Clamping heater control cable

[Bryan]

Hello, I am struggling to clamp the heater control cable adequately at the control valve end. The spring clip broke when adjusting it and I have tried plastic cable ties to no avail. I am told the clip is no longer available and it is an difficult area to work in up in that area. Has anyone come up with any clever fixes ? Thanks Bryan

[Oldiebut goodie]

Brickwerks have them.

[kevtherev]

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/h ... 3-rhd.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tandemsandy]

As said above, from Brickwerks. Had to do exactly the same job a few months ago. If you're ordering one, get 2, just incase you damage it in frustration, and they're dead cheap.
As you say its very difficult to work in that area. I had the coolant drained and was replacing the heater valve anyway, but even then from below with the lower pipe disconnected and out of the way it took me an hour of swearing to get it the clip on.
I found I could carefully pull the outer cable through the bulkhead gromet and get some extra length to work with, then just pushed it back through when getting the valve back into position.

Rob

[Oldiebut goodie]

Easy enough to put on - I did mine via under the gearstick gaiter. A minute at the most.

[tandemsandy]

Easy enough to put on - I did mine via under the gearstick gaiter. A minute at the most.

I'd read about that, but under my gearlever gaiter is just the spherical mounting bush where the gearlever moves, couldn't understand how you could get to the heater valve.

Rob

[vanhatter]

Thanks for the link, I'm in need of one of these cables

As I'll soon be fitting it and not particularly looking forward to it as it's a fiddly place to work - what did you mean by "via under the gearstick gaiter"? Any other tips would be awesome!

Cheers!

[Sunray]

As said above, from Brickwerks. Had to do exactly the same job a few months ago. If you're ordering one, get 2, just incase you damage it in frustration, and they're dead cheap.
As you say its very difficult to work in that area. I had the coolant drained and was replacing the heater valve anyway, but even then from below with the lower pipe disconnected and out of the way it took me an hour of swearing to get it the clip on.
I found I could carefully pull the outer cable through the bulkhead gromet and get some extra length to work with, then just pushed it back through when getting the valve back into position.

Rob

I think I'd just take the dash off to get at that. Its actually not too difficult a job and you can work in total freedom.

[MidLifeCrisis]

Resurrecting this post as it seems to be valid (and not that old).
Just replacing my heater control valve and the clip that holds the cable onto the heater valve on the old one is rusted into destruction so I need a replacement.
Yep I have looked at Brickwerks but I only need one (maybe two for peace of mind) - but then I need to get the order up to £5, then it's another £5 for the postage - not complaining about that but it does mean that I'd be spending £10 for a little clip.

Anyone know if it can be purchased anywhere else - does VW sell them ?????
Or any other method of securing the cable - sounds like cable ties don't do the job (ironically!!)
Thanks!!

[Oldiebut goodie]

I was clever - I bought a valve with a clip! The valves are common with Golfs and others so shouldn't be hard to pick up. I know what you mean about little things costing far more with postage.

[Oldiebut goodie]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/516962A-CHOKE ... 4396e8b617
These look the same - what do you think?

E D I T: or these are cheaper for one. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/choke-cable-c ... 35d8e61db3

[MidLifeCrisis]

Yeah - I was quite surprised when the new valve I got didn't have a clip but I guess that's what I get for getting stuff off eBay!!
Those clips do look similar but I guess it's impossible to know without getting one and trying it .....
..... do you think that's the sort of thing that an Auto Factors might have ???

[Oldiebut goodie]

I doubt that they would have the pukka VW ones. A VW dealer may well have one but I bet it will be priced so high that you will need a chair to sit on to recover!
The Mini ones look as though they need a centre punch to put the couple of dimples on the gripping piece like the originals had (I think).

[MidLifeCrisis]

Also - the ebay one looks different to the Brickwerks one;
Sort of opposite way round (if that makes sense)

[MidLifeCrisis]

Just to close this one off and as a suggestion for the future.
I ended up giving in trying to find a clip and made one myself ....
... Piece of 1mm think steel bent into an elongated 'U' shape (9mm wide and probably about 5cm long pre-bent)
The 'U' shape piece is then slipped around the cable and through the little hole in the heater valve (the hole that the original clip pokes through) - and is then secured at the end with a nyloc nut and bolt pinching the two ends of the 'U' together (hope that makes sense).

Something like this ...


Seemed to work really well and given the comments on here about the difficulties of getting the original clip on in that confined space it seems that it might be easier to install (as it can be tightened with an allen key and a socket, rather than trying to force the clip on)