Heater valve lubricant/sealant

[brian0443]

Finally got round to doing the heater valve. Have the unit out so drenched the valve in wd40 for a week, wriggled it every day and last night BINGO!

Assembly now cleaned and polished and moving freely. Two questions-

O ring. I am hoping to buy something suitable in the local plumbing stores. Anyone gone this route, and if so any problems?

Lubricant/sealant. What's best to use, or is anything neccessary? Memories of buying water pump grease back in the 60s. I seem to remember someone suggesting coating the barrel liberally with vaseline

Brian

[V Mad]

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Hi. Don't use any sealant that sets or the valve will stick. Use a waterproof grease compatible with the O-ring. I suggest silicone grease (search Google or eBay for divers O ring grease).

[Arbman Al]

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[Andrew S]

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Why not use Vasoline then?

[V Mad]

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Andrew S wrote:

Why not use Vasoline then?

I think Vaseline is water soluble, so itmay not last very long in the cooling system.

[brian0443]

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Thanks folks

Just been advised not to use vaseline. It is petroleum based and will attack rubber over time. Guy who told me this said vaseline or something similar probably caused the O ring to sieze in the first place.

Silicone grease I can get from plumbers merchants or electronics shops such as Maplins

I know I could have an O ring from Robsport within a few days but the plumbers can probably sort me today when I am in the mood.

Brian

[nib]

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Brian make sure your put the linkage back on, because your free moving heater valve will now pop out with a small amount of pressure.

Mark

[Gresley]

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I used Vaseline on one of these heater valves and it still moves freely six years on.

Brian

[brian0443]

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Realistically if Brian's valve invaseline has lasted six years and is still going thats good enough for me.

If I can buy a small tube of silicone grease for a few pounds I shall probably do so but otherwise I'll use the vaseline and let someone sort it again in another thirty years.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone, and I'll heed Mark's reminder to make sure the linkage is properly on.

Brian

[stagmuffin]

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hi brian, i suggest you use silicone lubricant as supplied at any plumbers merchannts.based on thirty years of combustion engineering and using on an almost daily basis in high and low pressure heating systems and gas engine use it has never let me down and is an industry standard. vaseline is petroleum based and entirely unsuitable and will contaminate and destroy rubber eventualy that is not specificaly compound designed to accomodate it.good luck steve.

[brian0443]

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Sorry folks, I should have finished this off earlier. Got a small tube of silicone grease from Maplins but finished up getting the O ring from Robsport. That job is well done, but when you have the dash out you begin to check the contacts, put in a new earth loom, and then have another go at sorting the inside lights etc. Winter is a wonderful time!

Thanks everyone

Brian

[loudnproud]

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Stuff winter roll on summer hate this cold weather need the sunshine. Get the Stag out of the garage and feel the warm wind in my hair and the noise of that TV8 in my ears magic. Must dash to the sales and purchase a new wig!.

[stustag]

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loudnproud wrote:

Stuff winter roll on summer hate this cold weather need the sunshine. Get the Stag out of the garage and feel the warm wind in my hair and the noise of that TV8 in my ears magic. Must dash to the sales and purchase a new wig!.

Get your car out the garage and use it now instead of leaving it to sulk in the garage!

Put the hard top and and get warm air blown at you by the heater:P

Stuart ( All year round Stag driver)

[loudnproud]

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True fair weather driver for a fair bit of my 27 year owner ship, so don't own a hard top, don't like having soft top up, and spend winter doing maintainance jobs so I have more time to drive the beast in the summer months.

[Marco Polo]

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I only drive mine in autumn, winter and spring, it's far too hot in summer! I leave it in the garage and work on it with the airconditioner blowing full cool!

from a sweltering Kewarra Beach,

Raoul