eberspacher smoke

[tel1]

fired up the old eberspacher d3l yesterday and thought i nearly set the boat alight!

had it working late summer with no problems but not been used since. i could here the fuel pump working, then that went quiet. the heater was running and sounded like it was burning something, but loads of smoke, and i mean loads, filled the cabin, immediatly i switched it off and i investigated. upon closer inspection amongst the smoke, i noticed it was comeing from near the exhaust outlet of the heater. anybody experienced this before?

i think, and im hopeing that all i need is a new exhaust, it has been on the list since summer due to its very poor condition.

im sure its never been serviced either so i assume its due a service.

any help would be great

thanks in advance

 

[Heckler]

fired up the old eberspacher d3l yesterday and thought i nearly set the boat alight!

had it working late summer with no problems but not been used since. i could here the fuel pump working, then that went quiet. the heater was running and sounded like it was burning something, but loads of smoke, and i mean loads, filled the cabin, immediatly i switched it off and i investigated. upon closer inspection amongst the smoke, i noticed it was comeing from near the exhaust outlet of the heater. anybody experienced this before?

i think, and im hopeing that all i need is a new exhaust, it has been on the list since summer due to its very poor condition.

im sure its never been serviced either so i assume its due a service.

any help would be great

thanks in advance

The eber exhaust double skinned pipe is ****, it corrodes easily and snaps, when not running it falls back in to position and looks ok. Grab it and see if it has cracked, the smoking is caused by the gauze surrounding the glow plug becoming frazzled or carboned up , change it.
Stu

 

[pagoda]

Hello,
Our boat has a D5W, with the exhaust on the aft end - fairly high up.
A couple of times this year, the ignition sequence has not completed and the heater rightly just shuts down. We traced this to the amps required to get the heater fired up correctly.
Make sure all the connections are clean, make sure your batterie(s) are in full charge.
One way to check this is to run your engine for 5-10 minutes and start the Eberspacher with the engine running. It's so greedy - you can hear the load on the alternator change!Once running- ie BURNING, you can cut the engine as the power required is much lower- and less likely to pull the batteries down.

However... your white smoke is almost certainly down to unburnt diesel in the exhaust pipe getting involved once the Eber fires properly again.
I drained the exhaust pipe off after discovering the condensed "diesel" liquid collected in it.
Otherwise it smokes alarmingly...for a while and finally settles down once the high temp exhaust carries away the liquid in the pipe.
Ebers demand good batteries to fire up reliably.
Look at the battery volts during the startup for clues to weak batteries.
Eber glowplugs get VERY HOT -so be careful near them....

hope that helps, Graeme

 

[pagoda]

Hello,
Our boat has a D5W, with the exhaust on the aft end - fairly high up.
A couple of times this year, the ignition sequence has not completed and the heater rightly just shuts down. We traced this to the amps required to get the heater fired up correctly.
Make sure all the connections are clean, make sure your batterie(s) are in full charge.
One way to check this is to run your engine for 5-10 minutes and start the Eberspacher with the engine running. It's so greedy - you can hear the load on the alternator change!Once running- ie BURNING, you can cut the engine as the power required is much lower- and less likely to pull the batteries down.

However... your white smoke is almost certainly down to unburnt diesel in the exhaust pipe getting involved once the Eber fires properly again.
I drained the exhaust pipe off after discovering the condensed "diesel" liquid collected in it.
Otherwise it smokes alarmingly...for a while and finally settles down once the high temp exhaust carries away the liquid in the pipe.
Ebers demand good batteries to fire up reliably.
Look at the battery volts during the startup for clues to weak batteries.
Eber glowplugs get VERY HOT -so be careful near them....

hope that helps, Graeme

And like Stu says - if the exhaust if dubious- replace the dual skinned pipe and fittings/clips - making sure it has a fireproof cover - and goes near nothing on its's way to the skin fitting to the outside world.
Things like fenders put hastily into the aft locker are quite happy to melt themselves to the exhaust pipe!!!!

Graeme

 

[misterg]

...i think, and im hopeing that all i need is a new exhaust, it has been on the list since summer due to its very poor condition. ...

You might have two problems.

If the exhaust is leaking get it sorted, especially if it leaks into the cabin. I don't think that's causing your problem, though.

That said, make sure the exhaust isn't "waterlocked" - i.e. it hasn't filled with rain water, etc. which is sitting at a low point in the exhaust run and forming a total or partial blockage.

0.02p

Andy

 

[tel1]

ok, some good advice here, i think i shall change that gauze as im fairly sure the unit hasent had a service since install some years ago, good advice on the fenders to, guess where mine are?? rite next to the exhaust pipe! im not down the boat again till the weekend and i dont have the measurment of the exhaust pipe, does anyone know if the d3l is 22mm or 24mm?

many thanks

 

[tel1]

well i replaced the exhaust, and after a good few days of use shes been warming my boat lovely. one problem i have though is the starting up sequence, i still get lots of smoke, then after the first 5 mins of flicking it on it goes away and runs in what i think is a ok.

this start up smoke, its white and stinks of burning fuel. there is no water in the exhaust. could this smoke be from the gauze, where the glow plug is? the chances are its never been changed so im sure its due. if the majority of us belive this could be my smoke problem then i shall need a new gauze, anybody know where i can get one?

many thanks

 

[Heckler]

well i replaced the exhaust, and after a good few days of use shes been warming my boat lovely. one problem i have though is the starting up sequence, i still get lots of smoke, then after the first 5 mins of flicking it on it goes away and runs in what i think is a ok.

this start up smoke, its white and stinks of burning fuel. there is no water in the exhaust. could this smoke be from the gauze, where the glow plug is? the chances are its never been changed so im sure its due. if the majority of us belive this could be my smoke problem then i shall need a new gauze, anybody know where i can get one?

many thanks

Ok
it is the gauze that is carboned/varnished up as well, take it out and give it a scrub with a wire brush as a temporary repair. Line up a new one though cause you can break them removing them!
Stu

 

[tel1]

any idea where i can get one??? a gauze that is

 

[Stork_III]

any idea where i can get one??? a gauze that is

As your in Essex, try Colchester Fuel Injection or Diesco, Ipswich.

 

[tel1]

anywhere in pompie? as the boat is now at gunwharf. so if i can get one from around there i shall. have no idea where to start looking though!

 

[Stork_III]

anywhere in pompie? as the boat is now at gunwharf. so if i can get one from around there i shall. have no idea where to start looking though!

try Krueger (Portsmouth)
Unit 2, Culverin Square,
Limberline Road, Hilsea,
Portsmouth, Hampshire PO3 5BU
Tel: 02392 665005

Update your Profile.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Tel1 - just type the make and model into google and add the phrase UK suppliers.

 

[tel1]

try Krueger (Portsmouth)


Update your Profile.

give me a chance, only just got it down there two days ago!!

 

[A_8]

I've not read all the replies but I am pretty sure you need a new burner unit. Typical symptoms are smoky start and stops as well as difficulties getting going.
They usually last 5 yrs. I've attached a pic of my 6 yrs old burner unit from a 2003 Airtop 5000 Webasto. I started to think something was off as my wife complained there was sometimes a smell from the heather.

What happens is that the diesel don't spread evenly (you can see why looking at the pic), when its bad it does not get close to the glow/ignite plug which then demand higher voltage (I've heard things like, it starts fine as long as the engines are running) or several tries until the fuel gets close enough to ignite.

The heater is a simple unit and replacing the burner is easy as long as you are somewhat comfortable with a screwdriver and mechanical stuff.

 

[tel1]

I've not read all the replies but I am pretty sure you need a new burner unit. Typical symptoms are smoky start and stops as well as difficulties getting going.
They usually last 5 yrs. I've attached a pic of my 6 yrs old burner unit from a 2003 Airtop 5000 Webasto. I started to think something was off as my wife complained there was sometimes a smell from the heather.

What happens is that the diesel don't spread evenly (you can see why looking at the pic), when its bad it does not get close to the glow/ignite plug which then demand higher voltage (I've heard things like, it starts fine as long as the engines are running) or several tries until the fuel gets close enough to ignite.

The heater is a simple unit and replacing the burner is easy as long as you are somewhat comfortable with a screwdriver and mechanical stuff.

thats interesting, your the first to say this. i think , like you say, get a screwdriver down there and find out whats going on. if any parts are looking like that ill just get new ones, unless its almost cost effective to buy a new unit, as is most things on a boat!

 

[grafozz]

smoke

fired up the old eberspacher d3l yesterday and thought i nearly set the boat alight!

had it working late summer with no problems but not been used since. i could here the fuel pump working, then that went quiet. the heater was running and sounded like it was burning something, but loads of smoke, and i mean loads, filled the cabin, immediatly i switched it off and i investigated. upon closer inspection amongst the smoke, i noticed it was comeing from near the exhaust outlet of the heater. anybody experienced this before?

i think, and im hopeing that all i need is a new exhaust, it has been on the list since summer due to its very poor condition.

im sure its never been serviced either so i assume its due a service.

any help would be great

thanks in advance

it is possible that if if the fuel tank is higher than the heater itself , then fuel can dribble into the heater cylinder and will burn once the heater is fired up . this can be cured by fitting fuel shut off - manual or solenoid operated .

 

[A_8]

thats interesting, your the first to say this. i think , like you say, get a screwdriver down there and find out whats going on. if any parts are looking like that ill just get new ones, unless its almost cost effective to buy a new unit, as is most things on a boat!

No need to get a new unit, as long as the rest works getting a new burner will make it equal to new.

 

[Martin_J]

Krueger in Portsmouth is a local 'service' depot for their main office in New Milton but they will get you parts from their New Milton office (if not in stock) within a day.

Another place you can order online who will deliver next day is...
http://www.pfjones.co.uk/eberspacher-heaters-eberspacher-parts.html

No relation to them - Just that I ordered from them last week and got the atomiser (gauze) before Christmas!

 

[Martin_J]

Smoky problem solved on my D4 today.... Smoke was rather visible from the exhaust but a new atomizer (gauze) solved that issue. Smoke free again!

Regarding Tools.. You are lucky you have the D3LC...
http://www.espar.com/documents/D3LCc.pdf

If it was like my airtronic D4 described here you find the wire does not detach from the glow pin and you need a special socket (with a split up the side) just to remove it!
http://www.espar.com/documents/airtronic.pdf

If you find you need the tool, let me know - I'm in Southsea.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=2129&group_ID=263&store=&dir=catalog

Final thought.. The heat exchanger.. The manual probably says replace after ten years. If it just needs a decoke Krueger will take yours, clean it and give it back at a modest cost.