Comfort Master No. 53 Remote Water Valve

[Art Bailey]

Hey Folks,

 

Finally figured out that what I thought was a dangling choke cable on my '48 DeSoto, once hooked up to another fried-looking mystery part I found in the trunk, which was the heater water valve for the Comfort Master No. 53 dual heater. Someone replaced it with a standard looking plumbing tee, so now it's heat all the time. Not a problem now, since it's not moving much these days, but it will be, hopefully soon.

 

This is the doohickey in question: 

 

I'm assuming this valve is just a simple on-off valve? Have any of you found any off the shelf parts that can work here? $300 for the repro part is a little...steep. I just grabbed something on ebay that looks similar the ones being sold, but it's a little different, no threaded nipple to attach to the head. I can probably modify it and make it work, but just wondering if anyone's come up with other solutions.

 

Thanks,

Art

[sidevalvepete]

Put up some photos of what you have Art. We need to see exactly what you have to work it out.

[Art Bailey]

Here's the remote heater water valve. Threaded nipple attaches to head, the two outlets connect to the two heater core inlets, and it's controlled by a cable inside the cabin.

 

Here's what it looks like with the cover off. 

 

 

Here is where it should attach, where the pipe tee is. 

 

 

I'd just like to verify that it's a simple on-off valve, and see if anyone has ever come up with a replacement for it with universal, off the shelf components. 

[Art Bailey]

Here's the valve I bought on ebay. It's very similar to the replacement part that's now sold, except that there's a threaded nipple in place of the 45 deg. elbow that's on this one. It's hidden in this pic, but there's an outlet port. I'm hoping there's enough steel on mine to be able to cut off the elbow, thread it with a pipe tap, and thread in a nipple...we'll see. I don't know if the heat from welding would destroy the valve, but that could work, too. Assuming that this part is actually functional, and not just clean.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by ratbailey

[Dartgame]

I dont have the dual heater set up and retrofitted a #53 to my 52 coupe. I know its not stock, but the car wont be used in the winter and it does not have the huge plenum assembly that would have been stock sitting on the fenderwell which I personally don't like.

 

What I found was an in line cable operated valve that was originally used on a dodge pick up or a van from the 80's or 90's. Might have a been a dakota or full size. Anyway, its made from black plastic and has the facility to attach the cable, and was cheap - $20 or so. You could install a pipe nipple or brass barb in the head go to heater hose for a short stretch, and then use one of these valves and then split the flow using an ABS tee or similar after the valve. 

[desoto1939]

3 hours ago, ratbailey said:

Here's the valve I bought on ebay. It's very similar to the replacement part that's now sold, except that there's a threaded nipple in place of the 45 deg. elbow that's on this one. It's hidden in this pic, but there's an outlet port. I'm hoping there's enough steel on mine to be able to cut off the elbow, thread it with a pipe tap, and thread in a nipple...we'll see. I don't know if the heat from welding would destroy the valve, but that could work, too. Assuming that this part is actually functional, and not just clean.

 

 

Trying to figure out how this unit works. On the right end is the plunger that open the control to permit the flow of water. The left end which has the curved pipe would have to connect to the rubber hose or water inlet to the control or have two thread adapter to thread in to the block hear and then into the control unit.  So is there an out let on the other side of the metal bracket to permit the flow of water to go to your heater box. You have to have an outlet hole to let the water move out of the control unit.

 

This could work send more pictures of the other side.

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

[Art Bailey]

56 minutes ago, desoto1939 said:

Trying to figure out how this unit works. On the right end is the plunger that open the control to permit the flow of water. The left end which has the curved pipe would have to connect to the rubber hose or water inlet to the control or have two thread adapter to thread in to the block hear and then into the control unit.  So is there an out let on the other side of the metal bracket to permit the flow of water to go to your heater box. You have to have an outlet hole to let the water move out of the control unit.

 

This could work send more pictures of the other side.

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

Young Ed posted a pic of an engine compartment, and you could see this unit in place, at the back of the engine, threaded into the head. So I guess it's a Mopar part, made to replace the rather flimsy looking valve that was originally in there. If this valve works, I'm going to have to come up with or make the little metal flap that holds the cable housing in place, and also form a coil on the end of the cable. The outlet wall looks pretty thick, I think it'd take threads nicely.

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by ratbailey

[Art Bailey]

1 hour ago, Dartgame said:

I dont have the dual heater set up and retrofitted a #53 to my 52 coupe. I know its not stock, but the car wont be used in the winter and it does not have the huge plenum assembly that would have been stock sitting on the fenderwell which I personally don't like.

 

What I found was an in line cable operated valve that was originally used on a dodge pick up or a van from the 80's or 90's. Might have a been a dakota or full size. Anyway, its made from black plastic and has the facility to attach the cable, and was cheap - $20 or so. You could install a pipe nipple or brass barb in the head go to heater hose for a short stretch, and then use one of these valves and then split the flow using an ABS tee or similar after the valve. 

Great ideas. I just did a quick search on ebay for "dodge heater valve" and came up with a load of different things that could work. Hoping to get it right the first time, so I don't end up spending $400 to save $300 ?

[Sniper]

I might go with this one my self  https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vta-50507-vua.  My heater control cable needs replacing anyway so I can sub the rheostat in it;s place with an appropriately vintage knob instead. 

 

But a FOUR SEASONS 74683 is probably the best bet. verify the thread and hose size though,

Edited March 4, 2021 by Sniper

[James_Douglas]

I think this is covered in old posts of mine...

 

Stainless steel, has worked without a fuss for 15 years...

[Art Bailey]

21 minutes ago, James_Douglas said:

I think this is covered in old posts of mine...

 

Stainless steel, has worked without a fuss for 15 years...

Darn, your post didn't come up when I googled. I also see this topic has come up many times...sorry, folks. Is it the http://www.dacoglu.com/cooling.htm you link to? They appear to be defunct. Too bad, it would've been nice to have a stainless valve. Man, I like the way you re-routed the tubing---the way they did it originally is kind of goofy. Are those solid tubes custom made?

Edited March 4, 2021 by ratbailey

[James_Douglas]

Yes, old website I took down.

 

Basically the part is a stainless steel ball valve....having all my email since 1990 helps....

 

Item Ref.   Price ea.   Qty.  Description

20-038      $17.10      2     3/8" Triac 2-Piece Ball Valve -SS-NPT

 

I purchased it at https://www.thevalveshop.com/index.html

 

The shaft size is the same as the arm on the existing heater control valve. What I did was take the arm off and used it in place of the handle on the new valve. It even has the same milled shaft for it to fit on.  I then took the round part that the pull cable clamped into and welded it to a plate I made, and crude it is. Then the arm and the cable fit just like the stock one. I then made a steel "Y" for the plumbing.

 

The only thing I did that is not in the photos is about 5 years ago, I made a stop so that then you pull on the cable the ball cannot go over center and start to close.

 

Works great. I checked at the time with the manufacturer about anti-freeze and they said the ball seal would ignore it and it has for 15 years. I have a second one in my spares should I ever need it.

 

One thing, it flows more than the stock unit so it gives better heat. One last thing. On the '49 I used the part that goes into the water pump that has the extended pipe in it. It was a MOPAR period part that take the water in the pump from lower in the pump which is hotter water. It does in fact work. At some point I am going to do it on the '47.

 

James.

 

[James_Douglas]

I made the tubes out of plain steel. I purchased a tool to make the little bump on the ends like the factory so the hose would not slip off. For the hoses, go to an auto parts store and you can find a hose with 2 ninety degree ends within an odd ball shape. Buy it and cut the two nice 90's off. You will need two or three of them. Someplace I have a NAPA part number but it is not on my computer...

 

James.

[Dartgame]

I found the valve I used - check 

FOUR SEASONS 74627

[Art Bailey]

52 minutes ago, Dartgame said:

I found the valve I used - check 

FOUR SEASONS 74627

Cool. Did you mount it to the firewall? I ended up ordering the Four Seasons Sniper recommended, we'll see how it works out. The ebay valve I picked up, the ports are too small to thread either male or female. I could braze a nipple to it, but that's going to have to wait until I learn how to braze ?. The heater cores and rad (and gas tank) are at the radiator shop, I'll post pics of my fine handiwork when it's finished.

 

-Art

[Dartgame]

No, it did not need to be mounted, the cable supports it and I used a preformed heater hose from a dakota which had several right angles to connect to the heater which stabilize it. It sits just fine, and looks like it grew there.

 

I looked up the specs on the 74683 valve, the barb end is 5/8" and the threaded end is 3/8 npt. you may need to bush the npt to match the head. I dont recall what size that thread is. you may be fine as is. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Dartgame

[wagoneer]

Hi James Douglas, 

  I'm curious about the net effect with your new valve for the heating in the car. OE valve on my car seems to *always* circulate at least some coolant, so my heater is nominally *always* on to a greater or lesser effect. This can be annoying in summer. Does this new valve cut-off all circulation to the heaters, and therefore you aren't being gently baked all the time. It's really nice in winter/cold times when you pull the knob and open it up, but no so much during the summer.  It could be that my valve is defective, and I just don't know it. 

[BobT-47P15]

My car only has one heater - on the passenger side - so I have been using this T type manual on/off valve for the water.  (Turn off flow for summer--on for winter)

As I recall, the valve was purchased from O'Reilly Automotive Supply and the price was not very high.  Not what the original poster is seeking, but another

alternative that can be used at reasonable cost.   

 

 

 

    $5.49 for this valve at O'Reilly.  They have several others at similar prices.  

 

 

[Art Bailey]

Done. 

I went with the Four Seasons 74683 that Sniper suggested. The 90 deg. elbow was necessary, because the cable control was constricted too much for it to work well with it sticking straight up out of the head. The little clamp block I made for the throttle cable needs to be redesigned...the hole is too far away from the post, and it's binding, making it hard to open with the control inside the car. Big weekend ahead--all new hoses, water pump, stainless WDT, reinstall supposedly repaired radiator (don't ask), reinstall heater cores and cleaned-up distributor. Hoping to make it up the driveway, and not have to push it back to the garage ?. Thanks, everyone, for your help! 

Edited March 27, 2021 by ratbailey

[James_Douglas]

On 3/11/2021 at 10:00 AM, wagoneer said:

Hi James Douglas, 

  I'm curious about the net effect with your new valve for the heating in the car. OE valve on my car seems to *always* circulate at least some coolant, so my heater is nominally *always* on to a greater or lesser effect. This can be annoying in summer. Does this new valve cut-off all circulation to the heaters, and therefore you aren't being gently baked all the time. It's really nice in winter/cold times when you pull the knob and open it up, but no so much during the summer.  It could be that my valve is defective, and I just don't know it. 

When done as I did it 100% of the water flow is stopped.

James