Thanks Dick. I'm thinking of this plug as a piece of emergency kit
only. I get around the old unable-to-open-or-close-the-heater-valve
problem by just leaving it open. I really don't notice any extra heat as I
keep the early TR6 open/close air "scoop" closed and it helps keep the
engine just a little bit cooler (and, let's face it, when it's 95 degrees
and you're driving around at noon, you're going to be hot not matter
what). If this was a daily driver like yours, however, your modification
would be on the car in a flash.
At 12:44 PM 8/16/01 -0700, Sally or Dick Taylor wrote:
>William---I, too, had the water valve diaphragm rupture while on a long,
>summer trip. Twice. I sometimes do use the heater when driving on cool,
>summer evenings with the top down, so I didn't want to blank off the
>water flow here. Instead, I put a shut-off valve between the heater and
>the head, so I have an option here, should the new heater control flow
>valve ever give up again.
>
>This manual valve is left in the 'open' setting, if or till the time
>comes to have to close it. It's a simple, all brass gas type valve that
>might be found on a gas dryer, for instance. It's 2" long and has 3/8"
>NPT female threads. Also needed to connect this is a 3/8" "short" pipe
>nipple, that screws into the head. The thread appears the same as the
>heater control valve. Of course the diaphragm has never ruptured since,
>so I've had no reason to use this shut-off, other than to test it
>periodically for leaks, by opening and closing the 1/4 turn handle. Cost
>is less than $5.
>
>It doesn't look too out of place in the engine bay. Photos that include
>this valve can be seen in the 6 PACK NEWSLETTER, Vol. XVIII, Issue 4
>(Fall, 2000) p. 17.
>
>Dick Taylor
>'73
William Whitmoyer
National Sales Manager
Samsonite Consumer Electronics
Division of Photoco Inc.
T: 800-955-5505/ 440-996-0880
F: 800-321-1329/ 440-996-0892
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