Sure it would work there.
But if you are going to install one my advice is to remove the valve and enjoy the extra heat provided when it is gone.
Otherwise a piece of pipe spliced in there would restore the hose length. If you got it laying around it a freeby fix.
So any of the above will work.

 

Thanx-are you saying there would be more hot water going to the heater with no valve than there would be with the valve in the open position? I had assumed the purpose was to be able to turn off the water in summer and back on in winter.

 

Yes its purpose is to shut off water when not on heating mode. It does cause a restriction and more water flows and more heat is produced without it. Even if it is in perfect working condition.
If you install a manual shut off then it really just a nuisance at that point.
My heat doubled after removing mine. It went from thats warm and it had to run a while to heat the cabin to it is instantly throwing hot air from the time the temp gauge comes off 100 degrees in the morning. In cold weather I never turned it off of full blast. Now in 15 degree weather once the interior and engine is warm. Temp slider on 1/3 and blower on low and it stays warm. Full blast and I am roasting.

 

Gotcha-turn it off in summer and replace it with strait pipe in winter?

 

The lumpy method. Just turn the water on in winter and off in summer with that valve. It was less than 10 bucks for everything to do mine.

 

Now I'm confused. When you say "But if you are going to install one my advice is to remove the valve and enjoy the extra heat provided when it is gone" are you talking about the factory valve or the one I am considering installing where the hose is cut?
If the factory one, I have other hoses hooked up there as well-rear heat I guess.

 

Yes remove the factory one. Just join the hoses. Which will be another story since you have rear heat. Just join them where the factory valve was.Should be able to tell which goes where by looking at the factory valve. If not I can get er done. And install the lumpsters Acme water valve for control.

 

OK, thanks for clarifying. For today I'm going to just add the LAWV (Lumpy's Acme Water Valve,) until I can find a diagram for the factory plumbing to the rear.

 

I went to hardware store and couldn't find a ball valve that would work-found a fairly compact brass one that had barbed nipples, but even though it was labeled 3/4" the nipples were closer to 1/2"-clerk said the 3/4" referred to the opening size of the actual ball in the valve. So I was going to put a straight cpvc barbed coupler in there to mend the cut the alternator made, and realized that would rub the pulley as well. So I now see why parts diagrams show a shaped hose there instead of straight heater hose. Make it any longer and it crimps. So I put a 90 degree elbow in and it seems to fit midway between alt pulley and fan blade pretty well. So I guess Firestone was trying to save me some $$ by using straight hose. Could have left me stranded on side of the road though. Lesson learned!! formed hoses are formed for a reason.

Will go to harbor freight to look for valve chevymaher described and put it up by firewall.
Kinda glad hardware store didn't have what I was looking for. It wouldn't have worked in that spot and it gave me time to think this through.