Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5052
Running it up to full temp cleans it out as it burns off the crud build up and reduces any smoking and carbon build up.
A remote start controller is ideal for this, or failing that it can be done with the Webasto diagnostics which in my opinion is invaluable for this heater.
Everything needed can be had from the site shop for pennies! yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
10th Apr 2021 4:22 pm
lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
gstuart wrote:
lynalldiscovery wrote:
It might appear to be running and trying hence the smoke, but it was most likely not running properly if at all, if it was actually running/burning there would no dripping diesel.
Mine does not smoke, every now and then you might get a whiff but thats it.
I have had this same failure recently on a boat webasto heater, and it was the flame sensor dud, 75 bloody quid plus gaskets = chuck it in the bin and fit a new chinese one.
On some diesel burning heaters the flame sensor and the glow plug are one and the same thing.
Ah i see , many thanks, same here with mine where it doesn’t smoke and indeed also get the very occasional smell if I’m sitting at traffic lights
Ouch red the cost of the sensor
Last year it needed the same sensor, glow plug, gaskets, about 150 odd quid, so when it failed to start this year putting derv down the ex pipe, I thought thats it no more!
10th Apr 2021 4:47 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14148
PROFSR G wrote:
Running it up to full temp cleans it out as it burns off the crud build up and reduces any smoking and carbon build up.
A remote start controller is ideal for this, or failing that it can be done with the Webasto diagnostics which in my opinion is invaluable for this heater.
Everything needed can be had from the site shop for pennies!
Funny enough Sounds abit like a DPF with regards to allowing them to run up to temperature
Must admit haven’t bothered with the webasto software or remote , suppose it hasn’t replay been a priority for me but indeed great to know there available
10th Apr 2021 5:09 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14148
lynalldiscovery wrote:
gstuart wrote:
lynalldiscovery wrote:
It might appear to be running and trying hence the smoke, but it was most likely not running properly if at all, if it was actually running/burning there would no dripping diesel.
Mine does not smoke, every now and then you might get a whiff but thats it.
I have had this same failure recently on a boat webasto heater, and it was the flame sensor dud, 75 bloody quid plus gaskets = chuck it in the bin and fit a new chinese one.
On some diesel burning heaters the flame sensor and the glow plug are one and the same thing.
Ah i see , many thanks, same here with mine where it doesn’t smoke and indeed also get the very occasional smell if I’m sitting at traffic lights
Ouch red the cost of the sensor
Last year it needed the same sensor, glow plug, gaskets, about 150 odd quid, so when it failed to start this year putting derv down the ex pipe, I thought thats it no more!
Think u get to the stage when it becomes unviable
Useto deal with similar things when I worked on gas/ oil,boilers, comes a time when there’s no point keep chucking money after bad
Same when derv oil boilers wernt serviced every 6 x months and having to put a hammer chisel on the baffles to get all the clinker off that had set like concrete , even worse was when confronted with a fully sooted up boiler 8am on a Monday morning
Glad u got it sorted out mate as imagine nothing like being cold on a boat
10th Apr 2021 5:12 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5052
A genuine glow plug on its own can be had for around £70ish, or a cheapie Chinese one for a lot less. To be honest though by the time you faff about with the gaskets, clips, fuel pot, ceramic insulator, etc.
This is about the best price I can find for the complete genuine burner. Simple and quick to fit, not cheap I'll grant you, but I think it's worth the extra spend especially on a cold winters morning.
https://www.island-4x4.co.uk/glow-plug-gen...23159.htmlyµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
10th Apr 2021 5:23 pm
Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1820
gstuart wrote:
Funny enough Sounds abit like a DPF with regards to allowing them to run up to temperature
Well no....not really.... it does not get “cloaked” like a DPF, but unburnt diesel does isolate the glowplug, so it does not ignite the diesel next time... after a while the resistance in the plug goes up and it stops functioning, even after a clean....
and if you only do 5 minutes runs with a TDV6 engine, it breaks also very quick...
Engine’s need to get proper warm/hot, to stay clean, minimize wear, etc. Etc. Engines are only efficient when warm, so is a FBH ...
10 minutes, each time is enough though for a FBH.....less? it will get dirty very quick an will stop functioning very soon if to many short runs in very short times... i have seen this happening within 5 or 6 times...
in general people (not meant to you gstuart, i just take the opportunity;-) ) tend or seem to think that a FBH is a magic blackbox who is supposed never to fail or wear etc....
And can be rebooted to full working comdition as it is a MS windows computer... hmmm
Like every engine, they need maintenance sometimes, every diesel engine needs new glowplugs and injectors sometimes.... so does a FBH....
Expensive? Webasto glowplug? Try to change get the six in the TDV6 replaced for the same money
Diagnostics can be easy on every engine... but they only give us a direction.. they don’t repair something...Not on the TDV6 and not on a diesel FBH... you do not need it, it can be easy though if the issue is not easy to trace... (but 90% of the time, it is a glowplug /burner issue)
Ontopic..... i am with profg.... a working/burning FBH wil never leak due to a faulty pump...Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
10th Apr 2021 10:26 pm
jamesj74
Member Since: 28 Jun 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 89
My local Indy mechanic had a look today. Hooked the FBH up to his diagnostic kit. Set it to prime and burn for a 20 ish min cycle. Lots of white smoke and then it started to burn cleaner, but it also dripped a load of diesel on the ground under the FBH exhaust. I’ve ordered a used unit taken from a RRS with a compatible PN. I’ll try to resuscitate the old unit, but the mechanic thinks it’s reached the end of its life... we think it’s over priming or not getting a clean burn. I’ll know more once I’ve stripped it.Smoked swooshy side repeaters
LEDs
Sill protectors
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GAP IID BT 3
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RedTiger Dash Cam
12th Apr 2021 5:27 pm
jamesj74
Member Since: 28 Jun 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 89
Update: replaced FBH with a used and serviced one. Diesel has stopped dripping. However on a cold morning my car seems to now have its own James Bond/Uncle Buck smoke screen. I mean seriously, it used to smoke a bit, but this is like driving in heavy fog. It settled down after a bit. The garage did the unit swap leaving the old exhaust in place and I can only assume there’s still a fair amount of unburnt diesel in that part of the system... hopefully it will settle down.Smoked swooshy side repeaters
LEDs
Sill protectors
Tinted lights
GAP IID BT 3
LRP Tailgate release
RedTiger Dash Cam
19th Apr 2021 12:30 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5052
Short usage periods will cause a build up of crud which will not burn off unless a suitably long enough run time has been in effect. Repeated short run times will exacerbate this and clog up the burner.
There are a couple of different ways to overcome this, one (the best way) is to allow the burner to run for about 20 mins using the freely available Webasto Thermo Test V2 software. A couple of run times using this will get rid of most of the build up. After which in normal use try not to let the burner shut down unless a minimum of 10 minutes run time has elapsed. Or, if the outside temp is below 6° you can run the burner and leave the engine to idle, this should get you a long burn time.
If it still smokes on start up you could try disassembly and clean, but to be honest I'd say the glow plug is on its way out. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
19th Apr 2021 1:50 pm
jamesj74
Member Since: 28 Jun 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 89
I stripped and cleaned the replacement unit before it was fitted. It was gleaming, but like I said the old silencer and exhaust was reused, so I suspect, since there was unburnt diesel in the pipes, it will take a few goes to burn off completely.Smoked swooshy side repeaters
LEDs
Sill protectors
Tinted lights
GAP IID BT 3
LRP Tailgate release
RedTiger Dash Cam
19th Apr 2021 2:57 pm
jamesj74
Member Since: 28 Jun 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 89
Normal smoke levels on cold start today. Let the car sit on the drive for 10 mins with FBH running. Looking good! Will consider taking away litter tray tomorrow 👍
Smoked swooshy side repeaters
LEDs
Sill protectors
Tinted lights
GAP IID BT 3
LRP Tailgate release
RedTiger Dash Cam
20th Apr 2021 8:01 am
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5052
Wow, you're still getting sub 6° temperatures
I have to use the Webasto diagnostics to fire them up unless they are fitted with a remote start.
If it's clean and operating correctly you should only have a momentary puff of smoke.
Looks like you might be on the right side of it now. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
20th Apr 2021 12:39 pm
jamesj74
Member Since: 28 Jun 2013
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 89
Yes, 3°C this morning. Out early for school run...Smoked swooshy side repeaters
LEDs
Sill protectors
Tinted lights
GAP IID BT 3
LRP Tailgate release
RedTiger Dash Cam
20th Apr 2021 4:07 pm
Prette
Member Since: 16 Mar 2020
Location: Previously Stoke-ST4 (pre-pandemic), Mostly The Hague (NL) partially Lyngby (DK) certainly somewhere
Posts: 160
Motolab wrote:
gstuart wrote:
Funny enough Sounds abit like a DPF with regards to allowing them to run up to temperature
Well no....not really.... it does not get “cloaked” like a DPF, but unburnt diesel does isolate the glowplug, so it does not ignite the diesel next time... after a while the resistance in the plug goes up and it stops functioning, even after a clean....
and if you only do 5 minutes runs with a TDV6 engine, it breaks also very quick...
Engine’s need to get proper warm/hot, to stay clean, minimize wear, etc. Etc. Engines are only efficient when warm, so is a FBH ...
10 minutes, each time is enough though for a FBH.....less? it will get dirty very quick an will stop functioning very soon if to many short runs in very short times... i have seen this happening within 5 or 6 times...
in general people (not meant to you gstuart, i just take the opportunity;-) ) tend or seem to think that a FBH is a magic blackbox who is supposed never to fail or wear etc....
And can be rebooted to full working comdition as it is a MS windows computer... hmmm
Like every engine, they need maintenance sometimes, every diesel engine needs new glowplugs and injectors sometimes.... so does a FBH....
Expensive? Webasto glowplug? Try to change get the six in the TDV6 replaced for the same money
Diagnostics can be easy on every engine... but they only give us a direction.. they don’t repair something...Not on the TDV6 and not on a diesel FBH... you do not need it, it can be easy though if the issue is not easy to trace... (but 90% of the time, it is a glowplug /burner issue)
Ontopic..... i am with profg.... a working/burning FBH wil never leak due to a faulty pump...
Good write-up Harold. Your tactic does work. (for example when I know I have a very short trip e.g. from home to service station for refuelling, I do not turn the climate on until after refuelling just to avoid FBH turn on for 3 min, cool-down, then off, then on again for the long trip) My FBH is on for at least 10 min always.
Perhaps I wish there could be some sort of cleaning spray to use in the FBH (something like the EGR/MAF/carb cleaning stuff) Don't worry, I know the difference between an internal combustion engine and a fuel burner I will not use these sprays on webasto BUT...... I wish there was something to not need to dismantle everything.
Imagine: Spray a "Special FBH something" a few times while FBH running, the spray will dissolve the crud/deposits and we will all have a perfect clean FBH without need to take it apart.
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I wish there could be some sort of cleaning spray to use in the FBH 
I will not use these sprays on webasto 
BUT...... I wish there was something to not need to dismantle everything.
