sounds like a plane...

[monkeyarris]

hi all...just joined...i have a mk2 galaxy tdi 2004 zetec...love it, we all do...this is my second one after a 10yr gap..however, this car has been making a strange noise like there is a lot of air rushing out, outside of the car...when the engine is running it sounds like 20 very powerfull hair dryers, but when i turn the engine off, it sounds like a jet has just turned its engine off and eventually stops...the noise is so bad my other half is actually embaressed to be seen getting out of it...it also happens intermitently...i had a look the other day while the engine was still running, and 3/4 of the way down the left side of the car, underneath, there is a small box which has one pipe coming out of it and running the length of the car, and it also looks like there should be another one, but is missing...and that is where all this noisy air is rushing out of...my son in law has a alhambra, so i looked under his to find that its identical and that there should definately be 2 pipes...the one thats missing sort of looks like a minature exhaust complete with a little box half way down it, and is angled towards the center rear of the car with the exit end of the pipe having a flat pinched end...i do smell fumes when this air is rushing out...does anyone know what this pipe is called so i can go to a scrappy for a replacement? thanks very much, and sorry for the long post! 

[Mirez]

That will be the booster heater, probably more amazing is that its working as they aren't the most reliable of things! In sub 10*c weather it heats the cabin and engine up quicker as the TDI doesn't produce much waste heat so a working heater is a big comfort factor and arguably helps to reduce engine wear.

It looks like an exhaust because that's exactly what it is! (Insert black adder baldric line here). Without it then, as you've noticed, it sounds horrendous! Hunting for a second hand one should be easily doable and they just clamp on with one screw mid way down.

[monkeyarris]

Blackadder quote for this scenario...In terms of my lack of knowledge..."The Renaissance is just something that happened to other people isn't baldrick"...lol...Thanks very much for the reply....you learn something new eh? Now I can call the scrappy...and by the sounds of it I'm a lucky man to have a working booster heater! And it's Monday! Thanks mate...😉

[johnnyroper]

The booster heater certainly does make a racket,my Mrs finds it embarrassing so I fitted a switch on dash instead of the under bonnet temp one. That way have control over when it runs once I get some heat from heaters I turn it off and let engine take over.

The piece that's missing won't make it any quieter I had mine off for a while while I tested repairs and got to say exactly the same with or without it.

[gregers]

nah thats not embarrassing,
having it pumping out smoke like a fog machine.NOW thats embarrassing.ive never had that done to me,

[steveo59]

Hi, congratulations on having a working auxillary / booster heater.I know what you mean about the noise being embarrassing, my wife feels the same although I've got used to it. As has already been mentioned the booster heater is to help the engine heat up quicker and hence the heater during cold weather. There is a temperature sensor clipped to the windscreen wiper linkage mechanism just where the wiring loom connector plugs into the wiper motor. This temperature sensor is preset to 10 deg C, so when the temperature drops below the booster heater comes on automatically. Many of us have disconnected the sensor and wired  through to a switch inside the car. This allows you to be in control of when the heater comes on.
So for short journeys I leave it off and just put it on for longer journeys and can still turn it off  a couple of minutes before I arrive at my destination. It also allows you to test it and work on it during warmer weather, not just when it's cold.