Removing Espar D4 for maintenance

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
If you don't get an answer (presumably no labels or other identification on the part?), may try these options:

1. Post a query on the James Cook Friends Forum, subforum for the similar year.

It seems that even if one can identify the manufacturer of a part, the production run may have been limited and now unavailable (e.g., Westfalia battery charger, upper vent windows, black louvered-look panels, etc.).

2. Inquire of the German-based Westfalia repair shop which can refit the fiberglass top, shower pan, etc. May be expensive to get if they even have, and to ship. This shop seems to pop up as the favored Westfalia repair shop in the James Cook Friends forum.

https://www.ermel-freizeitmobile.de/aktuelles/

3. Is the return air fitting the same as the heating output fitting? Any way to make another one (3D printing?).

Note: It is impressive (if not troublesome for replacements) that Westfalia has so many little detailed custom parts. Even something like the body conforming gasket around the hot water heater frame to this interesting fitting (I'd imagine most converters would just run a duct through the floor)..
 
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OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
Foster:

In the Airstream/Westfalia Parts Catalog, the distributor part and seal look like Mercedes part numbers.

Parts 38 and 39 in the diagram:

A 901 831 02 05 Distributor
A 901 831 10 98 Seal

When searching, may work better if no spaces in the Mercedes numbers.
 

Kiltym

Active member
For anyone who has replaced the atomizer screen.

According to Youtube videos, it seems a 12mm slotted 6-sided socked it required to remove the glow plug before accessing the screen. Is this correct for our D4 (video is for D2). Assume it is the same but wanted to confirm before I bought one.

Thanks.
 
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OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
If you buy a replacement glow pin, a tool comes with it. The tool can also.be purchased separately.

https://esparparts.com/252069011300-p-25120.html

https://esparparts.com/252069010303-p-25371.html

The atomizer screen is sometimes hard to get out. You can accidentally mangle the screen while trying to pick it out.

The replacement atomizer screen comes with an insertion tool to push the screen into place but it doesn't seem to work to pull it out.

Please post any good tips, especially on picking the atomizer screen out without breaking it all apart.
 

Kiltym

Active member
At $30 with shipping, was hoping there was another option. On boating forums, people cut a slot in a 12mm deep socket which seems to have worked. I am going to check my shower sockets and see if they go down to 12mm as they would work also. $30 for a socket is a bit crazy. Even $12 is crazy.
 

rollerbearing

Well-known member
Midwest Drifter posted that you can use a normal 12mm open end wrench to remove the glow plug if you remove the blower fan. It is fully accessible through that opening. This is how I prefer to do it now a days. After fixing several units - some of the glow plugs can be pretty stuck in there. Also the burner screws can weld themselves in if they aren’t exercised once in a while. So I just tend to strip the whole thing down and clean it out. The Chinese burner gaskets and glow plug screens work perfectly. And there is no need to replace the blower gasket unless you totally mangle it somehow.

And the Letonkinois varnish website mentions the use of a 7mm tap for threading into a glow screen and pulling the screen out. This works wonderfully! You can often remove a screen without any damage. Midwest Drifter burned one out with a propane torch to clean and re-use it. This is what I tend to do now as well.
 
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Kiltym

Active member
This might be a slightly cheaper alternative - not sure it's deep enough - but it appears to be more solid than what's typically sold on the espar parts websites.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CPMY9LN/?coliid=I166XTQRC8NU66&colid=3EHDUR2K14KC6&psc=1
Thanks. Saw this one. But a bit hesitant to use a drill to remove the glow pin. Maybe it's ok. Think I will just order a 12mm deep socket and cut out a slot with a Dremel. Seems this is a common solution on boats. And $3.
 

Fredb

Member
So... have the dreaded 'no-start' issue. Pretty convinced I need to remove and service, as it hasn't been done since... well, 'ever' (I've never done and seriously doubt the previous owner did). i purchased the various replacement parts including the specialty socket from Lubrication Specialist a year or so back (including high altitude pump... see question below) and so think I have what I need. Anyways, I need to read through the various threads to get oriented, but an initial read makes it sound relatively straightforward... famous last words :).

A couple of quick questions heading into the repair.

- Three strikes and re-set - My recollection from conversations at Westyfest in CO. several years back is that once you strike out trying to start three times, you have to 're-set' the unit. At the time GoJohnGo, performed the re-start on site with the external controller he had in hand. Fortunately, the prior owner of mine purchased the external controller and the necessary adapter and so think I have the necessary parts to perform the re-start, but curious if anyone knows the sequence and/or can point me to the thread that describes it.

- High Altitude Pump - I purchased one a while back and am thinking to install when I do the service. My question is whether it is recommended to use the 'high altitude' pump at lower altitudes... i.e. will it work at lower altitudes and/or is it recommended as a better all around alternative to the stock 'low altitude' pump.

Thanks in advance for any help.


-Fred
 

Kiltym

Active member
Working on this today to :).

Anyone have a trick to removing the hose clamp on the fuel line. Seems to be crimped on....? Do I need to cut it....?
 

Kiltym

Active member
Working on this today to :).

Anyone have a trick to removing the hose clamp on the fuel line. Seems to be crimped on....? Do I need to cut it....?
Used a small flat head screwdriver to carefully pry the crimp apart a bit and was able to remove the hose.
 

Kiltym

Active member
The two electrical connectors on the metal box. I assume somehow these need to get unattached from the metal box in order to remove the heater. Don't see anything obvious, so anyone who has done this before and advice appreciated.
 

Kiltym

Active member
Also, I removed the four nuts on the bottom of the box, and the air intake hose to the espar, but I cannot get the unit to budge upward at all.

Does it need to be hit with a mallet to break some seal or something?
 

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
Kiltyn:

1. Thought there were 6 bolts holding the box. Once unbolted, box just falls down (no sealant).

See first photograph in post 14.by Foster. Can see bracket flange at top of each side with two big hole for bolts (4 bolts total). On bottom rear of box can see brackets for bolts going into side.of van (2 bolts total).

(Not the 4 screws on bottom of metal box which keep box together.)

2. Vague recollection that one unscrews the round collar and then just pulls apart the electrical connection.

Fredb: From a very small sample of Westy owners, most seem to feel that the high altititude pump does NOT work consistently at low altittides (billowing white smoke and no start).but a few owners have had no problem using the high altititide pump at all elevations.

Westfalia/Airstream actually retrofitted some Westies with the high altitude pump when owners complained, and said would work at altitudes.

You could.do a high altitude pump retrofit with both pumps in parallel with a switch like Grozier, or just switch the pumps as needed.



Please.follow-up and post whatever works or doesn't work. Thanks.
 
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onemanvan

Active member
I usually put a jack under the box until I've got all four nuts ( #9 ) off - then lower jack - gravity does the rest.
After box is down remove connectors ( #10 ) - twist lefty lucy until 'clutch' spins freely - then pull out.
 

Attachments

rollerbearing

Well-known member
The hi altitude pump is supposed to be ok at sea level - just gives 10-15% reduced heat output. I use a high altitude pump, but have never been lower than 4000 ft - so I can't say from personal experience. But have had no trouble with it otherwise.
 

Kiltym

Active member
Thanks for the responses. Got the job done, and will post photos and more info later. Lowering it out of the Sprinter is the more challenging part. Disconnecting the wires from the side is almost impossible until the unit is pretty far lowered, but does put some strain on the cables.

The "trick" I did not understand was that once you have the unit removed from the camper, to remove the Espar itself (or even the top cover), one end of the metal box needs to come off. (I will admit, on page 218 of the Westy repair manual it shows these steps. I forgot to even look in that manual! Only had the Espar one with me....)

Once that is off, the end cap twists off the blower inlet side, and then the top of the Espar will remove as shown in the manual. Then remove the controller, unplug all 4 plugs, then put it aside.

Then remove the four nuts on the bottom, and then the unit will come out of the metal box. The wires and connectors to the metal box can stay in place.

Removed the fan, and burner tube. All was in excellent shape which was glad to see. Looks almost brand new inside. Cleaned a bit of carbon off the burner tube, installed new gaskets and new wire basket thing, and re-installed. One of the 6 bolts holding the box to the Sprinter was stripped, so need to find a bigger bolt to install.

Replaced the fuel line fuel clamp with a normal screw type as I could not get the old one to work after I distorted it.

It was running before I took it off, just figured after 15 years it needed a bit of TLC. Probably would have been fine leaving it alone now that I saw inside, but should last a long time now I hope.
 
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Kiltym

Active member
The hi altitude pump is supposed to be ok at sea level - just gives 10-15% reduced heat output. I use a high altitude pump, but have never been lower than 4000 ft - so I can't say from personal experience. But have had no trouble with it otherwise.
We replaced our normal pump with the high alt one about 2.5 years ago. Works everywhere (10,000 down to 0). I would not hesitate to just swap them out and not worry about running them in parallel with a switch. As far as my recollection goes from researching before, just using the high alt pump works for just about everyone.
 

Kiltym

Active member
I usually put a jack under the box until I've got all four nuts ( #9 ) off - then lower jack - gravity does the rest.
After box is down remove connectors ( #10 ) - twist lefty lucy until 'clutch' spins freely - then pull out.
I was not very clear in my posting, and I apologize for that.

I had the unit off the camper, that part was fine. I was struggling with then actually removing the Espar itself from the metal box so I could take it apart. Posted some info already, and will add photos shortly.
 

Fredb

Member
Kiltym... thanks for blazing the trail on the removal/re-install...

Thanks to all for reply to my question regarding the high altitude pump. Based on comments from Kiltym and rollerbearing (sorry OldWest, you've been out voted :) ), I think I'm going to go with it and see what I get.

Still curious though whether anyone has input on my second question regarding 'Three strikes and reset'...

"- Three strikes and re-set - My recollection from conversations at Westyfest in CO. several years back is that once you strike out trying to start three times, you have to 're-set' the unit. At the time GoJohnGo, performed the re-start on site with the external controller he had in hand. Fortunately, the prior owner of mine purchased the external controller and the necessary adapter and so think I have the necessary parts to perform the re-start, but curious if anyone knows the sequence and/or can point me to the thread that describes it?"
 

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