[Lars_NM]

Has anybody added a diesel hydronic heater to their TDI that wasn't originally equipped? I am looking for suggestions and wondering how it went. In the US this isn't a common option so I need to look on Ebay and maybe buy a used system, or buy a aftermarket heater and adapt it.

 

[casioqv]

One of our list members, dreadlocks, did it on his Q7 TDI and posted a full detailed howto. I haven't seen him around here for a while and don't even remember for sure if it was on this forum or another TDI forum where he posted the howto thread.

 

[PRY4SNO]

Are you talking about the euro optioned OEM Webatso heater that burns diesel?

Or an electrically powered circulating coolant heater?

 

[chewblekka]

If I’m not mistaken, I was the first in North America to install one, at least in a 2011+ model, back in 2018.

A 2010 should be pretty simple. Acquire the correct parts, wiring harness, perform some coding.

2015 Canadian Touareg 7P Webasto parking heater retrofit

Retrofitted an European Webasto (Eberspaecher) parking heater in my 2015 Canadian Touareg TDI. Parts needed: You can buy the complete retrofit from Kufatec, part# 39400-1 Or you can piece it together: Heater assembly (gas) 7P0815008K (diesel) 7P0815008L Body bracket 7P0819735A Muffler...

www.clubtouareg.com

 

[Lars_NM]

Are you talking about the euro optioned OEM Webatso heater that burns diesel?

Or an electrically powered circulating coolant heater?

Diesel

 

[Lars_NM]

If I’m not mistaken, I was the first in North America to install one, at least in a 2011+ model, back in 2018.

A 2010 should be pretty simple. Acquire the correct parts, wiring harness, perform some coding.

I would have to get the system on ebay since you never see those on TDI in the US. I'll look on Ebay. my worry is that it will be hard to get all the parts unless im pulling them. So I'll spend lots of time tracking down missing parts. Also I don't know what the installation looks like.

 

[Dannyboy485]

I would have to get the system on ebay since you never see those on TDI in the US. I'll look on Ebay. my worry is that it will be hard to get all the parts unless im pulling them. So I'll spend lots of time tracking down missing parts. Also I don't know what the installation looks like.

Make sure you get the hoses and hardlines with the unit, if can make sure it's the dual climate system. It makes the install much quicker and easier.
Got mine from the Netherlands.

 

[casioqv]

I would have to get the system on ebay since you never see those on TDI in the US

I think all/most of the V10s had them, but if I remember correctly, there is an important feature the USA models lacked so people retrofit the euro ones? I can't remember why.

here is a thread from dreadlocks: Q7 TDI Webasto Parking Heater Retrofit - AudiWorld Forums

I'm thinking about doing this to mine also, but I'm torn between this and a standalone diesel to air heater, as I camp on the roof with a roof tent, and the diesel air heater would be easier to duct up to the roof tent. However, maybe the factory system could also duct up to the roof tent if I 3D printed some adapter to snap a dryer duct over the factory dash vents. I'd also probably need to add a 2nd battery like the V10s have, so it could run for an extended time.

 

[volkswagens-for-life]

One of our list members, dreadlocks, did it on his Q7 TDI and posted a full detailed howto. I haven't seen him around here for a while and don't even remember for sure if it was on this forum or another TDI forum where he posted the howto thread.

Poor 'dreads'. Someone really pissed him off a few years ago and he never came back. He is indeed active on a few forums.

 

[casioqv]

Poor 'dreads'. Someone really pissed him off a few years ago and he never came back. He is indeed active on a few forums.

Yeah, he seemed like a nice guy and had a lot of good ideas to contribute, I wish he were still around. I think he is also a dad with kids trying to get his kids outdoors with the Q7, so I could relate quite a bit. He also disappeared from the overlanding forum Expedition Portal.

 

[Lars_NM]

I think all/most of the V10s had them, but if I remember correctly, there is an important feature the USA models lacked so people retrofit the euro ones? I can't remember why.

here is a thread from dreadlocks: Q7 TDI Webasto Parking Heater Retrofit - AudiWorld Forums

I'm thinking about doing this to mine also, but I'm torn between this and a standalone diesel to air heater, as I camp on the roof with a roof tent, and the diesel air heater would be easier to duct up to the roof tent. However, maybe the factory system could also duct up to the roof tent if I 3D printed some adapter to snap a dryer duct over the factory dash vents. I'd also probably need to add a 2nd battery like the V10s have, so it could run for an extended time.

I know allot about the diesel air heaters. I have been using them for many years and have 4. I'll PM you in the next day.

 

[Lars_NM]

I will be more specific with my questions. I looked on Ebay and saw a couple. I know generally where it goes. My touareg is a base model, so I just have two pipes going through the drivers wheel housing along with a circulation pump (two zone HVAC) which seems to run all the time. I did read enough into the above document to see that any 4 zone is easily modified for 2 zone.

1) where does the heater plug into electrically? The ones I looked at had a harness with what looked like a wide D connector. What does that plug into? Do I need to get the mating plug and wire it into the wire harness or is there a connector?
2) does the included heater pump replace my existing pump, and do i connect the old pump electrical plug to the new heater pump?
3) do you know the part number for the fuel tap that is on top of the fuel tank pump?
4) How do I operate the diesel heater? Do I need to add any controls to the dash or change out the HVAC controls? I have a residual heat (RES) button on my current controls.
5) What size of fuel pump does it take? Is the mounting stud present to mount it? I need operation up to 12,000ft (3660m). My experience with the diesel air heaters is if you can't tune the pump duty cycle, you need to downsize the pump appropriately.
6) I saw a 2009 Audi Webasto heater. does it matter what year or brand car the heater comes from?
7) I see that the N279 Valve isolates the block from the heater for faster cabin heat. If i buy one without this, can it be added later?


Thanks for your help.

 

[SaVAGeSoot]

Read Up

 

[Lars_NM]

Read Up

Thanks, I'll read it all tonight

 

[volkswagens-for-life]

Yeah, he seemed like a nice guy and had a lot of good ideas to contribute, I wish he were still around. I think he is also a dad with kids trying to get his kids outdoors with the Q7, so I could relate quite a bit. He also disappeared from the overlanding forum Expedition Portal.

wow I didn't realize he disappeared from expedition portal too! Super disappointing...

 

[casioqv]

I know allot about the diesel air heaters. I have been using them for many years and have 4. I'll PM you in the next day.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, maybe we should do an off topic thread as I imagine a lot of people doing offroading/overlanding in our vehicles would wonder about the choice between an air heater, and retrofitting a factory coolant heater.

 

[Lars_NM]

I read a little of the Heater SSP.

"The auxiliary heater can be operated in a number of different ways:
● Immediate start is carried out via the front information display and operating unit, in the sub-menu of the air conditioning system.
● Programming a fixed start time is done via a timer in the same sub-menu.
● Additionally, the auxiliary heater can be started using a remote control. "

I don't have a "Front Information Display and Operation Unit" Since I have an aftermarket radio, and my original radio was a POS base model with a broken bezel. Will it work without this? or what radio do I need to get? This could be the show stopper.

 

[casioqv]

I don't have a "Front Information Display and Operation Unit" Since I have an aftermarket radio, and my original radio was a POS base model with a broken bezel. Will it work without this? or what radio do I need to get? This could be the show stopper.

This doesn't apply to the T2, probably some other car- it looks like the SSP Soot posted is for the Phaeton. In the T2, it's just controlled with the 'Rest' button on the dash. I have the RNS-510 head unit on mine, which was the high end head unit for my car and yours, and it does not have any type of vehicle settings in the head unit. The only menus for setting things related to the car/chassis in a T2 are via the MFD in the gauge cluster, not the head unit.

 

[Lars_NM]

This doesn't apply to the T2, probably some other car- it looks like the SSP Soot posted is for the Phaeton. In the T2, it's just controlled with the 'Rest' button on the dash. I have the RNS-510 head unit on mine, which was the high end head unit for my car and yours, and it does not have any type of vehicle settings in the head unit. The only menus for setting things related to the car/chassis in a T2 are via the MFD in the gauge cluster, not the head unit.

That's a relief..
But how do you control valve N279 to isolate the engine block?

 

[chewblekka]

Aktshully… the heater is controlled via the OEM radio, no? Pressing the rest button on the climate panel will start the heater on demand, but it is controlled and programmed through the radio I believe. T1s were done through the compass unit by the sunroof. Without the OEM radio, you won’t be able to program any start times, it will only work when you’re already in the vehicle.

But how do you control valve N279 to isolate the engine block?

You don’t. The heater, climate control, and engine computers decide based on various factors. There is no user control.