Board logo

where to locate heater valve
smart51 - 10/4/08 at 01:11 PM

Where is the best place to locate the heater valve on my mid engined car? At the back, near the engine and radiator, or at the front by the heater?

With the heater on full, all the coolant flows through the heater then through the radiator. The valve bypasses the heater.

Paul TigerB6 - 10/4/08 at 01:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Where is the best place to locate the heater valve on my mid engined car?


I was gonna say in the bin - heaters are for girls!!

But if you do insist on having one - well i would suggest as close to the heater as possible. Keeps the volume of coolant in normal use high and the volume of cold coolant getting dumped into the system when the valve opens as low as possible.

Just my logic anyway.

RazMan - 10/4/08 at 03:22 PM

I put mine right next to the heater matrix but with hindsight I should have put it close to the engine as the pipes still get quite hot even with the heater switched off.

Just a thought - are you going to get enough flow with everything going through the heater matrix and valve? I guess it should be ok if you have a large bore valve (32mm) but my heater valve is only 15mm and would probably overheat the engine.


[Edited on 10-4-08 by RazMan]

smart51 - 10/4/08 at 03:43 PM

The engine is a 250cc scooter engine so it isn't going to make much heat. That's why the whole flow will go through the heater when switched on. The engine outlet was connected to 5/8" hoses on the donor vehicle, the same as my heater matrix. I'm guessing that flow won't be a big problem apart from the length of the hose getting from the rear engine to the front heater. That's the reason I'd put the valve at the back, to shorten the run of the hose when the heater is switched to cold.