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eberspacher heaters


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I've just found out that all Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra Diesels came with an eberspacher coolant heater fitted as standard - Most breakers don't know about this and don't know what they are. So they should be cheap.

So on to the question - They are linked into an ECU in the vehicle which controls them would it be easy to operate without the ECU?

The standard configuration has 3 criteria. The external temp must be less than 10 degrees C, the Coolant Temp must be less than 85 degrees C and the engine must be running.

I believe the Model on them is a Hydronic D5WZ.

Looks to be a simple device with air intake, exhaust, coolant in, coolant out and diesel in.

The only components I know of, are the Ext Temp Sensor (switch - can be bypassed by connecting the two wires together), diesel metering pump, and the main unit it's self - and I guess the ECU. Not sure if it has it's own coolant sensor or if it uses the vehicles?

The ECU seems quite well linked into the unit, and stores error codes etc, and locks the unit out after x amount of flame out errors. The standard ECU can be interrogated through the ODB11 Port using a VAGCOM cable and some free software - this will clear faults and reset the unit.

I've seen a kit on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EBERSPACHER-HYDRONIC...%3A1|240%3A1318

Which claims to make it run independently of the vehicles engine. This isn't really necessary as I would want it to run with the engine on - to aid warming up. I'm also not fussed about the 7 day timer. The price of that kit also makes it a waste of time - might as well buy a 12v Air heater version.

Just wondered if anyone had any experience running these without all the vehicle wiring?

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There's manuals & diagrams for most things on Eberspacher's website or google, that should tell you what you need. I'd be very surprised if you couldn't make it run on its own, at the end of the day they're not a complicated thing. As long as it has the Eberspacher control box to make it ignite/run/cool properly it should be fine.

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Not sure if it has the control box or if that is part of the ECU?

I've only found out due to the wife having a Ford Galaxy last week and I was quite surprised to find the Eberpacher at the back! I've been through the Eberspacher website and there is a manual for a similar model.

Got to take it apart at the weekend to replace the (rather expensive) glow plug, as I'm getting a fault code on Open/Short on Aux Heater Glow Plug, so I'll have a look at what's there.

Just looks a perfect unit to add to the series, and should be available cheap from a scrap Galaxy. I believe that all the diesel model ones have had the heaters fitted up to the latest model 2006 where they stopped fitting them in this country

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Found a tech manual:

Has wiring diagram - from looking at pics it appears the control unit is housed inside the heater unit.

That is interesting!

Locating it would be a challenge, I wonder if it could run on a independent water circuit for heating the rear of a SW?

It would require a water pump, though.

Also the air intake would have to be located carefully, to avoid water ingress when wading.

G.

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I wonder if it could run on a independent water circuit for heating the rear of a SW?

I found some info showing that a very similar model is used as a Central Heating system on a boat so I can't see why not.

Not sure if it has a water pump or not. There is a motor in there, but in my head I was thinking the engine waterpump would be pumping the coolant round?

Just been taking apart - it's dark though so no pics, had to stop though because of the rain - seems a good little unit. 5KW according to the label

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Just be cautious when pulling one of a breaker as many people I know have had faults with them during normal service. As mentioned before the expensive glow pulgs and other parts done make these as much of a bargin especially if you buy un tested.

Edd

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The manual seems to suggest they have a waterpump built in.

Just to let you know how much the glow plugs cost... The original type is a BERU one these cost about £30 each but were known to fail after a short amount of time (approx 1 year - from the reports I have read). A revised version was brought out which fixes this issue - not sure of make but it was standard in all the newer Eberspacher Water heaters - this revised one should last many years - The price of the revised glow plug is about £54

To be honest nearly everyone I have seen whch isn't scrapped has not worked (normally due to glow plugs) A lot of owners didn't even realise the heater was there - especially when buying 2nd hand so they never fix them, and with them having the original type plug they are likely to fail. I believe the revised plug was only brought out in 2004

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Managed to fix the heater today - replaced the glow plug - cleared the fault codes and it kicked in - seems to work very well. Sounds like a little Jet engine at the back.

Would definatley be a great addition to the Series - just not sure if the wiring would work out.

I believe it has two power settings which it works out itself on full power it gives of 5kw of heat - which is fairly impressive.

The whole unit isn't big and should be easily locateable.

If you do get one from a breakers - make sure you get the metering pump (follow diesel line to drivers side) as these rarely break but cost about £100 to replace. You can also grab the ext temp sensor from behind the fake bulkhead in the engine bay - passenger side. Not the most crucial part as you bypass it by connecting the wires together. The coolant temp sensor is built into the unit.

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Aiy, same basis as what we have fitted to class 158 and 159 diesel trains on South West Trains. Our one's which are much larger have an external water pump. There are two thermo-couples inside the unit to measure the water temperature, it cuts the unit once it gets to a certain temperature, the second is a fail safe to prevent over heating. Yes it will sound like a turbine as it will more than likely have a coaxial motor with an impelor to draw air in, blow it past the burner head and then down the burner chamber and back down the exhaust.

Watch the exhaust, they get bloody hot. The fuel jet mounts on certain models have a plastic body, BE WARE IF IT IS PLASTIC. They just supplied a whole load of new complete assemblies to us and they have been leaking like hell and when you have lots of diesel being sprayed around a naked flame, well, the Red Arrows aint got ****ing anything on us, we can fill a three road train shed in not much time with white smoke :lol:. Also the flame tube can crack, so worth checking.

Other than that, pretty much bullit proof and I must get around to rebuilding my Eber' for the 101FC :rolleyes:

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  • 1 year later...

Hello there! 1st post and im on the scrounge for info already! Can you tell me where you got the glow plug for the heater? Ive got one of these heaters that I want to fit in my 110. Ive got it wired up to a battery running on the bench, the wiring is pretty simple. It fired up the first time after i took it all apart and cleaned it, now it just smokes like mad and doesnt start (the original fault). I assume the brake cleaner / wd40 etc i was cleaning with helped it fire the first time and it really needs a glow plug?

It doesnt have a built in water pump, I wanted to use it to preheat the engine on a cold morning but it looks like that is out! Any tips? Mines off a 2002 galaxy.

Cheers,

Mike

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I got my glow plug from Ford Direct, I'm interested to see how you get on with fitting the unit as I still plan to do this to my Series. The unit is simple enough but if you have any questions I may be able to help, I've had it in peices and it's worked for over a year since! (that's on the galaxy though!)

Mine was a 2002 galaxy so will be the same model, I'll try and dig out the part number for the plug for you

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If you could get me a part number that would be great! It does seem simple enough, I think it can only be the glow plug thats faulty. I had it heating a bucket until it was at 85 degrees and it cut out (so the water temp sensor must be working). I figure if the flame sensor doo dar didnt work it wouldnt fire at all. The ECU seems to do as it should, quick self test on blower motor etc and I still have the ECU controling the fuel pump (which it seems to be doing fine) so im semi confident i just need a glow plug...

I will update this thread with the fitting to the landy. Im in two minds, the easy option is add it to the existing coolant as a booster heater as it was designed but putting it in the back is very tempting!

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All the spares are on eBay, but if it's smoking I'd imagine the glow plug is working.

Im not so sure, when it smokes it seems to be just clouds of unburnt fuel. The exhaust doesnt even get hot! The time I did get it to fire, there was no smoke (well no more then you would expect anyway). We shall soon see anyway, I have ordered one from the local VW dealer and have my fingers crossed!

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I had a D5W in my Series III 109" diesel, and relocated the battery to fit the heater in the engine bay. Mine was out of a Patrol, but it was an after-market part, so the wiring loom and controls were easy to transplant.

It seems there are a lot of fuel heaters on German eBay.

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  • 8 months later...

Still thinking of doing this (the thoughts crop back up every year!)

Has anyone else managed to get one running yet?

I had to do a little more repair work on the one in the galaxy so know a little more about it now.

My unit was firing up but was getting up to about 350*C then cooling down to 60*C then heating up etc, it was just stuck in this cycle and not doing much heating.

It turned out that the coolant pump had failed, there is the main waterpump on the engine then there is an electrical pump as well which is there to stop any hot spots when the engine is switched off and to pump the coolant round from the aux heater.

Repairing this motor fixed it and it now runs properly.

So I can confirm it does have it's own pump! Well sort of.

They don't appear to have an ECU the control board is all built in. It need three conditions met to startup:

Engine Running

Outside Temp below 10*C

Coolant Temp below 85*C

The Engine running is checked by using the battery warning light wire from the alternator (D+) it gives the same voltage as the main wire when running but 0v when not running.

The outside temp sensor can just be replaced with a switch so you can run it whenever you want.

Coolant temp is built into the unit so no worries with that one.

Other than that it needs 12v, it needs ground. It has an output which supplies power to the dosing/metering pump when it's required.

The only other connection is a diagnostics K-Line which I'm told if you connect up to an OBDII socket with live and gnd, then you can carry on using the VW Diagnostics software (free) to clear faults etc.

So all sounds doable - just trying to find a cheap secondhand unit to test

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I'm not sure if its any help, but all Discovery 3 and 4 TDV6 vehicles have a Webasto auxilliary heater installed behind the left hand headlamp. Out of the factory it is configured as an auxilliary heater to aid faster warmup of a running engine. On the D4 you can order a pre-heater remote to have the car warmed up before you set off, but you could never get one for D3.

It is possible to convert the D3 unit to a pre heater by installing the webasto timer kit with a modified wiring loom. You can also incorporate a remote control system to fire it up with a handset plipper, or you can even connect a GSM remote switch so you can send a text to the car to switch the webasto on!

I have done it to my D3, and it is fantastic on a cold morning, warming the engine to operating temp in about 20 minutes, prior to leaving for work.

Maybe the same modification applies to the Eberspacher heater with the right timer fitted?

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