Where is this and do I just turn it off to stop water going into my heater core?Is this something I do in the summer to make my AC work better?I have an 82

Should be in the water hose going to the heater core. It is vaccuum controlled. Look on the pass. side, down between the exhaust and the fenderwell area, and you should be able to see the control valve, spliced into the hose.
Sometimes the valve will get stuck in a particular position, and not function properly.
The only way to totally remove the heat generated by the hot water in the hoses is to tie the two hoses together, coming from the engine. Just blocking the flow thru the core with a "shut-off" valve won't completely eliminate the hot water from reaching the core. If you tie the hoses together, you eliminate the hot water from being in the heater core at all, therefore eliminating the source of heat.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Joel,

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What I mean by "tying" the hoses together is, take the hoses loose from the heater core, and simply splice them together. Another way to accomplish the same objective is to remove both of the heater hoses from the engine end, and plugging them there. This is better, as it keeps from possibly damaging the heater core tubes by pulling/twisting on the hoses, trying to get them off.

A shut-off valve will keep the hot water from flowing freely thru the heater core, but it does not keep the hot water from touching the core, thereby transfering heat to the core. As long as the hoses are still connected to a hot water source(engine), and the core, there will be tranferance of heat.(conduction)

This method will work on any vehicle. All heater systems will have water flowing in one side, and out the other. Stopping the flow on one of the hoses will help some, but as long as the hoses are connected to the core, and have hot water in them, the heat will transfer to the core. Completely removing the hoses from the core will result in a 50deg drop(avg.,from ambient) in the air outlet temps, on a 100deg day!
This doesn't mean the A/C temp will be 50deg. cooler, just that the air temp difference from outside(ambient) to the inside air outlets will be much cooler, as the A/C doesn't have to cool the heated water in the heater core. A/C air flows over the heater core before it gets to the evaporator, in most systems. In our Corvettes, there is a flapper door that directs the outside air from the blower motor either thru the heat side, or the A/C side. As long as there is hot water in the heater core, the air temp will be higher.

As a side note, you can replace your heater control valve with one from a later model 'Vette('84-'86 or so), and it will control the flow of hot water much better. They seal better, and last longer to boot.Adams' Apple2006-12-25 21:57:02

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Will it make my AC run a little cooler?

yup!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Are these things supposed to be turned off in the spring and turned back on the in fall.Just what are they for I guess.I've never had a car with one before

The factory valve is vaccuum actuated. It should be off with the A/C on "Max" only. Any other setting will allow some hot water flow.
You can replace the factory valve with a "manual shut-off" valve, and turn it off, but the heat will still be able to get to the core. The only way to completely eliminate the hot water from the heater core is to disconnect the hoses.
If your car's A/C is not cooling well, you may have other issues, also, and not just hot water in the core.
For other folks, if you have a car that doesn't have A/C, disconnecting the heater hoses will absolutely lower the interior temp in the summer.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

My AC works fine,just had a bunch of stuff done to it.blows cold but I can still feel some heat down by my feet.

Welcome to Corvette Land!
You can install some heat barrier under the carpet, and it will help a bunch. Also, make sure there are no open holes in the firewall that will allow hot air to enter. This is a big problem.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks,Joel.I've got a new carpet set that I haven't installed yet because the car really don't need it.I just got a good deal on it.My 82CE is very original with only 34,000 on the clock.It does have a SS dual exhaust on it.So I might be getting some heat from that.I will also get some of that heat stuff.I've heard you can get this at Home Depot/Lowes?

I got mine from Mid-America. Its a foil backed pad. It made a world of difference. Befor I put it in, you couldn't drive barefoot without burning your foot. Terry 

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Click on images for Before and After pics!

Another way to drop the temp down is to put sidepipes on the car - blow all that heat out the side before it gets under the car. Of course, there is the little issue of a slight (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) increase in the noise level......

[QUOTE=jgoglick]Another way to drop the temp down is to put sidepipes on the car - blow all that heat out the side before it gets under the car. Of course, there is the little issue of a slight (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) increase in the noise level......[/QUOTE] I have thought about that real hard for awhile now and am not afraid of a little noise.Never seen a CE with sidepipes!!!

I lined the floors and up the firewall area with Dynamat and it did decrease the amount heat coming up thru the floor. Especially the passenger side where the twin cats are sitting. Michele said her feet don't roast like they used to. Plus it did dampen the road noise levels quite a bit. It is kind of expensive, but if you are going to be driving it a lot it is worth every penny. That's my .02 cents.

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GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.

The insulation will help quite a bit. You can get it at the Home Depot/Lowes, etc., and it comes in rolls around 36" wide, by so many feet. If you do this, get some of the tin/metallic type duct tape, to seal all of the joints in the insulation. It took me a couple of days to do this(right) on Dwain's(Longhorn294) car.

                                                    click on image for link

sorry, Dwain...I'm showing yer nekked car again!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Just an update and something that might save you guys a few dead president$$.

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