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Spirit Blowing Hot Air Through Vents

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SeanHatfield View Drop Down
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    Posted: May/24/2016 at 10:14am
Ever since I have owned my Spirit, it has always blown hot air through the vents without the heat or vent being on. It's been a minor annoyance, but now as the temperatures are rising and I want to get it out to stretch its legs, it has become something I want to get taken care of. It has the 151 4 cylinder and originally had air, but it was taken off before I received the car. I'm thinking it has to do with the heater control valve, but I'm not exactly sure. Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Sean 
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304-dude View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 304-dude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2016 at 11:53am
ok, since I am familiar with 73 air/heating and stretching my knowledge with assumption, the issue is with the heater valve. Either the seal is bad and allowing unrestricted flow when the valve is closed. or your vacuum vent switch is bleeding or allowing vacuum instead of releasing it when off. it is also possible that the vacuum line T was not implemented in directing vacuum to the vacuum switch and is bypassing the switch operation. Thus constant heating operation.

Edited by 304-dude - May/24/2016 at 11:56am
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401harry View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 401harry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2016 at 3:43pm
Yes probably the valve. One way to be sure is to disconnect the hoses going into the valve/heater core and use one of those male to male adapters from the auto parts store and bypass the whole setup. I have no need for heat down here and keep mine like that on all my old AMCs but you could easy hook it back up for winter if needed
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uncljohn View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncljohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2016 at 8:44pm
The Spirit had a heater control valve on the engine side of the firewall which turned off the hot water when the A/C was on.
So two things.
Either when the A/C was removed, the heater lines were hooked directly up to the heater core at the fire wall eliminating the valve OR the valve is stuck in the on position never turning the heat off.
Both are possible unfortunately that heater control valve is made of unobtainium.
And no longer available as a repair item.
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SeanHatfield View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SeanHatfield Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2016 at 8:58am
I will have to grab myself a TSM for an 81 and look up the order the hoses were supposed to be hooked up first so that I don't spend an eternity and a good chunk of change on a heater valve only to find out that I didn't need it. Thanks to the both of you for your replies. Hopefully this gets sorted out soon!
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rons View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2016 at 12:52pm
Sean, I am a purist, so I try to use original parts when ever possible. However, I would advise not using the original AMC heater valve... I tried two for my '78/ 232, and both leaked when the thermostat opened.  Oreillys  set me up with and all "plastic" GM style(Murray 74612) that is fully sealed. As UJ said the hoses could be reversed or incorrectly installed, the vacuum line that goes to the valve is disconnected or not "sucking" the valve closed. That can be due to a leak, or the button switch on the heater control assembly is defective. Also, check the vacuum line to the "storage tank" near the heater core hose inlet/outlets.
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uncljohn View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uncljohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/25/2016 at 11:25pm
Originally posted by rons rons wrote:

Oreillys  set me up with and all "plastic" GM style(Murray 74612) 

Thanks for the tip on this.
Living here in the SW, a heater has not really been needed during the winter. Winter here is when the temperature does not get to 100 degrees, so I bypassed the heater when the core began to leak. The replacement core has been sitting in my round tuit shelf for 5 years now. I think I will scare up one of these valves and go ahead and install the core and get both AC and Heat back in the car.
I went through I think about 2 or 3 of these valves after I finished the restoration of my Spirit to be used as a daily driver, the word restoration being used some what tongue in cheek as about the only thing really original once restored was the rear axle. The original 2.53:1 final drive still running reliably after 15 years of driving the heck out of the car and two cross country road trips for national conventions.
70 390 5spd Donohue
74 Hornet In restoration
76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power
80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit
74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam
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rons View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/26/2016 at 3:55pm
BTW, they are available at Rock Auto parts. About $8.
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