heater control cable replacement/refurbishment

[kpb]

Am in the midst of the typical 108 heater control repair and discovered that my right valve control cable gave out right at the coiled portion which slips onto the control disc. Have searched threads and known parts suppliers for a replacement without luck. The cable must only be about 12-15'' long. Is it feasible/possible to just remove the cable assembly, strip out the inner core which is the solid wire portion and replace it with some from any auto parts store? Will a homemade coil set-up work to affix the wire to the disc nub?? It seems I have vague memory of trying to do something like this before and I could not because the inner wire is so strong and resistant to bending, even when heated. Am also considering drilling the new control disc nub and just slipping the broken end through there and securing it (somehow) although I suspect drilling the plastic nub would greatly reduce its useful life, right?

All ideas gladly received...

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Something you could do, before drilling holes in the control disc, is to try crimping/soldering a heavy duty electrical 'ring' terminal to the stub end of the cable. I did this recently to save the vacuum advance unit in an old MGB distributor. You may have to trim or othewise modify the terminal to make it fit and/or clear any obstruction at the control unit. Of course you'll need to free up the heater valves or cable repairs will be futile. I have a similar problem in my '60 220S. My drivers side heater valve works perfectly but my passenger side heater valve is very stiff. I was able to straighten the kinked cable and now I can turn on the right heater with the lever but I still have to turn the valve off with pliers.
Other possible sources for cable ends and hardware, to try and repair your original cable, include small engine, lawnmower, outboard motor, motorcycle, moped and bicycle shops.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[kpb]

Thanx Mark, excellent suggestion. If nothing appears in the replacement arena I will give this a shot. I have not even found a nearby dismantler yet with 108s.

kpb

[JMela]

Sorry to keep feeding you links, but http://www.tristarpete.com/ is an mb-only breaking yard that might be a good place to find a replacement.

[kpb]

Hey Joe, Links are A-OK by me!! I checked it out and apparently must call with specifics. If I find nothing else closer soon, I'll give Tristar Pete a call. Thanx a bunch.

kpb

[MikeTangas]

Try Partsman Phil or the dealer for new ones.

There are two cables for the right side:

115 830 13 31 is the 430mm cables and 115 833 03 31 is the 610mm cable.

Hope this helps.

[kpb]

Dunno Partsman Phil, will search here or on www. Amazingly, I did not even think of dealer as parts source -- Guess I've had old rides for so long and used parts stores and junkyards to the exclusion of factory parts... DUH

[MikeTangas]

Partsman Phil posts on these forums, he also heads up FastLane. You can find the link at the tabs across the top of the page. Remember, just because what you seek may not be found in the menus doesn't mean Phil can't get it.

[kpb]

Yeh Mike, I searched the forum last night and figured out the connection with FastLane. Thanks for the part nos., I got no hits on the tabs above but maybe I'll give Phil a call. Thanx again for your input and help

kpb

[kpb]

Sorry, gotta bug y'all for help again on my heater control issues

Am trying to remove a frozen heater valve (right side control). Have read numerous posts and have fitted a metric screw into the valve after removing the snap ring, BUT, I cannot budge the sucker! Am I correct in believing it should pull straight out? Could not budge the valve when the lever was still on it so I have not run a flushing agent through the system since I do not know if it is frozen open, shut, or in between. Numerous soakings with PB Blaster have yet to produce movement either. Am I missing something (beyond mere perserverance?)

Subject is a 108 ('72 280SE 4.5)

kpb

[psfred]

Screw a Bosch spark plug in instead of a screw -- this will give you a handle.

Push in and pull out, never very hard -- it's crusted in with scale and you risk pulling the thread out if you get carried away -- it's brass. Work back and forth once you get is moving, don't try to just drag it out. If you can get it to turn with a wrench on the square post, that will help too.

A sharp tap inward with a blunt punch may start it, but be carefull, you don't want to break the housing and end up with a new heater core instead....

Peter

[kpb]

Thanx (again) Peter, I'll give these procedures a try.

BTW, since you are relatively close, what if I pay your expenses (ie., gas money or bus fare) and grant you the joy(?) of coming over to Ohio-land and working on these various items I keep posting about? Hey, think of it this way, you will avoid the tedium of reading my mundane/goofy queries all the time...

kpb

[psfred]

kpb:

Sounds fun, but let me get the Volvo out of the garage and the exhaust fixed on the 280 first -- I'd hate to drive that far with the exhaust roaring in my ears.....

Peter

[Tomguy]

kpb: FYI, I reattatched the 2 pieces (lever and stop) and then rescrewed them, then yanked it out by that. If it helps you turn it a bit it might help you.