62 Deluxe Heater w/Valve on heater core questions.

[DakotaKid]

is there a replacement Heater Core available with this Valve?

All the valve does is shut off water flow Correct?

what are the options for retaining this setup if the core/valve is bad?

[DakotaKid]

nother pic

[1963c-10]

Contact this guy. He rebuilds the original Ranco heater control valves, only guy in the country I know of that does. NOS and some aftermarkets do pop up from time to time, but they are tough to find.

Link: http://heatercontrolvalve.com/

[DakotaKid]

what exactly does the Valve do? dosent allow it to open untill there is temp or what? im not sure what it is acctually supposed to accomplish

[1963c-10]

The heater core valve allows coolant to flow into the heater core to produce heat. A heater core valve is located in the feed line of the heater core and opens and closes to control the flow of fluid coming from the vehicle's engine. When the heater is not in use, the valve remains closed to prevent hot fluid from reaching the heater core and heating the vehicle's interior. When the heater is switched on, the valve opens and allows hot liquid into the heater core, which in turn warms the vehicle as the heater blower forces air through the heater core and into the passenger compartment.

[DakotaKid]

well yea, i got that much, but there is a cable operation on it, so why is it cable AND temperature controlled?

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by DakotaKid

well yea, i got that much, but there is a cable operation on it, so why is it cable AND temperature controlled?

I don't know. I'm no expert on them, just had dealings with the same valve in my 63. The man who owns the repair shop listed above should be able to answer that question for you.

[DakotaKid]

yep i already sent it to him =)

[63 Rat]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

The heater core valve allows coolant to flow into the heater core to produce heat. A heater core valve is located in the feed line of the heater core and opens and closes to control the flow of fluid coming from the vehicle's engine. When the heater is not in use, the valve remains closed to prevent hot fluid from reaching the heater core and heating the vehicle's interior. When the heater is switched on, the valve opens and allows hot liquid into the heater core, which in turn warms the vehicle as the heater blower forces air through the heater core and into the passenger compartment.

Excellent description and very helpful. Thank you.

[Sponge]

I recently faced the same situation as you on my 62 GMC....
I did not know there was a guy able to rebuild those valves but I did the following:

- I purchase part number 3005388 ($119.99) from Classic Industries.
- I had it modified (only one hose) to almost perfectly fit my heater box with very little grinding.
- I added a manual heater valve to reduce/close the flow in summer time

On the left, original and right new modified

[Sponge]

I forgot to say, keep in mind the heater valve must be rebuilt but what about the heater core itself which is maybe clogged....

Look at mine:

[63 Rat]

Thank you. So did you just put an inline manual valve to open and close it? Does having it constantly on add for more wear to the core? I was looking at LMC trucks website and they have a diagram showing the deluxe heater core but with two pipes coming out. I'm wondering how it was configured on that setup or on the 64? I have scoured online (which is how I found this forum) and I can see pictures of the box from the outside on 64 and it looks like the cable went to a pin on the outside? Don't know what valve it used or where exactly it was inside the box. Trying to make sense of it because the tubes on the one at LMC look like they would just come out of the box? Anyway, it would be great to use the original. I rigged up my own tester with some plumbing parts from Home Depot and the core is leaking but other than that it is very clean. The valve seems to be fine (luckily). I'm considering having a local radiator shop just take the end tanks off and re-use them since they seem to be fine and have them put a new core in. I have found one or two places that have a similar core but they run $2-300 and can't definitely match the part number with the original so I'm not sure they would even work although they look very close. Waiting to hopefully hear from 1963c-10 to see how he ended up doing his modification. I like yours too. Wow, your original was pretty clogged up. When I ran th hose mine came out clear almost immediately so I have hope it can be re-built.

[63 Rat]

OK, so I found these pictures and can see the lever but I don't understand what that opened or closed to activate the core? By 64 did the core just stay on all the time and the lever opened a duct door or trip some other thermostatic switch? And if I did a manual inline valve can a heater core get too hot running all the time that it would cause it to fail or leak?

[63 Rat]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

The heater core valve allows coolant to flow into the heater core to produce heat. A heater core valve is located in the feed line of the heater core and opens and closes to control the flow of fluid coming from the vehicle's engine. When the heater is not in use, the valve remains closed to prevent hot fluid from reaching the heater core and heating the vehicle's interior. When the heater is switched on, the valve opens and allows hot liquid into the heater core, which in turn warms the vehicle as the heater blower forces air through the heater core and into the passenger compartment.

Do you know anything about the thermostatic valve pictured here and the one you removed? I was trying to read about their function and besides just turning the core on and off it seems what I've read about this particular one is that the reason it has the thermostat wire coil attached to the valve that mounts to a clip on the core is that perhaps if the core got too hot it would either partially or fully shut the valve to keep from having overheating problems with the core? Any thoughts, knowledge on that and/or how that changed in 64 and later? Thanks.

[ClemSmith]

My 1964 c10 heater is like the 63Rat photos...basic heater, no heater control valve.

Ranco type heater control valves were used on many vehicles 1930's-1960s and regulate water flow to core by temperature.

I found same rebuild guy helpful. First found him through Desoto Owners Club.

NAPA Auto part number BK660-1000 is a simple $5 rebuild kit with the rubber diaphragm and spring that are the usual suspects.

I've rebuild several for my 1940-50s cars and 1966-67 Volvos using this kit. Be very careful when disassembling valve as the brass ears that hold it together are fragile.

[63 Rat]

When you say basic heater, no control valve, can you explain what that means? Did the heater core just stay active all the time or...? Thanks.

[jtrichard]

YES core is "on" all the time 64 and later cable only controls the AIR flow

look here

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=621667

[ClemSmith]

Yeah, what he said. Basic heater...It puts out heat all the time, you simple adjust air flow and fan speed. I assume this is actually called "Thrift Air Heater".

There is NO heater control valve on this model. Hot water constantly flows from water pump to and through heater core and back to intake manifold, or is it the other way flow? (V8). No regulation for temperature.

Deluxe Heater has Ranco type "Temperature Control Valve". The valve partially opens and shuts diaphragm flow to core by setting thermostat inside cab.

So...I simply installed 1/2" NPT toilet water valve in the 3/4" hose line at water pump. You have to open hood and open/close valve to regulate temp.

Hasn't leaked or been a problem for years. On for winter...off for spring.

Cores seem to go bad by getting clogged with gunk/rust, forcing flow to soldered joints and start leaking there.

[jtrichard]

60 to 63 the following is true "Deluxe Heater has Ranco type "Temperature Control Valve". The valve partially opens and shuts diaphragm flow to core by setting thermostat inside cab." ...60/63 thrift was the "in the cab heater"

NOT 64/66 ....."thrift" is smaller core and fan.. Deluxe is large core and bigger fan and motor both on the outside of the firewall

[63 Rat]

OK thank you so much. That solves it.
So, on the 64 did the cable just go to the heater box to open a vent? And ClemSmith, when you say you installed 1/2" NPT toilet water valve in the 3/4" hose line at water pump. Why in the 3/4 line? Isn't the intake line to the core 5/8 or do I have my wires crossed? I haven't re-hooked anything yet because the original owner had it disconnected. I thought the 5/8 went to the valve or intake of the core and the 3/4 was the tube coming back out sending fluid back to the engine? Can you clarify for me if that is wrong or correct and why you had your valve in the 3/4? Thanks again. BTW, jtrichard, thanks for the link to Frizzle Fry's work. That also helped a lot. I think I'm going to try to rebuild mine as it is originally even if it takes some time to do. As I said, I'm pretty sure my valve works so that's good news and there is a core with the same exact dimensions as mine so I think I'll take 1963c-10's advice and have a radiator shop take the tanks off my original and put them onto the new core.

[ClemSmith]

Yep, you are correct, I was incorrect....but learning.
Factory Assembly Instructions Manual page 150 shows:

The 5/8" hose is " heater inlet to intake manifold"
The 3/4" hose is "Heater output to water pump"

I put a 1/2" NPT toilet shut off valve and 1/2 x 1/2 NPT nipple in the return line at the water pump because...that's what I had laying about and it fit.

More correct would be stop inflow to core.

Perhaps I'll have core pressure issues, eh?

[63 Rat]

Thanks for clarifying. Glad I haven't hooked it all up yet. Do you have the manual when you refer to pg. 150 or is there a link to it online?

[ClemSmith]

I expect someone here can link you to manuals online.

I know reproductions are available from usual parts vendors, Amazon, ebay etc. They contain some info, I use them mostly for great drawings/photos of how things went together.

For these C10 trucks I have originals of 1960-1966 Chev/GMC Truck Factory Assembly Instruction Manual, 1963 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual and 1964 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual Supplement. I have three shelves of original old car manuals collected over the years....then I find the cars to go with them.

[Kenfuzed]

I thought I had read somewhere that certain intake manifolds do not have a bypass so coolant needs to flow to/from the heater core full time, unless adding a bypass that is used when shutting off flow to the core. I've seen later models use a vacuum actuated valve that diverts flow back through a "H" hose bypass when the heater is off.

[ClemSmith]

Thanks, that would help to know. I'm running an Edelbrock 2101 intake manifold.

On several old cars I made a simple core bypass U from 1/2" copper pipe and elbows soldered together...remove heater hoses at core, install bypass U, hook back up for winter.

Winters are cold, but short here. 4" snow today.