Cleaning the diesel heater glow plug and atomiser screen
Updated
The glow plug sits in a well lined with a fine mesh screen, which the manuals call the atomising screen. The manuals blame a clogged screen for white smoke and failed starts, and six owners traced such faults to the screen or the plug well. The manuals say to remove the plug, take the screen out, and clean or replace it, so have a new screen to hand before you start.
Which controller do you have?
The same number means different faults on different controllers. Match yours to a sketch first. The plug and its screen are the same on every controller; the code a clogged screen ends on depends on the panel, so check the table for yours.
- 5-button LCDE-01 … E-10 with two digits, on a black panel with five round buttons
- Vevor M-button panelE-xx flashing on a colour screen, four keys including M, voice prompts
- Rotary knob, LEDsNo screen: an LED flashes a count, pauses, repeats
- LCD, E-2 … E-10E-2 … E-10, one digit after the dash, no E-1
- Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15E1, E2, E3 … with no dash, on an LCD switch you turn and press
- Knob LCD (Hcalory HC-A01)E-01 … E-10 on a colour LCD with one push-turn knob
At a glance
| What is happening | The mesh screen in the glow plug well is clogged, so fuel arrives but does not light |
|---|---|
| Most common cause | Carbon build-up on the screen; the reports do not isolate one cause |
| Check this first | Rule out supply voltage and a blocked exhaust, then inspect the plug and its screen |
| Evidence | Manuals and owner reports |
Codes by controller
| Code | Controller | Manual or brand | Meaning | Stated limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-03 | 5-button LCD | OnTrack Outdoor 5 kW Manual | Ignition plug (glow plug) failure Manual's remedy: Check whether the glow plug is open or short-circuited and whether connectors are loose/oxidised; run from a charged battery rather than a battery charger; check air inlet, outlet and exhaust for debris; leave at least 10 cm gap at the air inlet. | Glow plug should read 0.6-0.8 ohm; voltage across the plug should rise slowly to 8-9 V during start-up; battery should not drop below 12 V during start-up |
| E-03 | 5-button LCD | D2/D4 parking heater (generic manual) Manual | Glow plug fault Manual's remedy: Check whether the glow plug is open-circuit or short-circuit. | Not stated |
| E-03 | 5-button LCD | Hcalory M98 Manual | Glow plug short circuit / open circuit Manual's remedy: Glow plug short-circuited or connection wire reversed; insulation damage at the tail of the plug; glow plug leakage; poor contact at the connector; plug burned out - replace. | Not stated |
| E-10 | 5-button LCD | OnTrack Outdoor 5 kW Manual | Ignition failure Manual's remedy: Check whether the fuel circuit is blocked and fuel quality; check fan moves freely; glow plug cables; clean or replace the filter (screen) at the glow plug; check combustion intake and exhaust are clear; check power connections for oxidation. | Not stated |
| E-10 | 5-button LCD | D2/D4 parking heater (generic manual) Manual | Ignition failure Manual's remedy: Check for air or obstruction in the fuel line; fuel line blocked or not flowing; poor diesel quality blocking the 'volatile network' (burner screen). | Not stated |
| E-10 | 5-button LCD | Hcalory M98 Manual | Ignition failure - failed to start after trying twice ('both sides'), failed to form a flame Manual's remedy: Check whether the tank is short of fuel; pump stuck or abnormal; fuel circuit correct and free of bubbles; poor power supply or fuel problem. | Two start attempts |
| E-03 | Vevor M-button panel | Vevor XMZ-D1 / XMZ-D2 Manual | Ignition plug abnormality Manual's remedy: Check the ignition plug is properly connected; plug faulty - replace; main board faulty - replace. | Not stated |
| E-10 | Vevor M-button panel | Vevor XMZ-D1 / XMZ-D2 Manual | Secondary startup failed Manual's remedy: Check whether the fuel pump works; check whether the fuel circuit fittings are waxed up or blocked. | Not stated |
| E-3 | LCD, E-2 … E-10 | Vevor CY-5001/5002/5004, 5-key and 3-key LCD panels Manual | Ignition plug malfunction Manual's remedy: Check whether the ignition plug connector is loose or the wire is shorted to the casing; check whether the plug is damaged. | Not stated |
| E-3 | LCD, E-2 … E-10 | Gasmate DH203 Manual | Glow plug failure Manual's remedy: Contact service support for inspection or replacement of the glow plug. | Not stated |
| E-3 | LCD, E-2 … E-10 | Liwolf all-in-one Manual | Ignition plug failure Manual's remedy: Check for loose ignition plug connectors or wire shorted to the housing; check whether the plug is damaged. | Not stated |
| E-10 | LCD, E-2 … E-10 | Vevor CY-5001/5002/5004, 5-key and 3-key LCD panels Manual | Unsuccessful startup Manual's remedy: 1) Casing too hot and not cooled after 3 minutes of start-up. 2) Lots of white smoke in exhaust: check the filter screen next to the ignition plug (clean/replace), whether the pump sprays fuel forcefully, whether the ignition plug is aged. 3) Little or no white smoke: check for fuel shortage, frozen or blocked fuel circuit, pump stuck/damaged, combustion intake and exhaust clear, ignition plug damaged, inner fan-wheel clearance too large. 4) Ignites normally but still reports ignition failure: check the casing temperature sensor is in full contact with the casing, its pressure spring, and the sensor itself. | Casing not cooled after 3 minutes of start-up (cause 1) |
| E3 | Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15 | Heatport H2 / H4 (EnControl) Manual | Undervoltage or overvoltage Manual's remedy: Verify battery voltage at the harness terminals (or at the ECU connector if the harness was extended); if below 12.6 V (flooded) / 12.8 V (AGM) charge the batteries first; overvoltage causes: charger in boost mode, alternator overcharging, solar controller overcharging; check ECU connector for dirt/corrosion; inspect harness; ECU. | Minimum 10.5 V (22.5 V for 24 V unit); maximum 15 V for 12 V version and 30 V for 24 V version |
| E3 | Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15 | T4 two-knob LCD switch Manual | Undervoltage or overvoltage Manual's remedy: Verify voltage matches the heater's requirements; check power cord installation and that no non-compliant cords are used; confirm the power converter gives adequate current and stable output. | Not stated |
| E10 | Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15 | Heatport H2 / H4 (EnControl) Manual | Overheat: excess temperature measured at the overheat sensor Manual's remedy: Check fan not blocked/damaged; check ducting free from obstruction; remove the PT1000 sensor, check connections/wiring and reinstall; replace sensor if wiring damaged; ECU. | Not stated |
| E10 | Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15 | T4 two-knob LCD switch Manual | Overheat Manual's remedy: Verify the air duct is not blocked; address temperature sensor failure or loose contact with the aluminium heat exchanger ('radiator'). | Not stated |
| E-03 | Knob LCD (Hcalory HC-A01) | Hcalory HC-A01 Manual | Abnormal voltage Manual's remedy: Check the heater's supply voltage type matches the vehicle; check the voltage limits; check the main harness connector is not loose. | 24 V version: not higher than 32 V or lower than 18 V; 12 V version: not higher than 18 V or lower than 9 V |
| E-10 | Knob LCD (Hcalory HC-A01) | Hcalory HC-A01 Manual | Furnace temperature sensor abnormal Manual's remedy: Check the furnace temperature sensor connector for a loose connection; incorrect or faulty sensor type - replace; main board failure - replace. | Not stated |
| E-03 F1 | B2010 (spanner button) | B2010 controller Manual | Glow plug ('spark plug') short circuit | Not stated |
| E-03 F2 | B2010 (spanner button) | B2010 controller Manual | Glow plug ('spark plug') open circuit | Not stated |
| E-03 F3 | B2010 (spanner button) | B2010 controller Manual | Glow plug ('spark plug') abnormality | Not stated |
| E-10 | B2010 (spanner button) | B2010 controller Manual | Ignition failure (after two failed ignition attempts) Manual's remedy: Check for blocked fuel circuit, poor fuel intake, stuck fuel pump, or blocked 'volatile net' (burner screen) due to fuel problems. | Two failed ignitions |
Which symptoms point to the glow plug and its screen?
The glow plug sits in a well in the burner. A fine mesh screen sits in that well with it: the manuals call it the atomising screen or net, or the filter screen next to the ignition plug, and owners call it the gauze.
The manuals name the screen for these symptoms:
- White smoke after a period of running. The Vevor CY manual says this means the atomising screen is clogged. Manual
- A failed start with lots of white smoke. The Vevor CY manual sends you to the filter screen next to the ignition plug, and Gasmate’s manual says to service the glow plug, the screen and the fuel pump. Manual
- A failed-start code. The OnTrack guide lists cleaning or replacing the screen at the glow plug among its remedies for E-10. Manual Heatport’s manual lists a dirty atomising net or glow plug under failed ignition. Manual
The code differs by controller: see the table above. A glow plug that has failed electrically is a different fault with its own code: see E-03.
What did owners find?
Six owners, in threads that were read in full, report a clogged or coked screen, or deposits in the plug well, behind this kind of fault. Owners
| What the owner found | Owners |
|---|---|
| Screen or plug well clogged with carbon; heater started after cleaning it | 3 (one of them also changed the battery and cables) |
| Screen coked or sooted up and replaced, more than once for one owner | 2 |
| Screen clogged, with a failed-start code and flooding; no fix described | 1 |
Two more posts were seen only as search excerpts and are not counted: a 2 kW heater whose screen gummed up after a week of running and broke up on removal, and a commenter who gets white smoke and no start whenever the screen is due.
Details that matter:
- One owner cured a failed-start code the first few times by burning the carbon off the screen. Later the burner itself needed cleaning. Owners
- One owner wiped deposits out of the plug bore and the heater restarted. A repairer commenting on that post says this only half-cleans it: the gauze inside the burner cannot be washed in place. Owners
- One owner replaced a coked screen twice, and believes the cause was his intake and exhaust runs, which he then redid with fewer bends. Owners
- One owner’s gauze sooted up after he tried old engine oil as fuel. Owners
What should I rule out first?
The screen is not the cheapest check. Before opening anything:
- Supply voltage during the start. The OnTrack guide says the battery should not drop below 12 V during start-up and the voltage across the glow plug should rise slowly to 8 to 9 V. Manual A weak supply gives the same smoke and no start.
- Exhaust and intake. The OnTrack guide lists checking that the combustion intake and exhaust are clear under the same code. Manual
- Flooding. If you have primed repeatedly, deal with that first: see white smoke and no start.
How do I get to the plug and screen?
The sources describe the route only in outline. The Vevor CY manual’s instruction is: remove the ignition plug, take out the screen, clean or replace it. Manual The OnTrack guide notes that the heater is meant to sit with the glow plug facing up. Manual
What owners add:
- Have parts ready. Service kits include a new screen and gaskets, and one owner replaced his plug with a maintenance kit and the special socket that came with it. Owners
- The old screen may not come out whole. A search excerpt of one owner’s post describes a gummed screen that was destroyed on removal. Owners The thread was not read in full.
- Check the connector on a new plug. One owner fitted a generic glow plug and had to swap the connector over from the old one. Owners
This job is beyond routine maintenance for many owners, and the plug sits in the burner itself.
If you are not sure, ask a technician. Removing the glow plug and its screen goes beyond routine owner maintenance. A mistake here can cause a fuel or exhaust leak. Stop if anything is unclear.
What does a bad plug or screen look like?
- Screen: owners describe it as coked, sooted up or badly clogged with carbon. Owners
- Plug: one owner describes a sooty plug that he cleaned and refitted. Owners
- Plug resistance: the OnTrack guide gives 0.6 to 0.8 ohm for a good glow plug. Manual That is that guide’s figure. One owner measured 0.6 ohm on both an old and a new plug. Owners A plug that reads open circuit has failed.
Clean it or replace it?
The documents differ. The Vevor CY manual and the OnTrack guide say clean or replace. Manual Heatport’s manual says to replace a dirty atomising net or glow plug. Manual
What owners did:
- One cleaned a sooty plug with fine abrasive and acetone and burnt out the badly clogged screen behind it. The heater started first try. He had also changed the battery and cables, so the single cause is not isolated. Owners
- One burns the carbon off the screen and knocks it clean. Owners
- One cleans the plug area once a year with a solvent followed by carburettor cleaner and says the deposits come off completely. Owners
- One fitted a new screen and gaskets from a kit during a full service. Owners
Do not run the heater without a screen: no manual describes that.
What should I watch when putting it back?
- A search excerpt of one Reddit comment describes fitting a new screen with its weld seam on the side away from the small air hole in the well, and checking that the hole is not blocked with carbon. Owners That is one person’s advice, from a thread that was not read in full.
- Refit the plug and its lead as they were. If the burner was opened, use new gaskets, as the owner who did a full service did. Owners
When should I stop?
- A new plug and screen make no difference. One owner in that position found the burn chamber full of loose carbon. Owners See soot build-up and the clean burn.
- A glow plug code appears the instant the heater is switched on, with a plug that measures good. One owner traced that to a failed component on the main board that feeds the plug. Owners
- The screen will not come out, or the plug will not undo without force.
Related questions
- Should I clean the screen or replace it?
- The Vevor CY and OnTrack documents say clean or replace. Heatport's manual says replace a dirty atomising net or glow plug. Owners did both: some burnt the carbon off the old screen, others fitted a new one from a service kit. Have a new one ready in case the old screen does not come out whole.
- What resistance should a good glow plug read?
- The OnTrack guide gives 0.6 to 0.8 ohm. That is that guide's figure for its own heater. One owner measured 0.6 ohm on both his old plug and a new one.
- How often does the screen need doing?
- No manual gives an interval. Owners range widely: one replaced a coked screen twice before changing his intake and exhaust runs, and one cleans the plug area once a year. A search excerpt of another post describes a 2 kW heater whose screen gummed up after a week of running.
- I fitted a new plug and screen and it still will not start. What now?
- The burn chamber is the next suspect. One owner's new plug and screen made no difference because the chamber was full of loose carbon. If the code is a glow plug fault that appears at once with a good plug, one owner traced it to a failed component on the main board.
Where to go next
Sources
Everything on this page is compiled from the documents and discussions below. We summarise them in our own words; follow the links for the originals.
- Vevor diesel heater manual, CY-5001 / CY-5002 / CY-5004 (PDF copy) (xlrzbfnheqpszgtyhdkh.supabase.co)
- OnTrack Outdoor: diesel heater troubleshooting guide (PDF) (cdn.shopify.com)
- Gasmate portable diesel heater manual, DH203 (PDF) (snowys.com.au)
- Heatport H2 / H4 EnControl user manual v1.00 (PDF) (cdn.shopify.com)
- Owner report: sooty plug cleaned and clogged screen burnt out, started first try (auto.ru logbook) (auto.ru)
- Owner report: E-10 with smoke cured by cleaning the plug screen, later the burner (drive2.ru) (drive2.ru)
- Owner reports: deposits wiped from the glow plug bore, yearly cleaning, repairer's comment (drive2.ru) (drive2.ru)
- Owner report: service with new gaskets and screen from a kit (drive2.ru) (drive2.ru)
- Owner post, search excerpt only: E10 after a week, glow plug screen gummed (Reddit r/dieselheater) (reddit.com)
- Owner report, no fix described: E10 and flooding from a clogged ignition screen (Reddit r/dieselheater) (reddit.com)
- Owner posts, search excerpt only: white smoke and no start whenever the screen is due; advice on fitting a new screen (Reddit r/dieselheater) (reddit.com)
- Owner report: glow plug screen coked and replaced twice (The Grey Nomads forum) (thegreynomads.activeboard.com)
- Owner report: plug gauze sooted up after trying old engine oil as fuel (wildcamping.co.uk forum) (wildcamping.co.uk)
- Owner report: glow plug replaced using a maintenance kit and special socket (wildcamping.co.uk forum) (wildcamping.co.uk)
- Owner report: generic glow plug fitted, connector swapped over (wildcamping.co.uk forum) (wildcamping.co.uk)
- Owner report: old and new plugs both 0.6 ohm, fault was on the main board (wildcamping.co.uk forum) (wildcamping.co.uk)
- Owner report: new plug and screen made no difference, chamber full of carbon (Reddit r/vandwellers) (reddit.com)