Engine heater???

[2into1]

Hi guys.
In addition to my eberspacher (?spelling) used for heating the cab, and controlled by the overhead panel, I have an extra heater in the engine compartment (well I can see the same exhaust as my eberspcher in front of the front wheel).

Just looking for info.....how common are they, does anyone use them, how would i control it / set it..could I use it for spares if my main heater ever packs up??

Any help much appreciated.

Peter

 

[Retiredron]

Interesting Pete, will check in the morning to see if we have one !
Ron.

 

[sidepod]

Pete,

Don't quote me on this but I've a feeling it could be a water heater (for the sink). BT vans had them fitted for years. Similar idea to the Eber for the living area. Can you see any pipe work going to it? Control units etc? Can you take some pics?

I don't know if they were standard fit or not?

Dan's the resident Bobble Hat for stuff like this.

S.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Did someone call? I have a rather fetching dark grey hat today, with black and light grey stripes. No bobble though.

I think it (the eber, not the hat) will be for heating the engine coolant to get the engine up to temperature more quickly. Probably controlled by the engine temperature sender, or maybe the ECU (guessing that's a 2.5tdi under the bonnet).

dan

 

[teeboy]

I think I have read somewhere that on the T5 the second heatet preheats the diesel going into the engine. I think diesel thickens in the extreme cold. So we are using diesel to heat the diesel so the diesel burns better.

I dont think we have any control or even know when it is working.

I have no reference for this and it might be different on the t4

I might have even dreamt it!!!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[2into1]

A mechanic friend (who hasn't studied it) suspected it was for bringing the engine up to temp quickly, but thought it would be programmable somehow.
It is the 102hp tdi.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

They are generally not pre-heaters, like the Scandinavians tend to have (you see an electrical block on the front of the vehicle), just an aid to warming the engine faster.

It'll either be linked to engine temperature and/or on a timed relay started on ignition.

If it is heating the coolant then the coolant isn't flowing around the engine unless the engine is running. Also, the thermostat won't open until the coolant reaches temperature (high 80's c?), which won't happen for a long time unless the heated coolant is being pumped around the engine. So no real point in preheating.

 

[Andy]

This is indead an engine coolant heater. Works at temps less than 5 degrees. You can purchase kits that enable you to start it remotely. If heater is set to demist with fans on when engine is switched of then the heater will heat coolant & blow hot air on windscreen to defrost it. I have the kit, but not completly fitted yet. There is a thread on the heater / kit.

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

 

[Retiredron]

Yes I have just checked and I have this heater also, it is an Eberspacher Hydronic D3WZ it is connected to the coolant pipework and has its own water pump and fuel pump. I started the engine but it (the little heater) did not start up, is it as Andy said temp needs to be low.
Ron.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

I think this is the thread that Andy is talking about:

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2920

I take it back, there is a point to preheating

 

[2into1]

Thanks everyone. The plot thickens! The exhaust on my unit is exactly the same squeezed tube as my eberspacher, which is why I assumed it was the same make.
I'll start and stop my engine on a cold morning and see if it has engaged, as from the linked thread, it seems they can autostart or be prompted by a remote control.

 

[Andy]

Sorry I did not realise that this was on T4s they may differ to T5s.

Yes that is the thread I was referring to.

 

[sidepod]

Is this a TDi thing? I'm not aware of these heaters being installed on earlier 2.4 non turbo's.

I know VW made a few sublte changes to the engine whith the TDi such as oil spray on the underside of the pistons. Perhaps the pre-heater was also deemed necessary with the addition of the turbo?

Damned fiendish those Germans.

S.

 

[Retiredron]

My handbook is in German but found this on line. (Additional heater 65, 75 & 111 KW engines only, the supplementary heating unit increases the output of the heating system when the engine is running and the ambient temperature is low, the unit switches itself on and off automatically ) I did find a timer kit to bring on without the engine running but at £300 will give it a miss
Ron.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

I hadn't realised they fitted them to the T4s, I'd assumed it was a T5 thing. Are they also on later Westy pop-tops? or just the Exclusives?

Do the later ones and T5's have the opening/closing vanes on the radiator? That was the solution to faster heating of the engine on early T4s anyway

 

[Retiredron]

Dan, I think its all TDI engines fitted with an intercooler in all makes of modern car, maybe they run cooler than a none tubo engine !
Ron

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Turbo's will run hotter. Although maybe that's only applicable for those of us running a turbo on an engine that wasn't designed to have one The oil is used to cool the bearings in the turbo, which is whizzing around at lots of rpm, so the oil gets hotter. I've got an oil cooler added as well as a turbo.

These heaters are bringing the coolant up to temperature faster. This means that
1. You get warm air in the cab quicker.
2. The engine gets to operating temperature faster, resulting in less wear and burning more fuel, so less white/grey smoke (unburnt fuel).
3. In cold weather, the engine can be kept at operating temperature.

The intercooler just means you get cooler, more dense air being pushed into the cylinders, which allows more fuel to be burnt. In the immortal words of Tim the tool man Taylor - "More Power!"

I think that's right anyway, I don't know much about engines. I'm kinda learning as mine slowly falls apart.

dan

 

[sidepod]

http://www.espar.com/products/fuel-oper ... otive.html

 

[Retiredron]

For that Dan, I also am learning :?
Ron.

 

[DavidofHook]

http://www.espar.com/products/fuel-operated-heaters/applications/automotive.html

This may sound daft but could this be the reason why my cab heater doesn't seem to pump out much heat in the winter? The website suggests that modern engines are too efficient to heat the cab.
This the start of my second winter with our ,was new, T5 and the heater was disapointing last year. I have been thinking that I should get it looked at before the warranty runs out.
Is my engine too efficient? Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Retiredron]

Its cold and frosty here this morning and the Cali windscreen was thick with ice, started the engine, turned heater controls to screen and full heat and within a few seconds the little additional diesel heater under the bonnet kicked in and within two mins the windscreen was clear of ice with hot air blowing on to it. so this heater is totally automatic
Ron.

 

[sidepod]

Show-off

 

[Retiredron]

Just proving it works, did not know it was there until Pete posted this query, must check what other extras this van has :?
Ron.

 

[sidepod]

I think there is a secret row of optics folded away in the Smurf top somewhere

S.

 

[Retiredron]

I think there is a secret row of optics folded away in the Smurf top somewhere

S.

Found it drinks anyone !
Ron.