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Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2020 7:30 pm
by anchored
So as we all know the heater control valve for these cars is absolute garbage and the replacements and rebuild kits are way worse.

There was some talk on the e28 group about using the e46 one so I gave it a shot but did it the cheap way!

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Shopping
Went to a Pull a Part junk yard and bought the following:

- Entrance fee ($2)

- e46 Heater control Valve ($6)
Make sure you get the connecter and like 6in of wiring.

- e46 Heater control valve bracket. ($1)
I just used an electric hacksaw and cut it off.

- e39 Heater hose ($1)
I got this because it had a right angle bend In it and thought it would work, you might need to mix and match stuff to get a good connection. There is probably a better hose to replace the original one but I put very little effort into this.

(total $10)

Went to an auto part store and got a 3/4 in Straight hose connector and some hose clamps ($6)

(Final Total $16)


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The install


1. Took the bracket. hammered the tab flat and drilled a hole on the old mounting tab to match the existing holes and painted it black.
Image


2. Test fit
Image


3. Added a self tapper on the top to hold better. Sealed the screw to prevent rust
Image


4. Connect up the hoses.
The e46 HCV is backwards flow from the E24 so the sideways hose now goes on the bottom barb and the vertical hose now connects to the top barb.

You will need to do some work to make the vertical hose connect to the top barb. I am not totally happy with my set up using the e39 hose but it does work and it was cheap. an elbow connector might be better to prevent strain on the hose.

Image


5. Connect wires as shown (Red -> Green/black) ... (Yellow -> Green/Brown)
Image

Enjoy!!!
(I have backed this page up on archive.org if the photos were ever to go down)
https://web.archive.org/web/20200801193 ... 9&p=227538

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:52 pm
by northNH
Thanks for posting; I picked up an E46 heater valve from my local yard (off a car that should never have been parted) and plan to install as you outline.

To simplify hose connections, any reason you can think of that the valve can’t be mounted without regard to orientation I.e. mounted rotated 90°CCW?

As the operation/flow of the valve does not depend on gravity, shouldn’t matter, no?

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:56 am
by anchored
As far as I can tell it should not matter what direction it's facing. I only mounted it that way so I could use the original mount.

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2020 7:59 pm
by northNH
Done, pretty much as you described, using the E46 bracket.
Works as well as my E24 one did when it used to work right.

For the hose to the heater core (the lower one that needs significant re-routing) I rooted around a bit amongst my various parts cars to find an easy-to-fit preformed section.

The hose that connects the radiator to it’s overflow tank on virtually any 240 Volvo has just the right formed right angle to make easy work of connecting to the upper port of the valve; for the bottom hose-to-hose connection I cut the Volvo hose to length and then used a clamped 3/4” nylon connector to join it’s lower end to the heater core hose.
Nice and tidy...

Much obliged. and best regards.
BTW, news on the transistor front?
.

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 6:54 pm
by anchored
Transistor arrived and I got myself another junk yard blower. this one is in great shape with no play in the axle but it is a bit tight. Going to oil it and install and see what happens this week.

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 9:41 pm
by northNH
anchored wrote: Sun Aug 16, 2020 6:54 pm Transistor arrived...see what happens this week.
Which one?
How many?

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 2:53 pm
by anchored
I got two of the 2N5302.

I still have one left the 2n3771 so I am going to try to clean & tighten the contacts first and use that.

Re: Heater Control Valve - ($16 fix)

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2020 8:31 pm
by Doctorbeer
I did this exact thing to my E24. It's a easy setup and better than buying those crappy MTC kits. Though I am not lucky enough to find a bracket for it, mine is being held on by zip ties.

For the hoses, I ended up ordering some U hoses and barb fittings.