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cardinal0128
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Joined: April 29, 2007
Posts: 188
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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 Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:26 am Post subject: BA6 Eberspacher Gas Heater FAQ |
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| [url=https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=331276&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=eberspacher]BA6 Eberspacher Gas Heater FAQ[/url] |
I was looking though some older threads regarding the BA6 heater but I was wondering what I should do before trying to start up this heater. The Bus has been in my family since new but I don't think anyone has tried to start the heater in over ten years. Is it safe for me to just try to fire it up and see if it works? Or is there some danger? It doesnt' seem to safe for me but from what I was reading in the manual there are safety systems built in. Someone was saying it should produce heat within 70 seconds?
The bus is in really good shape and has been garaged almost continually since coming from Florida in the early 90's. I don't expect the heater to have much rust on it and it has been covered by the belly pan. I did drop the pan a while back but did not do anything with it at the time.
Thanks for any help people can provide.
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1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
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vwtopia
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Joined: October 08, 2001
Posts: 184
Location: LaPorte, IN
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:34 am Post subject: |
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| I'd check to make sure the fuel lines were okay and then try firing the heater up. I'm guessing you should hear the fan coming on and a fuel pump before the unit actually tries to ignite. If you don't hear those two things check for power. |
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cardinal0128
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:39 am Post subject: |
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Noted. I'm just worried about un-ignited fuel vapor, or vapor building up I guess.
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1978 Westy, stock
1967 Beetle (sold)
1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
1965 Jeep CJ-5
2002 Jetta TDI |
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busdaddy
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Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:46 am Post subject: |
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If it doesn't light up in around 90 seconds the safety switch will shut it off, it's there to prevent things like explosions.
Listen for a steady ticking when you do turn it on, no tick means the fuel pump is stuck from sitting. Also listen for 2 different fans running, the combustion motor and the fresh air blower. It may take a few resets of the safety switch to get fuel to the burner after sitting that long.
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josh
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Location: laid back in the tall grass
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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As previously stated I would change the fuel lines. The system has safety features to deal with most potential problems but a leaking fuel line is not one of them.
You should also replace the other fuel hoses on the bus if you don't know their age. They degrade over time and are a common source of fires.
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| modok wrote: |
...If If stoner A takes a hit and then stoner B goes right away(not waiting two seconds), he's trying to suck on it while it's still got a vaccum, doesen't get much of a hit at all! Cause it hasn't filled back up all the way yet.
Stoner A is cylinders #2/4 B is #1/3 The plugged bowl is the throttle, the bong is the manifold |
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cardinal0128
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks guys. Will try one day this week- I'm assuming the safety switch reset is covered in the manual?
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1978 Westy, stock
1967 Beetle (sold)
1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
1965 Jeep CJ-5
2002 Jetta TDI |
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busdaddy
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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It's a short red lever on the side of a black rectangular relay located infront of the LH kick panel, directly ahead of the steering colum and pedals. Hopefully it fires up before you have to go digging for it.
If you prime the line to the pump (get the air out) while you are changing it the first start will be way quicker.
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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Wildthings
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:19 am Post subject: |
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| I fired up the BA4 heater in my 72 Type 4 a couple of years ago with few problems. It had been wired wrong and had probably never ever been fired once before. Took me a long time to figure out the wiring error, but once I did it roared to life. I did replace the fuel lines before hitting the switch. The only problem I experienced was that since the BA4 sits down stream from the engine heat exchangers it had been filled with 30+ years of oil and unburnt grime. All of this burned off in the first few hours of use. Not sure now the BA6 is plumbed, but don't be surprised if it stinks really bad when it first fires. |
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josh
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Location: laid back in the tall grass
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:00 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| The only problem I experienced was that since the BA4 sits down stream from the engine heat exchangers it had been filled with 30+ years of oil and unburnt grime. All of this burned off in the first few hours of use. Not sure now the BA6 is plumbed, but don't be surprised if it stinks really bad when it first fires. |
The BA6 plumbing is very similar to the BA4, so the issues they would have would be similar.
The BA6 also functions electrically almost the same as the BA4. I think of it as a larger version of the BA4.
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| modok wrote: |
...If If stoner A takes a hit and then stoner B goes right away(not waiting two seconds), he's trying to suck on it while it's still got a vaccum, doesen't get much of a hit at all! Cause it hasn't filled back up all the way yet.
Stoner A is cylinders #2/4 B is #1/3 The plugged bowl is the throttle, the bong is the manifold |
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superalf72
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Joined: January 02, 2008
Posts: 24
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 2:03 am Post subject: |
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i post my personal experience to give life to a BA6 :
1) take down the complet fuel line (fuel pump too), sensor temperature and the spark
2) check the pump, the sensor and the spark with a battery to see if they 'runs'
3) if all is good put new fuel line and other things on
4) replace all fusibles (one of mine was blowed)
5) then start the heater (pay attention to the safety switch) and wait for it runs
6) try more than once time...
now my heater runs good, i will replace all the 'air pipes' to be sure they will be good sealed for not loose hot air
if i made some mistakes, please tell me
thank you and sorry for my english |
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dan macmillan
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Joined: October 19, 2003
Posts: 3110
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:00 am Post subject: |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| I fired up the BA4 heater in my 72 Type 4 a couple of years ago with few problems. It had been wired wrong and had probably never ever been fired once before. Took me a long time to figure out the wiring error, but once I did it roared to life. I did replace the fuel lines before hitting the switch. The only problem I experienced was that since the BA4 sits down stream from the engine heat exchangers it had been filled with 30+ years of oil and unburnt grime. All of this burned off in the first few hours of use. Not sure now the BA6 is plumbed, but don't be surprised if it stinks really bad when it first fires. |
Just curious, in what way was it wired wrong? From your post it sounds like they wired it wrong from the factory.
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Wildthings
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:51 am Post subject: |
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| dan macmillan wrote: |
| Just curious, in what way was it wired wrong? From your post it sounds like they wired it wrong from the factory. |
One wire was wrong from the factory coupled with the ends of the three inline fuses having been swapped around by someone previously trying to make it work. Once I figured out the fuse thing finding the one wire that was wrong to begin with wasn't that hard, but originally with the fuses running power to all the wrong places it was totally confusing. |
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cardinal0128
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:57 am Post subject: |
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Finally got the heater running last weekend... amazed that it started right up and I got combustion after about only one minute. Great manual posted at type2.com and got that all printed out and stuff.
After that I dropped the heater down and looked at all the regular stuff- intake lines, exhaust, glow plug, etc. I had some difficulty finding the right fuel hose however to replace the lines- it looks like it is somewhere between 3 and 4mm ID hose from the pump to the actual heater- which is a different size than from the t fitting to the pump. I think that hose is 5mm but not sure and not planning on replacing it at this time. The thing is still dropped down at the moment but I'm planning on doing a full write up with pics here after I pop it back in this weekend... and hopefully it still runs. I haven't been able to find any good writeups in the online VW community so hopefully this will fill a gap.
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1978 Westy, stock
1967 Beetle (sold)
1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
1965 Jeep CJ-5
2002 Jetta TDI |
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germansupplyscott
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:30 am Post subject: |
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the line from the pump to the fuel jet is 3.5mm. the other lines in the heater fuel lines are 5mm.
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cardinal0128
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:05 am Post subject: |
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Nice - Scott do you carry any 3.5 or 5mm hose?
EDIT: Nevermind, looks like you do.
_________________
1978 Westy, stock
1967 Beetle (sold)
1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
1965 Jeep CJ-5
2002 Jetta TDI |
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cardinal0128
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Joined: April 29, 2007
Posts: 188
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 9:06 am Post subject: BA6 Pictures |
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Finally got the heater back up into place after a short search for new fuel line and of course the local parts place selling me some vacuum hose. Ended up getting braided stuff from World Impex in Cockeysville MD, the source of most of my diesel parts for the TDI anyway.
When the heater starts up it takes a about 20 seconds for heat to come out of the exhaust and about 60 for it to come out of the vents inside (rough estimate). Hopefully these pics will help people dropping their own heater.
_________________
1978 Westy, stock
1967 Beetle (sold)
1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
1965 Jeep CJ-5
2002 Jetta TDI |
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Lionhart94010
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| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the great pictures cardinal0128 ,
As well as the extra effort for the added comments, the pictures are especially useful to me as my installation will be a retrofit and your detailed pictures will help me see where the BA6 parts where originally installed in/on the bus(my BA6 came as a big pile of parts ;0)
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dwill49965
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| Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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Agree.
That write-up and pics are "Ratwellian"!
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'78 Westy, Boston Bob built 2.0 L, FI, MSD 6A
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cardinal0128
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Can't believe it. I try to fire up the ol BA6 this Saturday as the temps were getting down into the teens. The thing refused to warm up, and then after a few minutes there was just a cloud of smoke coming from underneath/ rear wheel wells. No idea what could be wrong absent a fuel hose that slipped off, or maybe I damaged a sensor during the R&R.... looks like the belly plate is going to come off again, at bare minimum. Kind of afraid to try to start it again after I was left scrambling for the fire extinguisher.
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1978 Westy, stock
1967 Beetle (sold)
1993 Ford F-150 v8 5 sp
1965 Jeep CJ-5
2002 Jetta TDI |
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busdaddy
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Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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What color was the smoke and what did it smell like?
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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