Diesel heater on starting

[briwy]

Anyone else had the diesel heater start up automatically now that temperature has dropped?
The last few times I have moved the van a short distance I've noticed the heater roaring away when I've turned the engine off. The heater light isn't on in the top display so I assume this is the fuel heater as mentioned in the manual.

 

[Freeley]

Yes I'm pretty sure that would be the engine heater.
They all do that as far as I'm aware. Doesn't it heat the engine coolant or something?

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[Hubert]

Is warm/hot air coming out of the passenger compartment heater vent on the B post behind the drivers seat ?
If not it will be the DPF regenerating. This will happen if you only run short journeys especially in cold weather. It can be alarming when first witnessing, with the smokey/oily smell outside the vehicle.
My guess is, it is the DPF if the control panel is switched off.

Hubert

 

[shambly]

My guess is, it is the DPF if the control panel is switched off.

No, it is the coolant pre-heater. Our vehicles have two auxiliary heaters, one air (that we control from the top panel), one coolant (that by default is controlled by the ecu; there is a thread somewhere on here where someone was looking at retro-fitting a remote for it available in other markets - great for defrosting before starting the car in the mornings)

Diesel engines run better warm so it is helped to warm up.

Note the two heater notices in one of the door shuts

Simon

 

[briwy]

Thanks for the replies, I assumed that is what it was but didn't know if it was fitted as standard on UK spec vehicles.
I had a Saab a few years back with the same thing on, scared me to death the first time I heard it. Sounded like a jet taking off.

 

[Hubert]

My guess is, it is the DPF if the control panel is switched off.

No, it is the coolant pre-heater. Our vehicles have two auxiliary heaters, one air (that we control from the top panel), one coolant (that by default is controlled by the ecu; there is a thread somewhere on here where someone was looking at retro-fitting a remote for it available in other markets - great for defrosting before starting the car in the mornings)

Diesel engines run better warm so it is helped to warm up.

Note the two heater notices in one of the door shuts

Simon

I stand corrected although I haven't heard mine start up even on the shortest of journeys :?
Hubert

 

[briwy]

My guess is, it is the DPF if the control panel is switched off.

No, it is the coolant pre-heater. Our vehicles have two auxiliary heaters, one air (that we control from the top panel), one coolant (that by default is controlled by the ecu; there is a thread somewhere on here where someone was looking at retro-fitting a remote for it available in other markets - great for defrosting before starting the car in the mornings)

Diesel engines run better warm so it is helped to warm up.

Note the two heater notices in one of the door shuts

Simon

I stand corrected although I haven't heard mine start up even on the shortest of journeys :?
Hubert

Must be that sunny Yorkshire Riviera

 

[AndyFromTheBrac]

Almost certainly the DPF doing an "active" regen. If you mainly travel relatively short distances then the DPF needs to do an active regen, every so often (no pattern, just when it gets dirty; 40-45%) & it sounds just like the heater/jet engine! However, if you do the odd long journey, cruising at around 2500 rpm, it does a "passive" regen, using the prolonged exhaust heat, so you may never experience the roaring active regen.

I think in winter we probably do less touring and so it may fire up the odd active regen more?

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[James]

This is from the latest brochure - might interest you

 

[Andy]

This is most probably the engie coolant heater. It comes on automatically at ambient temps of 5 c or less.
When mine starts I can smell it start to burn diesil.
There are kits to start this heater remotely with a fob as well as ones to set it on a timer. With both if the heater is left on demist with fan on then it will defrest windscreen.

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[James]

This is most probably the engie coolant heater. It comes on automatically at ambient temps of 5 c or less.
When mine starts I can smell it start to burn diesil.
There are kits to start this heater remotely with a fob as well as ones to set it on a timer. With both if the heater is left on demist with fan on then it will defrest windscreen.

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Hi Andy

Below 5 degrees if I don't hear it, I do notice how much quicker Betty gets up to temp and starts putting out warm air.

Those kits are now being offered by VW in the UK (see above), They've been available for some time elsewhere.

James

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

If the DPF is regenerating then the revs will pick up to 1,000 RPM at idle. This sounds like the auxillary heater for the coolant. My Discovery has one and every winter when it fires up for the first time I get a cloud of white smoke as it operates. Certain conditions like temperature and (I imagine) fuel level will make it operate and not operate.

cheers

 

[soulstyledevon]

I always wondered if this heater could be used as a parking heater for camping...???

Guessing its currently powered via the main vehicle battery. But could it be crossed over to be powered via the leisure battery...???
Also would you get warm air from the rear vents. My Beach has a passenger vent with seperate controls for this vent...???

Would save me installing an additional heater(webasto/Eber) for camping?

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

This heater does the engine coolant only so you would then have to get the fans running as well. Wouldn't think that it was possible.

cheers

 

[soulstyledevon]

Yeah could be an issue.
Maybe one of the reasons why VW install 2 systems

 

[Andy]

I always wondered if this heater could be used as a parking heater for camping...???

Guessing its currently powered via the main vehicle battery. But could it be crossed over to be powered via the leisure battery...???
Also would you get warm air from the rear vents. My Beach has a passenger vent with seperate controls for this vent...???

Would save me installing an additional heater(webasto/Eber) for camping?

There is a thread on the remote control addition for the coolant heater here ...
http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2920

This is where my kit came from...
http://www.carsystems.pl/webasto-kit-parts,c6.html

This heater does the engine coolant only so you would then have to get the fans running as well. Wouldn't think that it was possible.

cheers

Alex it is possible see the link above. The heater is already interfaced with the canbus so if you leave the climatic on hot, demist & fans on high it will defrost when heater is switched on.

Andy

 

[AndyFromTheBrac]

Maybe I should read a bit more? Lol


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[markh]

I installed one of the remote kits at the beginning of the winter. This, in conjunction with my purchase of winter tyres, is probably why it has been so warm!

I can confirm that the blower comes on at the setting you leave it at after about 5 mins of the heater operating. It has been brilliant on the few frosty mornings we have had. I can sit having my breakfast, press the remote and go out to a completely defrosted window and warm cab! Unfortunately, it is wired to the main engine battery so you have to watch that you don't drain it too much. I would like to convert it over to the leisure batteries but need to find out some more info on how best to connect it up.

I don't think it operates the rear blower though so it wouldn't be great as a general heater for the van.

Mark

 

[Custardtart]

+1

I've also fitted one. It works a treat - and works just as described - heats up the coolant and when hot enough (about 5 mins) turns the blower on and pumps hot air onto the windscreen.

It's great to jump into a van with a clear screen and warm cabin

The webasto site suggests that the timer is set to be no longer the the journey time. ie if your journey will take 30 mins then don't set the timer to run the heater for more than 30 mins, to keep the battery from running flat.

 

[calicasas]

Small anecdote and note of caution for coolant heater. This comes on automatically as correctly indicated above.
Our Cali lives in our internal garage. Our garage is pretty warm, dry with no drafts, so last winter I drove the Cali onto the drive just to give it a clean open the roof etc... Put it back in the garage and was just about to close the door to the kitchen when the coolant heater came on full tilt (ignition off) and filled the garage up with noxious fumes. Had to open the garage door to ventilate.
Question what happens if your garage is nominally cold and hovering around the 5 degrees. It could be running unattended and filling your garage/house with noxious fumes. Something that got me thinking - has this happened to anyone else? I guess it's designed to come on regardless of ignition...

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

the coolant heater will not run on its own so no need to worry about that.

cheers

 

[Ambler]

Ok I am confused.
I understand that the Cali. has these additional heaters for coolant and engine, but the SE also comes with a parking heater with remote control and timer as standard.
So, why would you want to warm up the cabin beforehand with the auxiliary coolant heater when it can be done (i'presume) with the parking heater?
Please note we do not yet have our Cali. so I have absolutely no experience of any of these.

 

[Custardtart]

Three possible reasons I think:
1 - not all Calis have a parking heater
2 - the parking heater doesn't blow hot air at the windscreen to defrost it
3 - the parking heater doesn't preheat the engine which is good for it when it's cold.

 

[Andy]

the coolant heater will not run on its own so no need to worry about that.

cheers

Sorry Alex you are wrong, it definitely comes on automatically at ambient temps below 5 c.

Ok I am confused.
I understand that the Cali. has these additional heaters for coolant and engine, but the SE also comes with a parking heater with remote control and timer as standard.
So, why would you want to warm up the cabin beforehand with the auxiliary coolant heater when it can be done (i'presume) with the parking heater?
Please note we do not yet have our Cali. so I have absolutely no experience of any of these.

We are talking about the coolant heater being used to defrost the windscreen on cold mornings, heating the cab up is a by product. It uses the normal van heater to defrost screen. The parking heater will take much longer to defrost the screen & when switched off the van gets cold quickly till the coolant has warmed up sufficiently for the heater to work.

From the webasto web site

"The system heats up a water glycol mix and supplies warm air directly to the interior via the vehicle air outlets in the dashboard. This ensures that the driver’s cabin is automatically heated up and the entire vehicle interior can be used.

The system is integrated in the water (coolant) cycle of the vehicle's engine, ensuring that the engine is always started in an environmentally friendly way."

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

the coolant heater will not run on its own so no need to worry about that.

cheers

Sorry Alex you are wrong, it definitely comes on automatically at ambient temps below 5 c.

Sorry, I may not have made myself clear. It will come on automatically as you said within certain conditions, but I do not believe that it would turn itself on when a vehicle is parked in a garage and locked. My post was directed at the post referencing a vehicle left unattended.

thanks