Fiat Ducato 3ltr Fuel Filter Connectors

[Gnoll120]

Hello All

I went to replace my fuel filter today, all went well until I turned the ignition on to bleed the system. The out let fitting blew off and checking the fuel inlet I found I could pull it off.

Does any one have any information ie part numbers or suppliers or as had the same issue.

[Derek Uzzell]

It might be useful to know the make/model and age of your motorhome, but I'll assume it is still the 2007 Swift Bolero 680FB you referred to in a May 2021forum thread.

In 2007 (and right up to 2014) Ducato X250 models were fitted with the design of fuel-filter housing shown on this advert.

https://www.partsworld-uk.com/products/fuel-filter-ducato

and in this image

These filter housings gained a dire reputation for leaking after the internal filter-cartridge had been replaced (GOOGLE-search on ducato fuel filter leak) and it was sometimes suggested that a brand-new housing complete with internal filter-cartridge be fitted rather than just replace the filter-cartridge.

As the link I provided above will show, a new 'genuine' filter housing including cartridge will not be cheap and 'pattern' copies nowadays are marketed on-line for as little as £30. So, if you've replaced the complete housing with an ultra-inexpensive 'pattern' copy, it might not be too surprising if your Ducato's original inlet and outlet fuel-hoses do not connect securely to the new housing.

This link describes the procedure for replacing the complete housing and it will be apparent how simply the fuel-hoses connect to the housing's inlet and outlet fittings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb2raGRuURM

If you have just replaced the internal filter-cartridge and the fuel lines will no longer connect securely to the filter housing, either the housing's inlet and outlet points are faulty (so replacement housing needed), or the fuel-line connectors are faulty (replacement fuel-lines needed), or (Dare I suggest this?) when you connected the fuel-lines to the filter housing you did not push the ends of the fuel-lines fully home.

[Gnoll120]

Hi Derek

Thanks for your reply, i'm sorry I haven't updated my motorhome information . Its a 2012 AutoTrail Frontier Comanche, I have contacted the local Fiat commercial center today and that only one of the connectors is available which comes complete with the fuel pipe and would be around £200 its hard to believe that Fiat would discontinue one of the connectors.

I have just sent my chassis number to a company who may be able to help.

Regards

Howard

[onecal]

Hi,

Is this the offending article, It may be a bit late if damage is done, but there is a special tool for the job when servicing same,

Fuel Filter Service  Tool ADK85502 

If it is your filter just replace all.

Quite a few  people just buy a spare also and carry it with them  

Often poor handling when servicing causes damage , so one has to be very careful as the are not very robust and are well known to give trouble 

I am sure they are still available , much better value than £200 as suggested. Look around 

Regards

[Alanb]

Our Fiat x244 2.8jtd has, an almost identical UFI filter.  Fiat refer to it as a"green" filter.  The one fitted to my vehicle, and I believe to other 2005-2006 Ducatos is all black, so confusing when you are new to the vehicle.

As has One Cal has said a special service tool is required. I used a Laser 5843.  Access to a vice is also required.

Most important is the locking and unlocking of the fuel lines. There is only small movement between released and locked, which requires pulling the white sleeve about 2mm away from the filter body.

I have travelled several thousand miles since changing the filter element. No leaks so far.

If a replacement complete filter is required, new UFI units are available for about £80 on Ebay.

I used an excellent two part guide published on the Fiat forum. It can be found here.

[onecal]

Hi 

Yes the Laser tool also works very well , Alanb, very interesting two part guide.

If Gnoll120 also needs the quick fit connectors they may be available from https://www.auto-ricambi.eu/fuel-hose-and-pipe . worth making contact.

Please make sure you do not fit them on a damaged connection hence (the new unit)

Regards

 

Something wrong with the above link - this one works OK

https://www.auto-ricambi.eu/search/?q=ducato fuel hose

DU

[Derek Uzzell]

11 hours ago, Gnoll120 said:

Hi Derek

Thanks for your reply, i'm sorry I haven't updated my motorhome information . Its a 2012 AutoTrail Frontier Comanche...

The same plastic-bodied fuel-filter housing was used throughout the mid-2006 to mid-2014 production life-span of all Fiat Ducato 'X250' vehicles - so your 2012 Auto-Trail motorhome will have it.

When Ducato 'X250' models were replaced by the 'X290' range in mid-2014, the plastic filter-housing/replaceable filter-cartridge was dropped (though continued to be used on Boxer/Relay vehicles) with a disposable metal canister filter being fitted instead (example here)

This filter was later superseded (when Ducato motors became Euro 6-compliant) by a very expensive metal-bodied/replaceable filter-cartridge design (example here)

 

There has been a LOT of forum discussion about leakage problems with the plastic fuel-filter housing fitted to Ducato 'X250' vehicles (2015 thread on this link)

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/34700-fuel-filter-fix/

and it was sometimes asked whether the subsequent metal canister filter could be directly substituted (Answer = NO)

[Robinhood]

Just to clarify, the "Euro 6-compliant" metal bodied replaceable filter system has a rather more expensive body, but unlike the earlier plastic-bodied version is much less likely to cause problems and require replacement. The replaceable element for both, though different, is roughly the same cost.

The "all-in-one" disposable unit is somewhat more expensive than a replaceable element, but has the advantage of being less fiddly/messy at service time.

Whatever, you get what system your vehicle has, and have to live with it.

Whilst I've replaced the element in the latest type, I haven't had reason to deal with the plastic one. The OP doesn't seem to be suffering from the common problem for the source of any leakage. Given the indication that the fuel connector locking mechanism is somewhat marginal, and with both in and out ostensibly both having failed, I do wonder whether the correct procedure was followed to tightly connect them, or whether a bit of "fettling" might help. I think I'd want to push the fuel pipes in, and at the same time pull the collar out with mild force. As the OP indicated that one could be pulled out by hand, it should be relatively easy to check if that has made things secure.

[Derek Uzzell]

13 minutes ago, Derek Uzzell said:

When Ducato 'X250' models were replaced by the 'X290' range in mid-2014, the plastic filter-housing/replaceable filter-cartridge was dropped (though continued to be used on Boxer/Relayvehicles) with a disposable metal canister filter being fitted instead.

Having just come across an entry on another motorhome forum where the owner of a 2012 Ducato said his vehicle had the metal canister fuel-filter, I'm now pretty sure my above statement was wrong and that the plastic filter-housing version was dropped earlier - when Ducato motors became Euro 5-compliant in 2011 - not when the Ducato 'X290' range was introduced in 2014.

I vaguely recall an O&AL forum thread concerning leakage from the fuel-line push-fit connectors after a filter change and when the fuel-filter had been the metal canister type. If I remember correctly, the filter replacement had not been performed by the motorhome's owner and the person who had reattached the fuel-lines had either not done this properly or had damaged the connectors.