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Pre-Heating the engine
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I think Peter’s instructions are Liberty specific, the Marathon H of Tim’s vintage is different.
I’ll try to help if Tim has a specific question about the various valves, his is likely the same as mine and Al’s for sure.
FYI – My engine gets heated with the Webasto on without the dash button pushed, so I assume the purpose of the Marathon block heat button is for a cold engine warmup using the Webasto kind of like a stand alone deal to get the bus running.
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I run the block heater or AquaHot engine heater most of the time we’re parked. Overkill? Maybe, but the engine never gets cold soaked and we spend much of the winter in cold weather.
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Sorry Rudy answered and by the time I answered Tim had asked a question . My first post was for Steve. That’s why I said to Steve he asked about his liberty
what I said is for the Liberty not for a Marathon -
OK gotcha ya, missed that.
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One other thing. TIM. Is battery’s. That are in top shape for chassis and gen and the house , you can get them from Tom
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Peter, what do you use for anti-gel in cold weather?
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Thanks Tom & Peter! I’m impressed Peter is running in -35 below. My knee joints would lock up at those temps! I have my bus plugged in on the farm so no worry with running the 110v heaters in the bus and the water bay. I was just wondering if I happen to start up the bus and run it for a short trip whether I should pre-heat the engine if below freezing. Have used the Webasto already while traveling and no issues staying warm at night and now I know there is no issue pre-heating the engine. I guess I could also plug in my 110v engine block heater into the bus where my entertainment center is if no other 110v is available.
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I think you can get some anti gel from Detroit , but there is stuff out there , like Howes, or power service in white jug if it’s already gelled power service 911 in red jug I don’t like to use the stuff at all but u might have to in a emergency , I always carry a jug of 911 with me in the winter . The coach I have now I have only bin in -20 and no problems with fuel what so ever , If I am parked for a while I tarp the underside of motor and the back so less cold wind gets in the day before but I try not to be in that kind of weather but have bin caught in it going to a clinic or at a clinic. A old parachute works great for that I carry one with me in late fall not much weight to it , it will cover the back and under the motor then I turn on the webasto and if really cold the block heater , my air dryer has a heater in it also for cold weather , if it’s really cold batteries will freeze too that’s why I tarp the back and underside of motor to keep things warm and batteries you have to make sure no tail pipes for things like webasto do not touch the tarp and catch fire
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Thanks Peter.
I’ve always had good luck with Howes. You can even start a diesel on Howes. I’ve had gelling issues twice with Power Service. I’ve never trusted truck stops to properly treat their fuel in cold weather, but your experience says otherwise.
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I would just be careful if I bought fuel in Kanas City and was going to Montana I would try to get fuel as soon as I could in Montana or where it is colder , cold to warm is no problem. Warm to cold is a problem
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Tim,
Your block heater plug is already there as I stated in my earlier post. Right now I’m using for my golf cart charger.
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gotcha Tom…should have gone outside & looked at before I posted it.
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Rudy & Peter,
Thanks fellas for explaining it to me. I am familiar with boilers as HVAC is my business. I just didn’t know how the wabasto got the call if the thermostats were satisfied. Now I see that if the wabasto is on and even if the thermostats in the house or bay are satisfied, low coolant temp will fire the burner. I also didn’t know the circulator ran the whole time either. In other words, if I want to heat my hot water with the wabasto, all I have to do is turn it on and if the valves are open it will do it. Although the residual heat in the heatexchangers might over heat the coach if the temps are mild outside….
Thanks again,Steve
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Steve,
With the Webasto running to heat hot water but the interior of the bus comfortable and the thermostats not calling for heat or even with the thermostats turned off, the interior will not warm up because the fans on the hot fan coils are not running. So no warm air from the registers (maybe a little convetion movement) till the thermostat(s) turns the fans on.
Isolating the engine from the heating loop when sitting saves the diesel needed to heat the big block. But turning the valves to include the engine for two hours should result in a coolant temp in the engine of around 50 degrees F and for 4 hours could get the temp up to nearly 100.
The Webasto takes cold engine coolant from front of engine and returns it to the rear stiring the engine coolant making for a easy start.
Hopes this helps you Sir.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Steve you are right when the webasto is on the circulation pump runs all the time , if you look for the heat exchangers inside the house if you put your hand on the red coolant hoses they will be hot , so you do get heat from all the hoses going to the heat exchangers. Even with the fans not blowing air or thermostats turned off. There should be about four or six heat exchangers inside the bus plus one above the water tank
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