re: GTV-6 heater valve

[dsedon@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

hi jason, 

here's a cut-n-paste from a private email i yust sent out yesterday re: gtwe6 heater control walves... ;~)  i wouldn't do it to save costs, but if ya find the new ones leak yust as bad as the old ones, like i did, then go for it!

<<<well, the 79-81 mazda 626 heater walve can be made to work w/o *too* much difficulty, but i'd only recommend it if it's still difficult to locate a new alfa walve that doesn't leak.  ;~)  when i needed a new walve, the brand-new unit leaked yust as bad as the one it replaced, so i tried to find something else.   a few pointers - 

the holes for the nuts/bolts dont align perfectly; i drilled 'em out a hair to make everything line up properly.  

and, the flow hole isn't gasketed like the alfa part, so i used rtv copper to ensure a leakproof union.  

then, there't the issue w/the water inlet/outlets.  one is located differently - i can't remember for sure, but i tink it's down instead of straight back; anyway, it was easily remedied w/a piece of copper tubing i bent w/a bending tool.  an extra piece of hose & some hose clamps & yure in biz here.   

then the control wire needs to be cut to make the connection to the walve, as this is also a bit different from the stocker.  when finished here, you will have full-open when the dash indicates only half open.  (and, of course, ya lose that slightly-fluctuating open/close feature of the stock walve.   

then, there's the issue of the tropicaire.  ya have to fabricate something to relocate the relay switch about 3/4" off the center console, & bend the tang on the switch so it is operated by the opening/closing of the walve.  it's really not that difficult, ya yust have to look at how the walve works, & look at how the relay switch works, & you'll see how it can be done.   i used some heavy-duty double-stick tape to mount a li'l wood block to the console, & the relay switch to the block.

the mazda walve only lasted two years, then it started leaking internally - all this means is there's hot hoh in the heater core - it does *not* leak into the car!  :>)  i haven't bothered to replace it, tho i'm sure another walve will now drop right in...   instead, i yust stuck a shut-off walve in the heater hose line under the hood, so i get good cold air when i need a/c...

hth,

doug s.


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