Heat control cable bending

[wichallenger]

I am having trouble with my heat control cable bending on my 1991 Damon Challenger. I unhooked it from the heater hose valve and the valve is free. It moves as easily as a new one. Is there an easier fix than replacing the cable? If not, how do you go about replacing it?
Second question. My temp gauge runs normal in the summer, however, now that it is cooler out, it hardly moves and I can't get much heat out of the heat vents. Does that sound like a bad thermostat?

Larry 91 Challenger
Star Prairie, WI

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wichallenger I am having trouble with my heat control cable bending on my 1991 Damon Challenger. I unhooked it from the heater hose valve and the valve is free. It moves as easily as a new one. Is there an easier fix than replacing the cable? If not, how do you go about replacing it?

Back in the day if there was any spare cable, I would pull the core back, cut the sheath back a couple of inches, pust the core back out and then cut the core to fit. Sometimes it worked. It's typically the attachment point of the jacket near the valve that doesn't want to cooperate unless the cable is bad all the way through.

Quote:

Second question. My temp gauge runs normal in the summer, however, now that it is cooler out, it hardly moves and I can't get much heat out of the heat vents. Does that sound like a bad thermostat?

Yes sir that sound like "classic" case of a T-Stat stuck open.

This is my 16,000 Post "Sweet Sixteen"

[wichallenger]

Thank you DriVer,
The cable is bending at both ends. If I knew how long it was, I thought I could pull the new one though with the old one.

As for the thermostat, I am going to replace it.
thanks again.

[Ray,IN]

I like the KISS principle. Before doing anything involving money or work, I would use PB blaster on the cable. If it is coated you can trickle PB blaster down the higher end of the cable, then work it until it loosens up. It's amazing what a tiny amount of corrosion can cause.
Same thing works for dump valve cables too.

[wichallenger]

Thanks, Ray,IN. Anything is worth a try.