Espar Underseat Installation

Tuck5000

2008 2500 170
Hi Tuck5000,

I am about to do the espar underseat install today.

I like your idea of going from driver seat base to passenger seat base. Especially since I already have the cab floor out!

Question: Doesn't the fuel line connect through the floor holes? Did you put a 90 degree elbow into the supply line right under the heater? If so - did you just use a connector from home depot - or what connector did you use?

Thanks,

Clyde
I only ran the fuel line over to the driver seat base, then down and out, everything else straight out the bottom of the passenger seat base(Exhaust & Air Intake). I used the espar fuel line with no other special connectors. My unit is mounted on a bracket, so there is a few inches below the unit, therefore no 90 connector is needed. I attached two 90 degree brackets to the right side of the seat base, there are already pre-drilled holes to use under the side cover. Then bolted the espar base plate to the two 90 brackets. It has worked great!
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Update -
I got the heater placed - holes drilled under the seat. And I started into the fuel line part - but came up with a few issues:

Clyde
This is very timely information for me as I will be doing my install later this week, so thanks!!

My fuel line set up underneath the van looks very similar to yours... I'll have to look to see if that part came with my kit when I finish work today.

I'm still a bit undecided on exactly where to drill the intake/exhaust/fuel line holes under the passenger seat that go thru the floor of the van. Some bought a bracket and mounted the unit to the side of the seat wall, others, including the MB instructions, have it flat on the floor but positioned at 45 degree angle. I think this latter position has it pointed toward the front of the van and snaking the heated air tubing and outlet around to come out the rear facing wall of the seat base. I'm worried about what I might drill into just arbitrarily picking a spot under the seat and going, Hey I'll drill here!

Also a bit unsure about how and where to attach the provided fuel pump underneath, but I guess that's part of the adventure of trying to do new things :)

Tim
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
@Corbury1492: This is probably just a rendering issue in your fine sketch, but just in case:

When you join the thin plastic tubing using the black rubber tubing (or when you use it to join to the nipples on the heater or pump), you must push the two butt ends all the way together. You are not allowed to have gaps inside the black rubber pieces. This prevents the accumulation of air bubbles.
 
I snapped these yesterday:

/QUOTE]

Being a visual learner, that helps, thanks! That first picture... looks like the Espar pump but can't quite tell where it's mounted. Can you tell me where the camera is and what it's pointed at?

Thanks again, every little bit of knowledge gained here is one lest guess I have to make later this week. I think I might make a step by step video for those that try this in the future.

Tim
 

ENMeyer

Well-known member
Yes - that's my Espar pump for my D2. It's on the frame rail. Right side of the pic is the front of the van, left is rear and the camera (is, of course) facing towards the driver's side. It wasn't too hard to drill into that rail (with my good Ti drill bits).
 
Yes - that's my Espar pump for my D2. It's on the frame rail. Right side of the pic is the front of the van, left is rear and the camera (is, of course) facing towards the driver's side. It wasn't too hard to drill into that rail (with my good Ti drill bits).
You rock, thanks!
 
@Corbury1492: This is probably just a rendering issue in your fine sketch, but just in case:

When you join the thin plastic tubing using the black rubber tubing (or when you use it to join to the nipples on the heater or pump), you must push the two butt ends all the way together. You are not allowed to have gaps inside the black rubber pieces. This prevents the accumulation of air bubbles.
Good to know - I thought that was just an issue between the pump and the heater. Not the tank and the pump.

That said - I have ordered 2 of the proper part (specified by GeorgeRa - Thanks!) from Espar of Michigan (because even though I can hack with the best of them - it is after all a MB Sprinter and it deserves the right parts).

This will, ideally, alleviate this issue.

Thanks,

Clyde
 
Yes - that's my Espar pump for my D2. It's on the frame rail. Right side of the pic is the front of the van, left is rear and the camera (is, of course) facing towards the driver's side. It wasn't too hard to drill into that rail (with my good Ti drill bits).
I recognized it immediately - that's exactly where I was going to put mine! Clearly, I need some better drill bits. Thanks for the great photo.

c
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Good to know - I thought that was just an issue between the pump and the heater. Not the tank and the pump.
That may be true. But, I can report from experience that these heaters are pretty sensitive to this kind of thing, so I recommend erring on the safe side. One good bubble will cause a flameout. Set it up by the book and it will work first time, every time.
 
That may be true. But, I can report from experience that these heaters are pretty sensitive to this kind of thing, so I recommend erring on the safe side. One good bubble will cause a flameout. Set it up by the book and it will work first time, every time.
Agreed - I'm going to do it "by the book" - I ordered the factory connectors and when they get here I will be doing the install.

Thanks,

Clyde
 
Another couple of questions came up.

1. Recommendations on tools to cut the flex tubing? Utility knife? Pipe cutting tool? Band saw? The intake and heater tubing look like aluminum - so that should be easy - but the exhaust tubing?

2. I bought the silencer/muffler - but I don't have the factory clamps for it. Will a regular hose clamps suffice? Or do I really need the Espar exhaust clamps?

Thanks,

Clyde
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
Another couple of questions came up.

1. Recommendations on tools to cut the flex tubing? Utility knife? Pipe cutting tool? Band saw? The intake and heater tubing look like aluminum - so that should be easy - but the exhaust tubing?

2. I bought the silencer/muffler - but I don't have the factory clamps for it. Will a regular hose clamps suffice? Or do I really need the Espar exhaust clamps?

Thanks,

Clyde
1: Georges suggestion works. A fine tooth hacksaw or bandsaw works fine as well.

2: I tried a smaller hose clamp, and it could not clamp sufficiently. I had a much wider high strength clamp for rigid hose, and that did work, but just barely. Any tighter would have broken it.
 
I just ordered a couple of clamps from a place on ebay in VT. The will be here tomorrow. I like espar of michigan / esparparts.com - but they wanted over $13 for each clamp + ~$15 shipping. I bought the same thing on ebay for <$4 per clamp + $10 shipping. (That said, Ebay is a little unreliable in delivery times - sometimes you can wait a while to get stuff.)

Clyde
 

israndy

2007 LTV Serenity
Yeah, that China Post can take a month to get stuff to me. I often forget I bought it by the time it arrives. Talk about a slow boat from china...

It is amazing in price. I get things from Hong Kong all the time on Ali-bay and pay $1 for shipping. If the item is $2 there and $19 here, it's almost a no brainer, but then that is the thinking that got Walmarts in everyone's backyard.

-Randy
 
Hey - another install question.

My kit came with a square sheet metal panel with holes for the heater base and including a foam gasket. I'm not seeing this as "required" in the install manual. I'm assuming that it is not required for the underseat install. Correct?

Thanks,

Clyde
 

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
Hey - another install question.

My kit came with a square sheet metal panel with holes for the heater base and including a foam gasket. I'm not seeing this as "required" in the install manual. I'm assuming that it is not required for the underseat install. Correct?

Thanks,

Clyde
Its not required. But it can make the job easier in some cases. Instead of having to attach bolts underneath, you can cut a moderately sized hole and screw the heater and plate down together from the top side.

I modified the plate for my installation. See post below.
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=411272&postcount=67
 
Its not required. But it can make the job easier in some cases. Instead of having to attach bolts underneath, you can cut a moderately sized hole and screw the heater and plate down together from the top side.

I modified the plate for my installation. See post below.
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=411272&postcount=67
Officially started my install this week, and these pics and advice help, thanks!

When I looked under my 2007 it sure seemed that the longitude beam runs right down the middle under the pedestal base, so I am going to put mine off the the side and at angle like George did, to hopefully avoid drilling into it. However I'm running the warm cabin air out the backside of the pedestal (pics below).

I also trimmed the corner on the plate to get a better fit.

Hope to get to the fuel pump install and finish the wiring tomorrow.
 

Attachments

Midwestdrifter

Engineer In Residence
When I looked under my 2007 it sure seemed that the longitude beam runs right down the middle under the pedestal base,..
My 06 T1N also had a beam under the seat floor (it runs left to right roughly in the middle). The D2 was a tight fit, but it is right up against the beam on the FWD edge. Any rather forward and it would hit.
 

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