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Smiths heater valves
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trampintransit



Joined: 09 Aug 2010
Posts: 166
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 4:57 pm    Post subject: Smiths heater valves Reply with quote

I bought a valve for the Smiths heater on my car from the club. Unfortunately, this particular valve seems to be, like everything else on my car...unique. Having spent two evenings trawling tinterweb, it turns out that no other Smiths valve has the same physical layout ,and more importantly the same clockwise to close action.

unfortunately , the item that came from the club is not only physically still the wrong layout ( it's about 90 degrees out ) but the build quality is shocking. It locks in the 'closed' position and I needed to get a tiny file in to stop it from doing so...only to then find out that the damn thing isn't even closed when it's closed...there's still a substantial throughput of water. But there's a lso just the feeling that it's a piece of really cheap junk that'll last months before failing in some way....

SO ... who has experience of Smiths valves that are actually of decent quality?
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badhuis



Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The water valve on my TR4 leaked so I prised it open. The rubber diaphragm was worn through. So I bought a new one. This does not leak but because the effort to close the valve is too big, the cable will kink.
At the recommendation of other owners I now have bought an American made valve which supposedly would be better quality. I will report when I have received and fitted it.
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trampintransit



Joined: 09 Aug 2010
Posts: 166
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That sounds like it came out the same factory as mine...it sticks in the closed position...keep me in the loop when you get your new one?

The one you got that didn't leak ....that was fully closed when closed ...if you see what I mean? No water flowed in the closed position?
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roverdriver



Joined: 18 Oct 2008
Posts: 1210
Location: 100 miles from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If your heater is similar to the ones fitted to P4 Rovers (1949 to 1963), then they are quite repairable, utilising some scraps and a little time.
Here is the story of how I managed it and the materials used.-
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16984&highlight=
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trampintransit



Joined: 09 Aug 2010
Posts: 166
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not repairable I'm afraid..I tried to dissasemble it but it just fell apart. The valve yu repaired was held together with four fastners ..this one is crimped. Plus .. the input pipe is shattered anyway, there's barely enough pipe to hold onto the outgoing hose.
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