Aux heater for Eurovan Weekender

[markcm2]

I ended up buying an authentic Webasto from ebay during one of their site wide sales which saved me an additional $100, grand total delivered was $580 and the seller included a smart digital controller (retails for about $120).

If anyone is interested in a gas (or diesel) fired Webasto for their eurovan or other camper project here are the details of my purchase:

Ebay seller: avtonomki2014. Very good communication before and after the sale, well packed and received via DHL in about a week, I think it was 4 business days.

Model: STC2000. This is the European upgraded version of teh ST2000 sold in the US. Apparently the STC is coming to US but hasn't arrived yet. Potential downside is that a Webasto dealer may not be set up to support the different software the the STC has but as a DIY installer, I don't care and I'd likely buy a $25 Webasto diagnostic kit on ebay if needed. Another data point is that my buddy also bought one and when he called Webasto with an installation question they were willing to talk tech with him regardless of it being an STC vs the ST.

Fuel: Petrol/gas, and I'm pretty sure he would supply diesel too since he asked me to confirm which fuel I wanted after I ordered.

Price: avtonomki2014 has been selling these for $680 shipped for awhile and still is as of this post. He said he would extend the offer to include a smart thermostat/controller to any of my friends so If you're interested my ebay username is e-lectronicsllc. FYI- he also threw in a few optional fuel pickups as I wasn't sure which one would work the best.

[Joshwa]

Excellent. Please share your install when you get to it. I’m still sitting on my hydronic type I’ve had for more than a year now.
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
Late model cabin air filter on 93
Euro spec bumper install on 93

[markcm2]

[markcm2]

We started installing my webasto last night.

Started by removing both the seats, the console and shifter cover (wasn't necessary but needed it out for other reasons), then the e-brake cover and then pulling the carpet up to expose the fuel tank access cover. Once the carpet was pulled back, we loosened the 3 nuts holding the e-brake assembly. The carpet is glued along the rear vertical surface which was a bit difficult to remove, we just used brute force and some of the foam separated which hopefully wont matter when we put it back together.

We removed the fuel tank cap, drilled a 1/4" hole in it and cut the fuel pickup to 10" which leaves 1" from the bottom of the tank.

put the pickup in and re-assembled the lid, then fished the fuel line down under the vehicle.

Here is a shot of the fuel tank lid loose and the fuel tap before we installed it in the lid.

This shows the lid back on with the fuel tap intalled:

[Zeitgeist 13]

I'll definitely be following along. We can't afford the real deal, so I'm prepping to buy one of the diesel Espar D2 clones out there on the market, and install it below the floor similar to this Propex install. It just ties into the existing rear heater housing.

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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[IdeaNerd]

Thanks for any and all pictures and postings on this topic! This one is on my "future upgrades" list too, and I'd love to learn whatever I can from what you guys figure out on your installs.

[markcm2]

Wouldn't this installation method require the van's rear heater fan to operate? Without the fan running wouldn't this just circulate the heated air through the heater core since it is drawing air from one side and adding it back to the other? Why would any of the warm air go into the van when it can just cross the heater core, path of least resistance...

[Zeitgeist 13]

That's a great question. I think I'll need to open up the plenum and use some duct work to route the heat up near the outlet in the floor of the van. Justin at Greaseworks may very well be doing the same with his install, but I've only been looking at his blog pics so far. If I were to install the unit in the cabin, I think it would be under the front passenger seat.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[markcm2]

[Highlands22]

Thanks for the description of how to install the fuel pickup as I’m installing a Webasto right now and got the rest in and was really struggling with how to install the fuel line. Do you really need to remove both seats to access the fuel pump or just the ebrake cover and ebrake? Also did you think about dropping the tank to access?

[markcm2]

I think the seats have to come out to pull the carpet up. Without removing the seats, the carpet would have to be cut. The good think is that with power tools it only takes a few minutes to remove the seats.

I did consider dropping the tank, it just seemed easier to lift the carpet. I could be wrong. I probably had both seats out, the side step covers off, console removed and the carpet peeled up in about 30 minutes.

One thing to note is that the carpet is glued to the vertical surface separating the front and back of the cabin (the "step"). I had a few spots where the foam separated from the carpet when pulling it apart. I don't think this will matter when it's laid back down.

Another note, I plan on routing my wires through the rear facing surface of the body panel you see when the plastic cover is removed from the door sill, at the base of the B-post; there is another wire there coming from the front of the van that routes to under the driver seat, I will be following that path. I struggled for a bit to identify a good place to pass through because the tank blocks so much area. This seems like a very easy place to access and should be somewhat minimal splash and spray. I'll get some more pictures soon, I am mounting the box now. I also bought a Daystar universal firewall boot for passing the wires through. This was about $12 on amazon (LINK)

PS- since the webasto kit comes with about 16" of 60mm vent tube made out of cardboard, I bought some Gates 28081 heat duct hose (LINK) which is aluminum.

[Zeitgeist 13]

Where are you planning to install the control box for the heater? I was thinking about putting it where the "ashtray" goes on the driver side. Ours is missing the tray part, so I've been trying to think of something to install in that space. I feel like I'm constantly playing catch-up with all of your EV projects.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Highlands22]

Thanks for the install update and I feel you are correct about the carpet needing both seats off so no cutting necessary. Also did you replace the fuel pump when installing the fuel line pick up? Seems like I might not want to go through the hassle of pulling the carpet a second time if that fails?

I figure you are mounting the heating unit on the bottom outside of van since you are routing wires inside? I mounted mine inside between the real facing seat and the “step”.

I am mounting the control and altitude switch in the former ashtray location as it fits perfectly there and I upgraded to the smart timer controller and it just sticks to the side panel. Will get some photos up soon.

[markcm2]

I did not replace my fuel pump. It was pretty quick with my dewalt to get the seats out if I have to do it again.

For the controller, I got the small "smart" digital CAN controller but it only came with about 1 ft of cable so I have to figure out how to extend. I was thinking about mounting it up high on the b-piller, above the upper seat belt mount so it can be reached from the rear of the van and from the upper bunk.

[markcm2]

Here are some pictures related to the enclosure we built for installing our webasto petrol heater underneath our 2001 T4 eurovan weekender Poptop. It was built from scrap, a little "rough" around the edges but will look amazing (under the van).

This was the concept drawing. It's basically a shoe box shape, the drawing on the bottom half is the actual heater:

These are the beams under the van on the driver side just behind the fuel tank. The outside to outside measurement is 18".

This is my friend, doing his magic:

This is the result:

This is the lid fastened to the beams under the van. Once the heater is fastened in to the lower part of the box I will hold it up to the lid and install the screws in the sides and ends:

Here's a look behind the plastic step cover where I plan to drill a hole for the wires to access at the rear vertical surface facing the rear of the van. I will bring the wires in here and they will follow the existing loom up to beneath the driver's seat:

I will post more as I progress.

[Highlands22]

Here’s a 3 meter extension for the controller. [/url]https://www.amazon.com/Webasto-Controller-Rheostat-Extension-9031988A/dp/B019IQ06N2[/url]

[njt1rider]

If you drop the tank there is a hole under the driver seat alresdy. Pretty easy and straight forward. IMO dropping the tank VS pulling the seats is 6 in one half dozen the other...just sayin...

[markcm2]

[markcm2]

More progress, the heater is installed and I fired it up for a test run.

So here's what I just got done:

Drilled a 1-1/4" hole in the foot well on the rear facing side just beneath the B-post, installed the grommet and pulled the wires through, routed them next to the OEM cables going to the floor under the driver's seat:

Drilled a 1-7/8" hole in the rear heater box and then installed a PVC adapter. This is a plumbing part for 2.5" pipe, I also found that an electrical conduit nut fit the thread nicely on the inside of the heat box. My hole was a tiny oversized so I patched it up with Silicone. Be aware, the heater core is right there on the other side, be careful not to drill into your heater core!

Then I pushed the bottom half of the box with the webasto mounted in it up to the lid and installed the screws; I drilled about 6 holes around the perimeter of the lid before mounting the box so that I could fasten the top/bottom together. I also mounted the fuel pump right next to it. The fuel pump clacks pretty loud so I will be replacing the bolt I used with a rubber coupled isolator:

Then I put a 90 on the end of the flex duct (I had to open up the PVC a little with my grinder for the duct to fit in just right); then plugged the 90 into the adapter I put in the heater box:

Here is a view of the heater combustion exhaust, I used electrical conduit hangers for my brackets:

For now I am drawing fresh air from outside. I'm not sure if I will drill a return air hole in the floor or not, the biggest concern I have is that I dont want to draw combustion exhaust into my van; I will be installing a Carbon Monoxide detector as well. My buddy who installed his webasto a few months back got a CO alarm at Costco with a temperature readout on it for about $30 and it works; he started his van in his shop for just a moment with the van's side door open and the exhaust tripped the CO alarm right away.

I will also be installing a combustion exhaust muffler.

While I had the seats out, I ran a power wire to beneath the passenger seat and an RCA cable from the head unit. I will be installing a powered sub under there and hopefully cutting the seat base down to normalize the height since we have a swivel adapter which raises it up about 1.25"

[YOGIVW]