Great Pic - The truck colors really pop against the background!
Great Pic - The truck colors really pop against the background!
We did a trip up to explore BC, we went through Banff, Jasper and Wellsgrey parks. Great trip and the first long one in the new truck. Lots of fun hikes and great scenery. Truck eats up the miles! Averaged about 10.3 ish MPG not going easy one it. Only found one long grade that made it get pretty hot, temp sat right around 200 most of the time, oil temp was never more than 10 degrees more than water temp.
Full write up with lots more pics here: My Blog
A few pics from the trip
java230 wrote:Enyar wrote: Can someone explain the heater/furnace/intake/exhaust issue for me? No idea what you guys are talking about but I'm curious.I have a diesel fired heater, debating between running a separate auxiliary tank for it, or drawing from the main truck tank.
I wish I had seen this thread earlier. I work for Webasto, I train dealers and installers on these heater. I was going to offer you a stupid, insane deal. One that I can't type here. Well, if you have any questions or needs, hit me up.
I just finished looking through the thread. I may have missed something, but I wanted to chime in on the Webasto heater. What model is that? Evo 40?
I dont see any return air ducting, are you using a the home thermostat to break the black signal wire?
It looks like you're using rubber fuel hose in place of the plastic line that should have been with the kit?
In reply to DrBoost:
Ah damn! No worries, I had this one in the garage for a few years. May be interested in the muffler that's available, and I heard a rumor of an intake silencer too?
It's an Airtop 3500 st, older model.
The return is just a 4" hole cut in the bench that it's installed in, near the inlet. So it just sucks through, no duct.
I have I'll have to go look exactly how it's wired, but it's with the easy wire (I don't remember exactly what they call it, but it's the terminal block, hour meter, fault code light all in one thing.
Yes I'm using 3/16 fuel line. I bought this used, it was hooked up with rigid copper.
Is be interested in your take on kerosene vs diesel and altitude also!
I'll answer the kero vs diesel and altitude thing first.
Kero burns cleaner and hotter than diesel. So its just better. The #1 issue, and only issue really, is carbon in the burner chamber. To avoid that, it needs to burn clean and hot. Kero helps quite a bit. Since you have an Aux tank, I'd burn kero. These heaters sip fuel, so the extra cost over diesel isn't going to hurt.
Altitude: these heaters are calibrated to run just fine up to about 6,200 feet. They are 'engineered' to be capable of about 7,200 or 7,400 ft. with the O2 adjusted. I say engineered because that was the design goal. I know folks that have used these at 14,000 feet. Naturally, its going to be running pretty rich at that altitude, and pretty poorly. You can adjust it for altitude, but it requires an O2 sniffer. You have the simple rotary dial with the green triangle light in the middle? If so, you can adjust the O2 yourself, without the need for the diagnostic computer.
Than being said, it's only necessary to adjust them for altitude if the heater is going to be staying at an altitude about about 6,000 feet or higher long-term. Actually, we say not to worry about it unless the heater lives at that altitude. But if you can adjust it yourself......
The fuel line is a big issue though. I promise you that the fuel line will cause issues for you down the road, if you're not already having them. That pump is a dosing pump, it clicks X times per minute to deliver the correct quantity of fuel to the heater. If the line is larger than the designed 2mm ID, it'll over-fuel. Think larger than needed jets on a carb. Do you have the semi-transparent plastic line that (should have) came with it?
Where is the fuel pump mounted in relation to the fuel tank and heater?
These are great heaters and will last a long time if installed properly, and maintained. Maintenance is just to run them once a month for 20 minutes on high.
On that note, since this heater is overkill for your cubic feet, I'd open that roof vent when the heater is on to make it work harder.
In reply to DrBoost:
Thanks for the fantastic reply!
That's exactly what I have read about these and drove the decision for the aux tank and kero. This one only has 15 hours on it, and was very clean although a little Surface corrosion could be seen (it was on a Salt moored boat).
No sense in adjusting, we are usually 4-5k ft. I don't have the sniffer required to do it.
Tell me more about the fuel line. I bought some tygon 2mm tubing, and there was exactly zero chance it would fit on the nipples on the pump and heater. Won't the pump dose the same amount per pulse no matter the size it's pushing thru?
Fuel pump is right near the tank, maybe 2' of tubing before the pump, about 16 between pump and heater.
Roof vents are always open! 
Lake Louise/Banff/Field/Jasper icefields area is my favorite area of Canada.
Tell me about you considering a Webasto, what temperatures are you planning on driving/camping in this thing?
In reply to crankwalk:
It is so gorgeous! I'm glad we made it up there, been thinking about it for years.
Arctic circle next
It was built as a ski bum tuck, we have been to about - 20 in our old one, so that's the goal.
I picked the Webasto because it's small and fuel and power efficient. A propex was my other choice, but I owned the webasto so it won out. It is smaller.
Gotcha, when we go skiing we just go ski and then sleep at home that night. I took it as you were going to drive the truck there and wanted it as comfortable for that as possible. I didn't think you might be camping where you're skiing. Makes sense.
If you do the Arctic Circle, take a left at Tok, right on the Denali hwy, Left at Cantwell and then we are about an hour and half south of that. Can't miss us. Ha!
If you haven't skied Alyeska Resort before either, it's worth a go. Beautiful, but small resort footprint compared to Vail or something. Of course if you came up to ski Girdwood, it's winter and you ain't doing the Dalton Hwy then.
Regardless, I'll buy a round.
In reply to crankwalk:
Yep ski bumming is sooo awesome! It's fun to camp out in the lots.
I'd like to get up to AK too, have family in Anchorage. I have skied Alyeska once! Been a long time though.
java230 wrote: In reply to DrBoost: Thanks for the fantastic reply!
No problem. I accidentally got into 'technical hotline' mode there.
java230 wrote: Tell me more about the fuel line. I bought some tygon 2mm tubing, and there was exactly zero chance it would fit on the nipples on the pump and heater. Won't the pump dose the same amount per pulse no matter the size it's pushing thru?
Is tygon fuel-safe? Actually, don't worry about it. IM me your address, I'll see if I can't hook you up. As far as the amount per pulse, lets say the pump as a 1" stroke. It'll deliver 1" X 2mm, whatever volume that works out to be. With larger line, you won't get exactly 1" X 1/4" (or whatever you have, can't remember), but you will get more than the desired fuel, and it won't be controlled. Trust me, I've seen it more times that I can remember.
java230 wrote: Fuel pump is right near the tank, maybe 2' of tubing before the pump, about 16 between pump and heater.
Good, they pump needs to be much closer to the tank than the heater. It can push fuel a long way, but can't pull it very far. That's another strike against the big fuel line. It's a heavier column of fuel to lift and pull. The pump struggles.
java230 wrote: Roof vents are always open!
Good, make that heater work! How is the fuel pump as far as the noise now?
In reply to DrBoost:
I see what your saying on the pump, I figured the pumps piston area was the metering part. I'll email you 
I did read the manuals for it, and did see the pump location specs.
The noise is much better with the big rubber mount. You can still hear it for sure, but it's not bad.
DrBoost wrote:java230 wrote:I wish I had seen this thread earlier. I work for Webasto, I train dealers and installers on these heater. I was going to offer you a stupid, insane deal. One that I can't type here. Well, if you have any questions or needs, hit me up.Enyar wrote: Can someone explain the heater/furnace/intake/exhaust issue for me? No idea what you guys are talking about but I'm curious.I have a diesel fired heater, debating between running a separate auxiliary tank for it, or drawing from the main truck tank.
DrBoost, are you willing and able to make deals to other GRMers? I just picked up a replacement for Gertrude the Motovan. It's a '97 E450 with 7.3l Power Stroke and a Grumman Olson box with barn doors in the rear.
Java, I'll be re-reading your thread now because I plan to build out the box first, then do the suspension. I'm thinking I might go 4WD this time around, as I plan to keep this one for awhile and spend a lot more money on it. In your old Class C did you use the 4WD a lot? Just in ski hill parking lots or on the highway too?
It has 6 good all terrain tires, so I think I'll run it as is this winter to see how it does.
java230 wrote: This will be a very slow build. I am very budget limited, so it will be plugging away a bit at a time as budget allows. I will need to sell the RV come spring, and would like to have this one done shortly after, but I think that may be a lofty goal.
So much for this statement in your first post holding true, you've whipped this thing into shape faster than 90% of the enthusiasts out there!
In reply to Petrolburner:
Awe Yeah! That's awesome, how big is the box?
Didn't use 4wd much, very helpful in icy lots, I wouldn't have gotten out a few times, but also super nice when chains are required on non 4x4.
We gotta sit down some time, I want to pick your brain on Baja and you can pick mine on box trucks! Cant wait to see what you come up with. And we Amy do Baja in 2018, but were thinking of taking the 4runner.
And yeah it went faster than I expected still lots to do before winter tho. If your going to be in town the day after Xmas we should see if we can get together. We will be heading to bend again.
I'd really like to come camp in the Olympic National Forest. Seems like a really cool place and totally opposite of the desert I live and work in. Meet us there and we'll swap knowledge. I won't be selling Gertrude until the spring perhaps. I might wait until the new box van is at least a useable, insulated shell with doors and windows. I intend to strip the box, remove any rust, repaint and seal, then insulate and put in new floor and paneling. What's the verdict on the insulation you used, was it enough?
In reply to Petrolburner:
Let me know when your coming up!
Insulation is great! Do the floor tho.... I didn't. I used 1.75" in the walls and 3.5-3.75 ish in the ceiling. A 1500w electric heater keeps it toasty in freezing weather.
Fantastic pics of your Banff trip. Wow.
In reply to conesare2seconds:
Thanks! It was a really awesome trip.
If you guys ever want to rent one of these for $$$ let me know!
In reply to Enyar:
You rent them or want to rent one of ours?
Why didn't you insulate the floor?
Why did you choose to go with spray foam instead of Thinsulate, or fiberglass, or foam board?
In reply to Petrolburner:
Floor, I will do it from underneath eventually, spray foam guys wouldn't crawl under there to do it. The issue is its all plate steel and steel box, its going to get cold no matter what I think. I have an idea for heated floor mats for when we have hook ups though....
Polyiso is the best R per inch you can get. It also adds some structure as its bonded to the aluminum.
Fiberglass: dont, it breaks down with vibration, bad for lungs if not very very well sealed. Loses R if very very well sealed.
Thinsulate: Great stuff, good for nooks and crannies, where you want soft surface (I will likely use it for the pass thru boot) But again not as good of R/inch
Foam board: works well. Almost as good as spray in, but can leave a small gap if its not perfectly bonded to the skin, possible spot for moisture build up and mold. Dont use the cheap R tech.
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