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Heater temp. control very sensitive...hard to find a comfortable setting. 200 1985

posted by Kyle245 on Fri Oct 15 03:12 CST 2004
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last visit: Thu Jul 10 04:45 CST 2014

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Hello Brickers.

The temp here in Houston this morning was 52 degrees so I got the chance for the first time this season to see how the heater works and I was again reminded the the temp control in my car SUCKS!!
If I put it at 1/4 over from the cold (off) setting it is way too hot after just a few minutes. The only setting I can get that is comfortable is just barely moving the lever as little as possible. Its almost hard to get it to a level that is consistant.
But what confuses me is that when the lever is in the cold position then it is completely off. No hot air at all. So the valve seems adjusted correctly.
Is this normal?
Is it just the adjustment?
Do I need a new valve?
Is it because the heater is designed for the Swedish winters?

Please help!

Kyle245
202,000 miles

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Heater temp. control very sensitive...hard to find a comfortable setting. 200 1985

posted by jp213a on Fri Oct 15 10:47 CST 2004
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last visit: Tue Feb 18 21:34 CST 2014

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The heater control valves go bad after about 15 years. For 3-4 years, I learned to control the cabinet temperature in the winter using the fan speed, recirc/outside air control, the vent in the driver's side kick panel, and the windows. Finally, the control valve got to the point where it wouldn't shut off in the summer and AC wasn't powerfully enough to overcome the heater so I install a used $5 valve from the salvage yard. The change out looked a lot more like a PITA than it actually was. One self tapping screw was dificult to remove. The one from the junk yard came off easier because that particular screw was installed from the opposite direction. Naturally, I reinstalled the new one that way. Be careful not to over tighten the set screw that secures the wire control cable to the valve. I snapped mine off on the re-install. It was tight on the control wire so I left it but next time, if there is a next time, it will be a PITA. Autozone sells new control valves for around $25. Don't know if they are a POS or OK. jp

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Heater temp. control very sensitive...hard to find a comfortable setting. 200 1985

posted by someone claiming to be joey on Fri Oct 15 10:16 CST 2004 [RELATED]

heh every 240 i've owned or ridden in has this problem. i just roll with the heater on full blast and the windows cracked.

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Heater temp. control very sensitive...hard to find a comfortable setting. 200 1985

posted by toofourdy on Fri Oct 15 03:58 CST 2004
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Mine does the same thing as did the 200 I had before my present one. I'll be happy to see any responses as I'd like to fix this!

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Heater temp. control very sensitive...hard to find a comfortable setting. 200 1985

posted by someone claiming to be art on Fri Oct 15 04:30 CST 2004 [RELATED]

Here's my take on it:

The heater control valve is temperature controlled by a wax pellet - capillary tube thermostat sampling the air in the blower duct. Just like the airbox tstats, coolant tstats, oil tstats all, the wax pellet mechanism dies with use.

Changing the valve with the original style makes it work like new again, but the valve is expensive compared to the cheap, non-controlled gate valve used in the very last 240 production and available with conversion hoses to replace the older ones.

Mostly I just get used to nudging it around that seemingly binary control setting by tapping the knob with a knuckle.

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