| Author |
Message |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 913
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 11:02 pm: | |
It is really no big deal, Andy. Again, you are disabling the heater circuit everytime you shove the lever all the way foward. This (supposedly)completely stops the water from circulating into the heater core. That's it. All I will be doing is pulling the hoses loose from the open/close valve and closing them up externally. Same thing the heater control valve does, just better.
If your valve is not leaky and you drive around all summer with your lever all the way foward in the "cold" area, you have effectively done the same thing I will be doing.
Another thing, I do not believe this will stop the hot cabin thing completely. It is just the first part of my two step plan. The other is to fabricate a barrier BELOW the spare tire well to direct hot air that is blown thru the radiator out towards the front wheels and not straight to our feet. I'll post pics when I am done. |
Andy Falsetta (Tuttebenne)
New member
Username: Tuttebenne
Post Number: 2
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 7:45 pm: | |
I agree with Hans. My 308 isn't uncomfortable in the summer but the heater controls are very sensitive. The valve(s) is most likely letting water pass through. What does a replacement valve cost? Disabling the heating circuit is a drastic move. |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 910
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 6:41 pm: | |
OK, maybe I'm back to my big fat bolt and hose clamp idea. |
Paul Wehmer (Pwehmer)
Junior Member
Username: Pwehmer
Post Number: 112
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 4:49 pm: | |
There is a problem with using a copper or brass components in your cooling system. Corrosion. By running a copper part with an aluminum engine we create a battery effect. This galvanic action will corrode the aluminum faster than the copper. Once it begins the aluminum will be releasing ions into the water.
This same action occurs in cars with iron blocks and copper radiators. Some manufacturers placed a sacrificial anode in the system to protect the radiator and engine blocks. They usually made this anode from zinc. So why not add a chunk of zinc to the system to protect the cylinder? Zinc is actually nobler than aluminum and would therefore cause the aluminum to corrode faster. While there are a few metals that are less noble than aluminum, most of them (like sodium, potassium, and lithium) react quite violently with water. The only one that could possibly be used would be magnesium. However, when hot water is passed over magnesium it releases hydrogen gas. So using magnesium is probably not a good idea for our use.
You can use the copper parts- but the inhibitors in your cooling system need to be 100% all the time. If you're going to do this I would use stainless steel parts rather then brass or copper since it would be safer.
OK- that's your science lesson for today- back to your regular programming....
|
Ben Millermon (Brainsboy)
Junior Member
Username: Brainsboy
Post Number: 161
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 1:02 pm: | |
Verell, have you actualy done the brass ball conversion? I think I better call it the brass valve conversion... Anyhow I like your idea, just wondering if you have done it and how it worked out for you. |
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member
Username: 4re_gt4
Post Number: 1001
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:50 pm: | |
I'd definitely check to see if the cable is indeed closing the water valves. In using my heater during this last winter, I found that you get hot air by just moving the dash control maybe 1/4" - or even less. |
Ben Millermon (Brainsboy)
Junior Member
Username: Brainsboy
Post Number: 160
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 9:44 am: | |
I was wondering before if the valves in my car leaked also. Living in Florida with 94 degrees outside and having the heat come out of the dash feels like 120 |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 902
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 7:14 am: | |
Bill - you block off the heater hoses each time you switch the temp control to fully cold. I think there is some hot water leaking past the valve so I am planning on clamping it off completely so I know none is going to sneak by. That's all. |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 901
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 7:11 am: | |
Hans - that is EXACTLY what I am referring to. I believe mine is leaking a little. I have checked to see if they are fully closed from the "outside"
already. |
Bill V (Doc)
Member
Username: Doc
Post Number: 258
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 6:54 am: | |
I'm intrigued by this idea. Can someone point out exactly where one would clamp off the heater hoses on an '85 QV ? I guess this next Q exposes my lack of mechanical knowledge, but I thought that blocking off any part of the cooling system would cause problems. According to what is being said in this thread, it seems that the heater hoses are independent of the general cooling system (?)
Can someone explain? I'd love to do something to lower that temp in the cockpit--it can be pretty oppressive in the summer months. |
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member
Username: 4re_gt4
Post Number: 1000
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 12:17 am: | |
I'm a bit confused. Is the water system significantly different on a GTB/S than on a GT4? My vent temp is ambient winter or summer. I'm wondering if you guys are experiencing some seepage in the water control valves to the heater cores. I'm lucky in that my valves appear to be fully functional. |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 899
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 11:10 pm: | |
Thanks for the tip, Verell. Sounds like a very good way to go. |
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member
Username: Verell
Post Number: 630
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 10:10 pm: | |
Tommy,
Get a pair of brass ball valves & sweat pipe-hose nipples on the ends from Home Depot or TruValue.
Cut hoses, insert & clamp w/hose clamps. Maybe cut down the valve handles. Should make a fairly clean installation, do the job & last forever. |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 877
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 9:47 pm: | |
I do not think the 308's have this, at least not the 4V's. My cutoff switch is going to be a couple of big bolts and hose clamps. |
pete gorrell (Rufus)
New member
Username: Rufus
Post Number: 33
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 8:20 pm: | |
In one of my earlier Ferraris there was a tap in the heater hose to shut off the hot water feed to the heater during the summer (actually part of the annual service menu). If you have a heat problem, it's a good idea. In Canada heat is not a problem...
WPG |
Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member
Username: Vwalfa4re
Post Number: 875
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 8:07 pm: | |
I was thinking about this yesterday. We all know about replacing the foam seal on top of the radiator and on the edge of the spare tire well. this seals off the top but what about the bottom? there is a big bunch of empty space below the spare tire well that leads directly to the firewall in front of the cabin. I think another source is this hot radiator air blowing straight back to us from underneath.
The other is close to what Kelly is talking about. I believe my heater control valves are leaking hot water past when closed. I have had to replace several of these in my VW's over the past 18 years. I checked and mine are adjusted to shut all the way now so a simple adjustment on the cable won't help me.
My plan is to shut off the radiator to the rest of the front of the car by something that can slid down in front of the spare tire area all the way down to the bottom. Then just clamp off my heater hoses until fall. |
John Bicsak (Funshipone)
Junior Member
Username: Funshipone
Post Number: 189
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 7:42 pm: | |
It sure would be nice to get cockpit temp lower in summer that is only thing my wife complains about in my Ferrari 308. I was wondering the two valves you are speaking of are two that control heat? Where is this fork? Would be nice if a drawing could be made to ease explanation. |
Kelly (Tifosi1)
Member
Username: Tifosi1
Post Number: 579
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 7:32 pm: | |
While I got my steering rack out being rebuilt, I've started looking at the plumming under the dash.
I show the HOT Hose line coming from the engine down the drives side. It runs into a fork and then into two valves.
I also show a hose running from the cold side of the front radiator to the front side of the dash.
This is probally the return for the HOT hose coming from the engine.
The plan:
1. Disconnect the HOT hose from the fork.
2. Cut the hose passing over the hot hose coming from the radiator.
3. Get a piece of copper pipe and connect the hot hose to the return.
Thus bypassing all the hoses in the dash.
Propuse:
I've noticed that the vent temp in summer, the car is over 120 degrees. Last weekend, a beautiful day in New Orleans 72 degrees, the vent was 110.
That has got to be coming from all that hose under the dash.
My idea is to bypass it and get a cooler vent temp. Therefore getting a cooler air conditioning temp. I noticed last summer to get 40-50 sometimes 60 degrees at the vent with the air on. If I could drop the start vent temp by 20 degress, maybe the AC temp would drop too.
What do you think? Of course in winter I would reconnect.
Thanks
Kelly |