First of all, I would like to apologize, the frequency of posts has decreased somewhat in recent weeks. Among other things, we are currently testing a few gadgets, such as a new lithium battery, and the documentation is very time-consuming and generally very time-consuming alongside the job. We are also currently on our late summer trip through Italy. I think these are two good excuses and you feel for us at this point 😅.
But this article also has a topic that will become absolutely topical again in the fall months. It concerns all owners of a Grand California / motorhome with a Truma diesel heater. We are total fans of this heater and have also written about it a few times. However, she is a diva first and foremost, and the behavior that 99% of all users have displayed over the warm summer months can really take its toll. I already see before my eye the posts in the forums, my diesel heater smokes, it shows an error code after we wanted to use it now for the first time again for heating.
The problem
If an error code appears in the Truma display after a summer break or the heater emits a lot of smoke when heating, this is due to usage behavior during the warmer months. Most people only use the heater to heat water from time to time or when it is used for heating, the full power of the heater is never called up. The last point in particular is really difficult in the Grand California anyway, as the Truma 6D is actually too big for this “small” panel van. The gas heater has a clear advantage here, because gas burns without residue, whereas diesel produces soot. This soot is deposited in the combustion chamber and then causes, among other things, the well-known smoke when the vehicle is used for the first time. Smoking is the lesser of two evils, as the heating still works. If the combustion chamber is completely sooted up and the heater can no longer burn any diesel at all, then the only thing that usually helps is to replace it. If your vehicle is still under warranty, you’re in luck; if not, it will be very expensive.
The solution
Completely simple and yet so effective, the magic word is free burning! What sounds totally strange at first, is in practice exactly that. The heating is used for at least 30 minutes at full load, which burns off the soot in the combustion chamber completely and the heating works without any problems even after the summer.
To clear the heater, open all windows (except the dinette window) and doors and set the heater to 30 degrees (maximum temperature). Now let the heater run in this mode for at least 30 minutes, or better 60 minutes after a long period of use at a low power level.
Truma also recommends this procedure on its homepage, but of course this is not mentioned at all by Volkswagen or its partners. How often you carry out this procedure is of course up to you, we do it after EVERY vacation. As a result, our heater runs without any problems.
