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Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 30 Nov 2008, 22:16
by Dartmoor
Just bought a D1 Eber in working condition, cos my petrol one was condemned by EBER specialists. It was at a good price, so that if all fails I will sell it on. But I was reckoning all I need is a small diesel tank say under the R&R. Diesel is so much less volatile than petrol, so should be safer if anything?
Has anyone done this? And has it worked ok?
Posted: 30 Nov 2008, 23:34
by VWCamperfan
I have a diesel fired ebber water heater in the van. I am currently using a jerry can (plastic type) with a rubber fuel line running through a hole I drilled in the top of the cap. The hole is a little smaller than the pipe so as to make a good seal. Although this is only a temporary measure until I get a tank slung under the van, it does work fine.
Posted: 01 Dec 2008, 07:30
by T'Onion
Yes you can , I have a plastic jerry can in the spare wheel , like Mark said hole drilled in the cap and a very small hole drilled into the top of the handle to allow air in , and then the pump attached to the can , its a tight fit in the wheel but its an area that rreally cant be used for anything else
Remember an ebber pumps the fuel not sucks , so place the pump as close to the fuel source as possible .
Posted: 01 Dec 2008, 10:03
by thefatsurfer
Used a beetle washer bottle for my tank ! just spilt diesel filling it up this weekend so have now turned my van into a smokehouse if you want food tasting of diesel - great. It is in my petrol splitty, so do I rip it out and put it in my diesel 16' syncro ?

Posted: 01 Dec 2008, 12:29
by Ian Hulley
Remember the Eber will need the combustion air in, exhaust fumes out and fuel delivery pipe outside the van. Sorry, I know it's really obvious but ....
Ian.
Posted: 02 Dec 2008, 12:16
by Dartmoor
Ian Hulley wrote:Remember the Eber will need the combustion air in, exhaust fumes out and fuel delivery pipe outside the van. Sorry, I know it's really obvious but ....
Ian.
I am hoping that the basic "infrastructure" is there from the dud petrol Eber - so my thought was to replace it with the diesel one, with the only complication being the additional fuel tank/can, as opposed to the connection into the petrol tank (which will need isolating of course).
Re:
Posted: 13 Dec 2008, 21:29
by Dartmoor
Dartmoor wrote:Ian Hulley wrote:Remember the Eber will need the combustion air in, exhaust fumes out and fuel delivery pipe outside the van. Sorry, I know it's really obvious but ....
Ian.
I am hoping that the basic "infrastructure" is there from the dud petrol Eber - so my thought was to replace it with the diesel one, with the only complication being the additional fuel tank/can, as opposed to the connection into the petrol tank (which will need isolating of course).
A warning here - this is where I came unstuck!! The Eber D1L was fitted to the existing air intake and exhaust outlet from the old petrol eber that was in the Westfalia. Used a fuel can as suggested - all mounted under the r&R seat. Glow plug was broken, so fitted new one.
Started - pop..pop..pop and loads of smoke. It ran, but ran very badly. So I phoned Espar, and to their credit they were helpful (also a bit patronising, but hey, I needed help!). They immediately said never connect a diesel Eber to a petrol ones exhaust and air intake. The set up and balance is completely different, the diesel one requiring an identical length of intake to exhaust, of less than one meter in length. And, vitally, the fuel pump must not be higher that the eber.
So, the pump was lowered to the floor (same as bottom of eber), and intakes and exhaust attached as required instead of using the petrol set up. And the eber fired up and ran happily.
I am curious though as to why these things make such a difference? Can anyone tell me?,
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 13 Dec 2008, 23:52
by Oldiebut goodie
Would you be interested in a copy of the manual (pdf) which explains all the ins and outs of the setting up of the d1 and b1?
Pm me your email address and I will send you a copy.
Rick
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 14 Dec 2008, 00:02
by ringo
Oldiebut goodie wrote:Would you be interested in a copy of the manual (pdf) which explains all the ins and outs of the setting up of the d1 and b1?
Pm me your email address and I will send you a copy.
Rick
This is very generous of you Rick - i would just like to add that all (official) the manuals are linked in from the wiki here:
https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ca ... berspacher
If yours isnt, can you post on here thats its not so i can take a look
Thanks
Ringo
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 14 Dec 2008, 00:56
by Oldiebut goodie
There are very few manuals there! I have 40 odd different ones.
I am having trouble uploading it as it is 12mb!
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 14 Dec 2008, 10:33
by ringo
Oldiebut goodie wrote:There are very few manuals there! I have 40 odd different ones.
I am having trouble uploading it as it is 12mb!
PM Sent!
40 manuals on eberspachers?
Ringo
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 14 Dec 2008, 11:46
by Oldiebut goodie
There is 220 mb of files.
I have put them all here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/173172897/E ... 1.rar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://rapidshare.com/files/173172899/E ... 2.rar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://rapidshare.com/files/173236910/E ... 3.rar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They are good for 10 downloads or 90 days.
If more people want them I will reupload them.
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 15 Dec 2008, 22:22
by Dartmoor
Just one final (I hope!) footnote. The Eber works ok now - sounds fine, warm air, and no smoke. But when you turn it off, then smoke does come out of the exhaust for short while. This is when light has gone to green (so fuel pump stopped, and current to glowplug off(?). So why the smoke??
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 15 Dec 2008, 22:39
by T'Onion
Could be that the filter or strainer is getting blocked , or the conbustion chamber is sooting up
Re: Can you fit a Diesel Eberspacher in a petrol van??
Posted: 15 Dec 2008, 23:04
by Oldiebut goodie
Are you switching off by just cutting the power or by powering it down via the circuitry?
My webasto will kick out smoke if you just cut the power supply rather than its natural shutdown.