To do what Dan's done, you need to sell your TD6, buy a 4.4 and make sure it has had the FBH pre-heater installed by LR. (and the get a LPG conversion)

On a TD6, you have the FBH standard. It does not do pre-heating, though, just aids the cabin heater in cold temps. It is possible to 'activate' this via a BMW coding tool - or I should say it should be possible (I was told by LR that their diagnostic tools do not have this option). I'm still working on this at the moment.... 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Do you have the wiring there already to plug the reciever into? There should be a loose plug behind the fuse board in the right of the boot, its only two bolts to see... 

Just checked through my manual and believe I've managed to set the FBH to come on at 8am tomorrow, fingers crossed.


Will look into getting remote like Dans

dan_uk_1984 wrote:

Do you have the wiring there already to plug the reciever into? There should be a loose plug behind the fuse board in the right of the boot, its only two bolts to see...

It won't work w/o the pre-heat function being activated. I have the wiring and I've tried. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

SteveMFr wrote:

dan_uk_1984 wrote:

Do you have the wiring there already to plug the reciever into? There should be a loose plug behind the fuse board in the right of the boot, its only two bolts to see...

It won't work w/o the pre-heat function being activated. I have the wiring and I've tried.

Steve - doesnt the control module override the cars settings? It sends a signal to the fbh unit to run for x duration?

To manually get the fbh to run you just ground the 3rd wire or supply 12v+ to it (depending on exactly which we have) - to this end it is very easy to install a webasto 7 day timer if you dont have the MID. The Rover 75 has the timer module in the cubby box so this could be an option for some.

Complete systems are sold on ebay to get a fbh to work as a pre-heater... This looks plug n play: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WEBASTO-THERMO-TOP-H...2eb12efab3 but may but interface with vehicle systems... 

Tried the 12v jumper (and gnd - but ours are most likely 12v) last winter after the remote receiver seemed to have no effect. No dice. I would have left the silly activation probs for someone else to solve...

I found an answer after some long searches in both an E39 and an E53 forum - both stated that you need the pre-heat function activated before the + signal will have any effect.  
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Often with iBus attatched devices there mere presence enables them. Sometimes takes an ignition cycle to pick thinsg up, sometimes a short time delay and sometimes a power disconnect.

This shizzle is cut and paste from the MG forums:

The very same FBH can in BMWs be remotely controlled by the Navigation system. If a FBH is found on the K-Bus the auxiliary heating menu is enabled on the Sat Nav screen and on off times can be set.

That is why the first time if you fit a BMW MK3 or MK4 nav computer to a Hi-Line CDT the auxiliary heating menu will appear then go black then disappear the reason for this I believe is the 75 does not have a I-bus clock so times can not be set the nav realises this and removes the option


Also see here for a smidge more info: http://www.blackbox-solutions.com/shop/help/SM038.html 

Hi Dan,
Since the diesels have the FBH standard but w/o the pre-heat function, it isn't as simple as they put it here: If a FBH is found on the K-Bus the auxiliary heating menu is enabled on the Sat Nav screen and on off times can be set.
It might have been on an MG when the FBH was retrofitted - it might even work on a petrol RR when a FBH is retrofited, but on the diesel RR's there is a software-component missing somewhere.

The components/connections are:
- FBH/K-bus
- IKE (instrument cluster)/K and I-bus
- ATC (air temp control or HEVAC ECU)/K-bus
- MID or satnav screen/I-bus
- FBH reciever/+12v(?) signal to FBH

The way I imagine it is:
The FBH recieves an 'on' signal from the satnav/MID over K-bus and via the IKE (which serves as a gateway between the various bus systems) or the FBH recieves a + signal from the FBH-receiver. The FBH starts its burn and, once warm enough, switches on the recirculation pump and sends a K-bus signal to the ATC which turns on the blowers to distribute warm air in the cabin.

As items on the I-bus generally show in the menu when connected (the MG guys seem to be right about that: add a TV receiver it shows in the menu, remove the radio - its gone. Reconnect, it's back), this can only mean one of 2 things: the IKE is blocking the FBH ident signal (unlikely) or the FBH needs to be told to send it's ident signal. The second scenario seems more likely - especially as my FBH didn't react to a signal from the receiver either. So I believe that the FBH needs to be told to allow the pre-heat function (soft switch) - after which it will broadcast its ident signal to the satnav/MID and also know what to do with the +12v from the receiver. This fits with the info from the BMW forums as well. I'd actually be curious as to what Colin would say on this topic.

2 items of note:
- the vehicles (actually the RAVE only mentions V8 - but I assume diesels w/pre heat have the same setup) fitted with the pre-heat option have a changeover valve which reduces the coolant circuit to just the heater. While this means that the motor is not pre-warmed, the passenger compartment is nice and toasty. Apparently a diesel FBH activated with the pre-heat function will only do lukewarm on both the motor and cabin at very cold temps (which would be fine by me if it reduced the warm up time significantly). This was actually something I read on the German E39 forum posted by a guy with a 5-series touring and living in the alps. The FBH's we used to install in the aftermarket were generally also installed this way (heated both the cabin and the motor) but were probably of greater heat output in relation to vehicle/engine size
- while I've never read of an MID equipped RR with pre-heat, this is readily available on BMW's. The pre-heat is then available to be programmed on the MID (if the pixels allow the operator to see anything...)


Actually, if you ever have the time and desire, it would be great if you could check to see if the receiver actually does send a + signal down the W/Gn wire and if this signal stays for the duration of the FBH's operation. You'll probably either need a wire piercing probe or very thin probe to get at the connector. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Wow Steve, that's certainly a lot to think about.

I'll have a play with the remote when it arrives and see what actually happens and hopefully what signal is sent where.

Also, interesting you say the fbh has the switchover valve, whilst I was aware of its existance, I hadn't factored it into the equation much. I thought the FBH is designed to warm both engine and interior, certainly on mine it does both rather than just the interior, and mine does have the valve.

This means after a 30 minute burn the temperature is just off the blue, even in -2 temps we had recently. So as soon as you start the heater is instantly pumping out hot air, and the engine is much quieter!

Shame you're not local, these idea's would flow so much better over a pint! 

It really would be easier if we were all in the same corner of the world. I do get over your way every now and again. A couple of pints ought to be planned in.

The changeover valve's operation would really interest me too. Here's what the RAVE has to say:

FBH System
The system consists of a FBH unit, a FBH fuel pump and a changeover valve. On vehicles with the remote operation feature, the system also includes a FBH receiver and a remote handset. Fuel for the FBH system is taken from the vehicle fuel tank, through a line attached to the fuel tank's fuel pump unit, and supplied via the FBH fuel pump to the FBH unit. In the FBH unit, the fuel delivered by the FBH fuel pump is burned and the resultant heat output is used to heat the engine coolant. The changeover valve isolates the heater coolant
circuit from the engine coolant circuit

If you are ever playing with the FBH, feel the upper radiator hose during the FBH's operation. Then start the motor and check again. Maybe the valve opens when the coolant reaches a certain threshold temp? Or maybe the hot water from the heater matrix suffices to make the guage rise? Apparently, BMW offers a retrofit kit for the pre-heat function including a new changeover valve. I'd really like to know if some of the stuff I have read is true... 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

SteveMFr wrote:

The changeover valve isolates the heater coolant
circuit from the engine coolant circuit

Interesting, as that seems to contradict the manual. It says the remote heat "pre-heats the vehicle" which to me means interior too. Also if the valve blocks off the heater matrix why do the interior fans come on and blow hot air??

One thing I read on the Mg forums was that on the Freelander the unit waits till it gets up to temp and then switches the interior fans on so it concentrates on heating the block first. But this is a little here-say.

Dan 

Actually, the way I understood it is the other way around; the heater matrix gets all the FBH's heat to make sure that the cabin is warm. The recirculation pump always switches on with the FBH to keep the unit from overheating, but the blower only comes on when a threshold temp is reached.

It'd be interesting to know if the changeover valve opens when the cabin is warm enough and heats the motor as well? I'd assume so. In which case just activating the FBH in the diesel RR's is a bit more 'primitive' - and would account for the lukewarm interior the BMW driver mentioned. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

SteveMFr wrote:

Actually, the way I understood it is the other way around; the heater matrix gets all the FBH's heat to make sure that the cabin is warm. The recirculation pump always switches on with the FBH to keep the unit from overheating, but the blower only comes on when a threshold temp is reached.

It'd be interesting to know if the changeover valve opens when the cabin is warm enough and heats the motor as well? I'd assume so. In which case just activating the FBH in the diesel RR's is a bit more 'primitive' - and would account for the lukewarm interior the BMW driver mentioned.

The block is definately heating, else the thermostant wouldnt rise? Hmmmmm 

That's why I was wondering if the hot water in the heater matrix surging into the cooling system when the motor is started suffices to make the guage rise? Or did you see the guage rise with just the ignition on - no motor running yet?

This would be easier over a pint or 2... 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Nope, gauge shoots up as soon as ign on. Also if heater was just doing the cabin i would expect it to be warmer than it is...