Smokin'

[edthedead]

First post...

On my Alhambra underneather near to the passenger side rear door is a thing that looks like a little exhaust pipe... i guess it is something to do with the heater... does anyone know for sure?

The reason i ask is today it was smoking quite a lot out of this pipe, not smelly smoke like something was burning just grey smoke... it only did it once and now seems to have stopped... i'm guessing something aint right though!

 

[fredt]

Welcome to the smoking AUX HEATER club the bit kit you have found is a booster heater unit, it's needed to speed up the heating of the engine coolant and to provide heat for the cabin heaters! due to the low calorific value of deisel and the effiiciency of the TDI engine not much heat is created when the fuel is burnt this means that the warm up time is longer and no heat is provided for the cabin heaters bit of a bummer in the cold weather so to over come this problem you have an AUX HEATER unit fitted it's just a simple fan assisted hot water heater fed by a seperate fuel pump and metering unit
the unit will operated when the ambient temp is around 5ºC and the coolant below 75ºC once the engine warms up and the coolant attains 85ºC it switches off
the smoke could be down to a couple of things! high moisture content in the air-white smoke/steam, or thick grey smoke- faulty metering unit, glow plug clogged, burner chamber flooded, small amount of black smoke upon start up- to be expected
if you want more info and pictures on how to strip and replace the units glow plug I'll dig out a link for you

 

[Stu B]

Welcome to the smoking AUX HEATER club the bit kit you have found is a booster heater unit, it's needed to speed up the heating of the engine coolant and to provide heat for the cabin heaters! due to the low calorific value of deisel and the effiiciency of the TDI engine not much heat is created when the fuel is burnt this means that the warm up time is longer and no heat is provided for the cabin heaters bit of a bummer in the cold weather so to over come this problem you have an AUX HEATER unit fitted it's just a simple fan assisted hot water heater fed by a seperate fuel pump and metering unit
the unit will operated when the ambient temp is around 5ºC and the coolant below 75ºC once the engine warms up and the coolant attains 85ºC it switches off
the smoke could be down to a couple of things! high moisture content in the air-white smoke/steam, or thick grey smoke- faulty metering unit, glow plug clogged, burner chamber flooded, small amount of black smoke upon start up- to be expected
if you want more info and pictures on how to strip and replace the units glow plug I'll dig out a link for you

Fredt - What dont you know ! As thats the best discription to the rear heater unit I have read for donkeys.....

 

[edthedead]

Thanks for the help guys.... fortunately i got a warantee when i brought it, so they are sorting it.

 

[david hitch]

HI, JUST READ YOU INFO ON AUX HEATER, COULD YOU EMAIL ONFO
EMAIL: [email protected]
Having problems with smoke, have just had new heater unit fitted ?
Thanks
David

 

[mstombs]

Everything you wanted to know about aux heaters over on the Ford Galaxy site - probably have to register there as well though...

http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.php?showtopic=3623&st=75

 

[fredt]

Everything you wanted to know about aux heaters over on the Ford Galaxy site - probably have to register there as well though...

http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.php?showtopic=3623&st=75

but to see the topic in question I think you will have to join the site? and too be honest its gone down hill since my last ban from there

 

[coxy123]

Hi,

Am brand new to this forum. Fredt, was wondering could you post the link you refer to or is it the one on the Ford Galaxy site? I have a 2005 Alhambra 1.9tdi and on and off over the last year I have had a problem with smoke entering the cabin area on the passenger side which I have not been able to isolate - the air vent filter was replaced earlier this year(it had got clogged up!) and I had thought that resolved problem as issue did not re-occur for up to 6 mths...

Any other ideas would be welcome as I am really keen to resolve.

Tks.

coxy123.

 

[rabbi63]

what did they end up fixing then?

 

[coxy123]

Hi, Didn't actually sort in end - problem has not re-occured recently. You having a similiar problem.

 

[rabbi63]

yes In the end my dealer pulled the plug on the electric supply to the rear heater system. mine was burning plumes of diesel smoke everywhere and i got fed up with people running up to the car telling me it was on fire!! Also the fumes would come in to the car as well.
Apparently it is a known fault and they were waiting for a fix from seat? soemthing to do with it not burning off the residual fuel that is left in the system when you switch off the engine. i have read the thread and it all points to the same thing but like most things i guess it will be expensive to fix!!!

still notheard anything though.

At present my second oe has a problem with the back of the gearbox which is going to cost £500 to fix and the car is a 98 r with 140k on the clock and i think only worth about £800 at most as is used as the childrens taxi!! so i think a cheap run around is the thing.


do yo u know how easy it is to change the oil filter and air filters?


thanks for coming back to me.


Michael

 

[coxy123]

Hi Michael,

Tks. for the details about the smoke - mine still hasn't re-occured even throughout the cold snap!...apparently this auxillary heating mechanism is meant to kick in when temperatures drop below 5 degrees C! To answer your question - I don't know how straight forward it is to change air/oil filter, as the garage were the ones who did mine last time around.