Heater Core & Control Valve Access ‘53

[keithb7]

I am planning out a job for this weekend. Thinking of the heater core and water control valve. 

 

I see most fasteners holding cover on are accessed within the engine bay. Some however appear to be fed through from way up behind the dash. 

 

How much am I going to have to rip apart to access my heater core and water control valve?

 

Tips are encouraged! Thx. 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2019 by keithb7

[Dodgeb4ya]

The heater core is found inside the metal housing. The water control valve is underneath the housing.

To access/remove replace  the heater core.....drain the radiator .. remove the fan motor flex hose.......remove air cleaner,  heater core water hoses and water control valve.

Remove the heater core housing.

Heater core is held inside the housing with clips and screws.

[captden29]

there are a few that ar54e inside, but they are not that far up and a little searching will find them.    capt den

[keithb7]

Well, I think I am at least partially surrendering on this interior passenger heat project. The heater core cover on the firewall side will not come off. After taking out all the screws on the engine side, there are still self tapping screws from the interior side that are not readily accessible. It appears that a lot of parts have to come off up under and  behind the dash area, including the air cowl system to access these fasteners. It is not a simple system. I did manage to get my heater control valve out. It seems to be working by hand once I removed the control cable. Seems to me the valve is not frozen, the control cable is. Getting the cable out is not easy either. It wraps in behind the heater cowl housing too. Looks like this stuff should have been addressed when the dash was all apart at an earlier time.

 

Somethings I can consider. Maybe see if I can get some type of lube up inside the cable to free it up. That'll be fun. 

Maybe by-pass the heater control valve and run hot coolant to the heater core directly. Consider a manually controlled heater valve in the engine compartment that I can shut off and on. Pretty hard to regulate cab heat, but likely better than no heat. Thinking for my next steps I will pressurize the heater core and see if will hold pressure. Make sure there are no leaks. Then maybe try flowing water through it. See if can move water. Then go from there. This heater air distribution system for this era of car, from what I can see is a cumbersome system to access and repair. Oh well. If it was easy everybody would own one.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Do you have the 53 Chrysler shop manual?... it is all in there including pictures.

There is strip caulk along all the edges including where it seals into the cowl vent area.

Edited February 16, 2019 by Dodgeb4ya

[keithb7]

I do have the proper '53 shop manual. I read it a couple times. I am not quite grasping something.  I am reminded again, the manual needs to be interpreted, not just read. I pried a bit and did break the caulk seal. That helped loosen things up. Thanks. I was worried about prying.

I am wondering why are there instructions to remove the distributor cap, coil, and bracket assembly, during the process to replace the heater core? 

 

Upon further review it seems my manual lever to open the cowl vent is now impeding progress. I see that I am instructed to remove it. On  to that that next.

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by keithb7

[Dodgeb4ya]

The factory 1953 and 54 manual instructions are for a NewYorker V8 car and instructing on installing a complete new heater system in the car.

I have done several 1955 through 1960 chryslers...they have fiberglass heater cases and when stuck to the firewall you really have to be careful not to break the case.

Yours is metal... lucky you!

[keithb7]

Ah! Yes, that explains why when reading my manual, instructions seem a little off. Moving along...Thank you. Will post progress.

[keithb7]

Many beers I owe this man. Thank you @Dodgeb4ya! Success.  I will take the heater core in to be professionally purged and tested. It looks great though! I am 99% sure this is the  first time this heater system has been removed since factory assembly. Look and you can see my other winter project. I rebuilt the AM tube radio!

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by keithb7

[Dodgeb4ya]

Glad you got it apart keith!

Picture's  no workie though.

[keithb7]

Let's try again.

 

 

[keithb7]

What does the copper capillary tube do? I can guess: It heats up based on the air temperature near the heating ducts in the car. The heat travels along the copper wire, back to the water control valve. Somehow it overrides the manual position of the valve that the operator has set on the heater controls. I suspect by warming up a bi-metallic spring that is also hooked up to the water valve? This bimetallic spring opens and closes the water valve too?  You can see the copper wire in the photo above attached to the water valve, pulled and sitting on the floor.

What is the benefit of this capillary action? Would I notice a difference if I installed another type of water valve with no capillary tube?

My mind craves this stuff. I can't shut it off. When I understand how mechanical things work, I also want to know why.

Thanks, Keith

Edited February 17, 2019 by keithb7

[Dodgeb4ya]

That "Ranco Automatic compensating Temp Control Valve" does have the capillary tube filled with a gaseous refrigerant.

It controls a small plunger that automatically opens and closes the water valve to maintain a heat setting.

If the tube has lost it's gas the valve will lose it's automatic heat control.

To test it out of the car carefully heat and cool the  capillary tube and look inside the water valve watching for the water valve movement. Or watch the external little pin that pushes the valve open or closed..

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Excellent access now to the radio tubes wiper and radio head.

[keithb7]

26 minutes ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Excellent access now to the radio tubes wiper and radio head.

My clock does not work. I had not gotten around to it yet. I surely will now. I can quickly see that there is no power going to it. I assume previous owner did not want it draining the battery? We shall see. Here are my test results on the water valve. A short video.

 

https://youtu.be/mK7Dd-Dj3q4

[Dodgeb4ya]

2 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

My clock does not work. I had not gotten around to it yet. I surely will now. I can quickly see that there is no power going to it. I assume previous owner did not want it draining the battery? We shall see. Here are my test results on the water valve. A short video.

 

https://youtu.be/mK7Dd-Dj3q4

You can also test for auto control operation with a heat gun and cold water on the "cap" tube by manually setting it at different positions....heating and cooling that tube.

The water flow should change  by heating/cooling the tube.

Looks like a clean non leaking valve.

[Cold Blue]

Hey Keithb7 - I am going to rebuild the tube radio in my 48 Plymouth too. First I am going to replace all the paper capacitors. Then install a 12 volt to 6 volt power reducer. (My car has been converted to a 12 volt system). I am hoping that is all it needs to speak again. Would you kindly tell me if I am headed down the right path? Thanks in advance. 

[keithb7]

@Cold Blue maybe post your question here http://p15-d24.com/topic/48405-pulling-the-radio-in-my-53/?tab=comments#comment-513425

 

I'll address it there, to keep the radio related info in one thread. That way it is easier for people to find in the future.

 

Keith

[Cold Blue]

Will do - Thanks Keithb7.

[keithb7]

Yahoo! We have gobs of marvelous heat blowing in the cab today! Oh so warm sitting here in the back seat warming up as I type this.   -10C here this morning.