My heater control lever goes from cold to full hot within about 3 mm of lever movement. I've considered a better setup also. Maybe a ball valve with a cable (like a throttle or choke cable) run to the control lever.

Really, the whole vacuum-operated AC control system could probably be removed and replaced with a simple set of cables. None of the settings really blow the right air at the right temperature to the right places. I spend about as much time adjusting the AC controls while driving as I do shifting gears.

I've got a non-A/C system now, and one of the things that I DO like about it is that there's no vacuum control of anything... It's all cables. Still not a great system, but at least I don't have to deal with vacuum actuators and a bundle of old cracking vacuum hoses.

At this point, fiddling to keep the temp right would be a huge improvement for me. My heat is always full on. I bought the car last winter, and it wasn't much of a problem then, but now that it's summer, it's a problem!

My top priority right now is to get some sort of cable actuated valve in there, and beyond that I'm imagining improvements to the original system. Just not right now.

If I come up with a valve substitution, I'll be sure to let you know.

Probably just sand stuck in the valve... looks shiny though

If you guys want to replace your HCV with something a bit more modern and perhaps more controllable, Vintage Air sells their servo controlled valve as a separate item.

http://vintageair.com/catalog11/pg74wc.pdf

There is also some other cool stuff on that page.

Edited June 20, 201212 yr by zKars

Thanks Jim. I was thinking about a servo controlled valve in the future and that kit looks like it would be a very simple install. Neat stuff. But for now, I just want to drive the darn thing before it starts snowing again! Would you believe this heater project started with tension/compression rod bushings?

And Blue, I know you're only half kidding because you know the story. The valve itself wasn't blasted on the outside (like so many other parts), but I wonder what has worked it's way to the interior through coolant circulation.

Good old toyota valve worked fine back in the day.

Can't get any simpler.

Exactly. In fact, I was eyeing up the one on my daily driver, and it looks very similar to the Toyota one you just posted.

I was going to go to a junkyard today and poke around to see if I couldn't find something that looked like it would be an easy mount, but it was just too darn hot. I figure I can wait a day or two more.

And.... As an added bonus, I believe the one on my DD uses a servo to move the valve, so I might be able to kill two birds with one trip to the yard. Once it's a little cooler.

On my old toyota's, the valve was often high on the firewall in the engine compartment.

Happy Hunting.

Happy Hunting.

Hunt over.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread46899.html

Thanks for the creativity spark!!