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Old 08-27-2018, 04:29 PM   #1
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Espar - again with the issues

Had this D4 Airtronic worked on by SMB West then again a couple of months later by Thermo King in PHX. All was working with the D4 Air and D5 hydronic until a trip to the Grand Canyon. Got some error codes that look to be fuel related. F52, 54, 57 and looking at everything it all looks OK and hooked up fine. This is a diesel fuel model.

Thought it was just the furnace but then tried the water heater and that would not fire either so that makes me think I am not getting fuel. The pump makes it's clicking noises and that is good from what I have read here on the forum.

Was going to take it to my local mechanic and see if they would drop the tank and maybe clean it out and check the fuel intake line for a clog. Bought this van with less than 13k miles and I sometimes wonder if they put shit fuel in it or that it sat for long periods of time and that might have had a negative effect. I use cetane booster since I bought it and it now has right at 40k for miles.

Not being much of a mechanic and wanting to save a LOT of money, I think I can get some 1/4 inch fuel line and use it to dip into a gallon of kerosene on the ground (or should it be diesel?) and see if I can get fuel flowing to fire up the systems. If that works, then I know I will have to get the tank dropped and get the lines cleaned out or even replaced.

I also thought that maybe I can blow compressed air back into the fuel line and try to unclog the intake line but I kinda doubt if that will work and even if it did, it would eventually clog up again anyway.

So... can I run kerosene through the Espar system without issue? I think I read it here on the forum that it would be OK for at least a little bit.

If that plan works, I could save a lot of money and just cap the line then use a 2 gallon or so container of diesel on the ground. That would have to do till the sale on some property we have under contract closes in early January and then get a permanent fix.

My other issue is that living in a smaller city, there is nobody to work on Espar systems. My options are Thermo King in PHX which is 8 hours away or TK in Denver which is about 3.5 hours away.

Temps are dropping up here in the mountains and I'd like to get some heat flowing again. First world problem but that's where I live.

Thanks in advance yet again for any advice.

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Old 08-27-2018, 05:18 PM   #2
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I had the same issue twice, and finally found a knowledgeable Tech associated with the Marine industry that explained: "the clicking is actually the fuel pump, If you dont run the espar at least once a month the fuel (in the very small line) slowly bleeds back down - sometimes you have to try starting it several times before the pump actually gets fuel back up and into the system".
I turn my on every other week for about 10 minutes just to keep the fuel in the line. Occasionally I have to start it twice, but it always seems to kick in. I would try restarting yours several times before seeking additional service.
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Old 08-27-2018, 06:25 PM   #3
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Thanks Two. I did run several cycles even taking out the fuse to reset the controller but no go. I have had something similar in the past but at least I got the light gray smoke when it was trying. Now, I don't even get the smoke as in the past. I'll keep trying.
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Old 08-27-2018, 07:33 PM   #4
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I would continue a couple more times - Tech told me he had to restart some systems that hadnt been used for quite a while 8 or 9 times before the fuel finally got to the system.
You can get rebuild kits for these - occasionally the screen gets clogged, Filter needs to be replaced, or the Igniter is an issue

Very helpful video:
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Old 08-27-2018, 07:47 PM   #5
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You can use kerosene.

These things are a b*tch to prime, as TwoX noted.

They need to be run on HIGH fairly often to keep the burner clean. It's a myth that kerosene cleans them out better than diesel. Running them on high is what cleans them out, no matter the fuel. If yours is super dirty or has been run a lot on low it is just full of carbon. That would explain the smoke. Mine has never smoked. I run it on high for 5 minutes before I shut it off every few uses.

Do you have a Ford diesel van? I don't know the diesels but I do know they can have a fuel tank delamination problem. That could be what's plugging it up. Other diesel fans here can tell you more about what years/etc. had this problem.
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Old 08-27-2018, 08:02 PM   #6
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Does anyone happen to know if the gas verision of the Esbar would have the same need to be run frequently?

or not?

as i hope to get a gas Transit. new.

thanks.
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Old 08-27-2018, 08:08 PM   #7
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Right at the inlet to the pump there is a very fine wire filter the size of your little finger tip. Take the filter out and clean with brake cleaner. I run my D5 once a month for 15-20 min.
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Old 08-27-2018, 09:27 PM   #8
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I had all those problems for a long time. Yes you can tie into the fuel line and feed the heater kerosene. I had a T fitting there and a coiled rubber hose just for that. I doubt there is a problem with your fuel tank. When I re-did the fuel lines to the Espar I used a syringe and injected fuel into the tubes at the pumps. That forced all the air out of the lines to the heater and it fired up. Yes, it was hell for a few years but it did come back and run good finally. Still I get the dreaded F52 sometimes. You have to wait for the complete shutdown cycle to complete before starting the heater again. Once, twice or three times and it will fire up. Requires a lot of patience.
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Old 08-27-2018, 09:47 PM   #9
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Do you have the high altitude kit?
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Old 08-28-2018, 02:31 PM   #10
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This thread reminded me that I have not fired up the Espar for a few months of hot weather, so I tried today. Got the dreaded F52 twice and the third one was the charm. Blasted it at high for thirty minutes. Should be ready for winter now...fingers crossed.
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