Espar D2 Airtronic Heater Screen Removal

I took it to TK, still waiting on them to get to it. I do have the tool for the insertion of the new one but I imagine that TK is going to want to sell me one they have in stock, as they probably won't want to use any parts I have for warranty or liability reasons. Mine is incredibly difficult to get to. I tried to unbolt it from the floor, can't even feel the bolts on the other side of the unit really. I could feel them but couldn't even guide a socket onto them. Its an old tripac, a "legacy" as they described it at TK, with hoses that run right up hugged against the back side where the other two bolts are. It may not be a difficult task to get it out really when its done when it needs to be done. Unfortunately though, I didn't do it when I got the truck and don't think the guy who owned it, or the company prior to him owning it for that matter ever did replace that screen. It is in there, looks almost welded to the sides when I looked at with my video camera on my phone. I know me, and I am not a mechanic really at all. Don't have the aptitude and would be even more angry with myself if I destroyed it all together. The APU saves me quite a bit of money, and there are other issues I wanted TK to look at too anyway. Such as why the APU will let the batteries die if I just "arm" it to come on when it needs to, but will run and keep batteries charged running until I shut it off if I set it to 50 degrees on air conditioning, even when it is 30 degrees outside. So it isn't really just the one issue. I just hope I didn't mess up the threads for the glow pin trying to get the screen out like I had. This time is definitely worth letting TK get to it, but from now on every 500 hours or so I will replace that atomizer screen. Should be easy to get out then I would imagine. But yes, definitely a screwball move of whoever installed it the way they did.

 

I got one similar, with the glow pin and the tool on Amazon. Reviews say it works great, but not sure if I need the new glow pin. If I boogered up the threads might need a new burner. I did buy a couple of the fuel filters for the metering pump too. That I am sure I can replace myself. My heater will sometimes ignite, after trying a few times but never fails it will get to whatever temp I set it at and I will wake up freezing my cajones off. It wasn't like that when I first got the truck. Also noticed a fuel leak, that I assume is coming from that little fuel line that supplies the fuel from the meter to the heater.

 

Well, don't go to Convoy Servicing in Dallas (TK) with a legacy unit. They say they can't replace the screen with the heater in the truck. That they have to pull it out, and then by the time they do that replace the screen, replace a gasket and put it back I will be about 2 or 3 hundred shy of buying a brand new bunk heater? Ha. No thanks. I will just go get it and take it someone else, another TK. The one in Little Rock I think could probably do it.