Heater Core

[Bill4Sue]

Any suggestions on how to bypass my heater core for the time being until I can fix it, really blows hot air into the cab and makes it uncomfortable in the summer, 62 Electra with a 1960 401. Thanks in advance

[bob k. mando]

uh, get a piece of hose long enough to loop the heater circuit back within the engine compartment?

you're going to have two nipples in the cooling system that have hoses going to the firewall. one of these is the hot water source and the other is the return. which is which makes no never mind. you'll need to take at least one of the hoses off completely. then there's a good chance that the other hose is long enough that you can simply loop it back to the fitting that you've just exposed.


the heater core can't heat if it doesn't have hot water in it.

if you're concerned about bugs / etc getting into the heater core or it's not going to get fixed for a while, loop back the firewall nipples as well.

[bob k. mando]

also, my working assumption for your problem would be that the valve on the drivers side of the firewall is seized up.

but the first thing to do is verify that the coupling between the climate control on the dash and the valve hasn't broken. it is possible that the valve still works ...


http://www.teambuick.com/reference/l...ssis/index.php

[Bill4Sue]

uh, get a piece of hose long enough to loop the heater circuit back within the engine compartment?

you're going to have two nipples in the cooling system that have hoses going to the firewall. one of these is the hot water source and the other is the return. which is which makes no never mind. you'll need to take at least one of the hoses off completely. then there's a good chance that the other hose is long enough that you can simply loop it back to the fitting that you've just exposed.


the heater core can't heat if it doesn't have hot water in it.

if you're concerned about bugs / etc getting into the heater core or it's not going to get fixed for a while, loop back the firewall nipples as well.

thanks mando, seems easy for now to bypass it !

[Bill4Sue]

also, my working assumption for your problem would be that the valve on the drivers side of the firewall is seized up.

but the first thing to do is verify that the coupling between the climate control on the dash and the valve hasn't broken. it is possible that the valve still works ...


http://www.teambuick.com/reference/l...ssis/index.php

I think the issue is in the coupling between the levers and the heater core, not able to adjust the levers all the way up to close them, thanks again

[bob k. mando]

not able to adjust the levers all the way up to close them


this may actually be due to corrosion on the valve butterfly preventing it from seating. that would prevent the levers from being able to work through their full range ... because the valve is physically stopping them when you try to push them over.

regardless, on a car this old it's probably just for the best to replace the valve since you're under the dash anyway. maybe the heater core too. and lube all of your control levers and switches and such.

then it will all be good for another 50 years.