Parking heater magnetic pump failure?

[siapelan]

I have (what I think is) an Ardic parking heater in my 2010 XC90. When I try to start it, it seems to start as normal, I can hear the 'fan' like sound in the front left part of the car, but then it stops after about a minute. No diesel of exhaust smell from the outlet of the diesel heater.

Normally, I would expect a kind of 'clicking' sound from the magnetic pump located under the car (approximately under the right rear seat), but there is no sound from that pump, so I think it is not working as it is supposed to.

On this, I have some questions - if you know about this system, i would be extremely happy if you are able to address all of them

1. I know there is a way to 'reset' the whole parking heater system, but since it seems to be starting (without getting diesel), it appears to me that there is no need to reset the system?
2. If I should reset the system, how do i do it (I know it has something to do with the fuse, but not sure how to do it)
3. What kind of electrical power is 'input' to the magnetic pump. My multimeter shows 0V both for AC and DC - is it some kind of pulsing power that cannot be metered with a normal multimeter?
4. If I am not able to meter any power with my multimeter, does this mean it is the power source that is faulty? The cable goes to a cable connector bridge under the rear right seat (inside the car), and then further into a large bundle of cables.
5. If it is a power failure, what can it be? Could it be that there are other fuses that the 'main' fuse (no 4)? Any other failure source?
6. Is there some way to test the magnetic pump using direct power to it? My understanding is that connecting direct 12V to does not help, since it is a magnetic pump?

Any other helpful comments are also appreciated

[SwissXC90]

I also have the fuel burning parking heater in my MY2009 XC90

The best thing to do is use VIDA (the Volvo diagnostic software)
VIDA will tell you what failure mode the heater is currently in

It will tell you why it failled to start

And you can test the individual components, like the combustion fan and the fuel pump

So if you don't have VIDA, find someone who does!

[siapelan]

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

The best thing to do is use VIDA (the Volvo diagnostic software)
VIDA will tell you what failure mode the heater is currently in

It will tell you why it failled to start

Thanks - I'll contact someone with the tool.

One question; the heater actually seems to start, but then stop again after not receiving diesel. If there is a failure code/mode, would the heater start at all?

[siapelan]

Originally Posted by siapelan

Thanks - I'll contact someone with the tool.

So; strange thing; a friend of mine had the diagnostic tool for Volvo, and there are no failure codes related to the Auxiliary/Parking heater system. I also tested the "DTCS IN VEHICLE" in the car, and no failure codes related to the heater system there as well.

---- >>>> One thing that can help me: What kind of power should go into the magnetic pump? I seem to remember that it should be some kind of pulsating power (and not 'regular' DC); how is it and how can it be measured e.g. with a voltmeter?

[SwissXC90]

Are you SURE you have a fault?

The parking heater is delivered in 3 variants:

Engine preheater: switches on automatically when the ambient temperature AND the coolant temperature are cold enough. Pretty much standard fitment on all Euro D5 diesels. Won't run if ambient / engine are warm. Basically it never fires up in Summer.

Programmable parking heater: Requires Engine preheater. A pure software add-on to the fuel-burning preheater. Alows you to manually turn the preheater on, and program it to preheat the engine. BUT if setting via program, will again only run if the engine coolant temp and ambient temp are cold enough. But you CAN run it in Summer.

Programmable parking heater with Remote Control: Requires Engine Preheater and Programmable Parking Heater. A physical remote control receiver addon to the AEM, to allow remote start of the parking heater via a keyring dongle.


With around 15°C ambient temp this morning, I fired up my diesel fuel-burning heater this morning to assist the D5 diesel to get up to normal temperature quickly, and it ran fine.

If you want, I can connect VIDA to it tomorrow and take some reading / screen shots of fuel pump performance.

I do hear the fuel pump ticking around 2x a second as it is maintaining fuel pressure for the pump.

The sequence is, from memory:
1. Combustion fan starts
2. Fuel pump starts
3. Ignitor starts
The heater fires up around 5 seconds after sequence start.

A common fault is the primitive flame sensor being covered in soot - thus the flame sensor thinks no flame, and cuts of the fuel delivery.
The flame sensor is in prinicple a light sensor, looking for light from the flame.
If covered in soot, it thinks no light thus no flame.
Solution. Dismantle, clean, reassemble.

Let me know if you want some VIDA readings...

[SwissXC90]

I've just checked the wiring diagram

The fuel pump motor is controlled by the CPM, via a an overheat thermal cutout on the heater itself.

[siapelan]

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

Are you SURE you have a fault?

Yes, i have the Programmable parking heater, which can be started manually, or set by timer (two alternative time settings). The heater looks very much like this one:

http://ftp.clubvolvo.ru/CARS%20DOCS%...0660852_en.pdf

The fuel pump for the parking heater is located under the car, approximately under the right rear seat. I do not hear any sound from the pump whatsoever when the heater starts, so either it is not getting electrical power, or it does not work.

---- >>>> My challenge is that I want to find out which it is (faulty pump or no power), and to be able to settle this I would like to know which power goes into the magnetic pump - is it a power that can be measured with a multimeter? It is not supposed to be stable 12V DC, but anyone knowing what it is?

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

The fuel pump motor is controlled by the CPM, via a an overheat thermal cutout on the heater itself.

Yes, the power is via a yellow cable from the CPM directly to the fuel pump. Then the other connection from the fuel pump is to negative ground.

I have always tried to start the pump when the engine is cold. Ambient temperature has been 10-15 degC, but I have put a bag of ice around the right mirror (the temperature sensor on these cars are located in the mirror casing), tricking the car to think it is about 7-8 degC. Thus, if the thermal cutoff works, it should send power to the fuel pump.

---- >>>> Do you know if the heater itself (the fan etc) would start if the overheat cutoff had been enabled? My heater starts 'as normal', but then cuts of after about 1 minute when it realise it is not getting diesel.