e46 Heater Valve Retrofit

[szacsi72]

Got 5 more ready for you guys

Add me to the list as well.

Put me down, too.

Put me down for one as well.

FYI the plates are sold out. Let me know if you guys want more; I'm happy to make a second batch if there's need for it.

David

Put me down for 1.

[boogie]

any more available?

[szacsi72]

any more available?

I've got a couple left, shoot me a PM.

[Chimi-Changa]

In for One, please email me

[BronzitBeauty]

Hi Guys,

The adapter plate will be $15 a piece; a kit, including the adapter plate and a brand new FEBI unit will be $115.
Please send me a PM if you want one!

Thanks!
David

Good Morning,
I am working on getting the retrofit on my E28 and wanted to purchase a bracket for the heater control valve. Do you still have them available?

[MLastovo]

Hello David,
If you are still making/selling the kits please put me down for a complete kit (bracket, valve, connector, etc.).

Thanks!
D.

[szacsi72]

Hi guys,

Sorry, I didn't see your answers.
I'll send you a PM tomorrow each!

Thanks

[Shawn D.]

Do these brackets only work on E28s with a vacuum booster?

[szacsi72]

Do these brackets only work on E28s with a vacuum booster?

I have not tested them, but I suppose the bracket should work, as the bolt pattern is the same due to the master cylinder.

Mlastavo,BronzitBeauty, PM Sent!

[85 535i]

Do these brackets only work on E28s with a vacuum booster?

I have not tested them, but I suppose the bracket should work, as the bolt pattern is the same due to the master cylinder.

Mlastavo,BronzitBeauty, PM Sent!

PM'd

[LarryM]

PM'd

[LarryM]

Received mine today, and they look great. The (rebuilt) heater valves on my bimmers are working fine so I'm storing these two plates away for if/when I ever need them. Thank you for a great product and such fast shipping, David!

[szacsi72]

You are very welcome! Happy to help keep E28s alive..

[robertodonnell]

Hi guys,

Can I ask everyone that's done this conversion, does the heater turn completely off when you turn the knob to cold after its been on heat? I rebuilt an OE valve, and it works fine on the bench, but still bleeds heat into the cabin if I've turned the heat up for a while. Thinking I was smart, I bought an Audi valve and fitted it today, and the brand new valve does the same thing!

I'm thinking that the Audi valve doesn't have
backflow protection, and although old E28 valve also seems to have anti backflow, it's well worn after 30 plus years of use.

So, in a nutshell if the E46 valve has anti backflow, I'll just buy one and swap it out.

Here's my post on the E28 FB page...https://m.facebook.com/groups/bmwe28/pe ... tid=Nif5oz

Cheers,

Robert

[szacsi72]

Rob,

I'm not sure how much of a rush this is for you, I can check this for you but I won't be in my shop for some time, so that will be at least one week.




Others:
Quite some people reached out to me needing some more brackets, so I ordered another batch for production. I had to raise the price by $5 due to increased material prices.
Shoot me a PM if you'd like one.

[MisterFixit]

Hi guys,

Can I ask everyone that's done this conversion, does the heater turn completely off when you turn the knob to cold after its been on heat? I rebuilt an OE valve, and it works fine on the bench, but still bleeds heat into the cabin if I've turned the heat up for a while. Thinking I was smart, I bought an Audi valve and fitted it today, and the brand new valve does the same thing!
...
Cheers,
Robert

Robert- it is my understanding that the heater valve opens and closes to admit hot water (coolant) into the heater core, so after heating for a while, the core is full of Hot Coolant.

Turning OFF the heat (closing the heater valve) will stop hot coolant from flowing into the core, but does NOT instantly cool anything... this takes time.

You don't 'turn off' a heater core that is filled with hot water, you stop water flowing through it. You can transfer more hot water into it; but after it's been heating, it remains hot for a bit. Thus, heat will continue to transfer to the air passing through the core... hence continued heating with the valve closed (knob turned all the way down).

Another car in our stable has a flapper door that shifts air flow from the heater core to the ducts - BYPASSING the core entirely. This results in a rapid cool air flow even after extended heating. It's a Japanese car, made in 1993, so I expect it to have more 'comfort features' than an E28. The air conditioner is similarly 'stupid;' as the temp control is moved off 'frigid' towards 'warm' the system gradually mixes Hot Air into the cold air stream, instead of the more efficient cycling of the A/C compressor on and off. But again, it's made in another country... not that there's anything wrong with that.

HTH

Andy

[robertodonnell]

It still should cool down within a reasonable time frame, once the valve is shut and the supply of hot water is stopped. In my E34, and my once owned E46, it will return to full cold in a not too long a time...within the time it takes for you to hod your hand there and feel the heat drop off...this stays full hot until the engine cools down!

[MisterFixit]

It still should cool down within a reasonable time frame, once the valve is shut and the supply of hot water is stopped. In my E34, and my once owned E46, it will return to full cold in a not too long a time...within the time it takes for you to hod your hand there and feel the heat drop off...this stays full hot until the engine cools down!

Well, that's different. you likely have a torn diaphragm or other defect in the valve - or a connector / electrical issue.

I long for the days when a bowden cable moved a lever on a manual valve under my 2002 hood... at least you could adjust the heat manually if needed.

[robertodonnell]

I'm not sure if you read through my post, but this is a new valve and I tested its operation before fitment. It worked perfectly.

[scottfoster72]

PM's not sending but if scazsi72 has additional HCV for sale, I would like one.

[szacsi72]

Hello guys,

I have 4 kits left, ready to ship. Unfortunately, I don't have much time nowadays (moving), so these are the last 4 I will be selling.
If you were thinking of the upgrade/repair, this is the time.
I have changed the FEBI valve to a VEMO unit, which is a better quality part.


Current pricing (23. 05. 2024)
Retrofit kit - 135€ / 145$ - GM stainless adapter plate + VEMO OEM heater valve + VEMO connector kit
Shipping to US - 30€ / 35$ - FedEx
Shipping to EU - 25€ / 30$ - DPD


Otherwise, if someone feels like that they want to continue selling the kit, they can send me a PM and we can work something out (I'm happy to sell the design for cheap to someone who can make them, or sell 10 pieces as a "group buy" that someone can distribute, etc...)

Regards,
David

[gaza01]

Where people are fabricating the bracket for the HCV, what is the diameter of the holes for the rubber plugs?

[szacsi72]

Where people are fabricating the bracket for the HCV, what is the diameter of the holes for the rubber plugs?

Gaza,

I'm not fabricating, but I'm offering the brackets and kits.
However, since I don't do it for profit, I'll happily share. The holes are exactly 25.0mm and the rubber plugs fit very well.

Regards
Dave

[gaza01]

Where people are fabricating the bracket for the HCV, what is the diameter of the holes for the rubber plugs?

Gaza,

I'm not fabricating, but I'm offering the brackets and kits.
However, since I don't do it for profit, I'll happily share. The holes are exactly 25.0mm and the rubber plugs fit very well.

Regards
Dave

Thank you Dave

[4DSC]

About to start this conversion and wanted to confirm something about the wiring. When putting together a connector, does the ordering of the pins matter, or is there no such thing as connecting the heater valve "backwards"? Don't want to accidentally damage a new valve.

Looking at an installed upright e46 valve from the driver's fender, the left pin should be connected to positive (GN/WT wire going into original e28 connector per e28 ETM) and the right to ground (BR/GN per e28 ETM)?

[szacsi72]

About to start this conversion and wanted to confirm something about the wiring. When putting together a connector, does the ordering of the pins matter, or is there no such thing as connecting the heater valve "backwards"? Don't want to accidentally damage a new valve.

Looking at an installed upright e46 valve from the driver's fender, the left pin should be connected to positive (GN/WT wire going into original e28 connector per e28 ETM) and the right to ground (BR/GN per e28 ETM)?

No, I don't think it matters. It's just a solenoid. I pinned the same way as the original E28 unit (so right one is right, left one is left)

[4DSC]

Adding my install experience to the thread. I used the original mounting bracket to the firewall but bent it up a bit to give the valve more space to fit behind the brake booster/line (535i). Then I grabbed some sheet metal, actually the top of an old radio in my parts bin, made holes for the valve, and started test fitting and trimming the metal for a rough fit. I had a hard time finding a hose at AutoZone that would fit this application so I headed to the pull a part where I grabbed a couple cooling hoses from different later model BMWs that had bends that looked roughly like what I needed along with a spare used valve and a couple connectors. I was trying to avoid using an elbow if possible to reduce the number of connections. I believe the piece of hose i ended up using in the end was from an e39 and the rear hose behind the head I reused the stock 535 one. So far the setup seems to be working great over 500 miles.

 


 


 


 


 


 

 

[milarsky]

If you don't mind, I'm adding to this thread instead of making a new one.

Here's an e46 valve installed on an M6 with a sheet metal bracket that you can make in like 30 minutes.

The bracket,



Removed the rubber grommets and tapped the holes with an m6 tap,



Attached the bracket with some short m6 bolts,



For the wiring I simply soldered an existing connector I had handy to the valve and epoxied it in place,



Hose layout. Sharkbite 1" barbed fitting was used to connect 2 pieces of hose together,



Just clears the intake manifold on the M6. It should be a lot more room on the M30,


Hello demetk!  Jeff here from Warren CT.  I am replacing an original heater valve with a new e46 one like yours.  I have an M5.  I am a bit confused about the plumbing.  Can you confirm that the bottom nipple on the e46 valve (it has an arrow pointing into the valve), goes to the back of the block.  And the top nipple is connected to the heater core?  Or do I have this backwards for this heater valve?

many thanks, Jeff

 

 

[milarsky]

Hello demetk! 

Jeff here from Warren CT.  I am replacing an original heater valve with a new e46 one like yours.  I have an M5.  I am a bit confused about the plumbing.  Can you confirm that the bottom nipple on the e46 valve (it has an arrow pointing into the valve), goes to the back of the block.  And the top nipple is connected to the heater core?  Or do I have this backwards for this heater valve?

many thanks, Jeff

[4DSC]

Hello demetk! 

Jeff here from Warren CT.  I am replacing an original heater valve with a new e46 one like yours.  I have an M5.  I am a bit confused about the plumbing.  Can you confirm that the bottom nipple on the e46 valve (it has an arrow pointing into the valve), goes to the back of the block.  And the top nipple is connected to the heater core?  Or do I have this backwards for this heater valve?

many thanks, Jeff

The flow on the e46 valve is reversed. I don't have an M5 but on the 535 the bottom outlet of the valve should connect to the hose from the block, top from the heater core. Assume the same on the M5.