The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Ranco Valve question

Members:
I think I just blew it...I bought a refurbished ranco valve on ebay... received it and I noticed it didn't have the copper tube that attaches on the interior of the cab...can I still use the valve? or can I even get just the tube and get the tube attached? or do I have to pay ALOT to get this refurbished again ?
Thanks

Jimmi,

Who refurbished the valve?
How much did you pay?
Did you send the valve with a coppr tube to the "refurbisher"?

The small diameter, sealed, copper tube is a necessity for the valve to work properly. Someone else might know if the valve will work (in the open position?) without a tube.

Tim:
I bought it off a guy from ebay. I did not have one to get rebuilt...so I had to get one. What better way than to get one that was already rebuilt at decent price & 65.00.
I was checking at my ebay history and looked at the picture and noticed that it had no tube.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120659099603&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_924
I will try and contact seller and ask why no tube. Still wonder if it will work with out it or did I get soaked.
Thanks

I tried to send a pic of valve..in the last post. didn't work.

Try this....
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums.../BzPPgBWkKGrHqNicEzN1w6iTwBN2Oyww_14.jpg

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums.../BzQGCWkKGrHqZlQEz0SS5cDBN2PNqJhw_35.jpg

Thanks

From the eBay listing:

Remanufactured
A properly rebuilt automotive part. The item has been completely disassembled, cleaned, and examined for wear and breakage. Worn out, missing or non-functioning components have been replaced with new or rebuilt components. It is the functional equivalent of a new part and is virtually indistinguishable from a new part. See the seller's listing for full details.

But, in the Q/A in the listing:

[i]Questions and answers about this item
Q: Normally there is a diaphram with a capulary tube on this valve;is this a file photo or is the valve incomlete ???
A: This valve does not have a capillary tube. It controls the hot water flow like most vechcles of later years---- by turning the knob and rod under the dash on the passenger side of the cab. Thanks for the interest. Jim

This is not remanufactured in terms of his own definition however, in the Q/A he covers his inadequately remanufactured part. Here is a correct valve. (as you said, you'd need a core)

Your choices are:
1. Ask to return the item (for full refund - maybe paying for shipping one-way or both-ways).
2. Keep the item and either use it or get a different one. Jim Carter sells one at double the price, if you do not have a core.

In my opinion, the seller (phlobe47) is wrong. However, he will say that he clearly stated the capillary tube was missing.

Thanks Tim:
I e-mailed the seller...I'll see where it goes...I believe that ebay can get involved if the product is not what it claims to be. And clearly this is not a complete heater valve.

I too have the ranco valve in my unit AND I need to bolt it together at eht top. My concern is getting a tight seal. I may spring for a new one if it give me any problems. I could always replace it with a valve under the hood (but that will look weird).

I went through this a while back, My existing ranco had the tube cut. I contacted several vendors for rebuild and they would not accept the core for rebuild. I was told it is a gas filled bellows.


As far as that ebay seller, if you look at his items it sure looks like a Jim Carter store.... location and items.

Good Luck

If you look at phlobe47 location,you will most likely figure out who he is"I know who he is".I'm 99% sure he will take care of you,but I don't know how he listed it.

Tim

Tim: I also believe it is Jim Carter..I emailed him earlier and he will take it back,no problem....Problem is I'm back to not having a Heater Valve. I don't have one to swap for a rebuilt one. I asked him if he had one..and if so, I would buy it...Hope he does.
Thanks

Call this guy - maybe you'll be lucky and he will have one. (highly unlikely but worth a try) - Jim Tucker

There is good information in this thread that discussed the capillary tube. Unless you are doing a concourse restoration, I think you'll probably be okay as far as valve use. You might have to tweak it as it gets warmed up, but it isn't like they were ever "climate control" high-precision devices in the first place. Red58/Squeeze thinks the tubes were eliminated altogether after '59.

I sent an email to Classic Parts earlier this week regarding rebuilding my heater control valve. (They offer rebuilding services for AD valves, but only repops for TF.) They responded that they do not offer TF valve rebuilding service. Their reproduction heater control valve that they identify as for TF deluxe heaters does not have a capillary tube.

If it were me, I'd run with what you bought and skip the temperature fine adjustments possible with a capillary tube. The valve you have is much better than the reproduced ones, in my opinion. In my experience, they have a better fit and are made with higher quality components compared to the Chinese reproduction items.

Bill

I tend to agree with you Bill. I've done some testing with the diaphragms and when I stick them in the freeezer at 0° they are slow to respond and in the fridge at 36° they don't respond at all. Tested a few of them and they all seem to be calibrated the same. I truely think it was just a sales gimmic.
There was a guy back east or up north, don't remember which, that sold them with out a core. It was mentioned in a thread here a couple of months ago if you want to do some searching.

DG

I purchased one from

http://www.heatervalves.net/

For $107.00 no core required.

Dont know if he has any more.

Good Luck

Thanks Boys...I thought that I was getting ripped off. I thought I HAD to have the valve with the tube...If I can run without it,I will. I don't care if it looks stock,I want HEAT. Besides one more thing on the interior firewall to get hung up and ripped out.
Now I just need a 12 volt blower motor with a 5/16 shaft. Found a few places that have them..But they have extra long threaded bolts out the back ?? doesn't have a nice finished end like stock...
Thanks Again

Jimmi,

I agree with you.

If you ever want it to "look" right, you could later add 1/8" diameter copper tubing running from the floor/pad to the valve(the tubing readily available as used in many refrigerators). Almost no one would ever know.

Based on my experience with the stock valve on my '51, it might be better to NOT have the capillary tube. OK, so in the AZ deserts I don't need much heat but sometimes when I have the heater going and turn the temperature knob, I get no hot water, because the capillary tube tells the valve the ambient temperature is not cold enough. At least I think that is what happens. When it is really cold, the heater works great.

I purchased the same valve several months ago on Ebay, and when it came I noticed the return address was Jim Carter. Then I noticed the missing capillary tube, checked the ad and there was no mention but the picture clearly showed no tube present, so I am not sure I can claim false advertising. After mulling it over, I came to the conclusion to just install it (on my COE project), so I will have hot water on demand. It was $10 cheaper than another who advertises on Ebay, but they require a core. So there you go, your choice.
Kent

Thank Boys...I installed it on my firewall today...Looks great so far. Now for that blower..then I can put it all back together.
Thanks

That's it Gus, thanks, I'll book mark it this time for sure.
And that was exactly the point I was trying to make Kent, the diaphragm won't open the valve unless it's dang cold out.

dg

I thought the valve closed as the temperature warmed?
the TF series ranco sensor is mounted inside the heater box, with even a slight amount of engine coolant circulating in there I can't see how it would ever get cold

Denny, have you checked the reaction of the valve with the sensor bulb dipped in hot water? I'll hafta dig one out sometime and check

Bill

I think the brass bulb swells when it's to temperature in the cab closing the valve.When the cab cools off,the bulb collapses,opening the valve letting hot water flow.Is this correct or am I way off ?

Tim

I'm new to the site, but hope I can offer some assistance. I've already received great info from several members.

I ran into similar problems trying to find a Ranco valve too.

My old heater was missing parts and a valve. After disassembling it and locating some parts, I found the valve search to be the most difficult. I checked with the major suppliers, craigslist, googled, and ebay. I found several varieties on ebay, and contacted the sellers to inquire if they had the particular valve I was looking for - with no luck.

After speaking to Jim Carter's customer service I asked them if they couldn't supply one would they know someone who might. They suggested Tom Myer's Auto parts, in Miami, OK (918) 542-3871. Tom was able to supply a valve, control rod, and respective brackets.

Thanks Stickler

....hey Sticler, be sure to shoot a good pic of it when you get it in case someone else has that problem!! Glad you found what you needed.

Don't want to bring a dead horse back to life but I recently rebuilt my Ranco valve in my 58 Harrison heater (Tom Myers - very nice unit). The capillary tube in this unit actually activates a small piston when heat is applied to the tube and coil (I used a heat gun) and it shuts the valve.

Rebuilding was pretty easy thanks to FRED getting me a new seal.

I followed the instructions at the Stude site and made a little anvil for pegging down the brass valve tabs. Worked well.

Piston closed

Piston opening with heat


Ready to roll - bead blasted, core pressure tested, new elbow hose, etc..

Looks great Randy, and yep, it's a bunch different than the AD valve for sure.
Good work buddy.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Thanks Denny now I have to deal with what appears to be a difference in the 58 Harrison heater..it looks identical to the 55 Deluxe heater I got from Bill but the clip for the defroster cable on the 58 is spot welded in a different position than the 55 - the 58 clip to hold the cable is mounted horizontaly while the 55 cable clip mounts the cable vertically.

I can't see how the 58 cable mount would work with the deluxe in-dash defrost controls. Obviuosly something changed - the 58 defrost cable is oriented in a completely different direction than is shown in the 57 manual. The 55 defrost cable mount looks identical to that shown in the 57 manual.

Also the 58 had a 5/8" heater core pipe and switch, 55 had 1/2". So I will have to drill out the 55 box holes to 5/8".

The defrost hose mounting ducts (round) are also a little different on the 58, they are on the rear side of the box beside each other (side to side) while the 55 one has ducts on both sides and are back and front when the box is put together.

Other than that they are identical and bolt up to the firewall no problem. Must have been a later design change I guess. I'd love to see how the defrost cable on the 58 would work - it would have to come in from just across from the radio and would be very difficult to hook up to the defrost lever on the deluxe controls.

Bigger question - why is the TF accessory manual only for 57? I'd like to see the running changes as bill mentioned.