Testing and Diagnosing the E53 Webasto Thermo Top C/Z

[jevansio]

[quote="Alan703"]
Awesome mate - so my find was a good one! Want to come and fix mine now - got the plug but no time (how long did it take?). I then have the IHKA fault to deal with.
[/quote]
It was a great find bud, many thanks for sure

It took around 1.5 hrs, I took my time though, hardly any coolant comes out, maybe 200ml, remove top hose first obviously and just use a towel and a small jug, you can then tilt the unit back on itself to remove the lower hose and just tip the contents of the webo out into a jug when it's off the car, as I say only about 200ml of coolant came out in total.  The exhaust is a push fit (no clamp) and is quite hard to pull off, just use a flat blade screwdriver to prise it and keep wiggling it, a drop of washing up liquid to reassemble works a treat.  You'll also need a long reach T20 torx, my socket style ones were too bulky to get into some of the bolts.

[X5 ALN]

Will maybe give it a go one night this week then. What did you clean the burner with?

[jevansio]

I just used a small flat blade screwdriver, the ash just falls away as you touch it, and its precise so you can be assured you're not touching the gauze

[jevansio]

Quick update, fitted the remote earlier this week and have been using the burner pretty much every morning & night after work and is by far the best thing I've ever had in a car, if you have one and don't have it working you're missing out

[X5 ALN]

:'( :'( :'(

Fitted the new glow plug,
knocked out the worst of the black deposits in the burner (picture attached before cleaning)
reassembled
bled the cooling system (rad cap off, ignition on, engine off, fans on hottest setting & lowest speed, then accelerator to the floor - past kick down - electric water pump should start and bleed the system, opening valves etc, takes 10 mins)

still got the same bloody fault codes and a no start webasto
Glow plug flame detector short to ground - now brand new glow plug, which had the same cold resistance as the old one,

00 - Glow Plug / Flame Monitor - Short Circuit to Ground
IHKA - 21 IHKA: IH check valve, LHA changeover valve
IHKA - 32 IHKA: Auxiliary Heater

what's next then - the pcb?

[jaynana]

[quote="Alan703"]
00 - Glow Plug / Flame Monitor - Short Circuit to Ground
IHKA - 21 IHKA: IH check valve, LHA changeover valve
IHKA - 32 IHKA: Auxiliary Heater

what's next then - the pcb?
[/quote]

IHKA fault worries me.. which year is your car mate?

also you could ask that german dude on email how to clear those faults?

[X5 ALN]

2005.

I can't remember if the fault was there before I enabled aux heat on the nav screen.

The aux heat fault wasn't there before I took the webasto off.
When I had it off, I unplugged anthem valve below it, and plugged it back in - invade it was as simple as a loose connection.

[jevansio]

I'm thinkin ignore the IKHA for the min, concentrate on getting the webo to fire with 12v

My glow plug error didn't say short to ground, it was just a general gp/fs error, and there was defo a difference in resistance between old & new plugs.

Just out of interest Alan, what exactly happens when you apply 12v with all errors just cleared?  Have you been able to apply 12v to the other various parts (water pump, fuel pump, air fan) to make sure they're functioning? Does the PCB look at all damaged (any burnt components)?

Just think when you get it working you'll appreciate it all the more

J

[jevansio]

I also got the aux heater fault when I temporarily unplugged the webo during my testing.  When I finally fitted the new glow plug I cleared all error codes using the scanner 1.4 software. 

I've got a funny feeling the code 21 will not be a problem and is only generated when you operate the webo from the OBC monitor (as obviously some hardware isn't there).  I reckon if you fix the webo, clear all error codes, you'll not see that error again (or it will be there but not affect the operation of anything)

[X5 ALN]

I haven't wired the remote to apply the 12v, but I'm guessing if the glow plug isn't getting a proper signal - it ain't gonna work.

Water pump defo works, I bled the cooling system with it after reinstalling the webasto.  I have also felt it working when I try to fire the webasto up.

I've heard the dosing pump working, when I have switched it on using inpa and dis.

[jevansio]

Has the German guy responded? Maybe sending the pcb is the best option?  At least you can take it off without disabling the entire car and you now know the glow plug is perfect and it is clean inside.

[X5 ALN]

Need to send him an email. The guy from Finland says he cannot do one as new as mine yet.

[X5 ALN]

A***HOLE

I got a second hand heater, swapped the PCB = Glow plug error gone 

However........

IHKA 21 IH CHeck Valve / LHA Changeover valve
IHKA 32 Auxiliary Heating

stilll remain.

Operation

Via Dis - worked once - but overheated
Pulled fuse to reset
Tried again with DIS, worked for a shorter time, but could be due to heat.

Via Remote or MID

Will not start, tries and fails.


What is the Check valve and LHA valve?
Are they a fitted part, or something the car "thinks" is fitted because I tried the retrofit programming to change the MID to show Aux heat

Oh - and my iPhone 5 fell out of the seat and out of the car as I got out!!! now got a smashed screen

This is becoming expensive

[jevansio]

Good progress, what is DIS, MID?

Is the water pump working when it overheats?

So you're actually getting it to fire and produce heat?  Surely can't be long before it's working.

I still think no matter what state the IKHA is in regarding faults, 12v on pin 1 should fire the unit an run, if it's overheating you have a webasto problem and is not related to any check valve codes

Stick with it bud, shame about the iphone

[X5 ALN]

DIS is the BMW software
MID is the nav screen

IHKA could natter, as if park heating is fitted as standard, there is a changeover valve on the water system, which it controls - but, I beleive it is to change from heating engine to heating cab.

The water pump was working before, and I'm sure I felt it working last night.

When the webasto fired, the water temperature rose from 55 to 125 in a matter of a couple of minutes - so it does sound like a circulation problem.