The official Chinese Diesel Heater thread (Webasto Knockoff)

[valvecovergasket]

i know this is for knockoff heaters, but i searched and couldnt find any examples of this particular install location and i think it applies the same to the knockoffs - but for those with a diesel that had the original diesel-fired under floor espar, i was able to replace the plumbing with a webasto and get it to push air out of the stock vents that point rearward between the front seats.
and the pass-through the webasto uses was originally used by the old diesel heater

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MegaSquirt resource - SpitfireEFI.com

gone, but not forgotten: '83 tdi westy - swap thread

[the_last1]

[oldskewlsk8ter]

[the_last1]

[danfromsyr]

bring the fill hose up the side vent.
2 small screws or some good velcro and the side vent pops off.

though on my van that's where the coolant pressure cap is mounted as a built in 'libby' fill pipe.

[beach_creature]

So I want to get a 2kw heater. There is the actual 2kw version with a smaller body. There is also, the 5kw body but labelled as 2kw, I assume with less fuelling. This 5kw body labelled as 2kw seems to be more abundant.
Any reason I’d want to go with the larger body version? I’d rather have a smaller unit that takes less space and is easier to fit.

Thanks!
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD

[fxr]

Get the 2kW one - you will never need 5kW in a Westy. Just installed mine - works a treat.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[beach_creature]

Right, but most of the 2kw ones are actually 5kw hearers but fueled down. They use the same actual heater case and chamber. There are very few 2kw heaters that actually use the smaller true 2kw case and burn chamber.
I assume it’s just because it’s cheaper to relabel and adjust the fuel on a 5kw and sell it as a 2kw.
But with there being fewer of the smaller 2kw units, will parts be harder to find if needed? Is there a design reason why they smaller units are not used often? Or does it just come down to ease and expense...?
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD

[candyman]

My experience has been its hard to get a true 2kw. Even if its labeled as such, its still likely a 5kw. I got a 5 kw and am totally happy with it. I run it on low with straight kerosene and never an issue of sooting. Got well over 200 hours on it. It does get real toasty for sure, just open some windows and the poptop vents and screens and you will be fine. Unless its really cold like below freezing, we rarely sleep with it on. This weekend we camped and slept with it on overnight in 20 degree weather. My wife slept down below with the kids and i slept up top. We did not open any windows and for me up top I was great with a big down bag. When I climbed down in the morning, the temp gauge read 76* degrees in the bus. Of course that is just down below as the heat does not cycle up top. So pretty toasty for a 20 degree morning. If the windows were open it probably would have been 67* or so

[danfromsyr]

for a few hundred dollars in our multi thousand dollar rigs,
there's no point in being cold, damp or chilly.
I do highly recommend a Aux battery as part of a standard Auxillary heater install.

[vwhammer]

From my experience, I thought the 5kw were actually the larger 8kw sized units tuned down a bit.

My 2kw unit is much smaller than my 8kw unit and I have seen other people with 5kw versions that are the same size as the 8kw but not 2kw that were that size.

I probably already posted this in this thread somewhere but since the size think came up I figured I would post it again.
here is the size difference between my 8kw and my 2kw.

I suppose it is possible that they are detuning the 5kw to get 2kw but if you pay attention to the specs in the ad (if there is any) you can look for the smaller body and it is likely just a 2kw unit.

[valvecovergasket]

if anyone wants a spare fuel pump i have a couple of the chinese knockoffs i tried to run with my webasto - which didnt work. the pumps themselves work fine but the webasto was picky about fuel flow at startup.
_________________
MegaSquirt resource - SpitfireEFI.com

gone, but not forgotten: '83 tdi westy - swap thread

[danfromsyr]

what I am curious about is the controller or the altitude kits..
I live at ~800ft, but on occasion travel to the Mtns over 6,000ft..

so I'd certainly want to be able to adjust it to work then.. would be a bad time to find it not working..

but there is sooo much chatter out there that I don't know what is the right route for high altitude preparedness.

anyone with personal experience care to share the look/design/number of the controller they use at altitude?
thanks.

[beach_creature]

From researching, it looks like you can enter the password protected settings and adjust the fuel flow rate. So you can dial it down for high altitude.
It also looks like most of the new controllers have a mountain setting for high altitude. But I do not know that this setting actually changes anything.
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD

[beach_creature]

In terms of size, most of the 2kw specs show the 39 cm long unit that is 14 cm by 15 cm wide / tall.

There are a few of the 2kw units that show 34 cm long and 11 cm x 11 cm wide / tall.

What are the dimensions of your 8kw and 5kw heaters? If there are accessible to measure.
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD

[candyman]

[tristessa]

People on the FB group have looked into it, and the consensus is that there are no 8KW units. They're 5KW heaters where someone in the supply chain has used some very optimistic calculations and some "Chinese Math" fudge-factoring to come up with a number around 8KW to use for marketing.

There seem to be more true 2KW units on the market right now than there were last winter/spring, but they're still not easy to find. Check dimensions before ordering, and if they ship the larger 5KW unit in place of what you thought you were getting based on what they'd put on their listing file a dispute. You might get a free 5KW out of it...

[Syncro Jael]

[vanagonjr]

Anyone run (commercially made) biodiesel in these units? Is there any reason not to?
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John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

[beach_creature]

It may degrade rubber seals and fuel line.
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD