Who here really knows cars and them odd parts GM used?

If your gonna ask whats it for all the details as your gonna go look it up, forget it, been there and done that. You will either know or not by first look at the part.

All the parts store in person or online cannot find a similar part for the car.

The part listed for the car and almost all GM cars made from 70-80 use the same similar part. Which is typical. Cept for the part I have.

Talking about the heater coolant control valves



now that image above is what almost ever GM car from 70-80 uses or is what is listed. All simiar to that. Some black plastic, some have longer snouts with threaded ends but very similar in looks. And might still works as I just need a nippled end vacuum controled one.

But this is kinda like stump the parts man

If your gonna ask whats it for all the details as your gonna go look it up, forget it, been there and done that. I cannot find anything list for the car that is even close. They all list goofy ones like above or have goofy ones like above on shelf.

Guess I just kinda wonder if anyone else has seen a similar part on their 60-70-80s GM cars heater hose? Maybe give me some other models to look up and maybe find it. Not gonna find it lookin up my car.

 

Broken one is also open by default / no vacuum and if you look at them other ones and think how the vacuum thingy works pullin up, they would be closed by default / no vacuum.

 

So whats the broken off part look like?
Been too long, I've seen those but dont remember the application. For some reason, I'm thinking late 70-early 80. Dont have a real parts store that has an application guide with pictures? Four Seasons always had a nice guide with pictures.

 

I guess I am a little stumped myself...

What are you looking for? The broken heater valve on the bottom? You need a mechanical valve with a separate vacuum actuator? I just am trying to wrap my head around what you are really looking for...

 

it loks like a 60s or 70s ones to me, the 80s ones arent like that,

that one could be from anything, ford chevy dodge, car truck van or who knows what, does it have a gm part number on it anywhere?



i always eliminate them

theres no real need to use one, its a good idea to block coolant flow to the heater core but its not required

what are you trying to do or find here ?

good luck

 

Yep would like to find one like the broken one.

The broken part is just a plastic nipple. Like only the inlet side is metal so it don't melt when closed, rest is cheap plastic and just just a nippled end on there that broke off.

 

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=394&ptset=A

I found one listed at the link above. It's for a 1975 Buick Electra with a 455; I've had a few of them...

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention, PartsAmerica.com is for Advance Auto in NW Ohio (you probably already knew that!!!) but sometimes you can't order it from your local Advance store because the part is really from Kragen Auto Parts out west. I usually just order them online and have them shipped. I just recently had them send me some 3800 parts to my Ohio City address last month because Advance couldn't get them for me.

Hope this helps!

 

Good deal, dunno how it got on my car as ones listed for it aren't even close to similar but good deal.

whats project X about? tossin out the R motor for an X?
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If ya wonder this is what they show for my car but no way its gonna work.

 

Just out of curiosity, what car is it going in and for what engine?

I have a fair amount of Jeopardy style knowledge when it comes to old GM stuff.

The one you have pictured is for an Oldsmobile V8 and screws into the right hand rear of the intake manifold straight into the water passage...

Project "X" means experimental, in my case, and I have several engines that will be going into the engine bay, in succession. One is an "R" engine (olds 350) and one is an "X" engine (Buick 350), but the first one going in is a Buick V6 to replace the little 2.8.
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Whereabouts in NW Ohio are you? I used to live in Van Wert and just recently moved to Florida.

Nice weather we're havin' here...

 

I have an X in that car which is an all X car but that goofy part is what keeps coming up in parts searches, even on Ebay that are like that or very similar. Autozone don't even list anything.

I value the weath of info around here but ya can't go to far off topic to far here so its best to keep things general so you just get the answers and don't start any brand wars or folks sayin this aint tech enough and locked.


But what kind of 3.8 you puttin in your 3rd gen? the good turbo one or?
As you should just stop there. They geet 5-700hp with simple mods.
Though you should toss the old thin walled Buick 455 in that group if you do any turn testings. They are a good 150lb lighter then a chevy V8 but are like glass over 700HP.

Didn't know they have an olds R but my feeling on the R's still stand below hehehehe

 

Im near Toledo, spring is here too kinda. No more -temps or single digits which feels like spring.

 

I think as long as you are using some type of third gen related stuff you are okay to post. I see guys posting problems here who have vans, pickups and the like. Some 2nd gen and 4th gen stuff, too.

Me personally, I love the 82-92 Firebirds. I have already put a 350 Buick in one before and I loved it. The olds 350 went in one in the past as well and I have been satisfied with BOP engines ever since I have been building cars. I am going to put a 3.8 front wheel drive block engine together to show the V6 guys on this site that there is a nice, larger displacement alternative to the 60* Chevy V6 engines they have now. I want to use the metric transmission bellhousing so that anyone can do it for a minimum of cash outlay. I am also tired of the Chevy V8 crowd poo-pooing both V6 engines and BOP swaps as being impractical. With junkyards and free time at your disposal, this is a VERY practical way to increase performance of your F-car. If Buick had built an F-car I wouldn't be interested in 3rd gens. GM limited this to Chevy and Pontiac so there you go!

 

My 1983 G20 Van had the same heater control valve, the parts stores all carry the proper universal style to replace that one. On mine the metal actually rusted away.

 

Yeah, it's a fairly common retro-fit style valve. It's the exact same part number for both applications...

 

Thanks for that 2nd option to look up. So far no one stocks it. Figured id find it on ebay but no go. Only them other ones are on there for about $10 shipped.
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funny, look up your van and it does the same thing. shows one of them plastic ones

 

You'll be happy with the PartsAmerica one, trust me...

Good luck with your "X"!!

 

Given that all those vavles do the same basic thing, it's not surprising that they would sometimes x-reference over to a newer/different style. The parts companies don't want to keep 100 slightly different valves in stock if 10 styles will fit 99.9% of the applications. Don't be surprised if you can't find an exact duplicate.

 

I would tend to lean in that direction as well. The temperature control/blend damper in the HVAC ductwork should be able to adjust temperature adequately. GM itself seems to be undecided on whether or not to use the hot water valves. Depending upon which model and year, there may or may not be a valve. Cars had them in the '70s, then eliminated them, then some cars used them again, while others didn't. It seems that they were eliminated on a lot of vehicles after DexCool became the standard coolant fill. There is some advantage to have constant coolant flow through the heater core to help prevent sediment buildup and rot.

 

Yep this sucker is suppose to flow 24/7 stock as default is open and I really can careless about heat till it gets cold. In the summer I bypass the heater core as the car is much cooler inside without being filled. Same for my 3rd gen, cooler inside when core is bypassed.


Car also has them gay GM auto climate controls but not the electric version.
The only heat valve is the one on the hose.

here is my thinking and why I wanna find this part
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Would the lack of the restriction by the vacuum operated switch in the middle of the heater core hose cause to much flow in a way?

like my stuck open thermo I had to much flow and car never got warm in cold temps.

I still lose heat sometimes now but never when its cold. Always on the way home and it like it just stops flowing through core even though that switch is off the hose.

I do believe the switch was on the return side. My thinking here is with the switch in place the more block off return hose is kinda like a straw for the rest of the system to draw on. As coolant flows it draws on that side like a straw so the coolant can flow straight up out of the intake and into the core easier through them monster hoses when thermo is open.

It flows fine cold as thermo being blocked off help get it going. But once I get there and shut it off, if the car is still warm, thermo never closed, it tend to lose heat on way home. Cause with the heater lines no't gettin primed from thermo being closed and the system with out that restriction can't get the coolant to flow straight up like that in them monster big hoses on the core???

 

Oh Fast68 yea what Im tryin to do here is get better heat in the car when it hits -temps.

I fixed it about 90% as looks like the PO had stepped on the thermo and then re-instaleld it.

So it was stuck open all the time and I never got any heat, car would barley hit 180 on a long long drive with cardboard in rad when it was - out.

Heat stuff is about fix with new thermo so it builds heat proper.

But now for some reason when its cold I get fine heat, but go somewhere, shut it off and go home while its still warm and I lose heat sometimes.

rad, pump and heater core are all good, new coolant and thermo.

since it only does it warm with thermo open and way that switch isn't open that far when its "open" I came up with that straw idea that maybey that is why I lose flow through the core when its warm. Cause the feed is a monster hose that flow striaght up out of the intake.


I could be goin in circles here and if it warm up by then ill probably not give a crap till next year when I start freezin again but..........

 

I wouldnt worry about it myself. You're going to have somewhat of a temp drop in really cold weather and using the heater. If all you want is to restrict some flow, they make restrictors to insert into a hose. Just dont put it on the return hose... unless you want to blow up the heater core.

 

Well do you think my idea / theory is even valid or???

I know its gonna get warm here soon and I wont give a dam till next year but I hate being cold.

 

Rad and pump both only have few 1000 miles, I have confirmed flow in core by using a hose, also use a carwash thingy to reverse flow and blow anyting out.

Everything look and works fine but some times on the way home when the car is already warm Ill reach down and feel nutin but cold air. Have even gone as fas as to reach into the dash far as my arm can go to make sure flapper valve for air flow is open.

Why its so odd, building heat problem was fixed with thermo change.
Get lots of heat ona cold start up.

but stop somewhere and head home while it still warm and it blows cold sometimes like coolant isn't flowing through right. But only once warm?

Not losin or leaking coolant, resivor is full.

 

I'll assume you have a full cooling system, as you say. That can definitely cause the sometimes not heat condition, but you already know that.

I'd lean towards some sort of intermittent failure of the auto control system. Either sending vacuum to that shut off valve when it shouldn't (it should only do that when you select full-cold on the hot/cold selector on most GM cars) or possibly pulling the hot/cold flapper into the full cold position from time to time.

 

so KrisW you have had a Buick 350X in a 3rd gen? How was it?

I have gone far to make it stronger but besides adding a cage these cars are to tin can like for me. Im to afraid to stick a real V8 in mine as I know its gonna get squirly lose to easy. Why I keep the V8 in the 4000lb tank, as it has already driven through a car that exploded into millions of pieces. I bent my bumper n fender some.

I have known 3 folks online who put Buick 455s in a 3rd gen but they all fell off the face of the earth once the project was done.

 

Driving the car with a 350 Buick wasn't much different than driving it with any other V8... Just different and it was a budget thing so I used what I had...

I'm not a cage guy, myself, but I do like subframe connectors...

 

Guess I meant how was the fit or fitment like?

Did ya have to run a remote oil filter kit? [Know 455 guys do from the front mounted external oil pump n filter.]

How was the exhaust?

I like Buick exhuast systems better when it comes to stock parts. They don't use dumb donuts that leak eventualy. But on the Buick you also got that heat riser valve to deal with.

Did the stock y in everything work or did ya run customs duals or?

What about traction? Did ya get any? Did ya do anything to improve it?

On a stock set up even a punny 305 can roast them easy off the line.

 

Fitment did require a slight fiberglassing of the AC box near the right rear of the engine; not bad though...

I use a "metric" buick V6 oil filter adapter from the wrecking yard to let me run the small oil filter; it worked fine...

I had to make a y-pipe out of some pipe that was included from the donor car; on the Buicks the factory y-pipe goes under a flat section of the rear of the oil pan so it wasn't too bad... then welded on the end of the chevy y-pipe that hooks to the cat... heat riser was gutted with butterfly removed and then the butterfly shaft hole was brazed shut...

I did just fine with traction; homemade subframe connectors were the best improvement...

I set the engine in first with the engine and tranny bolted together and put the transmission in place in it's stock location. Then I modified the bolt hole locations in the front so that I could use the Buick motor mounts... It did better than most 305s...

I warmed it up just a bit and it did better than most stock third gens back in the day...

 

How warm? I haven't done allot but enough that it only likes the good gas if you wanna run any real timing or get into it hard with out it det'in.

I did similar last year and gutted heat riser n welded holes shut with a flux mig but wanna go duals soon as weather breaks more.
Though most go the extra step and put block off plates between intake n head.

Didn't think about that oil filter trick, them V6 motors are just a 350x missing two cylinders with a tad bigger bore. Why them dudes at PAE started playing. If they can get 5-700HP easy out of a good old GN 3.8 turbo, why not the 350X too??? Its slowing taking the place of the 455 in Buick camp as the 455 is a thin walled motor that is like glass with every girdle , halo n block filler you can do; around 7-800HP its iffy on a factory block. Gotta drop $20,000 on a CNC 6 bolt billet one to go any farther. A stock 2 bolt 350x come factory with strong enough parts for that and more. Just bore n port as necesssary. Fancy aluminum parts that are sold, aren't better; just lighter.
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Sure you know but if not land rover engins are just Buicks. Kinda like Jeep did for a while. Lots of guy run their versions for the FI stuff. But someone just found out there is a reverse direction water pump but still has a dizzy hole that will fit the X motors n some 3.8s

"A late Rover "intermediate" front cover was used. This cover incorporates a compact and highly efficient crankshaft driven oil pump, as well as an improved water pump design, while still retaining provision for a conventional distributor. It was used chiefly on the Rover 4.2 and late 3.9 Rover engines. "

 

I got the oil filter tip from a Car Craft or a Hot Rod article a long time ago...

I actually plug the exhaust crossover in the head with a freeze plug (3/4, I think) and don't do anything with the gasket or intake.

I got a used Poston "divider" intake from the Pomona swap meet years ago that I used on it along with a hotter camshaft... it was pretty warm... I also ported the exhaust manifolds as much as possible by hand... it made a BIG difference...

I ran an adapter to the original chevy 700R4 so that I could have that low first gear but it was an old tranny (from 84) so it didn't last long. I started using a Buick V6 T200 torque converter and it worked great. After the tranny got changed to a later one the torque converter didn't work because it was the wrong spline count...

I didn't know that about the newer Rover Timing cover with the 3800 style oil pump. I wonder what crank mods are required to run that?

 

What kinda of head gasket did ya run, paper steel, stock 30 ,20, 10?

What year and CC heads did you have? They played around from like 50-63-66cc head depending on cr ratio.

but last year 80 like I got there was only 1, with 66cc heads but the lowest cr ratio of them all 9.06

 

I'm embarrassed to say I don't remember all of the tech specs... I had them all written down in my own little library but all of my notes burned down a few years ago in Ohio!!!!!!!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Suffice it to say that I used the 9:1 heads from a 68 or 69 350 2 barrell engine. I plugged the exhaust crossover and I also plugged the fastory oiling gallery holes that feed the rocker shaft pedestals and used the later 350's oiling through the pushrod system. That short block was late 70's, maybe 78 /79 /80... I used the FelPro gaskets that were listed for a stock 1980 block...

It didn't just run good; it ran GREAT!!

I also did one with a 350 Olds and I must say it was even better. The Olds engine really shines in an F-Body...

 

Wow, good thread on the rover stuff here... kind of confusing but first post is another guys project, then ingtionman post what he does to them engines in 2nd post.

http://viragotech.com/buickthunder/f...hp?p=3089#3089

 

Well I ened up with one of them cheap black funky ones and my temp dial ain't working now. And with the temp rise heat all the time ain't gonna fly but to early to bypass it for good. Might have run a vac line from an un-used carb port to close it off.

kinda OT

Planned on going to dual exhaust on it too but I ended up in a whole nother direction. The idea in my head didn't match well with what I had. And I didn't like anything that I had stock so it all came off.

But since I only had enough stuff for 1 side kinda........

I went back to a single cherrybomb but with a much shorter straight system. Cherrybomb went right onto end of the Y with small adapter and pipe ran straight to the back / front of tire. I put CB close as possible to Y so it would carry the weight and no risk of pipe sag or leaks. Just welded a rubber hanger to trans cross member, n welded other end to CB.
Painted black so not to stand out. Was also able to weld 90% of it off the car.

That was my best video try. Need to get one of them external view thingys. But only real goof was the sound of the lens cap dragging in the stones.


http://viragotech.com/buickthunder/f...es/CBBuick.mpg

 

Well, I hope your craziness works out in the end...

Why didn't you buy the cheap heater valve from partsamerica.com?

Your "x" car has a lot of single exhaust potential, you know? I like to start with used third gen aftermarket systems from the wrecking yard...

If you break a system down to pieces, you can flip the muffler up vertically with the inlet pipe at the bottom and the two tailpipe exits at the top. Then you can cut and fit the over the axle pipe to work for you. Then you re-fit the front where it hooks to the factory f-car converter to hook to your y-pipe. I always have to have the tailpipes made by an exhast guy but it is still the cheapest way to go...

A lot of our "X" cars came optionally with a single exhast that had a third gen style muffler standing vertically...

 

I installed a happy flappy valve and you can see the popping out the exhaust I’m getting which feels like a miss fire inside and I suspect a exhaust valve seal or???

Anything over 2000rpm ya don’t feel it and it’s only real obvious when cold.


http://viragotech.com/happyflappy.mpg