Webasto heater smoking

[Littleblackflash]

I brought a Webasto heater about a year ago and only just got round to fitting it fully. A few weeks back I put the heater in the OEM place with the OEM ducting though the drivers step and out through the B-pillar.
I started fitting it by dropping the tank and added the pick up. I wasn't sure which side the fuel pump should go until I jacked up the drivers side and fitted the heater. For a few days I drove around with a low fuel tank but with the pick up connected directly to the heater with no fuel pump. When I had time I added the fuel pump into the system.
No its all connected, the heater works, but it's smoking like hell. I assume this is just extra diesel in the burner but it's not clearing quickly. I've fired it up twice and filled up the garden with smoke. A few neighbours walked by and looked alarmed at the smoke, until the saw me watching it having a cup of coffee.

Should I be alarmed and will the smoke clear with use?

 

[JOG]

How long did you run it for? I was going to say dust build up, but it sounds worse that that

 

[Littleblackflash]

Far more than a bit of dust.

 

[airhoguk]

Was the heater new?

 

[JOG]

King hell!

 

[Raul a/3]

Over fuelling, or air combustion intake insufficient, restricted. Smoke should clear after fires up and comes to temperature. If still smokes, it’s to much fuel and not enough air.

 

[Littleblackflash]

The air filter is clean and the correct one so I assume it's over fuelled and too much fuel in the burner area. I don't get any error messages and it lights every time ok and I get heat in the van. The only thing that wrong is the smoke. I was expecting some but it didn't clear in 10 mins of running.

 

[Raul a/3]

If you could running it on kerosene class 2, heating oil, it will clear some of the gunk. Otherwise take it apart and a clean the burn chamber. It’s got deposits if it run reach or low setting.

 

[DXX]

I brought a Webasto heater about a year ago

Was it new when you bought it?

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Which heater?
When was it last serviced - did you service it before fitting?
That amount of smoke indicates poor ignition, obvious cause is burner pad has never been changed. People sell them on rather than service them, that is the main reason for about 90% of the heaters that I get in. Ignore suggestions of overfuelling unless you have fitted an incorrect pump. Combustion air blockage will not cause that amount of smoke either.

 

[Littleblackflash]

Not new, but reconditioned by someone I respect and it was working on my bench before fitting to the van. I wasn't smoking when I tested it on the bench.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Did you prime the fuel line first with it attached to the heater? If so you could have put too much fuel in and will take 10 to 15 minutes to clear as it drips into the exhaust where it continues to burn off until it has all gone.

 

[Littleblackflash]

Thanks for the advice Rich.
I connected it to the van initially without the fuel pump but obviously I didn't try and start it. When I connected the pump inline, there was fuel in the line so I assume some has gone into the heater and this is what's burning off.
Will it do any harm if I continue to try and burn it off?

 

[JOG]

I’d burn it off a bit more

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I have had up to 15 minutes of smoke billowing out when I have had a particularly recalcitrant heater in the workshop. It is worse with a petrol heater as you can get one heck of an explosion in the exhaust!
You may have just got too much fuel in due to the air in the fuel line - this causing a non start but there is a constant dribble of fuel that isn't getting ignited as it dribbles in without reaching the glow pin. Give it a prolonged run and it should clear if you are happy that the burner pad was replaced.
Is it mounted on its side?

 

[Littleblackflash]

It's mounted in the normal VW way. The exhaust and inlet are on the side and the air filter attaches above the heater. I think its a EVO 4kw and I'm using the OEM mounting and ducting.
I wasn't too worried about it, but I would like it to stop smoking. I'll run it some more tomorrow when I go for a drive.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

I run an Evo40 in my own van, OEM bracket and there is a slight amount of smoke on start up compared to a heater mounted upright. This is because the first few pulses of fuel tends to run down inside the burner pad away from the glow pin unlike when upright and it runs down the length of the glow pin.
( I am lucky as I tend to have a choice of between 12 to 20 heaters in the workshop usually to swap in and out if needed.)
I would ask if the burner pads were replaced though to be sure - there are two pads on the larger heaters that need replacing.
Give it a good run for at least the 15 minutes and if it is pooling fuel it will clear.

 

[Littleblackflash]

I had more smoke on start up again but after a 40min drive home it wasn't smoking anymore .

I did get one error message T06 (I think) but I just reset it and it's been working fine since. Hopefully it's all working fine and I'll have a heater to use on a trip next month. I just need to buy the correct drivers door step with the air intake grill. Does anyone know the correct part number?

 

[oldiebut goodie]

06 is overheating as measured by the exhaust gas temp sensor - this can be caused by excess fuelling in the exchanger which is borne out by the earlier smoking.
Hopefully it is now good to go. Most errors arise during commissioning.