Changing our engine or our Motorhome

[Laura]

We need info about changing our engine and gearbox.

We have a 1999 autoroller with a 1.9 td engine which is very underpowered.

The gear box has gone three times and now we are waiting for the mechanic to find us one.

He has said there are plenty of the newer engines and gearboxes around but the wiring loom is different and it is not something he knows about.

 

Would we be better off trading in for a new van once the gearbox is fixed rather than change engines ect as we have three years left on the finance?

 

We have been very unlucky.

[euroserv]

Yes.

 

It will undoubtedly be a painful excercise but you should get out of this situation before it gets any worse.

 

The idea of a car engine pulling a van along is bad enough, but in a camper it is just insane. The 1.9 Fiat and Peugeot engines are very highly stressed when fitted with a Turbo. We had a SWB 1.9TD Fiat van that had 3 engines before it had done 40,000 miles. The 2.0Hdi/JTD is only a little better. You should look for 2.3 or 2.8 engines that are built for commercial vehicles and are much tougher. The increased power and torque results in less gear changes, better fuel economy and a quieter journey for you. You would not fit a lawnmower engine in a car, so why a car engine in a van?

 

These lower capacity engined vans are cheaper for a reason.

 

Nick

[Archiesgrandad]

Normally only an Italian would buy a Fiat in any case, unless it's a motorhome. Makes you wonder why we do it.

 

AGD

[Brian Kirby]

Laura - 2010-06-08 9:09 AM We need info about changing our engine and gearbox. We have a 1999 autoroller with a 1.9 td engine which is very underpowered. The gear box has gone three times and now we are waiting for the mechanic to find us one. He has said there are plenty of the newer engines and gearboxes around but the wiring loom is different and it is not something he knows about. Would we be better off trading in for a new van once the gearbox is fixed rather than change engines ect as we have three years left on the finance? We have been very unlucky.

Before commenting on what to do with the van, a bit more detail might help to clarify the actual problem.  For example, what model Autoroller?  When did you buy it?  How many miles has the van done?  How many of those miles have you driven? 

You say the gearbox has failed three times.  At roughly what mileages did these failures take place?  You say you are waiting for the mechanic to "find you one".  Reconditioned gearboxes are readily enough found at Fiat garages, has he looked there, or is he combing local scrap yards for a "low mileage" one?  I ask, because gearboxes rarely fail, so if your van has done much less than about 150,000 miles, I'd say the last two replacements were probably junk!  Same mechanic?

However, with a duff gearbox the van is, at present worth little, so get that fixed as the first priority.  The 1.9 engine will struggle with a larger van, especially if it is not working at its best.

I think you will find trying to change engines very costly, and because of numerous differences in ancillary items such as alternators and injector pumps etc, virtually impossible to get working properly.

Check what are the penalties for backing out of the finance deal before you do anything.  If not severe, get the box done and consider changing.  If severe, get a proper box properly installed, get the engine properly serviced and checked for problems, keep the weight of the van as low as possible, and continue driving it until the finance is paid off.  Then go shopping!

[flicka]

Hi Laura

Have a look at the link from Brambles today on the thread:-

 

"HELP PLEASE re. Peugeot Boxer 2.5TD R reg 1997 (Elldis Autostratus EB coachbuilt aka Suntor SE)"

 

Not related to engine replacement, but does include some info on Turbo Boost & lots of other info on the 1.9 Peugeot.

[silverback]

hi Laura,

take the advice offered by nick and brian :-S

changing the engine will be difficult if not impossible (!)

you dont say your location but there is a gearbox recon expert in Leeds, he has just recon my one, 2nd 3rd 5th gears was like a bag of spanners he did it for £850 then a new clutch,service etc £1300 runs like a dream now :D (was caused by water getting in then not being driven alot!! all remedid now!)

sack your mechanic :-S cos 3 gearboxes is not right could be something that is causing it, get your gearbox reconned then cut your losses

JUST TELL US THE REG NUMBER then we know to steer clear (lol)

jonathan

[Laura]

Thanks for your helpful advice.

 

The mechanic we have now is not the same as before!

The gearbox was repaired and then later reconditioned by the same transmission company in Tameside! The van has about 33,000 miles on the clock we have owned it for 2 years and done about 6,000 miles in it.

The mechanic believes it is the syncromesh that has gone. This is exactly what happened before so we will not be returning to that transmission company!

 

 

[rolandrat]

Laura, I used to own a Peugeot 1.9 td car that had done 239000 miles when I sold it. It ran like a dream and was on the original clutch. It's all about regular servicing by experienced and dedicated mechanics. The gearboxes are normally bombproof but the oil level should be checked when serviced. There is a very good gearbox reconditioner who is situated off Bury Road Bolton and you can see them being worked on. There are hundreds of your type of Motorhomes on the road running very well so once you have resolved your gearbox problem you should be able to enjoy it. They are not flying machines, they are what you might call plodders.

[euroserv]

We have repaired an awful lot of gearboxes, and the rules are quite simple if you do not want to have any more problems. Change just about everything!

 

If you have it crunching when going into 4th, or jumping out of 5th which are the most common problems you have to change the 3rd/4th synchro and the 5th, but also change both parts of the 5th gear, the 4th gear and possibly even 3rd as well.

 

What an awful lot of garages do not know is that you should always change the lay shaft bearings and then reassemble the box, check the clearance between the end of the shaft and the casing and substitute the correct shim (a set of which come with the bearings) to get the clearance within tolerance. Too many times we have had gearboxes back with different issues to when they went for repair, always because of this mistake. It is a pain to do, but vital. That is why we do them all ourselves now; we still get the occasional surprise though.

 

A reconditioned box from Fiat is in the range of £1200 to £1400 plus Vat and is often the best way to get a permanent solution.

 

Nick

[Laura]

Thanks for all your very helpfull replies.

We are now finally sorted.

The local mechanic insisted we didnt go back to the gearbox firm in tameside and held out for a secondhand box which he would guarantee.

This box with a new clutch and labour cost us £680.

The van pulls a lot better now as the gearbox is out of a non turbo van so the ratios are diferent.

If it ever happens again we will get a box from fiat.

Pleased its all sorted now as we will be living in the van full time for about 6 months.

Thanks again.