Any advice for new Dethleffs Owner please?

[johnny55]

Hi there, we recently bought a Fiat Ducato Dethleffs A class 91, 1.9 turbo diesel from a lovely lady in Suffolk. We have only had VW's before but needed something bigger.

We are very pleased with it, smashing on the inside, but we have a couple of faults abt worried about.

1. A slight oil leak , havnt had tme to clean everything up to see where its coming from, but she said it had one before which she had done which we checked out, so not sure what this is.

2.. Intermittent problem when trying to start it. Sometimes it starts first time, other times it just clicks and need to start a few times unitil it fires up.

drove it back from Norfolk to Surrey lovely, really flew, so dont know what this could be.

3. warning light for handbrake comes on and stays on and the handbook is all in German, so dont know what this could be. was hoping as the motorhome has sat for some months since her husband passed away it could be that, but it stayed on the whole time we drove back. could it be brake fluid?

Havnt got any info on how the motorhome works, as we have no manual, so going round trying it all out, unsure on the water works, how the solar panels work etc.

Any help from any campers or Dethleffs owners would be extremly useful.

hoefully we havnt bought something that just looks good! They had it for 4 years and went all over in it, and it passed its MOT no probs so any help on these little niggly faults would be great before we head off with all the 7 kids for some sun!! Thanks, john and Kate

[Dancer]

Hi Johnny, welcome to the madhouse.

Good information and total rubbish is just a click away.

Point 1. Fiats will leak slightly if the oil is getting old and thin. Change the oil and filter. Easy job.

Point 2. Try removing the battery terminals and giving them a good clean. Remove the earth terminal first and connect it last. Make sure you have any radio codes before you disconnect.

Point 3. More than likely the brake master cylinder fluid level. Two possible reasons, 1. The brake pads have worn down, the fluid level drops as the pads wear, comes back up when new pads are fitted. 2. The fluid is leaking back into the servo, sorry, this is a new master cylinder required.

My Elnagh A class is on a Ducato and also has a handbook in German, however, all the internal appliances have good explanations on their respective web sites.

Anything else you have to 'suck it and see'.

Best of luck and enjoy it.

If you see our EEYORE on the road, give us a wave.

We are off to Anglesey at the bank hol and off to Bamburgh first weekend in Oct.

[davenewellhome]

Hi Johnny and welcome to a new way of life. The starting problem sounds like a dicky starter solenoid to me which will need a new starter motor to rectify, not a massive job.

 

The handbrake warning light often does the service brake fluid level as well so check this first but before you top it up dip your finger tip in it and see what colour it is. Chances are it hasn't been changed for years and will be dirty. Brake fluid is hygroscopic which means it will absorb water from the atmosphere. Because water boils at a lot lower temperature than brake fluid this can cause problems under extreme braking i.e when descending a mountain pass you could well be on the brake pedal for a long while. The heat generated by the discs boils the water content of the brake fluid and creates steam pockets. As steam is compressible the brake pedal goes spongy and you lose braking effort.

 

Solution is to replace the brake fluid and I would suggest checking the condition of pads and shoes at the same time.

 

As already stated search the web for manufacturers websites where you can usually find all the info you need.

 

Above all else enjoy your new found freedom.

 

D.

[johnny55]

Hi Guys, thanks so much for such great advice, luckily we have an excellent mechanic who comes to us, but he is a VW man, has always serviced and repaired our old campers, but dont know how he'll feel about the Fiat ! I think I have to take out the spare wheel to get to sort out the brake fluid.

So that could be new oil filter, brake pads, possible master cylinder and starter motor, better not tell the wife my bargain wasnt such a bargain after all!

Will have a tinker this afternoon, then get on to the expert asap so we can get out in that sunshine while its here! :-) Hope driving it 4 hrs from Norfolk to Surrey hasnt done it any damage :-S

[dethleff]

Had clicking starter motor.The solenoid is built into

starter motor, so had to replace the lot.

 

Check your gas bottle regulator is 50 mbar older german m/h run on 50mbar.

 

 

[Dancer]

One further point for brake fluid.

If level is low, check all pipes for leaks, especially check the backplates behind the rear wheels for any signs of wetness at the bottom edge.

Slow and steady, don't rush off and buy all items without good diagnosis 'on site.

[davenewellhome]

Good point Dancer. I've only ever seen one master cylinder fail so that it leaked into the servo, that was on my old Austin 1800S and every time you pressed the brake pedal you got a plume of blue smoke out the exhaust 8-) . Still its worth checking all the same. Your Vee Dubb man shouldn't have any worries with your new 'van, if he can keep Dubbs running something as reliable (comparatively) as a Fiat will be easy meat to him :-> .

 

D.

[johnny55]

Cheers again, have spoken to our mechanic and he says the only things he wont touch is a Trebant and a WartBurg Knight!!!

Keeping our fingers crossed it is only little things so we can get off and give it a try out.

John and Kate

[Dancer]

I've seen a few m/cylinders leaking into the servo Dave, in fact my current van - ducato chassis - appears to be doing it, needs further diagnosis at the moment.

Never worked on a Trabant so can't comment, remember working on a wartburg knight though when I was an apprentice. All vehicles were difficult then so again hard to comment.