Heater water valve

[johnsimister]

Yet another question from me... as you can guess, I'm at the sort-out-the-details stage as the basics are now close to right (rear Konis and 3.54 diff going in this weekend).

I've fitted a new heater valve. How do you get the thing to turn off without doing it manually under the bonnet? The last bit of movement into the detent requires such force that the outer cable stretches before the valve lever moves that final few degrees. New inner and outer cables too. Is there a way of modifying the valve to make the movement easier? I've tried smoothing off the angles in the slot in which the lever moves, and twisting both sides of the lever to reduce the angle of attack, but though better it's still too stiff at the cold end of the travel.

Maybe it's a 'standard' fault. Various contemporary road tests mention the impossibility of turning the heater right off.

John

[hatman]

No comfort, I know, but mine won't turn off either. It's an annual, early summer adjustment as far as I'm concerned, with a firm push with the end of a screwdriver.

[Frank Howard]

Mine turns off completely. It's just a matter of freeing up the mechanism with a little grease and setting up the cable so it wants to go past the point where it turns off.

[johnsimister]

Mine turns off completely. It's just a matter of freeing up the mechanism with a little grease and setting up the cable so it wants to go past the point where it turns off.

Well, yes, but that's exactly what I've tried. Maybe with a few years' use it will finally concede defeat and work as it should.

John

[gerrym]

John, sorry to be a real pedant, but under "things in common", there's no place for a Plus 2 heater water valve. A bit like the ebay seller who insists that his heater valve also fits the Plus 2....

[msd1107]

But the standard Elan uses a similar valve.

And I had the same problem with mine, including using a screwdriver each springtime. The valve never freed up.

David
1968 36/7988

[elancoupe]

Mine never sticks.... (purists read no further)

I replaced mine with a simple, (Ford truck) inline heater valve more than 25 years ago. It hooks right up to the cable, and has operated perfectly. The only adaptation required was a 90 degree elbow fitted to the head, and a little trim of the heater hose.

The original now resides about an arm's throw away.

[johnsimister]

My car is indeed not a Plus Two. It has the standard valve. Changing it for a better inline one does indeed sound the way to go, and I'll just live with the non-standard appearance. It will go well with the Spyder chassis, Pacet fan and Cambridge Motorsport starter.

Thanks to all for suggestions/commiserations.

John

[robcall]

I bought one of these a while ago intending to fit later on with my restoration

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lotus-TV ... 240%3A1318

whilst not yet fitted the valve certainly moves more freely than the original

[alaric]

They have one for a +2 too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lotus-TR ... 240%3A1318

Where do these things mount?

Sean.

[alan71]

I didn't think the +2 had one.
Also the picture of the Elan one seems to be the wrong way round, (pull to close).

Alan

[alaric]

Hi. My +2 doesn't. I don't know about all versions - I just noticed they mentioned one for the +2 and that got me interested.

All the best.

Sean.

[bcmc33]

I believe the seller has the wrong pictures loaded. I cannot vouch for the +2 variant, but the one that says it is not suitable for the Elan is a push to close - and therefore, is the correct Elan part.

For people thinking of buying from this seller must get confirmation of the pull or push closure before parting with money.

[robcall]

well-i had to go and pull the valve out from my spares boxes for a look-see.

You guys are quite correct-the "elan" valve is a pull to close valve and as such unsuitable.
I will email the seller about this

well spotted guys-I could well have fitted this later on without thinking it through

[dogmotor]

I'm thinking of replacing the stock HCV with an inline. Does anyone have a specific reference for an elbow fitting? It's got to be 3/8" BSPT, correct? I can't seem to find an elbow fitting with BSPT on one side, and 1/2" (?) hose on the other.

Thanks in advance,

- Mark