Webasto Thermo Top C Advice Needed

I've been offered a Webasto Thermo Top C parking heater with timer currently fitted to a Rover 75. I'd like to fit it to my TD5 90, but need some advice on fitting it.

Apparently there are some TD5 specific fitting instructions and fitting kits available, but I can't find any.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Ampo said:

I've been offered a Webasto Thermo Top C parking heater with timer currently fitted to a Rover 75. I'd like to fit it to my TD5 90, but need some advice on fitting it.

Apparently there are some TD5 specific fitting instructions and fitting kits available, but I can't find any.

Any help would be gratefully received.

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Howdy

I'll hopefully have an answer for you tomorrow - will be giving Webasto UK a call. I've also got one to install, and got help from another forum:

HI Tom,
sorry for answering only today, but my wife and I were on a 3 weeks holiday in Scotland (with the Landy, of course, and it was great).
There is a detailed instruction for every car model supplied by Webasto. If you insist you can get it from your Webasto dealer. If it´s not too late, I could scan mine and e-mail it to you, but I´m afraid it´s in German.
Be sure to follow the instructions exactly and to use the dedicated mounting kit for your Landy. I had my first Webasto in an old Mercedes and in a VW Microbus and it never started without a huge cloud of smoke, probably because the fuel pump was not properly mounted.
I am very happy with my actual Webasto. It´s the one that heats the engine coolant.
You will need to take the fuel tank out to access the already existing connection for the Webasto fuel supply. Be careful when lowering the fuel tank. You risk to tear off the fuel hose connectors (this happened to me!).
Please tell me if you still want me to e-mail you the mounting instructions and/or pics of the heater itself and the position of the fuel pump.
Cheers
Pedro

I'm not extending the fuel line to the tank. I have got a small alu tank off ebay for a monkey bike and it is going to be mounted in the engine bay in line with the aerial.

Cheers

Tom

Cheers for that. If you manage to get some instructions I'd be really interested to see a copy.

The fuel supply is my main worry because I really don't fancy dropping the fuel tank either, and a secondary fuel tank could be the answer to my problems. I've since read somewhere else of a bloke who used a Nissan Micra windscreen washer bottle, so I might try and hunt one down at the scrappy.

Ampo said:

Cheers for that. If you manage to get some instructions I'd be really interested to see a copy.

The fuel supply is my main worry because I really don't fancy dropping the fuel tank either, and a secondary fuel tank could be the answer to my problems. I've since read somewhere else of a bloke who used a Nissan Micra windscreen washer bottle, so I might try and hunt one down at the scrappy.

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Have a look at this on Ebay: 290474423406

All you'll have to do is keep a check on the level every now and then.

Tom

Hi, waht is a Webasto Thermo Top C parking heater?

Terra Dog said:

Hi, waht is a Webasto Thermo Top C parking heater?

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It is a small diesel burning heater that is connected in-line to the water system of the vehicle. A lot of vehicles come std with them e.g. the Freelander before they introduced the ceramic one in the recent models.

They heat the engine block and make your vehicle nice and toasty before you climb in.

Tom

Oh i see, sounds good if its an every day car in the winter.

Pommy Pekkie said:

Howdy

I'll hopefully have an answer for you tomorrow - will be giving Webasto UK a call. I've also got one to install, and got help from another forum:

HI Tom,
sorry for answering only today, but my wife and I were on a 3 weeks holiday in Scotland (with the Landy, of course, and it was great).
There is a detailed instruction for every car model supplied by Webasto. If you insist you can get it from your Webasto dealer. If it´s not too late, I could scan mine and e-mail it to you, but I´m afraid it´s in German.
Be sure to follow the instructions exactly and to use the dedicated mounting kit for your Landy. I had my first Webasto in an old Mercedes and in a VW Microbus and it never started without a huge cloud of smoke, probably because the fuel pump was not properly mounted.
I am very happy with my actual Webasto. It´s the one that heats the engine coolant.
You will need to take the fuel tank out to access the already existing connection for the Webasto fuel supply. Be careful when lowering the fuel tank. You risk to tear off the fuel hose connectors (this happened to me!).
Please tell me if you still want me to e-mail you the mounting instructions and/or pics of the heater itself and the position of the fuel pump.
Cheers
Pedro

I'm not extending the fuel line to the tank. I have got a small alu tank off ebay for a monkey bike and it is going to be mounted in the engine bay in line with the aerial.

Cheers

Tom

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Contacted Webasto today, They have given me a quote of £54 ex-vat for the mounting bracket. Have asked them to confirm if it is the correct part for a Defender.

Tom

That sounds expensive. I've got the mounting bracket off the donor Rover 75 and I'll try and modify that to fit my truck. Did they mention if there was a fitting kit and instructions for a TD5?

Ampo said:

That sounds expensive. I've got the mounting bracket off the donor Rover 75 and I'll try and modify that to fit my truck. Did they mention if there was a fitting kit and instructions for a TD5?

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Yes, there apparently are. Will keep you posted.

Tom

the thermotop can be fitted independantly of the vehicle in respect of electrics and mounting. im not sure of the layout of the defender and its electrics.

check the thermotop out fully before installing, rig it up on the bench if possible, get the software and a k-line interface for your laptop. strip it and clean the bejesus out of it, i used caustic soda!! get the water flow and fuel line spot on and test the glow plug for resistance!!! (cold and under a flame)

search the rover 75 forum for many of your answers, the guys over there have a good knowledge of the heater!!

i think i might give mine a good refurb!! it aint been used for a while!!!

Well to avoid any "mistakes" I think I'll invest in the universal wiring loom for £75. As for plumbing it into the cooling system, I've got quite a lot of pipework, so I don't want to unneccesarily buy more. Am I right in my assumption that the heater plumbs into the system between the engine and the heat exchanger and there are just 2 sections of hose that i need to tap into? I've looked at the fitting instructions for the Freelander and there seems to be loads of pipework with several different connections, which has confused me somewhat.

If anyone has any photos of one installed into the cooling system, I 'd be very grateful.

I've gone ahead and ordered the fitting kit for the Defender. It apparently comes with all brackets, nuts & bolts and other bits + pieces + fitting instructions. So if you wait a week or so I'll scan it to PDF when it arrives. The part number for the RHD Defender is 41SK629 and for the LHD Defender 67502A.

Have bought mine from these guys: PB Auto Electrical, Tel: 01623 659311, contact is Roger.

When you order your wiring loom make sure you include the connectors for the fuel pump (if I remember correctly, this will cost you an extra £5).

Tom

Ampo said:

Well to avoid any "mistakes" I think I'll invest in the universal wiring loom for £75. As for plumbing it into the cooling system, I've got quite a lot of pipework, so I don't want to unneccesarily buy more. Am I right in my assumption that the heater plumbs into the system between the engine and the heat exchanger and there are just 2 sections of hose that i need to tap into? I've looked at the fitting instructions for the Freelander and there seems to be loads of pipework with several different connections, which has confused me somewhat.

If anyone has any photos of one installed into the cooling system, I 'd be very grateful.

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EP90.COM - Mud, Sweat & Gears! » Webasto Heater
Car and Light Truck

there are loads of guides if you google, im sure the landrover one is out there too!!

Let me know how you get on; in particular how you attach the fuel line to the fuel pump. I'm not sure if I need to buy a metal fuel pick up, or slide some 5mm stiff fuel line into the pump and attach it to the nipple with the Land Rover rubber hose and jubilee clips.

Howdy

Will do. I'm plumbing mine in to a seperate tank. This'll save me the hassle of taking the fuel line back to the tank. You can't splice into the main fuel line, as this is under pressure and will cause hassles.

Tom

Ampo said:

Let me know how you get on; in particular how you attach the fuel line to the fuel pump. I'm not sure if I need to buy a metal fuel pick up, or slide some 5mm stiff fuel line into the pump and attach it to the nipple with the Land Rover rubber hose and jubilee clips.

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Fitting kit has finally arrived.

I have scanned the step-by-step guide into PDF, however, it is rather large, so if anyone wants please drop me a line I'll forward them a copy, or if anyone knows how to upload huge files please let me know...

Cheers

Tom

Pommy Pekkie said:

. You can't splice into the main fuel line, as this is under pressure and will cause hassles.

Tom

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Not true, what are you splicing into?

As it says, the main fuel line.... If you could, Webasto wouldn't have you take a fuel line all the way back to the diesel tank to get juice for the Thermotop.

Tom

discomania said:

Not true, what are you splicing into?

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Pommy Pekkie said:

As it says, the main fuel line....
Tom

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I was meaning, which part of the "main fuel line" were you referring to? It's all pretty main right up to the point it enters the injection pump.

Pommy Pekkie said:

If you could, Webasto wouldn't have you take a fuel line all the way back to the diesel tank to get juice for the Thermotop.
Tom

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No they would say you can't. Instruction authors have to deal with all sorts of people when writing instructions, for anything, and it's easier for them just to dumb it right down rather than have to rely on people having a brain. There is always a better way, it's just the case of you understanding what you are dealing with and then installing it to suit - with anything.

They problem they are up against is this; how can they simply explain to people the difference between a lift pump and an in tank high pressure pump (such as it fitted to a TD5) and that is just two options in a LR, not including the thousands of other vehicles they will have instructions for.

In this scenario it is easier for them, just to get you to connect the heater up to it's own fuel line, no messing with fuel system, then they don't have to worry about ejits getting it completely wrong and stopping their vehicles from running, and generally creating a bad name for themselves.

So, you CAN take a tap into the main fuel line, BEFORE the lift pump.