Webasto marine heater problem

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by W3GAC

Might not be primed. I purchased a 12v auto turn signal flasher during my initial setup and wired it in series with the fuel pump and disconnected the fuel line at the heater and positioned it to spill into a can. It took about 15 minutes of 1 second 'clicks/ fuel pump cycles for fuel to start coming out the fuel line. The little pump only moves the fuel about a 1/4" per click along that really small diameter fuel line. Hopefully you used the recommended very very small fuel line. The little fuel pump doesn't have enough umph! to push a 1/4" column of diesel hardly any height. Second, even if your fuel line was just horizontal it would take an hour of one second clicks to finally get fuel to your heater. I don't remember the exact diameter of my line but it's about the size of a ball point pen refill... yes it's that small!

The reset procedure is worth doing. But I believe it will allow three false starts/auto-shutdowns before it locks you out/ requiring a total reset procedure.

It's a very smart device overall. I've had mine for about 7 years now and no issues. Starts every time, even the first start in the Fall after dormant all Summer.

You probably heard this already... but they like to be run 'hot.' If it stays in the loafing along mode for hours on end it will 'coke up' start carbon buildup and it starts to burn inefficiently causing a chain reaction of less & less efficient/ faster and faster carbon buildup. Eventually it would require to send it back to factory... and I understand that a send it back to be 'de-coked'/ overhauled (cleaned, new shaft bearings/ seals) runs $900! and takes 60+ days to get it back (so later... if you think you need that operation... send it in during the Summer.

I love my unit. I'm not a full time cruiser now up here in Chesapeake Bay area. But I leave my boat in the water/ use it all year, except for the 4-6 weeks of the worst part of Winter.

Many recommend plumbing in a y-valve on the input side of the little fuel pump so that at the end of the season you can easily flip over to a 'day tank' of kerosene and let it run for a a day. This kerosene seems to burn so efficient that it cleans the firebox of carbon/ coke buildup. I know other users that have had these units and like me use it 8-12 days a month during season stretching periods. I been anchored out with outside night lows in the low 20s and totally comfortable inside.


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Yep, 'priming' the fuel line is now the problem. I gave up as weather was closing in. After it shut it self down it was showing six flashes which according to the manual is the temp censor. But I installed that last week and it didn't fix the problem.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Mikado

Here's a link to the repair/service manual:

http://www.techwebasto.com/redirect/...hop/776891.pdf

This is also a really good manual. Unlike the difficult booklet that comes with the nudit.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by xluke

After installation it can take many cycles to fully prime it. During this period the unit will attempt to start (you should hear the fuel pump clicking) and eventually fault-out - this results in the fan running full blast and an error code flashing. You then need to turn it off and on again and go through this process several times. I think it took me thirty minutes or so of this until she ran. After replacing the fuel pump after a pump failure I had to do this process again. This time, the unit fully gave up and wouldn't go through the start-up sequence. I followed instructions on using the fuse to hard reset the control unit and then the unit allowed me to go through the cycle again to prime the system. Again, this was a nail biting thirty or so minutes but she did eventually prime and start after many off-on cycles.

Otherwise the unit has been amazing despite harsh winters.

Not sure if this helps but fyi.

Helps a lot thanks. I'll give it another go next week.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by St. Elsewhere

Try Sure Marine: Sure Marine Service, Inc. | MANUALS

Originally Posted by Mikado

Here's a link to the repair/service manual:

http://www.techwebasto.com/redirect/...hop/776891.pdf

Thank you Gentlemen, very helpful

[broach]

I had a similar problem for 2 years, with fault code 1 or 2. At the end, I solved the problem by taking of the line when the pump start ticking, so I could check if there was really fuel pumping up. And I found out a good start and after 7 seconds no fuel was coming up anymore. I checked the suction pipe and found out that there was a iron burr that partly closed the suction pipe. I did not check it when I fit it. Now for 2 months the webasto is working well. And now my wife is happy .

[St. Elsewhere]

Are any of you concerned about wear resulting from running a dry Webasto fuel pump for such an extended period of time to purge air from a dry line? It seems more prudent to simply purge the air.

In addition to using gravity to do it, if your Webasto is above the tank elevation you can simply add a hand priming pump near the Webasto. Here is one example: Detroit Diesel Caterpillar Cummins Hand Priming Fuel Pump 5110760 New | eBay

[Wotname]

RC, any luck with the Webasto yet?

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Wotname

RC, any luck with the Webasto yet?

No I havnt. I havnt been down to my boat for the past three weeks now.

When I last had a go it was about getting the fuel along the 1.5m of fuel line. But as st elswhere raised, I'm hesitant to just keep trying and trying. I thought I might next time I'm down there try disconnecting the line from the heater and sucking it along.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

No I havnt. I havnt been down to my boat for the past three weeks now.

When I last had a go it was about getting the fuel along the 1.5m of fuel line. But as st elswhere raised, I'm hesitant to just keep trying and trying. I thought I might next time I'm down there try disconnecting the line from the heater and sucking it along.

Or perhaps disconnecting somewhere between tank and pump and rigging a temporary fuel supply gravity feed. Could be as simple as a length of clear tube with a funnel stuck into the end.

Hope you get it going as I'm sure it will be a blessing over the next few months

I thinking of installing one myself before too long and this thread is part of my learning curve

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Or perhaps disconnecting somewhere between tank and pump and rigging a temporary fuel supply gravity feed. Could be as simple as a length of clear tube with a funnel stuck into the end.

Hope you get it going as I'm sure it will be a blessing over the next few months

I thinking of installing one myself before too long and this thread is part of my learning curve

a temp gravity feed is a good idea, yes. Just to get it going perhaps.

Whilst I've never used my boat that much in winter, I think she remains fairly warm. Just by cooking or heating up a kettle seems to warm the interior up quite well.

This winter will be the first time I haven't slipped her. So, I'll be going out sailing a few weekends over the winter.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Or perhaps disconnecting somewhere between tank and pump and rigging a temporary fuel supply gravity feed. Could be as simple as a length of clear tube with a funnel stuck into the end.

Hope you get it going as I'm sure it will be a blessing over the next few months

I thinking of installing one myself before too long and this thread is part of my learning curve

Well, I have finally got it to go.
I took your suggestion and rigged the fuel line so it was gravity fed. I didn't put in a temporary line as all I had to do was take out the 20litre tank and put it in my cockpit, that pretty much made it gravity fed.

Webasco guy told me how to reboot the system each time it timed out, which was after three consecutive try's of firing up.

Last night was the third time in three weeks I've given this a go. I was even disconnecting the fuel line from the heater and sucking on it and getting very little fuel that way.

Then this morning I thought I'd suck it through from each entry starting 'before' the pump and that's where the problem was. Very little was coming through the inline filter that is the first obstacle from the tank. So I have temporarily removed the filter, hooked it to the pump and then sucked through diesel by disconnecting it at the heater and when I tried again, this time it fired up.

So, I need to get a new filter, despite the filter I have being the new one.

And the heat this thing produced is so nice on these cold mornings.

[Wotname]

Great news