Factory heater control setup??

Wiring, lights, heater controls, anything electrical..
Post Reply
DyeingSwan

Factory heater control setup??

Post by DyeingSwan »

I have a feeling this is going to be hard to describe, but since we all have very similar controls in our Sweptlines, maybe someone will have an idea about this:

When I got my '67 D100 Utiline, I noticed that the factory switch to turn the blower motor on and off had been replaced with your traditional aftermarket toggle switch... no grey areas in this blower's speed, it's either off or on full blast. I further noticed that the only apparent control for coolant to the heater core was a "T" style valve within the engine compartment. I assumed this was another jerry-rigged replacement for a failed factory heater control cable. The fact that a '67 Sweptline at my local salvage yard had a kind of "daughter panel" with a "D","H", and "B" knob would seem to confirm this, and its heater box was identical to mine. However, several other Sweptlines (not '67 models though) at this salvage yard had only the "B" blower switch in the dash, with no "H" or "D" cables. Furthermore, although there are four holes in the bottom of my car's dash through which a daughter panel could be attached, there is no rectangular ring of dirt or rust (or a less faded area) to indicate such a panel was ever there. Nor is there a groove which most probably would have been worn by a blower cable on the lever on the heater box, if such a cable was ever present.

Lastly, I discovered this item on ebay, which looks an awful lot like my good old heater valve, and it claims to be an NOS part! So I guess my question is... could the heater setup I have now be factory, minus the toggle switch of course? From what I hear, people have quite some trouble with those darn "H" and "D" control cables anyway. I have a replacement blower switch with the big porcelain resistor - should I simply install that in place of the toggle switch and call it good?

Many thanks in advance,
Courtney

User avatar
Jeffc
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Post by Jeffc »

There were a number of options for the heater and controls,
here is a brief list of the most common options

most basic
small block box heater model 78 had the heat
control most often a valve mounted on engine block before
hose to heater as the only control other than the B blower switch (yes you would have to open the hood and turn it on/off by hand, most often a petcock type valve looks a little like the radiator drain), defrost is a lever on
the heater that must be flipped. No fresh air intake in
D or W trucks. I have never see this box with a cable control
set, but one could be made to work if one wanted at least for the
defrost.

upgrade
large block box heater model 86, some had water heat controls
in the box before heater core, some in hose under the hood (later models)
and some like above, if not ordered with control cables, on the block. Fresh
air intake on side of box controled by (V)vent cable on the passanger
side of dash and closing box door to cab.

Cable control option
mounted under dash to the right of steering wheel ( pass side vent is
sometimes on these, most often near heater)
H cable runs valve for water flow to heater
B is blower and will be mounted in dash if near the passanger side vent,
sometimes in the cable "pod" if cable control options were ordered and is a reostat 2 speed switch (some of this depends on year)
D is defrost cable and runs to leaver on heater that would have too
be flipped on is not ordered with cable option.

The cables can become stiff to use over time and will often bind.
It is best to remove them and lube them with light oil by soaking them in it and then working them, this will free them up and keep them working for years.
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

User avatar
wideblock
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 5617
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
City: las cruces nm
State: NM
Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Contact:

Post by wideblock »

jeff, let me add a bit, my 66 had this set up. B was for blower speed, had the 2 speed switch, H was connected by a cable that opened or closed a big door on the heater box to allow air flow to the floor board, and D moved a door inside, via cable, that diverted the flow of air from the floor to the dash vents. there was no flow control valve on the heater hoses, with the H cable depressed fully, the door was closed and didnt allow heat into the cab. thus the water flowed year round, but only got you hot if you pulled the H knob out.
Trey

1965 CSS Utiline.


ex trucks:
70 D100
66 d100
66 d100
67 d100
69 d100
69 d200 crew cab
65 crew cab
66 d100
66 d100


"i don't know it all, but i know enough to be dangerous"

User avatar
FredM
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 1044
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Location: Willcox, Arizona

Post by FredM »

now I got to look and see how the heater in the 64 works
in the 70 the heat cable moves a valve in the heater to control the flow of water :thinking maybe that was a new idea in 69
ENJOY LIFE, --- It's the longest thing anyone ever does-- --

When seconds count, Help is only minutes away-----------------

User avatar
Jeffc
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Post by Jeffc »

The water control valve in the box is the most common set up with
the cable controls,
even back in 64, the 64 that I have with the silver box (model 83 heater)
has valve in the box,
both my 66 with 318 model 86 heater and my 62 with 225 model 78
have the valve on the engine.
Just depends on what you ordered for options.
Trey, sounds like someone at sometime messed with your cables for whatever, maybe the valve didn't work anymore or a cable got too
stiff to work and the H cable was used someplace else, but if it did
not have a shut off valve on the engine, it had it inline at one time
ether in the heater box, or under the hood. The D cable should run
to the left side of the box and pushed in should direct heat to floor, pulled out to windshield.
The V cable always ran the
cowl air intake for fresh air to the model 86 heater, or cold air to the cab
on ether side of the cab.
Box door on right side of the model 86 heater used to let cold air
into cab or pull air from cab for the hearter was never controlled by cable that I know of, or have seen (maybe later truck?).
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

DyeingSwan

Post by DyeingSwan »

Jeffc wrote: upgrade
large block box heater model 86, some had water heat controls
in the box before heater core, some in hose under the hood (later models)
and some like above, if not ordered with control cables, on the block. Fresh
air intake on side of box controled by (V)vent cable on the passanger
side of dash and closing box door to cab.
Thanks, Jeff. It sounds like this is the setup my truck must have come with. It does have the large style heater box (identical to the one I found in the '67 at the junkyard which had the 'cable control' option) and the two "V" vent cables. Whoever ordered this truck originally went heavy on the convenience and safety options - two sun visors, a courtesy ignition light, and the padded dash (this last in disrepair) - but milder on those options which would have been pricier, like a V8 motor... or those heater controls, I guess! Well, to put it back to original will save me some work(i.e. just the blower switch - painless!) I did already grab the heater box and control pod just in case I ever want to bust out and do that upgrade, but with the weather the way it is I think I'll postpone all that wriggling under the dash and spillage of antifreeze til spring!

Regards,
Courtney

User avatar
Jeffc
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Post by Jeffc »

There a number of firsts in 67 that you will not find on earlier
years, pass side crash pad being one (68 and 67 only), under dash
ash tray, anouther is push button door handles......
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

User avatar
powerwagoncrazy
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 615
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
City: Hubbard, OR
State: OR
Location: Hubbard, OR

Post by powerwagoncrazy »

Ahh yes.... The wonderful doors of the 1967 year.... New on the outside (pushbutton), old on the inside (rotating pull handle), a special one year setup. Coudn't believe it- there were 6 pairs of doors at the truck wrecking yard, none of which were for a '67. Oh well, I'm young, I guess I can convert some '68 doors
'66 Cummins W250 5 spd crew cab long bed
'67 W200 Cummins, never-ending project
'74 Ramcharger Cummins 5 speed
'02 24v quad cab 6 speed dually 4x4

User avatar
Jeffc
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Post by Jeffc »

Rod, thought I might go down there and see how many of those doors
he would sell for a $100, some were pretty nice ones with very little
rust.....
http://imageevent.com/jeffc
62 D100 225 3sp lwb
64 D100 A318 727pb custom lwb
66 D100 A318 4sp lwb
68 D100 B383 727 swb
65 Dart GT LA273 2bbl 904
73 Scamp 225 2bbl 4sp od
68 P300 318 727 base Oasis 22' RV
71 for sale D200 318 auto parts truck could be fixed compleat $400
Old iron or no iron!
One size does NOT fit all!

User avatar
wideblock
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 5617
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
City: las cruces nm
State: NM
Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Contact:

Post by wideblock »

jeff, i wont argue the fact that it had a valve in line at one time, but it was probably manual under the hood. but the cable set ups looked factory, the door for the floor versus dash even had the arm for the cable controlled door door. with, both H and D in, blower on, you got nothing in the truck but a bunch of noise, pull out H, you got heat on the floor with D left in. pull out D and and the outer door shut and the heat went to the dash. D was connected to a door facing the driver at about a 30 degree downward angle, knob in, it was open, knob out it closed and the air came out 2 round holes in top of the box with hoses connected for defrost. the H was connected to a door about mid way between the heater box and the opening the D cable was controlling. it simply turned air flow on and off. you couldnt see anything but the arm sticking out the side of the box with the cable connected. it had vents on both sides, passenger side fed into the heater box, and had a door about at the passengers shin that you could open in the box to allow fresh air to the cab from the box, but this was channeled before the heater core. on the drivers side it was a simple round vent that opened or closed to let in fresh air.

dave, if you are following this post, could you please confirm on the 66 that my memory aint failing me???
Trey

1965 CSS Utiline.


ex trucks:
70 D100
66 d100
66 d100
67 d100
69 d100
69 d200 crew cab
65 crew cab
66 d100
66 d100


"i don't know it all, but i know enough to be dangerous"

Post Reply