Engine heater???

TwentyOneThirtyFive · Dec 5, 2013

Not for me thanks, I've got a couple of litres of meths to get through

sidepod · Dec 5, 2013

G+T for me Ronaldo. Cheers.

2into1 · Dec 5, 2013

Thanks guys. That's the heater understood and the optics found. Result!

I fitted (well a mate did) a 50w solar on my Smurf roof yesterday. Just waiting for the sunshine! Got the cable into the cupboard (we already had a hole!), across the bathroom ceiling, through the bathroom cupboard, behind the fridge, down to the battery. All hidden. Result!

zennorboy · Feb 3, 2015

I have been reading this thread with interest ever since clouds of diesel smelling steam came pouring out of my front near side wheel arch the other frosty morning. I mean, this was enough to envelope the entire bus and drift up the street like something from a horror movie...people came out to look!

Having been told it was safe to drive down to my excellent VW Guru, he informed me that this was indeed an engine coolant heater, which only kicks in at temperatures below 5C. My bus is usually in storage over the winter and hasn't been started at this kind of temperature for several years. By the time I had driven it to the garage the 'steam' had cleared/stopped because the condensation which had built up in the system had 'heated' itself away...scary 'tho.

My bus came as a special order from Hanover with a full winter kit, including this heater. The boys at the garage are now giving it (the heater) a full service as my clammy little hand grips my credit card with fear and trepidation!

Hope this helps

zennorboy · Feb 7, 2015

Just so you know....£50 for full service of the engine heater. Have found out that it is/was a standard fitting on German buses that are ordered with the factory 'winter pack', together with the heated seats, extra insulation behind the door panels, side panels, and roof, and double glazing. My bus warms up VERY QUICKLY on cold mornings.

Not sure about UK T4s with 'winter pack'.

The2rB · Feb 12, 2015

I have seen mine start at low temperatures as well.
But is seem to be very irregular on when it starts, and when it does not (I often have very cold days here).

Don't think it have started at all last year or this year. Have not given it a priority to sort this out, as I have an electric 230V block heater installed. But if I ever figure out why it is not starting, I will certainly share the findings with you all, so that it can be kept as a reference.

Maybe it "only" is the glow plug needing to be replaced? (After changing the engine glow plugs I find it hard to say _only_.)

The manual for the diesel heaters say that they should be started at least once a month - but kind of hard with the one supposed to start automatically.

A friend of mine told me that the pre heaters often are installed so that the vehicle produces less polluting gases after a few minutes - when the authorities measure them. This is allowing the vehicle to be placed in a lower "tax class" when sold as new.

Andy · Feb 14, 2015

The2rB said:
I have seen mine start at low temperatures as well.
But is seem to be very irregular on when it starts, and when it does not (I often have very cold days here).

Don't think it have started at all last year or this year. Have not given it a priority to sort this out, as I have an electric 230V block heater installed. But if I ever figure out why it is not starting, I will certainly share the findings with you all, so that it can be kept as a reference.

Maybe it "only" is the glow plug needing to be replaced? (After changing the engine glow plugs I find it hard to say _only_.)

The manual for the diesel heaters say that they should be started at least once a month - but kind of hard with the one supposed to start automatically.

A friend of mine told me that the pre heaters often are installed so that the vehicle produces less polluting gases after a few minutes - when the authorities measure them. This is allowing the vehicle to be placed in a lower "tax class" when sold as new.

Only comes on at temp below 5 degrees.

Sent from my SM-G900F

The2rB · Feb 16, 2015

This (early December) being one of the warmer days - it probably should have started some times this winter ...

So - unfortunately - there is some other reason for it not starting.

TwentyOneThirtyFive · Feb 17, 2015

The heaters can be quite sensitive to battery voltage. I'm guessing the coolant heater runs off the cranking battery. Is the battery healthy? I'm guessing the near tropical temperatures of a Scandinavian winter would take their toll on a battery.

WelshGas · Feb 17, 2015

The Coolant heater requires a lot of power, starts AFTER the engine has started and ONLY if there is sufficient power in the starter battery. So - very cold - glow plugs + starter - poor battery then it is unlikely to start up because the starter battery is taking all the alternator output.
Is your starter battery 2 or more years old. Do you do long or short runs particularly over the past few months.
I would suggest making sure your starter battery is fully charged.

The2rB · Feb 18, 2015

Thanks for the tips.
However - the starter battery is in perfect condition.
The leisure battery is not i a good condition - but i cant see that that should not make the coolant heater not start?

My guess is that is is either the glow plug, or that it needs an internal clean up.

Will see as soon as it is warm enough to do something about it.
(The question is then if I am able to see if I did a good job - as the temperatures are higher.)

mrcheesbrough · Feb 20, 2015

I would of thought the problem is more likely with the heater itself - the glowplug is common and worst case the ECU. Once the engine is running there is always plenty of power as the alternator is able to supply a constant 14.4V so the condition of the starter battery is no longer of relevance. I believe that these heaters can be checked for fault codes by a dealer or a specialist with the right software. That would take out the guess work in finding the problem. Good luck with the fix. I'd be interested to know what the fault was.

t4_generation · Feb 23, 2015

After reading this thread, I now have a strong suspect for my starter battery going flat rather suddenly during a cold snap up here in the north of Scotland!