Re: Heater valve?

[Wallace White <wallace@remdesign.com>]

Thanks to Dave and Igor for their quick replies regarding the non-OEM
replacement heater valve. I found a valve in town at your average parts
store (Grand Auto), and it turned out to be an all-metal unit, $18.
Looks much sturdier than the OEM, whose two plastic sides had separated
and let coolant spew all over the hot engine.

The part I have is a Stant 20169 or XXV-H169 heater control valve. Its
box lists a few cross references:

4 Seasons -	74671
Everco -	H2970
Murray -	277818

and the Audi OEM part number is 431 819 809A, just to round out the
list.

To reiterate advice others have given (and I didn't follow), replace
your heater control valve before it breaks! They don't just break on
other people's cars. It's not fun to be caught somewhere with an
inoperable cooling system. And secondly, pick up a Prestone Flush-N-Fill
kit for a few dollars (Steve Buchholz's idea). If the valve (or the
after-run pump...) does fail on you, you'll have an assortment of
straight pipes and pipe clamps to get you back on your way. And who
knows, maybe it's even useful for flushing and filling.

- Wallace
  '87 5kcstq 155k