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I am going through my newly acquired 1962 Jaguar Mk 2. The connecting rod between the heater tap valve and hot/cold flap on the heater box itself is missing. Does anyone know where I can find a replacement? I have made a temporary one (from heavy duty galvanised fencing wire!), but an authentic one would be much better.
See item C in the attached diagram. The control cable from the Hot/Cold lever actuates the water tap valve then the connecting rod moves to actuate the heater air flap in the box.
Ian
ok thanks. I see now.
Quite different actuation from the S type.
Series 2 and 3 XJ-6 and 12 have a system of different rod lengths to open and close flaps from which one could probably be sourced. Very similar to item C in the illustration. Just a thought.
the MK-2 heater system is very strange. Compared to the heater system in the S type (1963-1968), which is very straightforward. I suppose you might find the rod in a salvage yard that has MK-2.
I have been through all the major suppliers & some lesser known. None have the heater tap control rod. You are going to have to find used. There are none on eBay so don't waste your time there.
Just had a look at the one on my car. It's surprisingly inaccessible. I thought it was a rod, but it feels more like a steel cable. It's possible mine is not original as I've a vague memory of working on it with my father decades ago. As I recall, it's a bit of a fiddle getting the motion of the flap in synch with the opening of the water valve. Assuming it is a bit of wire 'cut to fit', it's not surprising no one lists it as a part.
'Cut to fit' turns up so often on old British products and some times on American. There is no greater expression of confidence in the mechanical fitters of past generations. Unfortunately, these days ...
That's what I have found. There aren't many Jaguar Mk2s in scrap yards these days.
Try contacting Rob Burston. Based in Somerset he has about 250 Jaguars he is breaking on his farm of which about 30 are Mk2s. I will PM his details to you.
It definitely acts like a rod, not a wire. It has to push as well as pull to operate the flap. Without it, the heater will not work. The previous owner can never have used the heater. In the factory it must have been fitted to the heater box before installation, so access would have been no problem. I had quite a job fitting my home made replacement. Had to cut the rod in half to fit the ends separately, then join it in the middle with a sleeve. It will probably last quite well, but looks what it is - a home made bodge.
Try contacting Rob Burston. Based in Somerset he has about 250 Jaguars he is breaking on his farm of which about 30 are Mk2s. I will PM his details to you.
It definitely acts like a rod, not a wire. It has to push as well as pull to operate the flap. Without it, the heater will not work. The previous owner can never have used the heater. In the factory it must have been fitted to the heater box before installation, so access would have been no problem. I had quite a job fitting my home made replacement. Had to cut the rod in half to fit the ends separately, then join it in the middle with a sleeve. It will probably last quite well, but looks what it is - a home made bodge.
Correct! Hence even the Bowden Cable being solid, or close to, & not soft & braided.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Mar 25, 2024 at 12:57 PM.
I climbed up on top of my car (it's up on stands) to have a close look and it is a rod. The rough surface made it feel like a wire cable. In the drawing in the service manual it look like a rod. Strangely, according to the text in the service manual and the spares book, it's a cable, part number C.16614 tap to hot-cold flap cable..
Would a cable work? As the rod (or cable) pulls the flap against the resistance of a spring, when everything is in decent order, it should. In reality, the spring probably needs a helpful push. For that matter, the rod is quite slender and probably needs the spring to help it avoid buckling.
A few owners have chosen to abandon the rod and fix the flap permanently in whichever direction better suits their climate.
Certainly a cable would be much easier to adjust such that the flap and tap both go to full cold and full hot.
+1^ ~ I think construction of a sturdier rod might help & I like your stronger spring assistance idea if I understand you correctly. This thing seems a PIA.
I recall a story that Jaguar asked Smiths to make a heater that would fit in the space. Smiths said it's not possible. Jaguar gave the job to an apprentice and passed his design to Smiths to make. About the only thing in favour of it is that it's OE.
Jaguar Mk2 heater controls
