Aux Heater in petrol cars

[CondorX5]

I've long been bemused as to how Webasto aux heaters operate in petrol cars......I know they are rare as hens teeth in petrol Xes, but they have to work somehow, and as they are little diesel units, I have asked the question on a few occasions and no-one seems to know how they operate. Apparently, the Webastos fitted to petrol cars have a modification to run on petrol instead of diesel. Simple, I guess, and the obvious (not really) answer!!! All I know is they work jolly well on whatever fuel they are using!!!!

[Rusty]

Only a guess, but as the diesel units fitted in other cars work by spraying a small quantity of fuel into a chamber heated with a glow plug which in turn heats the water via a heat exchanger, you would have thought that a slightly more controlled injection of petrol would produce a similar outcome?

Maybe the petrol uses a catalyst type device as gas units do once up and running?

Feel free to discard this as complete c**p if I'm wrong as I am just trying to think of options as I type

[CondorX5]

A bit like the principle in the Peacock Handwarmers then? Well, it makes sense, even if its not right!!!

[Rusty]

Now using peacocks to warm you hands just seems wrong

But thanks for the vote of confidence

[CondorX5]

That's for when you're not in the car of course...... They are great little units, like a mini version of the Webasto, work on lighter fluid .....and the fuel lasts for 8 hours on one refill!!

[Turks]

Condor, I did a huge post on the Webasto heater on the old website. I have all the pdf documents at home somewhere that I downloaded which explained everything. If I remember, it works similar to what Rusty Nail said by slowly burning fuel and using that heat to heat the water in the system while pumping the warm water round the engine etc.

I'm getting the Aux Heater retro fitted to my 4.8is... its a toy I need to have. My friend had it where he could send a text to the car and it would heat up ready... if you were outside the 1000m range of the Telestart remote.

Loads of information and local dealer finder on http://www.parkingheater.co.uk



Turks.

[kena]

I have the webasto heater fitted to my 4.8. No idea how it works but its a godsend in this weather , especially those cold dark mornings

[CondorX5]

Thanks for that Turks, I like the text to the unit idea......must see if I can get that organised! What a fantastic gizmo, no 4.8 is complete without one......or indeed any X!!

[x555]

[quote=""CondorX5""]Thanks for that Turks, I like the text to the unit idea......must see if I can get that organised! What a fantastic gizmo, no 4.8 is complete without one......or indeed any X!! [/quote]

[Turks]

[quote=""kena""]I have the webasto heater fitted to my 4.8. No idea how it works but its a godsend in this weather , especially those cold dark mornings [/quote]

Hi Kena,

Did you have yours fitted from Factory or is this something that you have retrofitted?


Turks.

[CondorX5]

I wonder if that nice little silver remote with sim card is compatible with my Webasto......the website links to dealers etc is a bit flaky but will continue to investigate. There are also no prices anywhere so I guess its all pretty expensive kit

The website seems to indicate its such an "easy" retrofit ........ give it a go, Turks!!! Go on, you know you're worth it!!!

[Turks]

From all the stuff I have read with my Girlfriends dad (brilliant mechanic) it seems like a pretty easy retrofit. The part I am finding hard to get information on is enabling Aux Heating on the Nav Unit. The retro fit can be purtchased with its own timer but I would rather that there was the OEM integration if I can.

Not sure what you mean by the silver remote? Do you mean the phone in the pictures? The Thermo Call kit plugs into your heater, inserted into that is any Pay as you Go SIM card. This receives the text / call commands from your phone or any phone texting / calling the SIM card and then carrys out the instruction. Cool toy to have and i'll probably go for that too for times when I am in Trafford Center or something like that and the car is over 1000m away but i'll be heading back in 20 mins... gives it a decent chance to warm up!


Turks.

[Turks]

Interesting read...

Parking Heaters


Turks.

[CondorX5]

Must be the Thermo Call kit then, I thought that silver thingie was a Remote Would love the Thermo Call kit.....wonder if it can be retrofitted to the existing Webasto,,,,,lovely if it can be!!!

[kena]

[quote=""Turks""][quote=""kena""]I have the webasto heater fitted to my 4.8. No idea how it works but its a godsend in this weather , especially those cold dark mornings [/quote]

Hi Kena,

Did you have yours fitted from Factory or is this something that you have retrofitted?


Turks.[/quote]

Factory fitted