How to turn of heater without knob?

[spiffybeard]

First of all, thank you to everyone here who has gotten me almost to the end of my 83 944 NA restoration.

Unfortunately, there is one tiny thing keeping me from completing this 3-year job: My heater knob is missing, so I can’t turn on the heater to do a proper coolant flush and fill!

Any tips on how to work the heater without the knob?

Thanks in advance!

[spiffybeard]

For clarification, I’m referring to the 4-position knob to the left of the sliders. The sliders are still in place.

Though now I wonder if this is a bit of a silly question. Does the knob only control the blower? So even though the blower is in the permanent “off” position, does the slider still allow coolant to flow through the heater core?

[v2rocket_aka944]

the knob just controls the fan. 944s are wired stock to have that blower running any time the ignition is on, even with the knob at position 0.

the sliders are the only thing in control of the heater valve so sliding that to full red will open the heater valve fully.

[spiffybeard]

Thanks! I appreciate you humoring the dumb question. To think I was going to be defeated by a plastic knob

[spiffybeard]

While I’m happy to know I have coolant flowing through the heater core, I would like to get the blower going as well. I ordered a new knob, but it won’t “snap in.” I pulled everything open and it looks like something isn’t quite right. Any idea from my photo what’s broken here? And sorry, I don’t know why the photo’s upside-down.

[spiffybeard]

Here’s another photo from a different angle:

[spiffybeard]

As is typical, I was over complicating the situation. The blower switch had simply failed in spectacular fashion. Luckily, a pretty cheap part to source. Posting here in case someone has a similar issue one day.