Aux Heater ? And Other Noises

[Jeff115]

Hi all,

Have our 115 tdi Gal for a couple of months with no probs. however have a few queries that ye may be able to clear up.

With the onset of cold mornings have experience a 'turbine-like' noise emanating from a unit underneath the second row passanger side seat area. Noise is like a jet enjine winding up, can be heard over the diesel idle and when ignition cut then winds down. Assuming that this unit is the auxilliary heater? (and not the nitrous injector :angry: ) should I be hearing it or suspect that it has taken a knock?

Also have been following some threads re tyre pressures etc. - have got set of Dunlop 2020E's - has anyone found right pressure to suit handling, comfort and eliminate road noise?

Jeff.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Sounds like your aux heater is working normally. Glad I'm not the only one who likens its sound to a jet engine!

As for tyre pressures - I've also got Dunlop 2020's and the recommended pressures for normal driving seem OK to me - can certainly push it round the bends without tyre squeal, even if it rolls a little bit!

[Guest SA Intruder]

Several threads on both topics previously.

 

Try the search facility for more detail and some interesting comment!

 

My own car seems best with F @ 38 psi and R @ 36 psi with 2020s

 

16,000 miles and no odd tyre wear....

[Jeff115]

Thanks a lot,

I'm glad to know that the noise is normal...

 

I'm going to try the tyres @ F=38 & R=36 to avoid the road noise which is a bit of a pain.

 

Later,

Jeff.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

SA I - what tyre pressures do you use when on your long jaunts to eurotunnel and France etc?

TIA

Ivor.

[Guest SA Intruder]

The recommended 41/38.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

So looks like the Gal/Sharan/Alhambra actually runs best on the factory-recommended settings then....and I'm heartened to know that the tyres should wear nice and evenly if the geometry is correct.

[Guest SA Intruder]

But less pressure unloaded/normal journey lengths....

 

I now have 4mm (just) on the fronts at 16,000 miles

 

I have 6mm on the rears

[rwtomkins]

Jeff115, you must live a helluva long way north if your aux heater is cutting in at this time of year. If I remember right from the previous strings, it's only supposed to cut in when the outside temperature falls below 7 degrees centigrade (brrr).

 

Btw, there was a lot of moaning in the previous strings (too much of it from me) about the annoying clicking noise that comes from the aux heater fuel pump when the aux heater cuts in. However, you only mention the lovely jet engine noise that comes from the aux heater itself. I'd be very interested to know if you don't get the clicking noise, because that might imply Ford's found a way to stifle it.

[Guest SA Intruder]

It's been 7 deg C twice this week in Lancs. About 6 am ... and the aux heater has spooled up on both occasions.

[gazza007]

I think if I ordered a new car I would have the timer option to get it nice & warm.

I wonder if you can have a retro fit, would imagine that it would be expensive.

[HJT]

The old jet engine spooled up on my Galaxy on wednesday morning too, and I'm in the southeast of England.

 

Howard

[rwtomkins]

Blimey, I'd no idea, I'm still tucked up in bed at 6am. Better check my anti-freeze...

[Guest SA Intruder]

One of the drawbacks of not wishing to live in, but work near, Manchester.

 

90 mile round trip

[Ivor_E_Tower]

I'm in south-east too - not only had the aux heater cutting in, but the ice warning bleep at +4 deg C one day this week too! I wondered what the bleep was for, at first, then looked down and saw the snow crystal logo flashing. No sign of snow or ice yet, though......

[Guest JIMSTDI]

still wating to see this happen,

she dont get that cold as shes in the garage :blink:

 

james

[Jeff115]

...apologies for my absence,

 

RW, I'm based about 25 miles north of Dublin and the aux heater is kicking in most mornings now; on Saturday it started at about 11:30am, I'd say the temp. was easily 12-15 degrees.

 

Can anyone explain the basic workings of this unit?

 

Am concerned about the wicked fumes coming from it.

 

J

[rwtomkins]

I wouldn't worry about the poisonous fumes, that's another characteristic of the unit. The workings were fully explained in a string called Tick tick under paseenger floor (note mis-spelling), but not the one in this forum, the one of the same name in the old forum that was discontinued. Anyone know how to search the archive so Jeff115 can find it?

 

You still don't mention the clicking noise, Jeff. Are you getting it?

 

I think your heater may be cutting in at ambient temperatures above 7 degrees centigrade because your coolant temperature is lower than a certain level, but cleverer people than I will probably elaborate. But it's all in the old string anyway if you can find it.

[Jeff115]

RW, I have'nt noticed the 'clicking noise' but I'll investigate further.

 

I found part of the 'old string' from Apr'03 and refs. to two parameters i.e. outside temp < 5 degrees and coolant temp. < 85 degrees for the aux. heater to switch on.

 

Did you find that the reason that your aux. heater was staying on was due to a faulty thermostat (assuming that it should go off when engine block reaches normal operating temp. as mine does)?

 

am intrigued about the combustion and exhaust method of this unit (esp. when it's part of a quite high-tech vehicle)

 

Later,

J.

[gazza007]

The smell reminds me when I was a child and my Gran had a triangular shaped parrafin heater in her kitchen that ran off Esso Blue. Another memory of the smell is the days when I used to go plane spotting at Manchester in the days when you went on the old piers in my parker and got a blast from the jets on the old comets & 707's as they started up.

Even after driving a while I've noticed that the system is still running when I've got out of the car.

[gazza007]

The smell reminds me when I was a child and my Gran had a triangular shaped parrafin heater in her kitchen that ran off Esso Blue. Another memory of the smell is the days when I used to go plane spotting at Manchester in the days when you went on the old piers in my parker and got a blast from the jets on the old comets & 707's as they started up.

Even after driving a while I've noticed that the system is still running when I've got out of the car.

[rwtomkins]

Yeah, that's the smell, a bit like napalm in the morning. Jeff, I've no reason to believe there's a fault with mine. The only thing wrong with it is the clicking noise of the aux fuel pump which is an annoying design fault rather than a malfunction. Once the aux heater comes on, I think it should stay on until the coolant temperature is close to normal operating level (presumably, anything over 85 degrees centigrade). At that point is should shut off UNLESS the ambient temerature is below, from memory, 7 degrees centigrade, in which case it will carry on forever.

 

Again, anyone know how to acccess the archive so's Jeff can look up the old string?

[Guest steven.tunnicliffe@lineone.net]

Thank goodness for this forum. I've had my diesel Galaxy for 2 weeks now and 2 mornings when I've got to work I could here this tap, tap, tap from somewhere behind me.

It sounded like someone knocking a nail in. The 2nd time I could here this 'jet engine' noise as well (considering I park on an airfield I were gettin right confused).

I was thinking of taking it back for a look at but judging by the comments in this string they are the same noises as everyone else is experiencing. Is this unit a standard fit on all diesels as there is no mention of it in the manual. If it is an auxilliary heater, what is it heating??

I notice that the temp gauge takes ages to get to normal in the morning (most times it never reaches the 90 mark), although I do only travel 7 miles to work and most of it is downhill....however my petrol engined Galaxy used to warm up faster, is this normal?

Still can't get used to the engine noise compared with the petrol version...I'll just have to turn the radio up loader :lol:

Fuel gauge still at full after 300 miles...is this a record? :lol:

 

Other than that she's a beaut. I've had that Supaguard thrown in for free when I bought it and it comes up a treat when I wash it.

[Guest JIMSTDI]

hi steve

 

i was thinkin about that superguard when i bought mine,nut didnt get it in the end

 

300miles a and still on full tank,, :lol: lucky git :lol:

 

thats bloody good or its nackerd

 

hope its the first one mind you

 

what colour is she and have u got any pics

 

all the best

james

[Guest steven.tunnicliffe@lineone.net]

that just about covers it fredt..... :)

I went on my knees this afternoon and had look under there. There it was, a dinky little unit with a dinky little exhaust on it!

I filled the tank today to work out how many miles to the gallon I was getting....a tidy 41.16 m.p.g which is pretty good. I was only getting 28 out of my 2.3 petrol Gal so I reckon I will be saving 10 squid a week on ave!! :) :) :) :)

 

Hi Jim,

Yes I think you are right somethings nackered. I rang the garage this aft and the service manager said he's heard of a similar problem on petrol Mondeos but never on diesel Galaxys (or is that Galaxies). I've filled it again to see if it disturbs the float and start working but if not the guy said bring it in and they'll sort it out. Judging by my calcs I'll have about 600 miles before I run out of fuel.

 

No pics I'm afraid (will try to work out how to load them on) but she's a State Blue one, 12 months old 52 plate from Ford Direct. Washed it the other day and there's not a mark, chip or blemish on it which is brill, surprising seeing it was a demo car with 7,000 miles in the clock.

The interior is Anthracite which is much better than the Oyster colour of my old Gal.

The parking sensors are great, only the other day I parked between a car and a van, backing up beep....beep, beep..beep, beep,beep,beep,beeeeeeeeeep, bump I hit the van!!! No damage luckily, I was only going snail pace :lol: I shall try harder next time!! :)

 

Supaguard: Basic cost would have been about 117 quid. I'm never quite sure (seeing you can't see what they've put on) that the stuffs been applied but it certainly looked well after washing, looking like you've just waxed it with the blobs of water gathering...we'll see how it looks in 12 months time, it's supposed to have 3 yrs guarantee. Spilt a bit coke onto the drivers seat and it didn't stain so I guess it's doing the job on the fabric.

 

What I wouldn't mind doing is changing the side indicators for clear ones a la golf ones to match the headlights, do you know where to get them from?

 

I'll go and take some photies now.

 

see ya.