Webasto smell of diesel on startup?

[Simon F]

Hello All,

When my Webasto Air Top Evo 40 starts up and when it shuts down, there's a smell of diesel in the cabin for about a minute. When it's running, it's fine. Even after hours of running it, there's no smell. It's mounted in the cockpit locker and the exhaust exits through the transom and seems sound. I've started it up while closely observing it and there doesn't seem to be a corresponding smell in the cockpit locker on startup or a big plume of exhaust smoke from the exhaust outlet in the transom, so my first theory, (that leaked exhaust was finding its way into the air intake) seems to be wrong. Surely there's no way the heater can generate the smell in the heat exchanger is there? It would happen constantly rather than just for a minute if that was what was happening wouldn't it?

I've experimented with holding the CO detector in the duct output in the cabin and in the cockpit locker but it hasn't tripped. I'm not keen on the smell and I'd get it looked at, but no one in Brighton seems to service or repair the heater.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Simon

 

[wonkywinch]

Wind direction? Maybe it was just wafted back inside?

 

[PabloPicasso]

Check fuel lines, fuel pump and fuel filter. Replace if there is an issue.

Replace the unit if suspect. I beleive webastos can be serviced but parts can be expensive.

I bought a vevor 5kw version for about 100 quid or so. 2kw versions were about 70.

Lots of chinaspacher options on fleabay etc.

 

[Simon F]

Wind direction? Maybe it was just wafted back inside?

It seems to happen in any wind direction and it's only at startup/shutdown.