Heater control valve on a 1995 Aerostar with a 4.0L.

[sphoto]

The heater control valve on my 1995 Aerostar has broken. I can find replacement parts at rockauto.com or autozone but they are configured differently. Part number 74809 is supposed to be the one. Mine sits on the passenger side of the engine compartment right up next to the AC drier/canister. The problem is that there is no room to fit the new valve in because all the new ones have the 'servo' (for lack of a better word) facing up and to the back of the engine compartment. The original has the servo facing front and down.
I even tried unscrewing the servo on the replacement and reversing it but no go there. This really has me frustrated. Any suggestions of ideas would be appreciated. My mechanic is getting no where.

 

[sphoto]

Found on e-bay

I think I found what I needed on e-bay. It is from the Ford Explorer Ranger. Same configuration as the original down to the metal 'servo' and the servo is facing the correct direction. $14.48 total.

Motorcraft part.

Will post if it fits! Or not!

 

[BrooklynBay]

Could you post links or photos to compare both parts? I found that part on Autozone's website along with another part: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...eyWord=heater+control+valve&fromString=search

 

[speleopower]

You could also undo the strap that holds the ac dryer canister from the side wall and just delete the strap. When I did that it gave me a little extra room for a new heater core control servo valve.

-Scott

 

[sphoto]

Heater control valve

Here is the link to the one I found on e-bay. This looks like the one installed in the van with the metal servo and the servo is facing forward.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HEATER-CONT...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2eac9cf923

The one on autozone just won't fit as the servo faces up towards the back of the engine compartment and the ac canister is in the way.

I couldn't find anything on any of the Ford part sites.

I will post when the one from e-bay arrives and is installed.

 

[speleopower]

Does your setup look like mine?

I disconnected the lines going into the heater control valve tonight because my heater core blew out. I just put a double sided nipple connector into the hoses and looped them together for the time being.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Plug the vacuum line if it's not going into anything.

 

[speleopower]

It's plugged into the servo now. I had just disconnected it so I could get in without risking breaking the vacuum line.

 

[Jose A.]

I am having the same problem with these heater valves from Autozone (2 of them similar to the one on Post #6), and from Advance Auto Parts (1 of them). I've installed three of these valves trying to cure a leak but they start leaking inmediately, the last one leaked through the two screws that hold the vacuum servo to the valve, (the previous 2 leaked through the servo diaphragm, total garbage).

this is ridiculous, these parts are obviously not tested under coolant pressure. These are supposed to be "4 Seasons" but are Made In China. I'm going to order the one on the eBay link with the metal servo.

 

[Jose A.]

UPDATE: I ordered the metal servo heater valve from the eBay seller and installed it yesterday. It didn't leak. finally one less problem to deal with.

 

[BrooklynBay]

That's good to know. At least we have a reliable source for this part until their supply depletes.

 

[Jose A.]

I ordered another one for a spare. The all-plastic ones sold at Autozone and Advance Auto Parts are no good, looks like they are not tested under pressure, they leak through the two screws that hold the vacuum servo to the assembly. Unbelievable! When I added RTV to the two screws, it stopped the leak but then started leaking through the diaphragm / servo!

 

[BrooklynBay]

They sell one without the servo connected to the valve: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HEATER-CONT...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item563bbf99c0

 

[Adam_tinkerer]

I bought the ebay one for my 95 over the summer. Works great! I cut a hole in the side panel, about 6" x 8". Made things MUCH less painful, even though I had to take the fender off. Especially since the factory intsalled hose clamps faced away from the only accessible area on the left! I didn't trust the factory click on connectors to the heater core, so I removed them, and used hose clamps. So far, so good. -Adam

 

[Jose A.]

I bought the ebay one for my 95 over the summer. Works great! I cut a hole in the side panel, about 6" x 8". Made things MUCH less painful, even though I had to take the fender off. Especially since the factory intsalled hose clamps faced away from the only accessible area on the left! I didn't trust the factory click on connectors to the heater core, so I removed them, and used hose clamps. So far, so good. -Adam

an easier way to eliminate the space problem would be to lengthen the two hoses from the heater core to the valve, moving the valve forward. I also had a hard time tightening the clamps, very very bad access.

my 4.0 liter has a very different heater hose arrangement than shown in any diagram; there are three aluminum "T" towards the passenger side, 2 are located near the passenger side spark plugs, one is located above the alternator; lots of hose intersections which are not shown in the diagram.

I'm not even 100% sure I correctly connected the two hoses coming from the side of the engine to the heater valve.

Does anybody have a diagram that shows this? was this some kind of recall?

mine is a 1997 extended 4.0 liter with rear/auxiliary heater. I have both the Ford Service Manual and an older Chilton manual, but none shows this hose arrangement.