Matrix Meanderer Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Our 2011 Fiat Ducato based Adria has developed an irregular metallic clunking noise when driving round sharp left hand bends. The noice seems to emanate from somewhere near the driver's feet. Have had the vehicle's suspension and engine compartment up on the ramp and checked for loose bits but all is tight and in working order. Nothing rolling around loose in any front cupboard or storage area. So my focus fell on the gaslow cylinder mounted in the gas locker just behind the driver's seat. Maybe some part of the internal mechanism is loose? We have done a lot of hairpin bends in France and Italy recently. Asked Gaslow in Loughborough for an opinion by email but no reply (yet). Also haven't taken the cylinder out to shake it about yet. But wondering if anyone else has expereinced metallic 'clunk' noise coming from their Gaslow cylinder or the front end of their Fiat Ducato.? Any ideas/suggestions enyone 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Could be a loose bolt associated with one of the anti-roll bars. Or even a anti-roll bar mount broken. You need to get some beast to rock the vehicle while you crawl around / underneath. C. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Thanks Clive - but I'll have to find the bar mounts first! Good possibility however. Surely the Fiat Professional garage would have spotted loose mounts/bolts wouldn't they? or am I expecting too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wints Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I get a ticking noise, very similar to a long case clock, coming from one of my 11kg gaslows. Took me ages to locate it. It had been bugging me for a while, enter the van, walk around a bit, sit down then this ticking noise starts. It would last a minute or so, then as the van stopped moving the noise would go away. I got my ear down to the floor thinking it was something in the water tank, then I traced it to the gas locker, then ear to gas bottle and there it was. Next thing to look at is wether it affects both 11kg bottles. I've traced it to the half empty one, maybe the 80% float valve thing is loose and catching the side of the bottle. The full bottle has had the ear check and it's quiet at the moment. regards Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 It might be easiest to remove the Gaslow cylinder and go out for a test drive - if the noise is still there it isn't your cylinder .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Yes I have noticed an intermittent noise from whichever of my Gaslow cylinders is in use at the time. It is like a metallic singing noise. I wonder if this is only with Gaslow or could it happen with other types.?. Brian B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 have just refitted my STAKO bottles a sthere was a leak and bought new hoses etc....They are about half full and you do hear what must be the level clunking about as you manhandle them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 A Gaslow bottle will have a float mechanism for its 80%-full cut-off valve, plus a 2nd float mechanism if the bottle has a contents-level gauge. Drawings on the 1st page of this file depict the mechanisms: http://www.gaslow.co.uk/pdf/Gaslow-2011-brochure.pdf If either of the mechanisms had fallen apart, one would expect to see a knock-on effect (eg. the gauge no longer functioning). It's also easy to envisage that the mechanisms could produce noise when a bottle is manhandled, when the LPG in the bottle is being sloshed about by vehicle movement, or when the LPG is 'boiling off'. (Similarly for STAKO bottles.) But the amount of noise should be small and not (in my view) likely to be described as "an irregular metallic clunking noise when driving round sharp left hand bends". There could be many reasons for the noise, but I very much doubt it's related to the Gaslow bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Here is a pic of where the anti- roll bar is connected(arrowed yellow)to the track control arm Check the rubber bushes and the nuts for tightness . The bar runs across the vehicle with cranked arms that connect to the track control arms on each side . The bar is usually rubber mounted onto the chassis with a pair U shaped clamps held by a pair of bolts per clamp. If the clunk is related to road speed there might be problems with the Constant Velocity ( CV) joint. On lock the inner CV has to work through a sharper angle so its the NS one that is the main suspect Check both CV rubber convoluted boots have not been damaged allowing grease to escape and road dirt to get in. PS How do I restrict the text width to match the pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 George Collings - 2012-11-19 4:54 PM ...PS How do I restrict the text width to match the pic. Not sure you can (or even need to) - your posting + photo looks fine to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 George Collings - 2012-11-19 4:54 PM Here is a pic of where the anti- roll bar is connected(arrowed yellow)to the track control arm Check the rubber bushes and the nuts for tightness . The bar runs across the vehicle with cranked arms that connect to the track control arms on each side . The bar is usually rubber mounted onto the chassis with a pair U shaped clamps held by a pair of bolts per clamp. If the clunk is related to road speed there might be problems with the Constant Velocity ( CV) joint. On lock the inner CV has to work through a sharper angle so its the NS one that is the main suspect Check both CV rubber convoluted boots have not been damaged allowing grease to escape and road dirt to get in. PS How do I restrict the text width to match the pic. Blimey, you've been cleaning your 'van again George! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-11-19 7:33 PM George Collings - 2012-11-19 4:54 PM Here is a pic of where the anti- roll bar is connected(arrowed yellow)to the track control arm Check the rubber bushes and the nuts for tightness . The bar runs across the vehicle with cranked arms that connect to the track control arms on each side . The bar is usually rubber mounted onto the chassis with a pair U shaped clamps held by a pair of bolts per clamp. If the clunk is related to road speed there might be problems with the Constant Velocity ( CV) joint. On lock the inner CV has to work through a sharper angle so its the NS one that is the main suspect Check both CV rubber convoluted boots have not been damaged allowing grease to escape and road dirt to get in. PS How do I restrict the text width to match the pic. Blimey, you've been cleaning your 'van again George! :-D He's slacking Brian ... I can see rusty bits ... tut, tut, tut George! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Re Text Size, Its the way my screen is displayed. Have too scroll sideway to read complete line. Must ask Number 2 son ( Total computer geek) to sort it. I would also check all the power unit rubber mountings. Both for tearing and their nuts and bolts for tightness. Brian, you must be joking, I prefer German engineering. The pics were taken on the Fiat Stand at the 2006 NEC exhibition where the old bull poo baffles brains rule applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 In my humble opinion the knocking sound is unlikely to be anything to do with the gaslow cylinder. A known issue with Ducatos is the top strut mount rubbers failing which leads to the metal part of the strut hitting the top mount metal and causing your knock over rough ground or when turning so the failed side is loaded (if it happens when turning left then its likely to be the right hand side and vise versa). D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Or could be the wheel bearing??? Just another suggestion :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 its a newish van under warranty? So.... take it to another Fiat garage and let them investigate then take the service manger on a test ride and replicate.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 Wow - you stop watching the forum for a short time and come back to find loads of responses and even photos! What a forum :-D In the meantime I've had an interesting response from Gaslow that is worth sharing as follows: "The ‘ticking’ noise you can hear is the liquid gas ‘bouncing’ off the float level mechanism in the cylinder, this happens when the cylinder/s are full and when you say you have been driving round sharp corners it will cause the liquid gas to bounce off the level. It should stop when you have used quite a bit of gas." Helpful and interesting from Gaslow but not quite the fault I described. It is much more likely to be the suspension. I did try to recreate the sound by jumping up and down on the O/S cab step as suggested earlier but couldn't get the vehicle to budge and I'm 16 stone. So it's back to the Fiat garage. Yes - I've got the mh booked back in to a Fiat Professional garage (under warranty) on Thursday. I will certainly share the forum suggestions with the garage - might help them narrow their focus down. They want to find the fault otherwise they say they cannot bill Fiat for the work. Interestingly, the only fault found first time round (during the free health check) was that two of the four diodes in the front repeater sidelight had failed. Adria say "no warranty claim" as their threshold is three of the four failing for a warranty replacement. You live and learn! Next instalment after Thursday's garage visit. Will the techs find the fault or not? Watch this space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minstrel Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 George Collings - 2012-11-19 9:31 PMRe Text Size, Its the way my screen is displayed. Have too scroll sideway to read complete line. Must ask Number 2 son ( Total computer geek) to sort it.I would also check all the power unit rubber mountings. Both for tearing and their nuts and bolts for tightness.Brian, you must be joking, I prefer German engineering. The pics were taken on the Fiat Stand at the 2006 NEC exhibition where the old bull poo baffles brains rule applied. To change text size on screen, hold down control key and roll the wheel on your mouse. Easy peasy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Minstrel - 2012-11-20 11:38 PMGeorge Collings - 2012-11-19 9:31 PMRe Text Size, Its the way my screen is displayed. Have too scroll sideway to read complete line. Must ask Number 2 son ( Total computer geek) to sort it.I would also check all the power unit rubber mountings. Both for tearing and their nuts and bolts for tightness.Brian, you must be joking, I prefer German engineering. The pics were taken on the Fiat Stand at the 2006 NEC exhibition where the old bull poo baffles brains rule applied. To change text size on screen, hold down control key and roll the wheel on your mouse. Easy peasy There are various means of altering text-size in a browserhttp://sbpoley.home.xs4all.nl/main/adjust.htmlhowever, I'm not sure that's George's problem.As I envisage it, George's machine is displaying text with a wide line-length that forces him to scroll sideways to read the complete contents of the line. It's not that the text size is too large: it's that the line is too long. (This is the sort of thing that occasionally happens when a forum member provides a very long link.) If that's the problem, I don't know how to fix it and, as I use a Mac (and a wheel-less mouse), there's no guarantee that what might work on my machine would work on George's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Re Length of lines. Minstrel, Thanks that only alters the whole page. Its the format of the page that is the problem, the lines are off screen and if I alter print size its to small to read. Not the end of the world. And I think as usual Daves suggestion of the strut top bearing is the most likely source of the noise. Ps If we put in a bulk order could we get anoraks at a big discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 Road test done - problem solved :-D What was it? A well hidden mini aerosol can of lock spray which had managed to get into the small gap under the drivers seat behind the tray which originally held the tyre inflation kit (long since binned). This was moving from side to side on tight corners and impacting on the chair frame. Obviously the potholed Italian roads in September had rocked and rolled it into this tiny space. Morale of the story - two sets of ears (the road tester's and mine) are better than one! The tester identified the underseat location of the noise which caused a more thorough local search. Slightly embarrased at creating the investigation for such a simple solution but you never know - it could have been the suspension or the anti-roll bar. Motorhomes have lots of nooks and crannies where bits of kit, coins, cutlery etc etc can fall and lodge. Thanks to all for their helpful comments. Useful comments from Gaslow as well - see above. I'll now set off for Spain knowing that the front suspension is OK and ready to take on the rubbish roads off motorway in the Iberian peninsula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Well!..... I news it wouldn't be the ADRIA dumbo, cose I got one 2, although yours a mere CB thingy.....and mine a far superior panel van....(faster alsos) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 OMGG! the imposter is back! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-11-22 5:34 PM Well!..... I news it wouldn't be the ADRIA dumbo, cose I got one 2, although yours a mere CB thingy.....and mine a far superior panel van....(faster alsos) Don't worry about Eddie's impostor folks - every new van he has is the most fantastic thing available - until the novelty wears off and he changes it for the next new one - which then becomes the most fantastic thing available!! It's called Mental Judgement!! Boom Boom!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-11-22 5:36 PM OMGG! the imposter is back! :D Except he/she is not! The "impostor" used the username "Judge Mental" and to date has made 1 single posting. In the meantime the (self) esteemed Eddie is known by the username of "Judgemental "(no space you see) and has to date made 7445 postings on various subjects, frequently berating other forum users for their lack of foresight, poor choice of motorhome ('cos they didn't pick the one he likes), and any other "offence" he feels they have committed. Come on Eddiie if you're going to try to use someone as a scapegoat at least cover up the basics. D. Edited to correct spuuling mistooks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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