As I've noticed on other cars these days, the Liberty heater core (located under the dash) has hot water flowing through it at all times, with no valve beyond the firewall, like the old days. While air is not directed through the core with the temp control turned down, the vent air is still slightly heated by the mere nearby presence of that hot radiator. Has anyone installed a heater line shutoff valve with reasonably elegant controls, and willing to share your plan?

There's no point. The blend air door isolates the heater core from the air flow out of the vents when you have it set to cold. If you are that worried about the air coming out of the vents being a little bit warmer than ambient temperature, the Liberty is equipped with a fine selection of windows to roll down.

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2006 Sport 4X4, Deep Beryl Green, NSG370, NV241J, Lifted with OME 927/948 and Bilstein, JBA 4.5 UCA's, Custom 3" Rear Y-Link Extension and Swaybar Relocation, 265/75-16 Toyo Open Country AT2 tires, Black Plastidipped bumpers, flares, and doors, Pioneer speakers, Alpine head unit, 1200w Phoenix Gold Amp, 12" Dayton Reference sub.

I guess you actually missed the 'point' in your haste to post a 'funny' reply. A thin plastic 'blend' cover doesn't provide enough insulation to stop heat transfer, only slow it down a bit. Then, if you examine the design, the blower sends the cooler outside vent air right onto and over that warmed plastic door. As for the windows, the objective is to get cooler air without rolling them down, suffering through the wind noise, giving up the fuel mileage, and, particularly in this vehicle, increasing the probability of actuator failure which is a significant concern in this vehicle.

It's a fair question, but to the best of my knowledge, no one has done this. If you do it, please do a write-up in the tech section

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Light Khaki 2.8CRD: TJM alloy bumper; Skid Row &Asfir skids;ext. breathers; SAMCO hoses; Grabber At3 235/70/16; Fumoto; Euro TC; Odyssey PC1500;GDE FTEcotune; OME lift; lightforce driving lights;ARB diff cover;nylon fan+Hayden2905;ss vortex exhaust; Airflow snorkel; Frontrunner roofrack; rock rails

Have you measured the heat gain? How much was it? Pinch the line under the hood and see what the difference is then?

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Resurrected 2005 Liberty Sport CRD
Canadian DRL mod

CRD Motor/Timing Pics
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Haven't instrumented it yet, except with my hand. This isn't a high priority project right now, given other CRV issues I have, but when I do get back to it, I'll try the pinch method you suggest, good idea. Thanks.

Big issue I could see for the 3.7 KJ is lack of rubber hose as most of the heater hose in the engine bay is metal tube and not to mention routing a cable to turn on/off the water valve.

I've never felt the need to do this to either my old KJ or the KK, as they have some of the coldest conditioned air of any vehicle I've ever owned. But, my 2007 Dodge megacab had such crappy A/C that I installed a shutoff valve for just your same reason. It did help and I measured a 3* drop in temps with the valve shut. Doesn't sound like much but you could feel just enough difference that the back of my head could just feel enough cool air to not sweat on my drive to work. I would only open it in the winter.

I just used a ball valve from Home Deeps that was apropriately sized to take the right sized nipples to splice into the heater hose.
Just cut out a chunk that is as long as the valve body and hoseclamp it in there. That is, if there is enough hose exposed.

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2012 Liberty Latitude 4x4,3.7L,42RLE,MP1522,D30M/8.25"@3.73,215/85R-16 LTX A/T2,Bright White
1974 CJ5,258,T14a,D20,D30/D44@3.73,TransAm Red

Much simpler solution than I was considering (electrically activated shutoff valve for both supply & return), but, as you've noticed, would be a significant help. Thanks.

Chuckle - ancient issue I see coming full circle. Back in the day when heaters were an optional extra cost accessory and on up into at least the mid-1960s many if not all vehicles that had heaters operated with hot coolant circulating thru them all the time with only a thin plastic very poorly sealed blend door preventing or "trying" to prevent heat entering the cab when the heater was "off". That was superseded by mechanical (cable controlled) or electric or vacuum controlled coolant flow shutoff valves in the engine bay just in front of the firewall. That was then superseded by going back to the old hot all the time heater cores with the advent of better blend doors and blend door sealing.

Been thru all 3 of this cycle and I can assure you the 1st time thru the cycle things got quite toasty with the heater "off". At the time the solution was quite easy and it would work today - see http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/heaterhose.htm for the under $15 option. This option works fine, I've used it, to just shut the flow to the heater core off for warm months and turn it on for cold. Alternative see http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-E-F-SERIES ... 0234390594 for a cable operated rig that could probably be installed for say $30 or less. I'll bet there are electric options.

For me though I'm not sure it's worth my time or $s as the AC works fine if it's hot enough and if it's not hot enough to run the AC I don't notice excessive heat from the system with the heater "off"

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