Eberspacher dies after 3-min start-up period...

It's great how helpful folks have been on this topic.

Analytically, it's one of these things

1. Mechanical
2. Electrical (usually connections)
3. Electronic

You seem to have done all of 1.

You seem to still need to check at the unit if it's getting the same voltage as your batteries are reporting. Remember, it's the other end of the same wire. Connections....

Electronics you can't fix. Recommendations on the thermostat and the ECY are very good.

Good luck, it's cold here, too.
 
eberspacher

I still think you have a fuel problem, take the pump off and check it is spurting fuel when 12 volts is applied to the terminals, if it is re-assemble the fuel lines and use the same method of 12 volts to push fuel all along to the heater spigot, then pulse it 10 or so more times and reconect the fuel pump to the ecu terminals.
try starting up again and listen, it should start the fan motor, then the glowplug then the pump will start clicking, at which point you should hear it ignite, the pump and the fan will increase in speed until boost speed is acheived.

see how you get on with that, also make sure you check the pump filter which is on the input side of the pump.

Steve
 
steve28 said:
I still think you have a fuel problem, take the pump off and check it is spurting fuel when 12 volts is applied to the terminals, if it is re-assemble the fuel lines and use the same method of 12 volts to push fuel all along to the heater spigot, then pulse it 10 or so more times and reconect the fuel pump to the ecu terminals.
try starting up again and listen, it should start the fan motor, then the glowplug then the pump will start clicking, at which point you should hear it ignite, the pump and the fan will increase in speed until boost speed is acheived.

see how you get on with that, also make sure you check the pump filter which is on the input side of the pump.

Steve
Click to expand...
Its reaching boost speed by the sound of it from the first post!
Stu
 
Jellie, not got the ebbie; I've a webbie.

One thing I've noted is that if I "forget" to top the tank up and it stops (flashing 2/5) then if I then add (say) 20 litres to the tank then the webbie will continually fire up warm and then die. If I add another 20 litres; thus increasing the head of fuel available then it will happily fire up and work - until I have another C.R.A.F.T. moment and forget to top the tank again!

Milestone, iirc, has it's own heater fuel tank - it's a longshot but possibly you've got the same problem????
 
Ellie,

If it's any help, I've just had a similar problem with my D4S.

Started and then after about 6 minutes the flame appeared to extinguish suddenly. The heater went through it's cool down sequence.

After much trial and error, and as the snow here is about 15cm and no way of getting any spares a last resort was to go and get some fresh fuel and top up the fuel tank which was about a quarter full, not forgetting the fuel set additive. Existing fuel was about 6 months old.

Tried to start the heater about 4 times with the same result, but then on the fifth it appeared to clear whatever it was and is now running (fingers crossed).

Hope this helps,

Simon
 
I am sure there is a difference between when the flame goes out leaving the unit hot compared with the flame failing to even light and thus leaving the unit cold.

If the flame was going well and then the flame went out.. the unit would go through cool down phase with the fan still running until the unit had cooled sufficiently.

If however the flame has not yet even lit.. the unit will shut down much more quickly with no need for fan run on.

Interesting point earlier about the fuel - perhaps no air coming into the tank causing a vacuum. Taking the filter off like you did though I think would have released any suction and at least got it to start.
 
lenseman said:
Nah! ;) Two hot chicks :D
Click to expand...

lensemanhat.jpg
 
Two hot chicks indeed!!!

Sorry for the lack of updates, but here's what's happened in our very busy week...

On the 1st December - a week ago today - lenseman, aka David, very kindly offered to lend us a 2kw fan heater. I assumed David was either in Brighton marina itself or somewhere very close by, so I gave him a ring to kindly accept his offer - freezing weather with just a .7kw oil filled radiator is not much fun, especially with essays to write and job applications to fill in. It's funny, I've never enjoyed washing up so much, it really warms your hands up. It turned out that David drove all the way from Gosport to Brighton, in the snow, just to lend us a fan heater. That very much restored our faith in human kindness: words can't thank David enough. And David's entry in Miley's visitors' book is one of the best yet: Helping two frozen mermaids in [strikethrough]distress[strikethrough] de-ketch!

So the next day, with the cabin temperature raised, 6" of snow covering the boats and pontoons, our bodies thawed and most of the suggestions in this thread tried, Alex got on the phone to her friend Bob, who happens to be an Eberspacher and Webasto engineer for an engineering company - somehow she twisted his arm into giving us some free advice. Alex told Bob what the symptoms were, and Bob asked Alex, are there thick clouds of white smoke? Alex said yes, and Bob told us exactly what was wrong with Schnebby, and what we needed to do to fix it.

We also knew that we needed some new felt rings, as when we opened up the combustion chamber they fell apart. So I ordered those and we waited patiently for them to arrive. And waited, and waited, and waited. They still haven't turned up - probably lost in the post because of the snow. We cut our losses and managed to source some from a local engineering company, so yesterday we took Schnebby apart once again, fitted the new felt rings, and did this trick that Bob told us about. We will also need a new wick/liner in the very near future, I shall add it to my Christmas list along with a jerry can and some diesel!

Eberspacher fitted back in place, we turned it on, but it didn't sound right at all. Out it came again and Alex found out what was making the weird sound - a little bit of metal at the top of the liner had come lose and was catching on the spinner. With that fixed, Schnebby was consigned to his home under the cockpit once again. Will it work...? Turned the switch... lights dimmed, heard a click, ****, that's the only fuse gone. Alex needed a lot of consoling at this point! I persuaded her to call it a night, cooked some fish and potatoes, went and bought a thicker duvet from Asda (which is marvellous) and went to bed.

Up this morning, I went and hunted down an elusive 20amp fuse whilst Alex removed Schnebby from his mounts once again. She discovered that the temperature switch had been caught upside down, so remedied that and put Schnebby back yet again. (Really, Alex is somewhat of an expert with the blasted things now.) Flick the switch... does the same as it did before - died after three minutes. It's OK, Alex said, it just needs priming. Our hearts in our mouths, we turned the switch on again........

It worked properly for 13 minutes (we have been obsessed with the stopwatch) - the longest yet - and then Alex and I turned to each other in the saloon and realised we could hardly see each other. ****, the boat is FULL of smoke. My legs turned to jelly (ha ha) as my first reaction was "fire, fire!". Alex calmly looked in the compartment with Schnebby in, and it became obvious it was exhaust smoke, not a fire. Another hurdle!

After a few requests for spanners, pliers and torches, we turned the switch on once more.

The stopwatch is up at 1hr 19mins 42 seconds and counting.

So, I bet you want to know how we fixed it...? ;-)
 
May I counter you there - we, of course, wish to know ... JE may or may not decide to tell us ... she may contemplate drawing this out till about May 2011 ... once we've finished with shivering and being frozen ...
However, I assume you're just thinking of the two 'Hot' chicks on a boat in Brighton now then ... so any conclusion to the story will take you away from your daydreams ... ;)
 
Stu Jackson said:
It's great how helpful folks have been on this topic.

Analytically, it's one of these things

1. Mechanical
2. Electrical (usually connections)
3. Electronic
Click to expand...

Or could it be....
4. two pretty girls? :)

I've been reading the threads and having just put down a deposit on another GRP hole in the water with an Eberspacher, I too am waiting with great interest.
S.
 
Boys will be boys!

Don't worry though, all will be revealed tonight - it really was a very simple fix.

And yes, Schnebby is still going strong as we speak. In fact, it was so warm in here, I had to turn him down and take a jumper off.
 
Morgana said:
bloody 'ell..... the suspense is killing me!
Click to expand...

Err, oh, that's not good, so I'd better tell you...

We'd tried all else, checked everything, still to no avail. So, with nothing else left to test, we tried Bob's trick; it is quite simple:

Strip the unit down until the combustion chamber and motor are separate. Unscrew the fuel spinner (metal fins) so that detaches too. Under the spinner is a tubular bit with big holes in the middle. If you look carefully, there are also six pin-sized holes around the edge going from top to bottom - these atomise the fuel and should be clear so fuel can get through. If they are blocked, that could be causing you a fatal problem like it did us; use a strong sail-makers' needle to clean the coke out of these holes. Re-assemble entire unit. Flick switch. Cross fingers...

Our Schnebby is still going strong. It is, coincidentally, the 2nd anniversary of my purchasing Miley, so we had a little joint celebration onboard tonight complete with a cake and two candles, which we put in front of one of Schnebby's outlets so Miley could blow her own candles out.

I hope somebody appreciates this help as much as we have appreciated all the help given to us; thank you all.
 
jellyellie said:
........ If you look carefully, there are also six pin-sized holes around the edge going from top to bottom - these atomise the fuel and should be clear so fuel can get through. If they are blocked, that could be causing you a fatal problem like it did us; use a strong sail-makers' needle to clean the coke out of these holes.........
Click to expand...

There are now boat heating Service Engineers all over the country cursing you for the DIY tip!!!:rolleyes:

Good for you - pleased your warm again. I've passed your keeping your hands warm by washing up tip on to Lizzie. I've also told her that this will work for the clothes washing as well.
 
Going to take mine to bits tomorrow, will look for these holes.
Great post, kept me entertained for ages !
Glad you sorted it, you only loose when you stop trying....
 
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