Honda Car Forum

My daughter's '93 Accord is having heater control problems. The temperature
control knob is cracked now, as a result of too much torque to adjust the
temperature. I pulled the control panel out last week to check out the
mechanism, and with the cable disconnected it worked okay. Today I replaced
the heater control valve, but found the new valve has about the same feel as
the old one. That only leaves the control cable. Anybody have experience
with that?

Mike

Michael Pardee wrote:
> My daughter's '93 Accord is having heater control problems. The temperature
> control knob is cracked now, as a result of too much torque to adjust the
> temperature. I pulled the control panel out last week to check out the
> mechanism, and with the cable disconnected it worked okay. Today I replaced
> the heater control valve, but found the new valve has about the same feel as
> the old one. That only leaves the control cable. Anybody have experience
> with that?
>
> Mike
>
--------------------

Could be somebody lubed it with something dino-based? Graphite is about
the only thing (or light silicone) that works well on them because of
cold. Locksmiths / hardwares sell an aerosol graphite spray called
LockEase. Small blue can. Great for ignition and door locks, but messy
on pants. Wipe off excess from keys, etc.

'Curly'

"motsco_ _" <"motsco_ _"@interbaun.com> wrote in message
news:41BBCDD2.6080607@interbaun.com...
> Michael Pardee wrote:
>> My daughter's '93 Accord is having heater control problems. The
>> temperature control knob is cracked now, as a result of too much torque
>> to adjust the temperature. I pulled the control panel out last week to
>> check out the mechanism, and with the cable disconnected it worked okay.
>> Today I replaced the heater control valve, but found the new valve has
>> about the same feel as the old one. That only leaves the control cable.
>> Anybody have experience with that?
>>
>> Mike
> --------------------
>
> Could be somebody lubed it with something dino-based? Graphite is about
> the only thing (or light silicone) that works well on them because of
> cold. Locksmiths / hardwares sell an aerosol graphite spray called
> LockEase. Small blue can. Great for ignition and door locks, but messy on
> pants. Wipe off excess from keys, etc.
>
> 'Curly'
>
I hadn't considered that the previous owner may have used WD-40 or similar.
The control was stiff when we bought it 3 years ago.

I've had run-ins with various locks that were squirted with WD-40. They work
great for a year or so, then start getting really stiff. I've used Lock-Ease
before and it works well on anything that hasn't been WD-40'd. On contact
with WD-40 residue almost any solvent (or dry graphite) hardens the residue.
I have never been able to flush the goo out and the only thing that works at
that stage is more WD-40. The device essentially becomes addicted to WD-40.
I don't know what happens after a number of years that way.

Anyway, I can get to the valve end of the cable easily enough. My plan will
be to slip a piece of tubing over the end and tie it to the cable sheath,
spray a healthy bit of Lock-Ease into the tube and apply a bit of air
pressure from my mouth to coax it up the cable. If that fails, I'll plan on
replacing the cable. I could pull it out and fiddle with it, but I doubt the
price of a new cable is very high.

Thanks!

Mike

Michael Pardee wrote:
My plan will
> be to slip a piece of tubing over the end and tie it to the cable sheath,
> spray a healthy bit of Lock-Ease into the tube and apply a bit of air
> pressure from my mouth to coax it up the cable. If that fails, I'll plan on
> replacing the cable. I could pull it out and fiddle with it, but I doubt the
> price of a new cable is very high.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mike
>
>
Let us know if that works. I've replaced about eight of those knobs
over the years since I bought my '92 Accord. bob

From experience, the only thing that will help on a permanent basis is a new
cable. And yes, they are cheap enough, under $10 if memory serves.
Howard
"N.E.Ohio Bob" <rgstroud@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
news:P40vd.62518$MG3.27934@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> Michael Pardee wrote:
> My plan will
>> be to slip a piece of tubing over the end and tie it to the cable sheath,
>> spray a healthy bit of Lock-Ease into the tube and apply a bit of air
>> pressure from my mouth to coax it up the cable. If that fails, I'll plan
>> on replacing the cable. I could pull it out and fiddle with it, but I
>> doubt the price of a new cable is very high.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Mike
> Let us know if that works. I've replaced about eight of those knobs over
> the years since I bought my '92 Accord. bob

"Howard" <howardh1951at@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:vY0vd.70988$Dm2.24721@bignews1.bellsouth.net. ..
> From experience, the only thing that will help on a permanent basis is a
> new cable. And yes, they are cheap enough, under $10 if memory serves.
> Howard
> "N.E.Ohio Bob" <rgstroud@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:P40vd.62518$MG3.27934@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>> Michael Pardee wrote:
>> My plan will
>>> be to slip a piece of tubing over the end and tie it to the cable
>>> sheath, spray a healthy bit of Lock-Ease into the tube and apply a bit
>>> of air pressure from my mouth to coax it up the cable. If that fails,
>>> I'll plan on replacing the cable. I could pull it out and fiddle with
>>> it, but I doubt the price of a new cable is very high.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> Mike
>> Let us know if that works. I've replaced about eight of those knobs over
>> the years since I bought my '92 Accord. bob
>
>
That's good to hear. I tried the Lock-Ease thing (although a simple squirt
at the exposed end was enough to break that end free), but still no joy.
Originally I couldn't move the cable at all by twisting the valve end, but
now it moves. However, the knob still moves a bit then jams, while the valve
end doesn't move at all. I imagine the cable is binding in the middle, and
once I get the controller out *again* it is probably as easy to replace the
cable as to fuss with it any more.

Also, thanks to N.E.Ohio Bob - I hoped the knobs were available separately
and now I know how to approach the problem. New knob, new cable. Couple
hours disassembling and reassembling. Daughter happy again....

Mike

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 18:27:59 GMT, "N.E.Ohio Bob" <rgstroud@neo.rr.com>
wrote:

>Michael Pardee wrote:
> My plan will
>> be to slip a piece of tubing over the end and tie it to the cable sheath,
>> spray a healthy bit of Lock-Ease into the tube and apply a bit of air
>> pressure from my mouth to coax it up the cable. If that fails, I'll plan on
>> replacing the cable. I could pull it out and fiddle with it, but I doubt the
>> price of a new cable is very high.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
> Let us know if that works. I've replaced about eight of those knobs
>over the years since I bought my '92 Accord. bob
Same thing with my '92. Currently using an old radio knob. Doesn't
look too great, but it's lasted for almost two years.

"Sniper" <majorret310@nospam.yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1hnpr0hugi2j8repklt7gb418fbhh0034k@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 18:27:59 GMT, "N.E.Ohio Bob" <rgstroud@neo.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Michael Pardee wrote:
>> My plan will
>>> be to slip a piece of tubing over the end and tie it to the cable
>>> sheath,
>>> spray a healthy bit of Lock-Ease into the tube and apply a bit of air
>>> pressure from my mouth to coax it up the cable. If that fails, I'll plan
>>> on
>>> replacing the cable. I could pull it out and fiddle with it, but I doubt
>>> the
>>> price of a new cable is very high.
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>>
>> Let us know if that works. I've replaced about eight of those knobs
>>over the years since I bought my '92 Accord. bob
> Same thing with my '92. Currently using an old radio knob. Doesn't
> look too great, but it's lasted for almost two years.
>
I'd still be concerned about excessive torque, though. The gear mechanism
the knob turns is plastic.

Mike

Had this problem many times on my 91 Accord, the problem is NOT the cable
but the adjustment of the control cable at the heater box located beneath
the glove box please refer to this website for adjustments.
http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/AccordManual/index.html

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:zrudnewOlN6mWSbcRVn-3w@sedona.net...
> My daughter's '93 Accord is having heater control problems. The
temperature
> control knob is cracked now, as a result of too much torque to adjust the
> temperature. I pulled the control panel out last week to check out the
> mechanism, and with the cable disconnected it worked okay. Today I
replaced
> the heater control valve, but found the new valve has about the same feel
as
> the old one. That only leaves the control cable. Anybody have experience
> with that?
>
> Mike
>
>

In article <zrudnewOlN6mWSbcRVn-3w@sedona.net>, "Michael Pardee"
<michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote:

> My daughter's '93 Accord is having heater control problems. The temperature
> control knob is cracked now, as a result of too much torque to adjust the
> temperature. I pulled the control panel out last week to check out the
> mechanism, and with the cable disconnected it worked okay. Today I replaced
> the heater control valve, but found the new valve has about the same feel as
> the old one. That only leaves the control cable. Anybody have experience
> with that?
>
> Mike

I once owned a 93 Accord and replaced that control knob at least once per
year. I always purchased two and kept one in the tool box. I found out
that the control knob for the 96 and 97 Accord looked almost the same so I
purchased one of the those and it lasted about two years so you might want
to do the same thing.

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