Alhambra

summary: this evening i stripped the aux heater, found there was quite a bit of un-burnt diesel in the chamber, the glow plug tip was all corroded/burnt..... so i cleaned it up... i sprayed carb cleaner into the unit from various angles.... running fine now.

This evening, between 7.00pm & 8.30pm I investigate the aux heater of my wifes Alhambra using the pit in my double garage. Inital testing produced massive amounts of dense blue/grey smoke. Unsure how to remove the unit, apart from reading that there was no need to open the coolant pipes, I open the most obiviously bolts I saw around it. These were 10mm x 3 & 8mm x 1. The unit didn't came off so I had to prise the bracket away from the chassis, as it was stuck on by the body sealer. From there I was able to allow the unit to "hang" out of the coolant pipe to work on it. Removing 4 torx screws from the front most black cover, where the diesel is fed in thro I was able to gain some access to the internals. The i removed the 4 torx screws from the front end cover, wolla..... there was glow plugs, very easily accessible. 13mm spanner & 17mm spanner required in order to remove the plug. When i took it out it measured 1 ohmn but the tip was corroded.... using emery paper i cleaned up the tip. I noticed too that when i removed the glow plug it was very "wet" & several drops of diesel came out of the hole. deciding to try clean the chamber i sprayed in Carb Cleaner via the glow plug hole. Turning then unit upside down I sprayed it into the exhaust pipe..... when i turned it the correct way a load of dark coloured fluid came out. I also spary carb cleaner onto the inlet section, the 3 openings were very dirty. I re-assembled the unit & tested it before re-fitting. Starting the car it ticked over for a min or so, the the aux heater started..... a gentle puff of white smoke appeared, followed awhile later by the "jet engine" sound.... never heard that before.... with alot of white smoke.... no more dense blue/grey stuff. the rear heaters now work a treat. conclusion: the chamber was full of diesel & the tip was corroded & the inlet opening were clogged with crud.... no part required.... imo

Worked today for a few min's, lots of blue/white smoke out of it..... then it stopped smoking, could feel cold air blowing out its exhaust Also, alot of un-burnt diesel on the exhaust pipe.... guess its time to strip it?

Worked today for a few min's, lots of blue/white smoke out of it..... then it stopped smoking, could feel cold air blowing out its exhaust Also, alot of un-burnt diesel on the exhaust pipe.... guess its time to strip it?

Outside temp was 7 Deg C & could not hear it "fire" up. I did "clear all errors" within the Aux Burner ecu section, No:18. I shutdown the VAG s/w & turne doff the engine, the restarted both... there were no errors after that....so maybe the temp should be below 5 Deg C ..... what sensor monitors the required temp? when i do an auto scan, it does several ecus & then it tells me that the s/w ain't activated. I assume the burner is located outside the vechile & can be easily removed? i looked at the FAQ but the picture don't work. BTW: A few weeks back my wif enoticed ALOT of white smoke during the start ups but that no longe rhappens.... glow plug issue then?

Update: I connect my laptop tonight, these are the errors reported: Sunday, 31 December 2006, 21:19:04 VAG-COM Version: Release 409.1-S Control Module Part Number: 7M3 815 071 Component and/or Version: HEIZG. B/D5W 0001 Software Coding: Work Shop Code: 2 Faults Found: 01492 - Function Lock-Out 35-00 - - 01409 - Repeated Flame-Out 35-00 - - I "CLEARED ALL CODES" but the aux heater still didn't work....... is doing that the same as Resetting? Also my s/w ain't activated, where can it be activated & how much?

good tip, thanks BTW there is a link in the FAQ section for the free 3.11 & 4.01 s/w for those that maybe be looking for it.

My wifes Alhambra engine temp is running cold the past few weeks, rarely reaching 70 deg C. If i turn the cc to 18 deg C, the temp will go above 70 until i set the temp to 22 again, then back to 60 deg C....oil maxs at 70 deg C. i have ordered a new stat, picking it up during the week & will fit it next weekend.

located around the fuse box & the socket looks like this: http://www.serviceengineer.utvinternet.com/images/seat-conn.jpg the falshing COIL coudl mean that the brake switch is burnt out. Does the cruise control work? If not that too would implys the switch is defective.

from a local "Auto Factors" ..... something like Halfords..... kinda.

I ordered a "kit" today, been the time of yea rit is I won't have it til next wednesday

1. From a 10 deg C "cold start" it takes 10 or 12 miles for the temp gauge of my wifes Alhambra to rise above the lowest display... 50 deg C takes another 10 or so miles to reach a ma xof 70, but most times sits on 60.... as a result the heaters are very poor at producing heat. Its a 1.9 TDi, Seat Alhambra. I assume the engines coolant thermostat need replacing? I have found what i think is it, located between the engine & battery, held in by 2 or 3 bolts? Where on-line is a good place to buy these parts? ..... or can they be bought "on-line"? 2. Also, the AUX heater seems not to be working, but at 10 deg C its too warm to activate... right? 3. Also, the front windscreen is very slow to demist or de-frost when we had frost a feww weeks back... what is a typicla resistance value for a front windscreen?

My wife tells me her Alhambra sometimes "smokes" either early in the morning or if the car has been stopped for a while during the day. The smoke is white <---> grey BUT is not from the engine exhuast pipe. I climbed under the car recently & found a smaller exhaust in front of the LHS rear wheel ... this apparently is where the smoke comes from. What is this small exhaust for? What is the smoke? ... is it the aux heater system?

here is what it looks like an a Seat Alhambra: http://www.serviceengineer.utvinternet.com/images/seat-conn.jpg

Best buy the one for

as far as i know the glow plug flashing is a general engine mamagment warning light. when my wifes alhambra had the same light flashing it meant that the brake switch was defective which had 2 effects: 1. no brake lights 2. crusie control would not activate. i assume both of these ar eok with you car. you may need to get it diagnosted via VAG-COm software, a laptop & a suitbale cable. some-one [ non dealer ] near you may have such a setup.

My wife Alhambra's LHS front ARB drop link is rattling on both ball/sockets. Seat want

i wonder could it be a: 1996 galaxy glx 2.8v6 ... like in the signature :( :D

According to the manual for my wife's 02 Alhambra 1. Ensure ignition is switched off. 2. Press and hold the trip meter reset button whilst turning on ignition. 3. Turn the MINUTE hand of the digital clock to the right 4. Turn off ignition. Indicator has been set to zero. The service indicator cannot be completely set to zero. It can only be set to 15,000km

Currently downloading BOTH 409 & 311 .... many thanks for the tip. the link I got them from was: VAG 409 or 311 update: Mine is a 409.1 compatible interface... i have been successfully looking at various parameters for the past 15 min's or so .... cool

Been there but I cannot find a FREE version, only a version costing $229 ... too much for me. Can you find me a link to a free version...thanks

Car: '02 Alhambra 115 bhp 1.9TDi I have a laptop and a RS232 ISO OBD-II / VAGCOM / AlfaDiag KKL Interface RS232VAGCOM) [ Test, 409.1 ] cable which has a BLUE coloured led on it when plugged into the diagnostic port. I am looking for s/w to diagnose any issues with the Alhambra & to reset things like service interval, ECU...possibly Air-bags. Not wanting to spend a fortune, free would be great.... recently i got s/w for my own Alfa 156 for

No, means yous CC system ahs either Low or No gas in it, read this thread for my experience: Alhambra Climate Control leaking pipe

do you have "the yellow pages" in Scotland .... "let your fingers do the walking"

Is that true or an urban myth? ..... with my own car, alfa 156, I can push back the pads+piston without opening the nipple witout causing any failur eof the abs seals.