Smoky Diesel Heater Fixed!

In this video I try replacing the fuel pump and clearing out the combustion chamber of accumulated soot in an attempt to cure the 'white smoke from the exhaust' problem.
We are Nikki and Alex, enjoying trips whenever possible in our 1990 Citroen C25, Elddis Autoquest 270 motorhome, which keeps us busy with constant repairs and maintenance. We also enjoy a bit of gentle river and canal kayaking, exploring on our eBikes and Hillwalking.
Alex does a bit of custom paintwork with the airbrush and dry flake gun, rides a Mutt Mastiff 125cc motorcycle as well as enjoying the occasional exploration of old mine workings. Every now and again we mix in the occasional workshop project.
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[@tamarmolerick3814]

Nicely done; I would have thrown the heater across the workshop weeks ago!

[@ttxela]

It came close a few times 🤣

[@darrengallagher9840]

Well done on getting it sorted, I would definitely recommend replacing the flexi fuel line with the stiffer type, changed mine today as the flexi that was originally fitted had perished and started leaking

[@ttxela]

Thanks. May well replace the rest soon 👍

[@markwilkinson2673]

Well done , the persistence has paid off , toasty warm again , 👍

[@ttxela]

Thanks, yes, got there in the end!

[@HermanHitstheRoad]

Well done, Alex. Great job 👍👍

[@ttxela]

Thanks 🙂

[@wayneofox1081]

Great stuff Alex, we new you'd get it sorted. Always run a high temperature circle be fore shut down. 👍👍 Thanks for sharing!!

[@ttxela]

Yes, lesson learned there I think. We will be being a lot more careful how we shut it down!

[@1tonyboat]

Well done Alex. Always a learning curve, you'll know how to fit it next time ....

[@ttxela]

Yes, I wonder how often it will need cleaning out 🤔

[@RickandHeather]

Very similar to how DPF’s block up on newer diesel cars, Gotta get them hot! Run a hot cycle now and again 👍

[@ttxela]

Very similar I guess 👍

[@stug9304]

Well done "Kim & Aggie" will be proud of you, soon to be the best uk camper heater install in uk. 😉 all the improvements will pay dividens over time. Woop woop.

[@ttxela]

It'll certainly help keep us comfortable over winter 👍

[@stug9304]

@@ttxela now to get cheap red diesel.( Farm supplies.)

[@karlheron774]

Well done Alex your patience triumph's again

[@ttxela]

Thanks, yes, got there in the end!

[@gizmo1252000]

utterly disgraceful ,i cant believe you went under the van without a full hazmat suit and Geiger counter . in protest i shall leave a like .

[@ttxela]

😂 safety first!

[@timw4926]

Well done Alex great fix in the end. Well done mate...

[@ttxela]

Thanks, yes, relieved that fixed it! 👍

[@TellTheTruth1]

All that smoke after the cleanout was caused by the build up of carbon inside of the exhaust pipe

[@ttxela]

Could well be 👍

[@carlsgarage2023]

Yep, was just going to say that - as I fount out. In fact, the exhaust had more soot than the chamber itself.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

They tend to soot up faster if they aren't tuned to the elevation. There are websites that teach you how to go into the advanced settings and adjust the fuel flow rate and fan speed. It helps keep it soot free a LOT longer.

[@ttxela]

I have heard that, but we are not really at altitude.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

@@ttxela well it is so miss tuned most of the time from the factory I'd check it for the elevations you would normally be at. Even sea level was too rich for mine.

[@syedalam3513]

Hi whats the website that's shows tuning

[@tstuart7333]

Great to see you tinkering again Alex. Oh I do like to get a bit suited up also. Nice 3 piece though. We who have been paying attention to today's class will have learned something, even a little I'm sure. That combustion chamber was looking a bit like many EGR valves, all choked up. Nice to see the van has given up the smoking.😉 Stay safe and enjoy the travels.

[@ttxela]

Thanks, a lot of folk were saying it would be sooted up. Turns out they were right! 🙂

[@adithompson7261]

Great how he went through it all step by step Sorted my own by following these vids Thanks

[@ttxela]

Thanks, glad if it helped 😊 👍

[@jpdennis1008]

Was shocked at the mess inside that heater, and I'm used to dealing with teenager's rooms. Anyway I'd be feeling smug if I were you Alex, a triumph of humour and positive waves Any advice on teenager's rooms welcome 🫣. Well done to you Alex and of course we enjoyed the banter

[@ttxela]

Thanks, can't help on the teenagers bedrooms I'm afraid, never mastered that ourselves!

[@charlietango1635]

Nice one Alex, we learn something new every day. I have waiting for this video to come on here, as I just had this gut feeling that this was the problem, you have to run these on high at least once a fortnight to burn off the soot and carbon.

[@ttxela]

Thanks, yes, I think we'll be a lot more careful about how we run it in the future 👍

[@holtee100]

Nice one Alex. Well done. You certainly stuck with it mate.

[@ttxela]

I was sure it would be something simple in the end 🙂

[@holtee100]

Yep. Isn’t it typical. I’ve been following this and only just found this video after you fixed things. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpLbiquwmbmLbJY

[@DesmondsDonders]

Great to see it running well. Bit of a convoluted route but you wired in at the finish.

[@ttxela]

This project was a bit of a slow burner 🙂

[@DesmondsDonders]

@@ttxela Agreed but it heated up at the end 😉

[@ttxela]

@@DesmondsDonders 😂

[@johnmackay7023]

good to see you got it up and running well again yip can heat up quick but when its doing that dont need to run it to long i have a switch in line so its never live all the time not just threw the zig saves it ever getting put on by mistake or with my grandkids its on a safty togal switch at drivers seat but pleased for yous

[@ttxela]

Thanks, might add an isolation switch to our set up 🧐

[@fishandreptileinfo]

11:18 that is defo caused by running the diesel heater on low before switching off. Always ramp the heat up high for at least 10-15 minutes before switching off. nice video though.

[@ttxela]

I think we forgot to do this once or twice which certainly didn't help.

[@niemma2]

I keep my heater long clean when i use good diesel no red diesel what is not good small burners, makes more soot. Also when you clean burner remember take that atomizer mesh out from glow plug hole and give it aseton wash and make sure that glow plug air hole is open/clean.

[@ttxela]

Thanks, we're running on white diesel. The screen was replaced previously 👍

[@begone30]

I work on diesel heaters here in America. If you pull the glow plug out and look down the hole. You will see a small wire screen. Those get clogged up. Witch will cause the incomplete burn giving you the build up in the combustion chamber. The screen is hard to see down in the hole.

[@ttxela]

Thanks, yes, the screen was replaced in an earlier video. A bit of a pain to get out though!

[@pjanke2]

I ran a bit of compressed air through the intake at startup and IGNITION happened...plus a ton of white smoke but at least I didn't have to open her up. I ran it on lowest setting without running at high for the first 3 months and now know not to forget to burnout the soot with high for a couple of hours once a week. Had 6-7 failed starts with err #8. hope it helps someone

[@ttxela]

Compressed air sounds like a good call, glad that worked for you 👍

[@lesleywren9523]

Glad you've got the heater working Alex, & I bet you are to 😀 it's getting a tad nippy out now brrrr

[@ttxela]

Yes, definitely going to be an asset as the colder weather arrives 🙂👍

[@lmstuber6044]

Hi . My deisol heater has started to smoke just like your in the video. Can you tell me after you cleaned it out and after the first start up when it smoked abit and then cleared .does the desiel heater smoke for a few minutes on start up every time you start it ? Lee

[@ttxela]

We eventually had to give up on the heater in this video as although it worked for a while after the fix shown in this video it fairly quickly sooted up again. I replaced in with the Maxpeedingrods one which was much better and still going strong when we sold the van. Burned clean from start up.

[@robertsavage7804]

Good result in the end Alex. I knew you'd get there in the end. Is it time to bring back Mr Safety Owl?

[@ttxela]

Do you know, I think it might be! 🤔

[@jamesgoodwin2450]

Thanx this video was very helpful

[@ttxela]

Glad if it helped, did you get yours running again?

[@jamesgoodwin2450]

@@ttxela yes working ok now took a bit of time to burn off the oily residue in the exhaust but lesson learned about running it low for to long again many thanks

[@NewLife-qj9mx]

You were getting white smoke - I just did a second run on my new heater and im getting black smoke 🤔

[@ttxela]

That sounds more like overfuelling 🤔

[@PaulGloverHowDo]

Well done Alex with the perseverance, have you any idea what caused the sooting so quick, blimey its only just been fitted and not used all that much ??

[@ttxela]

I'm sure it was running it on low for long periods that did it 🤔

[@PaulGloverHowDo]

@@ttxela Tend to Agree Alex, doesn't it fire up like on start up as this is supposed to be why it does it, to clear any soot

[@chefdaniel8391]

Well done! Did you notice any difference in the sound level from the new pump?

[@ttxela]

Thanks, I think it actually is quite a bit quieter 👍

[@billofdurham1]

hi Alex wanted to ask you about your bathroom I have a talbot express highwayman with a cracked shower tray did that paint you used on yours work and keep it sealed thanks Bill.

[@ttxela]

Hello Bill The Protektacote WB I used on the shower tray has stood up well although it has been difficult to keep clean due to the texturing and eventually a few areas did flake off. Our shower tray was cracked as well and I repaired it first with a resin kit. I don't think the paint alone would seal a crack 🤔

[@billofdurham1]

@@ttxela I know you sealed it with the I watched your full series of your bathroom renovation work and what an amazing job you did but was just wondering about the paint as it bubbled up the first time you did it I've learnt a lot from watching your videos I even fixed my toilet pump from watching you many thanks Bill

[@ttxela]

@@billofdurham1 Fantastic to know the videos have helped you. 🙂 With regard to the paint, I think if I were doing it again I would not perhaps go that route. A couple of years later (of quite heavy use) and it has started to peel in the gutter areas of the tray where water tends to collect. This may be my fault in terms of surface preparation perhaps 🤔

[@kennyosborne2397]

mine did that and it was my fan not working right

[@ttxela]

A possibility I guess 🤔 how did you fix it?

[@kennyosborne2397]

bye a new fan motor

[@benwouda]

How much smoke is normal? I always only see people posting problem smoke 😂

[@ttxela]

A little on start up but once running you should see almost no visible smoke.

[@skyline1788]

Why do you guys play loud music .???????

[@tonycone7848]

This just came to me if you get rid of Facebook get rid of those people

[@ttxela]

👍

[@jeffokriya3389]

Just cut off the nasty music . . I have to lower the volume every time it starts

[@stupidasso6183]

Usually those of us coming here for these videos are having the same issue and we don't want to fuck around with a bunch of talk.

[@magpietheband]

Agreed! It does however give time to read the comments and see if any of them help the situation. 😂