When I bought my '80 Saloon, the heater valve was defective, but the seller supplied a used replacement. (This is a standard Mini head-mounted valve, non in-line.) Yesterday I noticed that I had no heat - first time I needed it since purchase. What I discovered this morning is that the valve appears to operate backwards. That is, the valve is open (allowing coolant to circulate) when the dash control is pushed in. To turn off the heat, the control is pulled out. That seems backwards from what I'd expect. Does that sound right??

 

thats what mine does too.

In = heat
Out= no heat.

it does seem backwards, but i just assumed that was the English way

 

And just the opposite of the choke operation:
In = normal (non-choked)
Out = choke on

Thx for the confirmation, I thought I might be going crazy. I guess in GB they need heat almost all the time. Not so in Alabama.

 

yea really, mine was popping out enough heat that I had to turn it half way off too--and I'm in Massachusetts.

but not today--now I don't have enough heat. ahh well.

 

i removed the heater out of mine since i won't be driving it in the winter.