The PO or the PPO of my 68 2000 took out all the heater valves and it appears
that the heater is permanently on.
This was not a problem until I went to the SF Valley Friday night to be with
6 other Roadsters at the Cruisin Car Wash. It must have been 100 degrees out
and having the heater on didn't help. So I decided to block the water off
from the interior heater by plugging the end of the water line that goes
above the intake manifold on a Solex before it gets to the interior heater
core. It then hit me that there may be an important reason for the water to
circulate thru the top of the manifold (cooling the manifold?), which it does
not do now, and I was wondering if anyone knows whether it is safe to block
the water line up there.
But then, I went to compare the hose routing on the 68 with my 66 which works
fine. The 66 water line goes through the manifold, into the heater core,
back out and under the carbs and back out into the side of the head at the
front of the block, creating a circular flow under some pressure from the
water pump. The 68 water line goes above the manifold, into the heater
(until I blocked it) back out and toward the front where it meets up in a "T"
with the same line that enters into the line above the manifold, creating a
loop with no directional pressure at all!
Seems to me that the return from the heater core should go somewhere else to
create a directional flow under pressure from the water pump, perhaps
returning to the block on the passenger's side near the thermostat.
I would appreciate it if anyone having a Solex (or even an SU since its
probably the same) with a functioning heater loop take a quick look and let
me know where the heater return line reenters the engine block or head, or if
what I described is correct. (I can't believe it is.) The parts manual and
service manual do not show this at all.
Since I may need the heater eventually (even in LA), I am on the lookout for
a heater valve. If anyone has a line on one, let me know.
Finally, while I was wasting my time, I changed the interior dash lights. I
bypassed the rheostat and used a European light, Sylvania number 3893 (T4W),
which seemed to fit and appears brighter than the 53. Made a big difference.
Thanks all
Gary Cohen
1966 1600 with heater
1968 2000 solex (with heater???)
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