climate, one does not
> always want heat even in winter (or at least I don't, since I am almost
> always embarked on some outdoor sort of activity and dressed appropriately
> when I drive the van in winter).  But I suppose in winter one could leave
> the heater on, and just use the vent control to keep the hot air from
> flowing in -- that wouldn't be the same problem it is when the outside
> temperature is 100 F +, and ANY warm air intruding is problematic.
>
> Thanks, David
>
> ---- george jannini <georgejoann@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> > Re, heat control...
> >
> >  >> 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. <<
> >
> >   This is pretty easy to diagnose by yourself.
> >
> >   You might have a kinked cable, happened to me way back when, and is
> > fairly easy to access by yourself from underneath the dash.  Remove
> > the cover that's in front of the shifter (fingers into the
> > grilles...pull) for access.
> >
> >  The heater valve itself is underneath the bus- drop the spare tire
> > and it's easy to spot.  Make sure it's closed all the way.  If it is
> > and you still have heat, and assuming the cable's adjusted properly
> > and not kinked it'll need to be replaced.
> >
> > Geo/ATL
>
> --
> David McNeely
>

--
Jake

1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27