Webasto pouring white smoke

[Yankee802]

I got the Webasto fired up, but it was pouring white smoke, mostly out of the exhaust, but a good amount out the bottom. Should I just run it and it will disapate, or is there something drasticly wrong with it and it could cause a fire?

If were an engine, I'd say it was burning antifreeze, but I don't see how this would. I mean, antifreeze doesn't freeze, therefore it should have any burst hoses or fittings, right?

[jelmore]

Ours does that. I don't think the "professionals" that have serviced it have done a good job. I called once and they said the air vent needed adjustment. I never could get it right. It smells and acts like it's way too rich. I think they put the wrong nozzle in, or something else is wrong, but I don't know what it would be. Fortunately, we don't need it right now. Good luck.

[ajducote]

A lot of white smoke can appear when the burner does not light off as soon as fuel is injected into the burner can. Then raw fuel collects in the system and when it finally does light off it makes a lot of white smoke. My aqua hot started doing this once in a while, then it got more frequent, finally t just would not light off. Had to send the burner head off to have it rebuilt. Needed nw bearings, fuel pump and a few other parts. Works like brand new now. The white smoke could be caused by somethng else, but this was my experience with it.

[ajducote]

I ust saw your other post about running the engine for an hour. If the batteris were low and the motor in the webasto was not running at full speed, that could be your problem. The motor runs a fan and a fuel pump. If there is not enough air and the fuel pressure is to lw, it just does not work right. It the batteries are charged up, then the white smoke should burn off fairly quickly. Then the next ime it runs, there should be very litle or no smoke.

[jelmore]

I ust saw your other post about running the engine for an hour. If the batteris were low and the motor in the webasto was not running at full speed, that could be your problem. The motor runs a fan and a fuel pump. If there is not enough air and the fuel pressure is to lw, it just does not work right. It the batteries are charged up, then the white smoke should burn off fairly quickly. Then the next ime it runs, there should be very litle or no smoke.

Our Webasto has an uncomfortable high pitched whine. Can't imagine that's the way it should sound. I've always thought it to be bearings. Could that cause low rpms and white smoke? Am I being too picky? I think the Webasto is loud, stinky and smokey. Surely it's not supposed to be that way.

[Yankee802]

Well, I left for Florida for 3 days, and left the Webasto/furnace on, but did turn off the inverter(s). The coach was plugged in the whole time, so the batteries were fully charged. However, IF the furnace requires power from the inverter for the motor, it might explain things. When I got home, the furnace was running, but no heat, nothing but cool air comming from the exhaust. So maybe 3 days of not running right has "flooded" it?

I went out again and ran it. Being dusk it was hard to see the amount of smoke (using flashlight), but there was white smoke weeping out from the cover that scared me, seemed to me like fire/electrical smoke, and had a different smell to it. I guess it could be desiel burned slow or something. I've never taken the cover off the Webasto, guess I'll have to soon. Being I work all weekend, I wont be able to get to it untill Tuesday. :(

Geoff

[Ray Davis]

I don't know how the early Marathon's were wired, but newer ones are wired such that much of the 110 stuff always goes through the inverters.

Generally, I never turn mine off.

As was mentioned, low voltage to the Webasto could cause the white smoke.

If it doesn't clear, one thing to consider is that there are two sizes of nozzles these days. I don't remember the actual numbers, but the larger nozzle which is in use these days needs to be accompanied by a bigger fuel pump.

This is a major guess, but if someone purchased and installed a new nozzle on an older style pump, that might account for white smoke?

When I was servicing mine previously, I was cautioned to make sure that the nozzle and the pump match correctly.


Ray

[Yankee802]

Mine never smoked before this, at least not that I noticed, so if it did, it wasn't much, if any.

[jelmore]

Thanks Ray for that on the nozzles. Next time I see these guys that did my work, I'm going to have them prove to me what's installed and confirm it with Webasto. But still, the whine. Is that normal?

[Yankee802]

I haven't heard any other than mine, but mine has a whine, like a very small jet engine. I have no idea what a normal level of noise is, so I guess this probably isn't much help.

[jelmore]

Likewise, I haven't heard any other. I started mine once in a campground and once in a WalMart and was embarrassed both times so I shut it down. I hear other coaches with, I guess, propane, or Aquahot and while they do have a whine, not nearly as loud as I think mine is.

[Ray Davis]

Webastos have a distinct whine to them, and if you read back through other posts, I believe that Colorado bus got hassled in a state park where generators were not allowed after hours.

They are a little noisy, but I wouldn't call them excessive. They defintely can be heard though near the bus.

Ray

[Yankee802]

I wouldn't say mine makes any noise I'd be embarrassed about, it's audible, but not THAT much. I've heard other RV's here at the KOA running propane that have roughly the same amount of volume to them as my Webasto. While in the coach, I can't hear the burner over the fans inside the coach, unless I'm in the bedroom, but then it's not too bad, just audible, but of course the bed IS right on top of it. :)

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Geoff, if you didn't know about it here is a link to information on tuning up your Webasto and keeping it in tip top condition.

The white smoke may be vaporized unburned fuel.

Read over all pages and get familiar with all the components, and their adjustments. Now that yours has not been running "clean", be sure that the photo cell is clean as described in the literature.

http://www.prevoman.com/Pages/Webasto/Webapage1.html

JIM

[MangoMike]

Goeff,

There are two basic Webasto units that are generally used on busses. Liberty uses a more powerful one the DBW2020 which uses a larger nozzle (.060). Marathons traditionally have used model 2010 which uses .035 nozzle.

Mike

[MangoMike]

A good thread to read on the Webasto.

http://forum.prevostownersgroup.com/showthread.php?t=518&highlight=white+smoke

Mike