Booster Heater.. No Dont Shoot Me

[Guest MATT jr]

Any idea why the aux heater is "billowing out hugh amounts of white smoke"... accoding to my wife that is...

 

mmm, it is normal for some smoke - even a large amount of smoke can be normal - and it could well be condensation.

 

...if its working, then there isnt a problem.

 

only thing that could cause lots of excessive smoke, is over fueling, or a poor glow plug (MAYBE!)

 

MJR

[Alhambra]

Any idea why the aux heater is "billowing out hugh amounts of white smoke"... accoding to my wife that is...

 

mmm, it is normal for some smoke - even a large amount of smoke can be normal - and it could well be condensation.

 

...if its working, then there isnt a problem.

 

only thing that could cause lots of excessive smoke, is over fueling, or a poor glow plug (MAYBE!)

 

MJR

 

my thoughts too ... my wif eis embarressed by the smoke & want sit disconencted.... how cna a fella win.

 

BTW i got the new thermostat today, will fit it at the weekend,,,, that might help the aux heater smoke issue by the engine warming soone r& therfore turning the aux heater off sooner....wha ya think?

[Guest MATT jr]

could do yeah.

 

i would try bargaining with the wife, the smoking might subside after a while of working.

 

MJR

[jkspoff]

Is the booster heater really necessary, is it just for comfort in the cabin and can the glow plugs be accessed without having to remove the whole unit ? i.e. by lying on my back and fiddling with it. ;)

[Rallim]

is the booster heater really necessary, is it just for comfort in the cabin and can the glow plugs be accessed without having to remove the whole unit ? i.e. by lying on my back and fiddling with it.

 

 

It is my understanding that the booster heater is not just for passenger comfort but to also keep the engine at normal working temperature, which when its cold and the booster heater does not work it does not reach.

 

You cannot replace the plug with the heater bolted to the car it has to be taken off but you can leave all the water pipes connected and repair in 'situ'.

 

As for billowing smoke as I described in an earlier post mine was doing exactly that (it did not subside with time, it only stopped when the heater switched off) and was cured with changing the plug .

 

 

Gordon.

[Guest MATT jr]

the booster heater isnt needed for the running of the car (really). due to the efficiency of the diesel engine, in cold weather it takes ages to warm up...this results in a few things.

 

1) passengers are colder for longer

2) because the engine is cold, its running less efficiently

 

and you have to remove the unit, to change the glow plug, its all encased, and the screws are inaccessible, until the unit is part removed from the car.

 

MJR

[Guest wolfie]

the booster heater isnt needed for the running of the car (really). due to the efficiency of the diesel engine, in cold weather it takes ages to warm up...this results in a few things.

MJR

 

surely it's because of the efficiency of the engine and the low calorific value of the fuel used that the booster heater is needed, both to increase the heater output in cold weather, to decrease the warm up time of the engine and in turn increase its efficiency?

[Guest MATT jr]

surely it's because of the efficiency of the engine and the low calorific value of the fuel used that the booster heater is needed, both to increase the heater output in cold weather, to decrease the warm up time of the engine and in turn increase its efficiency?

 

yeah thats what i said.

 

MJR

[Alhambra]

Amazingly, today the burner worked but the white smoke has ceased .... must have been alot of un-burnt fuel in the chamber + left over "carb cleaner" that i squirted in on Monday.

 

Happy days, car heats up, no smoke, ---> wife happy, kids happy ... me happy !!!

 

changing the stat on Saturday.... new stat & 5l of pink coolant waiting to be used/fitted