Best Heater for 1994 California

[Martin Adams]

We have a 1994 petrol California Coach (Eurovan) that we purchased in 1995. It was one of the last built in Germany and imported into Canada and came without a heater. We moved from the West coast to the East coast in 2014--the camping season is much shorter on the East coast so we are hoping to install a heater so we camp earlier in the spring and later into the fall. We think that the van was built to accommodate the Eberspacher--we found the whole in the top of the fuel tank last summer when we had a major fuel leak. The rubber stopper had rotted away depressurizing the fuel tank and pumping out petrol. Which after-market heater would you recommend. We are used to purchasing parts and accessories from he UK and Germany so no worries about sourcing.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

An Eberspacher would have been the heater of choice when your Westy was built but I don't think they do the petrol fired version any more. However Webasto currently manufacture both petrol and diesel fired air heaters that look very similar to what would have been fitted originally. These would have been mounted externally, under the floor, just behind the drivers seat and the air piped in through the sill cavity. Alternatively you could look at Truma gas fired air heaters. The only issue with those though would be your gas carrying capacity and internal space as I think they need to be fitted inside the vehicle as they aren't weather sealed. I could be wrong about this though but reckoned a quick round up of your options would be a good start.

 

[bluerallye]

Hi,

We have a similar model (2.5 Petrol 93 California Coach Eurovan CV (exported to Japan)). Our Eber was intermittent we think due to a faulty spark plug and we were having trouble sourcing the part. As our van was fitted with an underslung LPG tank for the cooker, we fitted a Propex HS2211 that slotted neatly into the space previously occupied by the Eber and feeds off the LPG. I would like to refit the Eber one day should we ever be able to source the parts. FWIW the Propex is a very good heater, doesn't gobble the gas and is plug and play.