270CDI ages to warm up

[EdmundIJones]

can you keep us updated on what they find, I've got the same issue and same engine.

 

[whitenemesis]

Well, I think it has an electric water heater, but other posts seem to indicate that it's attached to the block.

As mentioned earlier though, I'm struggling to imagine that such an arrangement would produce noticeable heat through the vents in 30 secs. Think what effect a 3KW kettle has on cold water after 30 secs - not much! And the element in the car is less powerful, there's more water and it's colder to start with.

The car is going in for service soon, although based on my dealers usual performance they'll be clueless on this matter.

I'm struggling to find anything on this heater. It does seem to be a block thing and the wiring tends to be a bit problematic. Because it it's "hidden" function it tends to go unnoticed. It should come up on STAR though.

 

[walsi]

Well what ive found on wis is reference to 2 types of heater, one is an electric "block heater" abd the other is a "stationary heater" which is diesel and electric and it does say that an extra capacity battery will need fitting. I am still searching so will update whet i find
There is also mention fo an "STH heater" which looks the same as my heater booster and appears to be under the car. Stll searching
Martin

 

[Danny DeVito]

The STH is the stationary heater. Rory probably right though, not much heat from a water heater. Maybe a hair dryer in there ?

 

[whitenemesis]

I always thought it was a water heater.

Having said that, theres also a post from someone else with W203 who says the same thing as you regarding timing - he gets warm air before he's backed out of his drive.

Yet for an electric water heater, that strikes me as unlikely - could it really heat the water up sufficiently in 30sec that you could notice the heat coming through?

I did stumble across this link: Our Excellent Adventures Blog Archive The electrically powered hot-air auxiliary heater which is interesting as it talks about the heater power ramping up over 30secs. The only time I've ever experienced near instant heat was in an A180CDi courtesy car, and I know that they have PTC heaters. It was like someone turned a hairdryer on within a few seconds.

Rory, sounds like your booster heater has failed at some point if this post of yours back in 2005 is anything to go by??

Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums - View Single Post - Is anyone else happy with thier local dealer

 

[Rory]

Rory, sounds like your booster heater has failed at some point if this post of yours back in 2005 is anything to go by??

Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums - View Single Post - Is anyone else happy with thier local dealer

Hmm...that would have been my first winter with the car and at the time I assumed the a/c button being used for booster heater control must mean it used the a/c compressor, as the Honda Accord does (I'd had an Accord on demo before getting the C Class). Reading that post is strange as, in my head, the car has always been slow to warm up.

I just keep wondering if I'm missing something in the settings! When you read other people's posts, they often seem to cite particular control settings (demist off, heat on max etc etc). As far as I can gather, if the booster is set to auto in the dash computer, and the temp is less than 8C, then it should just work.

My last test was with the car stationary in the drive, although I did hold it at a fast idle. I wondered if maybe the heater booster only works when the car is moving, but that would be odd.

If it is a powerful electic heater then there must be a chunky relay somewhere - I can't imagine something with hefty current being controlled electronically, the cost of power semi-conductors is considerable.

 

[walsi]

Rory i cant find any mention of an electric heater other than the Block heater on wis, if someone else could have a look just to double check that i am right i would be gratefull. If it is the diesel booster heater maybe the glow plug has packed up as i said earlier

Cheers Martin

 

[Rory]

Rory i cant find any mention of an electric heater other than the Block heater on wis, if someone else could have a look just to double check that i am right i would be gratefull. If it is the diesel booster heater maybe the glow plug has packed up as i said earlier

Cheers Martin

Thanks.

It's definitely not a diesel powered heater.

I can't help coming back to the on/off using the a/c button if the dash computer is set to "Booster heater off with a/c off". Why? What's the connection there? It was that which originally made me think it used the a/c compressor as a heat pump.

The other setting are Booster Off or Booster Auto. I have it on Auto.

 

[whitenemesis]

Rory i cant find any mention of an electric heater other than the Block heater on wis, if someone else could have a look just to double check that i am right i would be gratefull. If it is the diesel booster heater maybe the glow plug has packed up as i said earlier

Cheers Martin

Thanks.

It's definitely not a diesel powered heater.

I can't help coming back to the on/off using the a/c button if the dash computer is set to "Booster heater off with a/c off". Why? What's the connection there? It was that which originally made me think it used the a/c compressor as a heat pump.

The other setting are Booster Off or Booster Auto. I have it on Auto.

I have searched through WIS and just the same cannot find any mention of the booster heater. No reference in the functions section, nothing. I can find ref to the block heater, for connection to a 240V power supply.

I have mine set to Auto also.

 

[Danny DeVito]

what is the block heater and where is it ? And what year is your wis up to anybody?

 

[w124coupe]

I have a beer in hand and can't be bothered to read the whole thread but:

W211 has a PTC (electric) heater element fitted in the heater unit that comes on if:

temp below 8C AND
A/C switched on

(this often catches people out as, although the compressor is disabled at low temp to prevent evap freezing and this leads people to believe the A/C switch might as well be off, the PTC is switched off if the A/C switch is off.....because its in the A/C path through the heater box)

It has a fuse equiv to 1700W and pulls about 1200W or so (think 1-bar electric fire).

It heats the air coming into the cabin (nothing to do with block or cooling water circuit).

(i.e. this is totally different from the "STH" or Stationary Heater that runs off diesel to prep the car while you eat breakfast)

There are STAR codes to help diagnose if its broken....

Without it you get to experience how thermally efficient CDI is - there's no spare heat for you or your frozen windows for quite some time!

 

[evdok]

Turn the heat to high, switch on the circulation button, and open the vents, you will notice it will warm up the cabin much quicker!

 

[whitenemesis]

I've FOUND it!!!!

Took a while... :bannana: (well I'm pleased with myself )

It's not as the 211 but is just a kettle element in the cooling circuit.

 

[Rory]

Took a while... :bannana: (well I'm pleased with myself )

It's not as the 211 but is just a kettle element in the cooling circuit.

Ah - well done. I found those diagrams on a Polish site Google Translate but couldn't read them! With it saying "electric motor" I thought they might have been talking about the REST pump.

It does beg the question though, can that system really pump heat into the car in 30 secs after startup? I guess it would help if you drove off straight away, indeed with it saying it uses spare generating capacity it might not work at tickover, but it still seems a big ask.

 

[Danny DeVito]

So the question remains, which one is in Rory's car ? A simple hairdryer in the dash ? Or an element in the water. The hairdryer would be immediate almost. That seems most likely in the C270 If it's that quick. (30 secs) Maybe when it gets serviced the code will show. Rory can you look if thats where unit is on your car ? Maybe check for sumthin stupid like wires pulled ??

To Martin. Your heater booster has the silencer missing. Is there a pipe going on to the unit an inch or so to the left ? Mine doesn't i wonder if it should have

 

[Rory]

So the question remains, which one is in Rory's car ?

The element in the water.

Several people have commented that their C270's produced heat very quickly, including me some time ago. But maybe I imagined it, because it's certainly not quick now!

Or perhaps it really does work that well, and mine has packed up? Will get it checked when in for service soon.

 

[walsi]

To Martin. Your heater booster has the silencer missing. Is there a pipe going on to the unit an inch or so to the left ? Mine doesn't i wonder if it should have[/QUOTE]

The silencer is unmissable, it is a silver metal pipe that comes off the heater and has a box a bit bigger than a packet of fags on it with a short pipe sticking out. There is also a black plastic inlet pipe about a foot long which is tucked along the chassis

Martin

 

[Danny DeVito]

Okay i see the silencer looking at the heater from behind there are two pipes the right one is the silencer and the left nearest the paso door has nothing on it. Is that supposed to be the inlet ? Also where might i find the engine number ??

 

[walsi]

Hi ya, the black plastic pipe is the inlet or breather. Your engine number will be in your log book

 

[Danny DeVito]

iT MUST BE DISCONNECTED THEN Damnit. I wanted to check the engine hasnt been changed . The intake manifold had 99 vito written on it..