AlanS Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 We have the new X290 Fiat Ducato 2.3 150 BHP and have just covered over 2000 miles, mostly in France on our recent holiday. The transmission has developed a noise - similar to what I would have called a clutch release bearing noise. When I put the gear in neutral the noise appears and sometimes not. When the noise appears if I push the clutch pedal down a couple of times the noise may disappear only to come back again after a short while. With the clutch held down no noise at all. There is no perceptible noise from the clutch when driving and certainly no judder or clutch slip. We have driven some very steep climbs over the mountains with no problems at all except for this noise when in neutral. Any thoughts please ? I am going to take it in to a Fiat Pro Service centre (Fiat/Daf/Iveco) for a software update on the Radio/Navigator and will ask them to take a look but thought you might be able to give me some insight as to whether you have found similar problems and what it may be ? Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Hi Alan, I have not had any similar problems, especially at such a low mileage. I would recommend that you bring it to the attention of the dealer who will speak to Fiat about it. It sounds like a problem with the clutch plate and may fail early if not repaired. The flywheel would be juddering if there was a fault with that and the thrust release bearing (as we used to know it) is part of the slave cylinder and does not tend to make any noise. I would expect Fiat to authorise a clutch swap under warranty. But that is up to them. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 Nick Thanks very much for your quick reply and comments. I have booked it in on this Wednesday for the software update and they are going to see what they think of my 'clutch issue' at the same time. I will update when I have had an answer. Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Had the software update for the 'radionavigator' carried out today but service agent didn't know what it was all about only that Fiat had requested the changes - no change as far as I am concerned in appearance or how the radio/navigation system operates. With respect to the clutch - would you believe it there was no noise at all no matter how I tried. They said that maybe it was just 'bedding in'. When it happened on holiday we were having extremes of temperature, i.e. 35 - 40 degrees C so I wonder if it is something to do with excessive temperatures. In all I did about 60 miles today round trip and clutch as quiet as I would expect whilst in neutral. Sod's law ! Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 On our previous van the gearbox used to get really noisy in the high temperatures of a southern French summer, to the point that I thought that failure was imminent. However it always returned to normal, quiet operation on return to Scotland.. This year, with the new Bailey, it was the power steering that seemed to be on it's way out as temperatures climbed to the very high thirties. The grinding and whirring got so bad (even my wife could hear it!) that we were marking Peugeot garages on the map as we passed them. I intended to stop at my local dealer on the way home but by then all had returned to normal! Higher ambient temperatures do certainly have an effect on the mechanicals, plus I'm sure that our ears become much more sensitive as we get further from home.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 It is a little while since I last posted on the problem I experienced with our MH clutch 9as I first thought) but the noise did not manifest itself last time I asked my service centre (HTC Reading - DAF, Iveco, Fiat Pro sales and service) to have a listen. Over the past year the noise has come back, well at least I can hear it but my wife cannot !). I had recently booked our MH in to HTC for a small service as we only have covered 6,000 miles so far in 18 months and today they carried this out and had a look at the noise problem at the same time. I have had the service done this morning and they gave me the 'good' news that it was the gearbox that had the problem and they took an oil sample and rang Fiat to say that they thought it required a new gearbox or a total strip-down to determine what has failed. They have just phoned me to tell me that Fiat have agreed to a new gearbox but it has to be ordered from Italy as there wasn't one in the country - they hope to get one in a week if it is available and are going to let me know Friday. So far excellent service from my service centre and for Fiat giving their approval so quickly under warranty. We have just come home from France and again the MH has performed perfectly and pulls like a train and its is only the noise when idling in neutral that caused me have it looked at again. So all in all a 'good' result, although I would have much preferred not to have had the problem in the first place, especially with so low a mileage. Nick, have you heard of a Ducato gearbox failure before so early in a vehicles life / very low mileage ? Alan euroserv - 2015-07-06 2:21 PM Hi Alan, I have not had any similar problems, especially at such a low mileage. I would recommend that you bring it to the attention of the dealer who will speak to Fiat about it. It sounds like a problem with the clutch plate and may fail early if not repaired. The flywheel would be juddering if there was a fault with that and the thrust release bearing (as we used to know it) is part of the slave cylinder and does not tend to make any noise. I would expect Fiat to authorise a clutch swap under warranty. But that is up to them. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Well that's not 'good news' for me! Two weekends ago I had something similar, was driving throu Leitchfield with the passenger side window open and heard a rattle, foot on clutch and it seemed to disappear, foot off and it came back. As is always the case with these things we where not in a position to stop. It seemed to be rattling whether in or out of gear with no clutch pressure, of cause when we got to a place to stop and get out and investigate there was no noise, so I put it down to clutch release bearing being noisy when cold, but since then I've started up from cold and no noise, was going to post on here but forgot all about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Hi Colin Mine didn't make a noise when starting up from cold but once hot it could be heard within the cab by me and definitely outside at the clutch / gearbox side - I didn't even consider the gearbox but the technician said it was the problem right enough and then took an oil sample. I didn't get chance to quiz him on it any more as he left the matter with the service manager. If your MH is under warranty still, it would be worth seeing a 'reputable' Fiat Pro dealer, i.e. one who does commercial vehicles only - not the combined car/van dealer as I have found them next to useless in the past. Good luck. Alan colin - 2016-10-17 8:00 PM Well that's not 'good news' for me! Two weekends ago I had something similar, was driving throu Leitchfield with the passenger side window open and heard a rattle, foot on clutch and it seemed to disappear, foot off and it came back. As is always the case with these things we where not in a position to stop. It seemed to be rattling whether in or out of gear with no clutch pressure, of cause when we got to a place to stop and get out and investigate there was no noise, so I put it down to clutch release bearing being noisy when cold, but since then I've started up from cold and no noise, was going to post on here but forgot all about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevina Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Our 2008 2.3 gearbox/clutch is also rattly when hot and has been this way for a couple of years and 15 - 20,000 miles at least (50,000 total). It takes a good hours driving to get noisy. The gearbox and clutch had the reverse gear modifications carried out. Also, we have a little trouble engaging reverse sometimes. I recently changed the gearbox oil and carefully measured the old oil which was 0.7 litres short. There were tiny, dust like, metal filings on the drainplug magnet but I assumed this was normal. I haven't checked the rattle since but it hasn't made any difference to engaging reverse. Still wondering what to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap44 Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 The noise you are hearing is excessive backlash in the first motion/ layshaft when the engine is at tickover. Put your foot on the clutch and the rattle from the gears stop's as the gears are not then turning. My 2-8 has just started doing this at 88k. It has the best oil in it that I can get and is always slightly overfilled so 5th gear gets more oil. Also the gearbox tends to get water in it due to the heater drains dumping water all over the gearbox breather. Try fresh oil 1 grade thicker but it may not cure it. I have a Lotus 7 with a straight cut gearbox that you can hear from the other side of a wide road untill you put the clutch down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 Well, had a phone call this PM to say that the new gearbox has arrived from Italy and we have been given a slot of just over a week to take our motorhome in to have the new box fitted. Will let you know when it is completed and back to us. I would like to know what has actually failed in the present box as it drives with no problem at all but presume we will never know. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted November 5, 2016 Author Share Posted November 5, 2016 Well, we took our motorhome in on Wednesday to have the new gearbox fitted and the work was completed and ready to collect late yesterday PM but we picked it up this morning. The gearbox is as it should be and no untoward noise - looking back. the old one was noisy when idling in neutral and I suppose it got louder as I got used to the noise. It is too early to say what a difference it has made but all seems good so far but the gear change is a little stiff to start with but by the time I got home (about 20 miles) it seemed to get a little better. Our MH is only 18 months old and we have covered just over 6000 miles - most of it in France on longish runs so to have a gearbox problem so early in its life is rare. Considering I thought it might have been a clutch problem I think both HTC Reading (DAF / Iveco ? Fiat Pro) and Fiat Italy have come up trumps with the MH's problem - no arguing the toss, instant diagnosis and speedy gearbox delivery and installation. In all excellent service - yes I would prefer it not to have happened in the first place and of course all covered under warranty. Now to start planning our next trip. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 Had a quick look under the cab today whilst it was dry and noticed that the whole transmission unit has been changed as one piece - gearbox, bellhousing and presumably the clutch was included as well. I suppose in the scheme of things it must be quicker to do this than just the gearbox. Alan AlanS - 2016-11-05 10:02 PM Well, we took our motorhome in on Wednesday to have the new gearbox fitted and the work was completed and ready to collect late yesterday PM but we picked it up this morning. The gearbox is as it should be and no untoward noise - looking back. the old one was noisy when idling in neutral and I suppose it got louder as I got used to the noise. It is too early to say what a difference it has made but all seems good so far but the gear change is a little stiff to start with but by the time I got home (about 20 miles) it seemed to get a little better. Our MH is only 18 months old and we have covered just over 6000 miles - most of it in France on longish runs so to have a gearbox problem so early in its life is rare. Considering I thought it might have been a clutch problem I think both HTC Reading (DAF / Iveco ? Fiat Pro) and Fiat Italy have come up trumps with the MH's problem - no arguing the toss, instant diagnosis and speedy gearbox delivery and installation. In all excellent service - yes I would prefer it not to have happened in the first place and of course all covered under warranty. Now to start planning our next trip. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andytw Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 When a gearbox and engine are split into 2 parts at the bellhousing, the clutch would remain bolted up to the flywheel which is part of the engine, so I wouldn't 'presume' you have a new clutch. Not that you needed one, just setting your expectations. andytw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted November 7, 2016 Author Share Posted November 7, 2016 Yes Andy I thought about it after I wrote it and you are correct - when I worked on my Land Rovers in the past and you split the bellhousing from the engine the clutch was left as you would expect on the engine - silly me ! On my MH there was nothing wrong with the bite of the clutch and no clutch slip whatsoever so presumably they didn't look at it, still it would have been nice to have had the whole lot done but shouldn't be greedy. Alan andytw - 2016-11-07 12:39 PM When a gearbox and engine are split into 2 parts at the bellhousing, the clutch would remain bolted up to the flywheel which is part of the engine, so I wouldn't 'presume' you have a new clutch. Not that you needed one, just setting your expectations. andytw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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