Chinese Diesel Heater Install In a Volkswagen Westfalia - Living The Van Life 

I'm a father of 3 and own a home. Yet I keep watching these videos again and again. My wife thinks I'm an idiot.

A couple tips about installation for these heaters : - fuel tank, you can buy/make what is called a stand pipe. The benefit of it is, you dont end up with a hole on the bottom side of your fuel tank. A stand pipe is just a metal or rubber tube that drops down from the top of the tank. You drill a hole in the top. Install a fitting with a tube that drops to the bottom of the tank. You then attach you tine going to pump to the fitting on top the tank. You could even put a quick connect on it. Also, you can put a additional filter on the bottom of the stand pipe. If you use a rubber tube for your stand pipe that is weighted on the end, if you happen yo park on a incline, the runner tube will move to the lowest point which is where you fuel will be. Airplanes use this idea. - fuel pump, webasto has installation instructions that say the pump is supposed to be mounted at an angle with the higher end going to the fuel tank. Its supposed to help with air bubbles or something.

I've just purchased a diesel heater for my volkswagen westfalia vanegan, I didn't know how to fit said heater in my volkswagen westfalia vanegan, now I've watched your tutorial on the volkswagen westfalia vanegan diesel heater install , my volkswagen westfalia vanegan now has a diesel heater . You know everything about the volkswagen westfalia vanegan, thankyou for making my volkswagen westfalia vanegan a warmer place from another volkswagen westfalia vanegan owner

Also just for others, you can always go to the local auto parts store (or order online from thousands of websites) and get an aftermarket fuel tank that fits where you need it to fit. There's literally any size and shape option when it comes to fuel tanks. Stay warm and happy travels!

I totally felt like I lived the van life when my band started touring and we got a 1998 dodge 1500 conversion van. We had an acdc converter and set up a tv and had the game cube. We played super smash bros on tour and had the time of our lives. Wish I had all this cool stuff you have!!

Wish they had these out when I was a young man . Would have made life in my old 1966 A 100 ( Dodge Van ) A lot more comfy . Nice job

I love this guy. He so easy to listen to and always upbeat

Dude thanks a million, heat is a big concern for my wife and I- we lived in our Westy after we got married but then had a baby and so we bought a house. The thing is, he's 5 months old now and the only reason we bought the house was for a garage to do an engine swap in and rent it out so we can move back into our Westy and live off the cash flow! People think we're kind of nuts but you know how it is, freedom is just so worth working toward and fighting for :) thanks for sharing, your videos have always been great but man they've gotten a lot better lately as far as editing and content goes, have a good one!

I thought about bringing a sleeping bag and pillows into my Kia van just so I could crash at work a couple nights a week...man your setup is over the top! Subbed :0)

You have a way with your ability to describe in detail; learned a lot.

I can't tell you how much I love my heater. these things are the greatest. I spend anywhere from 2 hrs to 8 hours in my van sleeping. The heater is the best thing. I used a propane heater before and was always nervous. I sleep better now. Great video brother.

Not sure if mentioned, but you may want to cut down a furnace air filter to fit that intake plenum to minimize lint, dust and other stuff from being sucked into the unit.

So happy with my 5kw that i bought my dad one. i run off road diesel or home heating oil in mine cause its so much cheaper.i have over 700 hours on mine and still working great.

One of the best presentations I have heard/watched on RU-vid! Very well done!

I slept in Chicago -23 degrees in February in my ford E-150 Eco-no-line conversion van with NO HEATER , a jogging suit, a beanie hat, 2 hot water bottles, 2 pillows, and 3 Quilts, and my remote starter at my hip. I slept just fine no problem at all. Just keep your head inside the covers. You can use a MR Buddy heater or a diesel heater but i just wanted to let you know it can be done 100% with out it.

I took a shot every time I heard Westfalia. Damn near died of alcohol poisoning.

I misread this and thought I was about to watch a video about a Chinese vin diesel

I went through 3 Espar D2 units in 6 years and it was a pain at around $600 to $1,000 a pop both new and rebuilt. These Chinese units are new and I'm seeing them all over the place. I'll be interested to see how long they last. Even if they last lets say 8 months you will still be far better off just getting a new one instead of an Espar. These units run best on Kerosene instead of diesel. Make sure you adjust the fuel flow when getting into higher altitude. Always carry an extra fuel pump. The glow plug replacement needs a special tool and one wrong move installing and it's ruined. Get the tool and a spare glow plug. For those running off diesel go to Walmart lamp section and get a bottle of lamp oil. That is kerosene. About once a month in the cold season when you're running this a lot do this. Get the bottle then take the end off the fuel pump. Get a spare section of fuel line and hook that to the fuel pump and into the bottle of kerosene. Run the unit on high. Do this at night and watch the sparks come out the exhaust. That's the carbon buildup inside burning off. Hope this helps.

It looks and works perfekt! You will see, this small heater will change you van life. Looking forward to more winter videos.

I had one of these in my semi truck, I would run it overnight and all the snow would be melted off the truck in the morning when I woke up. The heater gets so hot that I was able to cook a can of soup on it too.

I installed one of these in my van a few weeks before this video was uploaded, and I'm completely happy with it. Best thing about these is that they do not burn the air within the vehicle's cabin and exhaust it back into that same cabin like a propane heater does. It sucks air from outside, burns it, then exhausts the burned air back outside. If you install it correctly, there is NO chance of producing CO inside and poisoning yourself over time. And since it's dry heat, it doesn't produce condensation inside your van like propane does. Another thing to think about is that since the fuel being used in the heater is not powering your van, you don't have to use diesel as your fuel. Heating oil is the same thing as diesel except there is no road tax on it, making it cheaper than diesel. Now if you have a diesel van, to run your heater off fuel oil, you need to run the heater off a separate tank to get away with this because it's illegal to power the vehicle with fuel that is untaxed. Don't get caught running fuel oil in a diesel vehicle. Fuel oil is dyed red and there is an obvious difference. My van has a gas engine, just like yours, so for the time being I'm running it off the little tank that comes with it. In the near future though, I'll be installing a 10 gallon tank under the van so I don't have to keep filling up the tiny tank so often. I will run a fill tube up to the side of the van next to the gas tank fill tubes so it will look like it's supposed to be there. I have a Ford E350 extended van, and despite having dual fuel tanks, there is room under the rear of the frame for mounting such a larger tank. It's not like these heaters burn ridiculous amounts of fuel (actually they're quite efficient), but I hate filling the small tank up so often. Here in MO, with it being winter, I run the heater pretty much constantly when I'm in the van, and it burns about a gallon or so overnight at the current freezing temps. Small price to pay for the benefits of being nice and toasty at freezing temps.

I know nothing about this stuff but I find it fascinating. Great video.

Dude, I've seen some of your videos, but this is the f best of them. I got a Nissan Vanette camper from 89, we bought it last summer and the previous owners put a similar device inside(much more expensive, a webasto), from diesel too (the engine works also with diesel), but we have never used it yet. I am from one of the warmest places in Spain and in winter rarely go below 0 celsius. The normal night temperature is maybe 5 or 10 the warmest nights. It is cold enough to give it a try! This weekend we will do! It is my boyfriend's birthday and you inspired me! Thank you and great video!

"Peace out.....keep on Rollin' baby.....you know what time it is..." Sorry, couldn't help myself :D Awesome install! Will be getting one for my van before the Winter arrives here.

Best video I have seen about buying a heater and installation. Very simplified. Good video.

Congrats, I just installed one on my live aboard sailboat and it's one of the best things I've done, nice and warm, no more condensation,, minimal fuel useage nothing but good things to say,, good luck with yours, !!

I bought that Chinese knock off because of a review I saw on-line from a guy in Ireland. I have had it hooked up in my shop all winter. My shop is a poorly insulated building in the interior of Alaska. The heater works like a champ. Heats my shop for about 3 gallons a week. Not bad for $189. It was wither that or $1,800 for a Toyo stove

Man i wish everyone would explain their installs like you. After watching you, i feel more than ready to install that heater. I don't have a westy, i have an old chevy that i'm gutting and redoing. Thank you for being a pro. And holding nothing back.

heads up on the metered pulse pump you want to mount that in a more vertical fashion. these pumps have a piston that is run by an electro magnetic pulse they create air bubles which is fine but with the pup mounted horizontal the air accumulates and the piston wears out because the diesel is what lubricates the pump. the dosing pumps or pulse pumps are very simple and will last a long time but only if yohu mount it so that all the air travels into the fuel line. these are really a good design witho only one moving part in the heater itself which is the fan there is no carb or injector the pump pumps in .02 milliliter pulse that piston is the only other moving part in the entire heater. mount the pump with the output at the top, prime it, and it will last much longer. otherwise great install and nice set up

I’m so glad you got one I fitted mine in my vw t5 a month ago so now it’s time for another adventure in the snow that was brilliant can’t wait for the next

I have an 85 westfalia cream puff and she just may get one. I did purchase one for my current van build, a brand new promaster and I'm trying to figure it all about, so I can relate to the defeated feeling you have. I'm so overwhelmed, but its videos like this that give me hope. thanks bro. hope to see you down the road maybe PNW. Peace out.

I've looked at videos of those winter camping in the winter and , wow I couldn't sleep if it was 30 degrees in there this sound like the best solution, Thanks.

I've been working on those heaters for a while, couple tips. Run for at least 30 min, even during the summer run it once a week. That will keep the pump from sticking. Change the filter regularly. Don't use a bio blend that will foul the burner chamber, you can use an anti-gel additive but sparingly. If you have to change the glow plug tear the thing apart and clean everything.

Very happy for you Chad! If I was to go this route I definitely would have to find somewhere else to put the tank. I am too in love with my refrigerator. Please keep us updated on its performance. Thank you for another great video!

We installed one of the cheap Chinese Diesal heaters in my sons sprinter van, these things make heat and lots of it! if you run them on low for say 2-3 hours it’s imperative that they are run a good 5-10 minutes on high to burn off all the soot buildup in the combustion chamber.. or they gunk up and won’t fire up!

Chad don't know if you have heard this, but when you shut it off you will want to run it on high for a few minutes to help burn out the combustion chamber from collecting soot. That is if you continue to run it at lower temps. I just bought the 2.5K model so i can run it more hot all the time to combat this issue.,,, Good informative how to...

Good job dude I upgraded my fuel tank and had a pickup pipe going in through the top to eliminate any risk of leaking diesel inside my van! Hopefully you don’t get this happening to you like it did a friend of mine his van was flooded with diesel 😬🤙

Great video dude, I'm just about to replace my broken Espar heater with one of these. Loads of great information. Just subbed to the channel.

Got your videos on my recommendations and spent like the entire night watching your videos ! Completely In love with them

I hope you kept this van Its history and a companion and a home

Brilliant Chad! Hope it keeps you warm. Don't forget to take the plastic cover off the thermostat 😉👍🏻

I recently purchased a Chinese diesal heater and found a miner fault with fuel tank which is when heater is runner the fuel pump which sucks the fuel actually squeezes the fuel tank together, When I release the filler cap the tank expanded, So I've fitted a one way valve on the top of tank to stop it happening., Just a little tip for you all who's purchased one.

As a truck driver I had some trucks with diesel heaters and trucks with APU generators personally I like both but most of all it’s nice having the diesel heaters because they’re quiet compared to a APU generator which sounds like a constant Lawnmower idling.

Watching this during quarantine. You have no idea how much I want to get out! My family used to spend every holiday camping and I miss it so much. My mom and dad are planning to stay off the beaten track until the end of pandemic. I wish I could do the same but my husband is an essential worker. You made me want to build my own van. And I'm fully capable of doing such crazy things.

I think you did a great job but I would still highly recommend a co2 detector in case exhaust ever leaks. Also, you probably will never have a problem but there are regulations on fuel tanks inside a vehicle. In the event of a roll over, that tank will pour all the fuel out and cause a potential hazard. More importantly, the fuel pump etc is also inside the vehicle. There are a lot of connections and fittings going on under there. There is a high potential for leaks. If it ever leaks, instead of it just dripping on the ground, it's directly into you cabinets. At a minimum, I recommend getting the co2 detector and move the pump and filter under the van. Toreally feel safe, I would get the tank out of there too. I know diesel is much safer than gasoline but there is a reason why the fuel systems are technically outside the vehicle. Or dont. Whatever cheers. Just an FYI.

Top notch review - Thanks Chad!

Just got a Westfalia. 1992 with 38K miles. Completely renovated with gray hardwood floors, gray wood panels all over. New paint and chrome. New everything basically. Got it from an old woman who's husband fixed it all up and due to medical issues had to sell it. Paid $4,500 for it. It's in mint shape. I think I got a good deal? I see these priced all over the place. Lol but I love it!

My dad just installed one in his Westy, put his diesel tank in the engine bay next to the overflow tank (has a Subaru conversion). Super slick and never has to worry about diesel fumes/leaks from the tank. Fills it up when he checks his oil.

I recommend a good high flow air filter for the intake of the heater. I installed one of mine without a air filter and in one season it was extremely dusty inside. I would imagine depending on the build up material it could become a possible fire hazard but at the very least will cut down on efficiency.

Volkswagen is pronounced like Folks at the beginning.. Greetings from Germany!

A cold weather camping video with this new heater would be bad ass.

Chad thank you I think you just changed my life. My old 1973 Dodge Explorer 224 has the original furnace in it it runs off of propane still runs good but you definitely cannot find parts for it. I will definitely be upgrading high heat source in my camper thanks for the good quality videos you produce

LivingTheHeatLife 😎. Great upgrade to your van. Thumbs up 👍

Hi Chad, enjoyed the video, stay Safe, and God Bless You. From Salem, Oregon

I’m trying to be a troll or hate‘n on this video but I deal with these heaters all the time air and coolant (well at least the North American made ones) but one suggestion if you are to use it regularly in colder climates do your self a favour an install fuel cell/fuel pump/fuel filter on outside of vehicle..it just takes one little spill of diesel on the floor/ground and the smell will chase you out of the van and hard to get rid of if it soaks into anything...but that’s just my suggestion, keep doing what you’re doing and love the videos and glad to see the amount of time and effort you did for that install instead of just jamming it in a corner ✌🏻

Chad Hi mate from northern England. Your vids just pour joy into my life. TX mate and keep em coming.

Cool, I am going to look at this as a backup in my class C. I could use it to help heat my battery box or grey tank in addition to heating the space. Thanks.

Awesome setup! Now to figure where to fit this into my F-150 :D

You could put a shop vac hose on it. Shove the hose in your boots to dry them out. You could build a small snow to water can for fresh water. Ect

I had a VW beatle using a VW 1 cylinder gas engine it snowed 6 inches start the 1 cylinder motor in 15 the snow all melted away great heat for going skiing !!!

Just my $0.02, I would replace those tank nipple o-rings every year. I see the kit you linked now provides a metal tank wonder if they had problems with the plastic.

Hey chad great vid, I’ve heard on a few UK vids which is where I’m from that these heaters can clog up with carbon if ran on low setting all the time. Its a good idea to blast it on full every so often to clear out the carbon build up. Also the pump can stop working if not installed at a certain angle 30 degrees I think 🤔

Brilliant video, I don't live in a truck anymore but this is exactly what I need in my new home, a boat 😁

OMG u haven't pulled the plastic from your heater display unit!! That is always my favorite part of installing new electronics. Glad to see you got a good sound system though to go along with the good whiskey. Hope to see ya out sometime.

Chad, Love your adventures! I see you installed your heater pump horizontally. Everything I have seen/read indicates that it must be installed vertically or at a 45 degree angle, but not horizontally. It will cause premature pump failure. Might be worth you doing some more research. Don't want you to wake up freezing some morning...

Looking at your install of the fitting at the bottom of the fuel tank, it like you used o-rings against a flat surface, both the inside/outside of the tank and the nut. O-rings need a groove to sit in or they will be crushed out of shape causing a leak. sealing washers for this application should be flat, not o-rings.

I bought a Chinese Diesel Heater for my electric Tuk Tuk so I can drive if when it is cold too. There are kits so you do not have to mess with the tank and stuff like that and also enclosed units with everything mounted inside a metal housing. They are cheap and seem to work good

Your videos are always a joy to watch, I appreciate the time you take on video editing, there always a step up.

I see you love the word "actually."

I lost count on how many time you say "Volkswagen Westfalia Camper Van" Im still rocking the original gas fired gas heater , and that defiantly is a much cheeper alternative to the Propex heater. Let us know how it holds up.

I have a diesel heater installed in my work shop garage...for about two yrs now...have not had any problems with it....keeps me and my shop toastie.....better and safer then propane

Drill a bunch of holes on that board covering the heater to give it more intake breathing space as well as save on weight. Doesn't look like you are storing anything that could fall through the holes in the board, but in case, you could just install mesh netting like screen door material on that board with holes to ensure nothing falls through. This will allow your heater intake to get more fresh air and give you more storage space.

The only thing I would do , install a cut off valve between tank and fuel filter, so your fuel doesn’t leak out if you have to change filter

Diesel really stinks duder hopefully that doesn't become a problem for you. Keep up the good work 👍

My chinese heater has been working well for 3 years now, and the silencer really works well

Nice install info,,surprised how cheap it is..hope it works well for long time, I got 7500 btu Espar several years back,for my custom TC, Used plastic jug aproved for fuel hiden between truck and bed side bolted down,, drilled hole for fuel line on TOP of this,,had to drill exhaust pipe outlet thru the truck bed extend below.. Funny thing was someone heard the exhaust sound when I parked on city st. And called Fire department thinking it was Propane escaping.. Lol no propane in my truck,quite a surprise for the Firemen.. Espar works good and uses very litle diesel and low electric drain,I have 100 amp AGM deep cycle, drained 20%runing overnight at minus 20...recharge from solar panel

China + Fossil fuel + enclosed space = great idea!

Anyone can install one of these units. Espar or Chinese, same way. If your in a truckstop at the end of the day and it's cold and all the trucks are coming in to park you would think the place is on fire. Most all the Espar units are smoking like crazy over and over trying to start. Your first sign the combustion chamber is all carboned up. The glow plugs need to be replaced but unless you practice you'll ruin it and need to try again with a new one. The fans fail a lot then the computer shuts it down. They don't work at altitude. Says right there on the manual. Also, first hand experience with that. You can get the high altitude pump but that doesn't buy you much. It basically runs the pump at a lower volume of fuel and also cuts down on the BTU. I have already seen some Chinese models that let you set the fuel flow. That's the right way to go. I also notice the thermostats do not work that well. If you're going to be in a real cold environment you want that puppy cranked up non stop. Do not let it start and stop over and over. That's where the carbon buildup comes from. Once the unit doesn't start it waits a little and tries again and fails. This just adds insult to injury and more carbon. A common hack is to put a switch across I think the red and yellow wire at the unit which overrides the thermostat and keeps it running non stop. Many trucking companies have the Espar in their fleet trucks along with a TriPac APU. They run the Espar off Kerosene from a different tank, not diesel. Much cleaner. A common maintenance thing to do on these units if you're going to run diesel is to go to Walmart in the lamp section and buy a bottle of kerosene. Also get like a 3' section of spare rubber fuel hose. Hook that up to the fuel pump. Do this at night and watch the light show. Run the unit full on. Kerosene burns much hotter and will get rid of most of the carbon buildup Once again.....all these units DO NOT like cycling on and off. Either run it non stop with a window open to keep the heat down if needed. The BIGGEST thing I can tell you is run it on kerosene!!!!!!! I really really really hope these Chinese units work out or at least last maybe 6 months. For the price it's a bargain compared to the Espar. It's too early to tell yet but everyone and their brother is installing them so it shouldn't take long for the stats to come in. Also, these things are VERY easy to install. Your other alternative is a Mister Buddy or similar type. These work EXCELLENT but.......there is no exhaust to the outside just like a propane stove. This causes major ice buildup inside and the temps are below freezing. This causes major damage to your interior from water and mold. The Espar and Chinese units vent the combustion to the outside and also take fresh air from the outside unlike the Mr. Buddy and others. I really don't see the Chinese units working any better than the Espar. I'm hoping they will start selling just the head so you can toss a broken one and replace for even cheaper money.

My dad's westfalia had a heater already installed. He was glad he had it.

It looks like a great addition. I'm surprised that you didn't have this type of heating solution already seeing how long you've been living in a van. Nice job on the explanation of it all.

Nice vid I'd really like to get one of those heaters...they seem pretty sweet. BTW...it's "VOILÀ" not walla.

You need to mount the pump up and down not sideways otherwise you will greatly reduce the life span of the pump. Check out John Mck 47's channel for further info on these type of heaters.

I don’t live the van life but love watching your videos! Stay blessed brotha !

Years ago when VW Beetles were the rage, you could equip them with a gasoline fueled heater for instant heat on the coldest of days. I owned 5 Beetles altogether over those years, but never needed the optional heaters that ran on gasoline because the factory engine exhaust heaters seemed to work very well. Of course, I was never living or camping in those little cars as you do with your van. I only bring this to the table because if they are still made, using the gas version would eliminate the need for a separate fuel source and tank. You did an excellent video on this subject and a great service to those who need to warm their vans for whatever reasons. Much thanks.

These are good heaters i bought 10 from china and could easly sell them and have mine free i still advice to install a carbon dioxide alarm you never know what goes wrong

HI CHAD I USED TO LIVE IN WASHINGTON, GREAT VIDEO!

As a tractor trailer driver ive seen these used in commercial vehicle application for over 20 years! Just never thought id see them used in 4 wheelers prety cool imo.

Congratulation with your diesel heater :-) A littel idea from me: in my eurovan California, there is also a diesel heater. In the morning, when i turn on the heater, i place 1 or 2 plastic bottles with fresh water, just in front of the heater outlet. When i’m finished with my coffee and waking up a littel, after a half a hour, the water in the bottles is nice and warm for the morning washing the face and other stuff that requires warm water.... :-)

Nice install Chad, couple of questions for you. Do you smell any diesel, with the tank mounted inside the van? Second question is, how long does a tank of fuel last? Keep up the great videos.

Ever notice people that have VW campers have to say the word westfalia over and over again. It's like name dropping "moped" at a Harley gathering.

I have no explanation why I watch your videos. I'm not interested in what you do. But yet, I have subscribed and watch all you videos.

Popped one of the 5kw units in my B5 1.8T passat trunk and I leave the seat down for the winter and it's thermostatically controlled and comes with a remote keyfob. I added an LED light in the rear window that let's be know the fuel pump is plugging away... these things are incredibly efficient....

Watch that exhaust on your tire

normally it is connected on your feul tank 10% of the bottom of the tank,just in case

Might want to make sure the exhaust is not blocked if you're camped in deep snow! Great install video...sounds like a great heating option.

Truck House Life does a really good install video of a webasto heater..

Did I miss the part about installing the external exhaust?

Excellent install and explanation. Battery capacity/draw would be my biggest resource concern with this heater vs the Buddy heater. What's your average amp hour draw? Also, is there any level of residual heat around the heater housing itself to be concerned with?

Do check the intake fan once a month. It gets lint and dust on it. Just like Computers. Which cuts the performance of the fan. I put a 4"x4" fan filter in front on the intake hole. To catch the dust and lint..And that muffler does work. Cuts the noise. And as one person said. You can use the exhaust to keep the engine block warm. It can also be used to keep any external Water Tank\Plumbing lines from freezing..

I’m convinced you could store a household of stuff in a thimble. Lol. You are VERY organized 👍.