Webasto marine heaters

[Locheil]

I recently had a fuel pump failure with my WEBASTO AIrtop heater on a boat moored on the non tidal RIver Thames. The part was eight months old (51 hours of service) and cost £305 to replace by a main Agent.

Webasto warranty said the part was not covered because “the diesel fuel smelt like varnish and modern diesel has a shelf life of 6 months before it degrades and causes pump failure”. I wonder if other boat owners are also experiencing this problem?

 

[pcatterall]

I guess that sort of malarky is what motivates folk to buy from China.

 

[Dellquay13]

I recently had a fuel pump failure with my WEBASTO AIrtop heater on a boat moored on the non tidal RIver Thames. The part was eight months old (51 hours of service) and cost £305 to replace by a main Agent.

Webasto warranty said the part was not covered because “the diesel fuel smelt like varnish and modern diesel has a shelf life of 6 months before it degrades and causes pump failure”. I wonder if other boat owners are also experiencing this problem?

Does it mention this issue of fuel degradation over time in the user manual? If they didn’t tell you to not use diesel after 6 months, how are you meant to know about it?
If it doesn’t I would be looking at the trading standards route, and go back to the supplier with your intention to take it further.

Does their response have quantifiable evidence? ‘It smells like varnish’ is only qualitative and their opinion. Are they qualified petrochemists or just manufacturers of heaters?

 

[Laysula]

DON'T BUY WEBASTO HEATERS BECAUSE THE PUMPS FAIL IF THE FUEL IS MORE THAN SIX MONTHS OLD.

That's how I would have titled my thread.

 

[Geoff Wode]

£300 for dosing pump is daylight robbery.

 

[ChromeDome]

Does it mention this issue of fuel degradation over time in the user manual? If they didn’t tell you to not use diesel after 6 months, how are you meant to know about it?
If it doesn’t I would be looking at the trading standards route, and go back to the supplier with your intention to take it further.

Does their response have quantifiable evidence? ‘It smells like varnish’ is only qualitative and their opinion. Are they qualified petrochemists or just manufacturers of heaters?

Just wait for @Refueler to come on.

And I agree entirely: Until Webasto documents where in the warranty terms or owners manual you've been notified about diesel smell requirements and shelf life, they are liable.

If they can't document this, it doesn't matter what your diesel smells like.

If they can document that you've been informed and therefore may claim your diesel is not ok, ask them for a validated analysis of and report for your diesel.



Webasto-approved fuels

 

[Caladh]

I recently had a fuel pump failure with my WEBASTO AIrtop heater on a boat moored on the non tidal RIver Thames. The part was eight months old (51 hours of service) and cost £305 to replace by a main Agent.

Webasto warranty said the part was not covered because “the diesel fuel smelt like varnish and modern diesel has a shelf life of 6 months before it degrades and causes pump failure”. I wonder if other boat owners are also experiencing this problem?

They’re ‘avin a larf. Trading standards are the next stop.

 

[wonkywinch]

They’re ‘avin a larf. Trading standards are the next stop.

TBH Trading Standards are understaffed and toothless. You are better off DIY, raise a chargeback with your credit card (hopefully you used that to purchase it with) and once repaired, send a letter before action to take it to the small claims court (now called moneyclaimonline).

 

[PetiteFleur]

Just googled cost of 'webasto dosing pump' and you can easily get them MUCH cheaper - for genuine ones about £100/£125, cheaper if refurbished or much cheaper for Chinese ones. Very easy to DIY.

 

[Refueler]

Of course all fuels will degrade over time as light ends evaporate off etc.

But "“the diesel fuel smelt like varnish and modern diesel has a shelf life of 6 months before it degrades and causes pump failure”" is complete and utter b*******s.

 

[Tranona]

Just googled cost of 'webasto dosing pump' and you can easily get them MUCH cheaper - for genuine ones about £100/£125, cheaper if refurbished or much cheaper for Chinese ones. Very easy to DIY.

The price quoted presumably included labour charge from the "main Agent2. His claim is against them, but realistically fight over such a low (£100) value item is hardly worth the hassle

 

[Fire99]

A friend of mine has a Webasto EVO 55 and a genuine Webasto pump fitted was £160 and I thought that was daylight robbery. These pumps are fundamentally no different from any of the others.. I bet it was probably made in China too... (at a guess)

 

[Hoist]

the Jova heaters from Turkey are half the price and come with a warranty

 

[vyv_cox]

Of course all fuels will degrade over time as light ends evaporate off etc.

But "“the diesel fuel smelt like varnish and modern diesel has a shelf life of 6 months before it degrades and causes pump failure”" is complete and utter b*******s.

I feel certain that 6 months is an exaggeration but I know from Autoterm.experience that long term storage of diesel, possibly with contamination, can result in fuel that does not burn and smells very different from diesel.

 

[Trident]

My cheap Chinese sits with its own tank of diesel , separate from the propulsion and when it stops getting used in perhaps March it sits there , no additives , with a crappy £0.50p in line fuel filter that's not been changed in 6 years and come October or November (this year was about 10 days ago when it dropped to 4 degrees overnight ) fires up and starts first time , uses the months old diesel with no problems and never has had an issue in 6 years of continuous use over winter and not getting touched for 8 months in between.

I had no end of issues with my Webasto on the previous boat , though that was a wet heater but the core principle is the same.

I would strongly complain to Webasto

 

[Refueler]

I feel certain that 6 months is an exaggeration but I know from Autoterm.experience that long term storage of diesel, possibly with contamination, can result in fuel that does not burn and smells very different from diesel.

Any fuel ... liquid .. will if not stored reasonably will degrade and can change smell.

Hydrocarbon based fuel degrades due to 3 main factors taking worst first :

Heat
Oxygen
Light

Store the fuel minimising those 3 and the fuel will be useable for long time ...

 

[PaulRainbow]

When i bought my current boat the tanks were fuel of diesel (bonus as they hold 1,500 litres ) The boat had sat unused for 2 years, but the engines started first time and ran perfectly, as did the 2 x Webasto heaters.

 

[Trident]

When i bought my current boat the tanks were fuel of diesel (bonus as they hold 1,500 litres ) The boat had sat unused for 2 years, but the engines started first time and ran perfectly, as did the 2 x Webasto heaters.

When working on a full refit of a 65 foot motor yacht the owner insisted all the old fuel (several years) be drained from the tanks (at least 1000 litres ) and replaced with new before launch . (I should note the man was an idiot and would not listen to any advice that he was paying for - such as to polish it - and worse as an architectural designer he assumed his knowledge of building industrial buildings was better than mine of building boats) All of said diesel was duly drained off and whilst a briefly considered charging for disposal , I am too honest for that, as it ran no end of boats, heaters, yard tractors etc for several months!

 

[Stemar]

I fill my tanks in September, am lifted out in October and lifted back in April. According to Webasto, I'd better dump that fuel and start again.

In practice, Covid put a virtual stop to my boat use for a couple of years, then I was seriously ill, which meant Jissel was running on 5-year-old fuel when she finally got put back into service. She didn't notice the difference.

I'm with those suggesting a "Dear Sir, Unless... letter. I wouldn't buy the pump and charge back the cost - I reckon that could be considered theft, and I doubt the CC Co would play anyway.

 

[Refueler]

When working on a full refit of a 65 foot motor yacht the owner insisted all the old fuel (several years) be drained from the tanks (at least 1000 litres ) and replaced with new before launch . (I should note the man was an idiot and would not listen to any advice that he was paying for - such as to polish it - and worse as an architectural designer he assumed his knowledge of building industrial buildings was better than mine of building boats) All of said diesel was duly drained off and whilst a briefly considered charging for disposal , I am too honest for that, as it ran no end of boats, heaters, yard tractors etc for several months!

There are companys around the world making huge profits of 'gash' fuel. Usually the client wanted to dispose of such has to PAY the company to take it ... then that company SELLS onto small refinerys / outfits who recover and then sell the 'slop' that gets added to base stock into refining process if a real mixture, but if of an identifiable grade can be re-routed into blending.

There are ships going round actually collecting parcels to make up larger volumes ...