Stage 1 V8

My heater valve has finally leaked, crumbled and died.

Anyone got one from a Stage 1 that you are breaking?

The valves are made of unobtainium so second hand is your only option. As a workaround simply bypass it but don’t cap it off!!! I used some 3/4” and 5/8” heater hose plus two Mafco G28611 heater hose converters and plumbed the heater box in permanently. It doesn’t get hot in the cab providing you don’t use the fan and haven’t got a scoop on the wing intake.

It’ll cost around a tenner to do plus antifreeze.

Good luck…

Done that already, the wagon came plumbed in that way with T piece extensions fitted for the LPG, I then got a second hand heater valve which is the one that has corroded away. As you say doesn't get hot unless I put the fan on.

Mine still seems to be working but not sure how long for. Will probably just replace it with another shuttle valve. Something like this:

http://www.flowfitonline.com/acatalog/O ... S_342.html

Or this
http://www.bisvalves.co.uk/products/che ... e-sv50-37/

See what the local hydraulic pipeline guys have.

Sounds a good idea, I guess that a variable valve in either line to the heater matrix would regulate the flow into it and therefore the heat given out. Do any of these work on cable and therefore connect up to the existing lever?

Well given the existing set up is only a cable it should be a doddle to get a valve to operate with the same thing. If worst comes to worst and it must be located in a different position, then get a longer cable from the autoparts store Bracket would be mild steel or whatever else is hiding under the rubbish pile

Annoying thing is that the valve that's there is only a shuttle valve but I am certain it must be gold plated inside. But then the same might be said for the vacuum switch that controls the CDL.

This has come up before and somebody suggested that the heater valve for a MK1 Golf will fit. I have not looked at one to see but if it works, it will be cheaper and easier to locate.

The problem you’ve got is that the engine coolant needs to flow regardless of heater valve or bypass/bodge arrangement. The original valve allows the coolant to flow back to the engine when the valve is off and via the heater matrix and back to the engine when on – obviously. I’ve considered the early Golf valve but that one is a simple in-line arrangement so it is either on or off thus no return when off. The later ones seem to have the bypass option i.e. two feed and two return thus allows for bypass when off but the control seems to be via a motorised or vacuum actuator. I’m sure this could be reworked but I have reservations on whether the lever travel will easily marry up to the distance required by the Land Rover heater control.

If anyone can think of an acceptable solution it would be very much appreciated.

I too have looked into this piece of magnificent BL engineering when mine finally died.

On disassembly, inside is a spring loaded plastic washer with the remains of a rubber seal.

As mentioned previously the valve seems to act as a shuttle and doubles up as a converter, as the pipes on the engine are larger bore and need to mate up with the smaller diameters from the Series 3 heater.

Not sure the shuttle business is critical as the MGB V8 uses a tap type valve, BHA5297, maybe someone can confirm, or did this mean MG owners had a different set of cooling problems?

When the heater valve is closed... the bypassed cooland flows back through the intake manifold - and then back to the water pump.

Do intake manifolds overheat? I always thought that this was a way to speed up the warm-up of the motor.

My heater valves packed it in and replaced things with a 5/8" garnded hose pipe inline valve as a temporary measure. I had to lift the hood to adjust the valve - and then all I did was all open or all closed.

I finally found a second hand valve and replaced it the right way. The second hand valve leaks water past when closed - so my heat is always a little bit on, now. That is the problem with second hand valves - they are not new - just not as far along the process of failing as the one we all have. (lol)

I have two N.O.S. mounting brackets for the UK heater tap. If you want to pay postage they're yours.