Kodiak MkIII heater switch

[chester rides again]

My heater switch went south yesterday. Started smoking and then died. TerriAnn's website details the unit as being american made by a company called Cole in the Boston area. It is suppose to function as all the way in, off, 1st position out, low, and full out, high. My unit was reversed as the middle position was high, and the full out position was low. When I removed the unit it is stamped ARK-LES (U.S.A). The company is still in biz, and located in MA. - same company?

Attachment 490

The 20A fuse is removed. It was toast, but I'm not sure this occurred during the initial failure, or when I got some sparking when I was sticking a screw driver around the area.

Are there any replacement parts available for this unit? I really want to keep the switch setup as it matches the temp and air flow knobs. TerriAnn indicated that it can be rebuilt, but I really don't want to go that route. It's pretty smelly and I can only imagine the damager inside the little black box.

Jeff

[SHORLAND]

Always a good idea to remove the battery cables when playing with anything. Nice looking rig in your avatar. Is that your Rover?

[chester rides again]

probably would have been a good idea, but my kid enjoyed the sparks

yep, it's mine. full top, p/u top and this spring, i'll put on the soft top.

[Jim-ME]

Check out Pangolin. Ike may have one.
Jim

[TeriAnn]

My heater switch went south yesterday. Started smoking and then died. TerriAnn's website details the unit as being american made by a company called Cole in the Boston area. It is suppose to function as all the way in, off, 1st position out, low, and full out, high. My unit was reversed as the middle position was high, and the full out position was low. When I removed the unit it is stamped ARK-LES (U.S.A). The company is still in biz, and located in MA. - same company?

The Kodiaks were a North American dealer installed option made mostly from off the shelf parts. I've seen a couple different switches over the years.

Try a web search for 2 speed heater switches for 1960's American cars. You might find a surce for new switches that bolt in replacements.

Wise Owl might have a used one & who knows what Les might have squirrled away in his Rovers North loft?

[I Leak Oil]

If you're unsuccessful in fixing your original switch you can get a 2 speed pull heater switch at NAPA. I don't remember the part number but it mounts and works the same as the original Kodiak. I didn't try it on mine but you could probably fit the kodiak knob with a little effort to keep that original look.
JasonT.

[Terrys]

Cole is actually Cole Hearse, but that switch is available from many (NAPA, as stated) and all the collector car resto places.

[4flattires]

Cole Hersee

http://www.colehersee.com/

[Enigma]

My heater swich went toast this year and I replced it with a local auto parts source 3 speed switch. One thing I like about the new switch is that there is a bulb in the switch that from them various levels of illumination , tells the speed of the fan. Yes it is not like the original , but I feel is superior to the original.

Cheers John

[Erin]

I just replaced the switch for my Mark IV Kodiak (similar or identical to the Mark III). I think I tried too hard to match the original but here is what I did: I found an old Cole-Hersee switch with the ceramic resistor and gently opened the switch up to take out the shaft the knob attaches to since it did not work with the Kodiak knob. I then found a bad switch with a shaft the same shape as the Kodiak (they are really common) and cut it to size and cut new grooves in it to fit in the new switch. It worked! I now have two speeds for my fan and the strange burning smell from my resistor is almost gone. I guess it had about 40-50 years of dust on it to burn off. I'm sure there is an easier way to do this but I asked a few of the folks mentioned above and no one had one. So I pulled a McGuyver and made one work. Good Luck.