Flooding the Webasto Night Heater Whilst Water Fording

CooperSmith · Feb 2, 2017

Just something that I'm intrigued to know. Has anyone forded their van through water and had problems with the night heater getting flooded?

Borris · Feb 2, 2017

No I haven't and wouldn't for that very reason.

I also wouldn't go seriously off roading like some do in their Calis either, even though we have 4motion. Leaving aside the potential for mechanical damage, with all that water and mud being rammed into every underfloor orifice it's only a matter of time before something packs up and your wallet takes a massive spanking. Also I would bet that VW would side swerve the issue if you tried to claim repairs under your warranty.

Personally, I keep the 4motion for extra on road grip, getting out of boggy camp sites and very little else. IMO there's no point in asking for trouble.

Just my opinion. :thumb

CooperSmith · Feb 2, 2017

Borris said:
No I haven't and wouldn't for that very reason.

I also wouldn't go seriously off roading like some do in their Calis either, even though we have 4motion. Leaving aside the potential for mechanical damage, with all that water and mud being rammed into every underfloor orifice it's only a matter of time before something packs up and your wallet takes a massive spanking. Also I would bet that VW would side swerve the issue if you tried to claim repairs under your warranty.

Personally, I keep the 4motion for extra on road grip, getting out of boggy camp sites and very little else. IMO there's no point in asking for trouble.

Just my opinion.

Yes as much as I hate to agree I think you're right. I wasn't thinking of going full on swamping, I was just wondering for times when the roads get flooded or you do come across a random/genuine ford on a country road.

sidepod · Feb 2, 2017

The whole thing is enclosed but I'm not sure of he IP rating.

One way to find out.

MattBW · Feb 2, 2017

We do have a road nearby that floods regularly and I did have to cross it a while ago. I didn't think about my heater until after but it was fine (may not have actually got wet tbh).

I would definitely not do it intentionally though.

bvddobb · Feb 2, 2017

We have done many fordings by now. Only once did we have a little flutter and white smoke from the parking heater when starting it in the evening after a few fordings that day, in Iceland this year. But after about 1 minute the thing was dry enough to burn flawlessly, again.

We had discussed this with Peter Seikel before going to Iceland, and he also said you didn't really need any special measures, specifically. We though about a simple cork in the exhaust, but he advised against it: then water that would enter via the inlet couldn't run out. If you leave the inlet and exhaust open, the water will simply run out of the heater again. He said it might splutter and smoke a bit, but that would be all. And that was also our experience.

sidepod · Feb 2, 2017

I should imagine the fan motor bearings just love that :upsidedown

Alibee · Feb 2, 2017

Not sure you'd get a great deal more water damage from fording fresh water at slow speeds than you get from doing 70+mph down a wet motorway. There's a hell of a lot of water being thrown around under a van at high speeds on a wet road, and that water will get most places it would get during a brief submersion in a river.

Would like to know how the inlet / exhaust routing works on later models as it may airlock before water gets to anything sensitive.

I would draw the line at driving in the sea though, no good can come of that!

status.six · Feb 2, 2017

Be very careful. I have the parking heating option in my BMW X5. It's located in the passenger side wheel arch area. When fitted the wading depth is significantly reduced. I was actually quite annoyed as while you don't really buy an X5 with off roading and wading in mind in this country being able to ford flooded roads is an advantatge even in an X5! Anyway I can't as the wading depth allowed is pretty much the same as a 5-Series

I'd have reconsidered the parking / aux heater if I'd have known. The X5 has a Webasto similar to the Cali and it's clearly not submersion proof!

Rascal1 · Feb 3, 2017

On our '99 T4 California I flooded the heater while driving through a mile or so of a flood.It was one of those "I really shouldn't drive through this but being an eejit I kept going" moments
Needless to say it didnt fire up. Crawled under and pulled of the air inlet and the water ran down my sleeve.
Left it draining for an hour or so. Connected air inlet and tried to start it. after about 10 attempts it sputtered to life stopped again.It eventually started with lots of steam out the exhaust but after about 30 mins it was running fine. The bearings were noisy before and soaking them in water certainly did nothing good for them.
I eventually stripped it and fitted new bearings. That was a year or so ago and fingers crossed it is stiil working.

sidepod · Feb 3, 2017

Brilliant. Amazing how robust some things are. There is a small PCB inside which may object.

I've dropped many a motorbike in various rivers in the past.
Drag it out. Pull out the plug. Turn it upsidedown and let it drain.
Always start after a few kicks.

Roger Boeken · Feb 5, 2017

status.six said:
Be very careful. I have the parking heating option in my BMW X5. It's located in the passenger side wheel arch area. When fitted the wading depth is significantly reduced. I was actually quite annoyed as while you don't really buy an X5 with off roading and wading in mind in this country being able to ford flooded roads is an advantatge even in an X5! Anyway I can't as the wading depth allowed is pretty much the same as a 5-Series I'd have reconsidered the parking / aux heater if I'd have known. The X5 has a Webasto similar to the Cali and it's clearly not submersion proof!

according to VW the cali wading depth is 30cm.