heater core valve problem-adjustment

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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tiaf124

heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by tiaf124 »

Last weekend i changed a small gasket in the water-pump.It is the small rhomb gasket where the outlet tube from the heater mounts to the water pump. I had to to detach the outlet pipe too to copy the gasket pattern .After the re-install i noticed that there was no hot air coming from the heater at all. I checked the inlet water pipe that comes from the cylinder head through the firewall to the heater and it was pretty warm .But a few inches f the whole heating system from the heater valve and forward was cold.
My first thought was that probably the valve was clogged. Before the gasket re-install my heating system was working (not with great perfomance but working ).
The maintenance book informes that it could happen due to air-lock in the radiator system too.
I tried to dissengeage the wire from the lever around the heater valve .
My question is :
1) How the wire should it move to open fully the valve , does it work clockwise as the green arrow in my attached photo shows or am i wrong ???
Image
2)There is a screw right in the bottom of the valve how can i adjust the valve from that screw ?
Do you think that i might be needing to unblock the air too?
Thanks
bobplyler
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 823
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:58 pm
Your car is a: 1979 spider 2000
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by bobplyler »

Did you get the air out of the cooling system.
1979 Fiat Spider (since new)
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
tiaf124

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by tiaf124 »

Is it possible to get the air out of the system myself or should i go to a garage to do so ?
joelbert2k

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by joelbert2k »

Very easy to do yourself. Just takes a little time.
Check this thread and the link in the first reply.
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5578
tiaf124

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by tiaf124 »

joelbert2k wrote:Very easy to do yourself. Just takes a little time.
Check this thread and the link in the first reply.
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5578
Thank you... i think i can do it .
Today i noticed that the wire that turns the lever around the valve , is bending rather moving the lever .I assume it should turn the lever from left to the right to fully open the valve ...or not.
Any ideas about the bottom screw in the heater valve ,can i adjust the heater performance from that screw ?
ventura ace

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by ventura ace »

The bottom screw merely attacheds the lever to the valve. It should be tight. The lever needs to turn as you move the heater control knob through its range of motion. If it is not turning, you need to adjust or replace the cable or the valve, whichever you find to be the problem.

Alvon
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azruss
Posts: 3659
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by azruss »

the screw on the heater should have a conduit style clamp to hold the cable sheath. If this isnt connected or tight, it wont move the heater control. If you have it all exposed, you may want to open the valve by hand to make sure it isnt stuck.
Bleeding the coolant in a spider is kind of a black art...not as simple as filling the radiator and calling it good. The radiator filler should be the high point on the motor. this usually requires parking on a slope or jacking up the front of the car. a lot of hose massaging is required. I usually run the motor without the cap with the front end raised. I keep topping it up as the level falls until it is stable.
GChuk

Re: heater core valve problem-adjustment

Post by GChuk »

Hi Tiaf124!

I think I'm having the same problem... Were you able to get your heater back working?
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