Corky 8 Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Hello, what a Brilliant Forum, I am new to the forum and have just sat for 3 hours reading past Questions and reply,s and I,m impressed with your generosity to help others, I,m not new to motorhomes , but new to Fiat Ducato,never a choice of mind being a VW person,Could you please tell me the weaknesses of the ducato based M/H I have just purchased a Bessacarr E720 on a 04 plate Ducato base,and would like to know what to look out for or replace to make life safer/easier , Thanking you for any assistance offered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 The biggest weakness seems to be some Fiat dealers! What year and which engine is yours for a better insight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 Hello Tracker, its a 2.8jtd 2004, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 I have had several Boxer based vans with 2.0 and 2.3 hdi and 2.0 petrol engines over the years and have never had a moment's bother with any of the diesels. The petrol was a pain with various sensors failing but it may well have been the sheer incompetence of the Peugeot dealer! I've not had a 2.8 hdi yet but I gather that apart from some front wheel bearing issues and a tendency of some to 'lose' 5th gear most are very reliable. A search using the forum search facility using keywords like 'wheel bearings' or 'gearbox failures' should produce lots of reading for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 Much Obliged, doing that now, many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 That should keep him occupied for a while! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 it didnt ,only three incidents reported, yet I read about cab door locks being a weakness ,but so are all other car door locks ,,But Thanks for the lead anyway, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Corky I have a 55 Reg Kontiki with a Fiat 2.8jtd. Had absolutely no problems. Forget the wheel bearing problem, as this, as with the gearbox problem,is just gossip with no substance. The 2.8jtd is an absolutely super engine, so much torque and a dream to drive. Have now got 8000+ miles with 25+mpg and its getting better. More technical will respond but I understand you may be near a cam belt change. Age is a factor as well as mileage. Most of all, enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 Thanks Sshortcircuit, I dont collect it till wednesday so will ask Barron ,s Now called Discover about Cam Belt as its only done 8,500 miles from New ? and any more info from anyone will be most welcome , Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Hi, I shall mention a few of the less mentioned niggles I know about. 1. Check the doors are alighned properly and look flush. One of the niggles with ducatos are the door seals can leak air at speed as the door deflects slighty at top. This is more prevalent on the coach builts than van conversions. Check for an even gap all round and matching on both sides. I think part of the problem is the doors not alighned properly during manufacturing assembly on the hinges. 2. Water leak into engine bay.... no not the 2006 model one. This is a very minor leak above airfilter or at left end of metal panel above bonnet and below plastic grill. If you look along the horizontal drain channel (black painted) behind upper rubber sealing strip that seals against the top of the bonnet when closed, where it joins the chassis part at ends there are little sealant strips to seal it. They are not always 100% effective and a little extra sealant will stop any drips into engine bay. Not really important but a niggle and not that common. 3. Check the battery compartment tray is not loose and is bolted securely, on some new vehicles it slightly loose and moves because bolts are not tightened at rear against bulkhead, and two bolts under battery on to bracket have worked loose as a result. Basically give the battery a shake and see if tray is secure. 4. Internal draughts down back of neck. Good one this and many ducatos suffer. Basically there are foam blocks fitted below the seat belt reels to seal of the section from drafts coming up from box sections. If you are competant with a screw driver and a spanner to remove seat belt reel, it is easy to get your hand in and check foam blocks are positioned to complety seal of the section. A bit of manipulation is often required to make them fit properly and seal of the draught. 5. Door retaining straps. On older models the plastic hinge pin inserts (bolt holding strap to pillar bracket), were pretty thin and soon wear. This makes it click as you open and close the door. Annoying metalic click when opening doors and was fixed I believe on later builds. 6. The windscreen wash hose hose from container to bonnet is too short and when passed through the clips to locate in place can be just a little short on length and pull off a plastic elbow connection where it attaches to bonnet. One cure if it is is to remove from one of it's clips that guide it up to bonnet area, but then when bonnet is closed it dangles around. t just needs checking it is routed as neat as possible and no slack at container end..then it should reach OK. 7. Check the two rubber 'bumps' on fuel filler flap are fitted on inside. They can have a habit of 'sticking' to paint inside filler area and when opening flap one or both will pull out of the locating bosses on inside of flap and get lost. Glue in place into bosses. The other thing with this is of course is people who need a rubber 'bump' nick someone elses in a car park or a van on display in a dealers. 8. Check the panel behind top of radiator grill by looking through radiator grill. Its a curvy bit that the bonnet catch is mounted on. Check for corrossion as paint finish can be very poor and it corrodes easily as it gets a lot of road spray and heat from radiator. It is very easy to take the grill off ( 4 screws) and paint the exposed section. 9. Head lights - Polycarbonate. Check for micro crazing where dip beam passes through. If someone has applied black tape then the heat could have crazed the plastic. If you need beam deflectors get a set of headlamp prtectors and fit beam defletors to them when going abroad. Not a bad idea to fit protectors permanently as head lights are expensive to replace. 10. having to think now, but might as well make this a round 10 tips of niggles. Check the vents close off properly on dashboard. Turn fan on and direct air to vents. They should seal the air flow off, any leakage around the butterfly valves is annoying as if you like to drive with only moderate warmth in winter then you get a freezing cold draft over you hands when driving. Easy fixed by removing vents (if you know how as they are just clipped into dash, care needed not to mark dashboard around the vents) and teasing the rubber seal around butterfly valves outwards. And 11, just thought of this. Turn heater fan on full. Slide the control knob for external /internal circulation fully left and right. Some times they will not stay put when slid to external again, and you have to switch fan off then slide the control and switch fan back on. Basically the airflow stops it locating properly. This is not easily fixed and you just have to live with it when driving through tunnels and come out again, waiting until next time you slow down to set to external properly again. I make it sound like there is a lot wrong with Ducatos - yes there is actually, but maybe no more than other manufactires and does not occur on every vehicle but most of the niggles I have mentioned I have found on a few ducatos but owners have never noticed. The ducato is really a great design let down sadly by build quality which is a shame, but once all the little things are put right it is a great vehicle to drive. Just do not remove the head rests without taking care (not many peope I am sure do remove for many reasons, but one common time is when removing seat to access liesure battery if fitted beneath. The temptation is to remove the head rest to make it easier to lift seat out. The clip can fly out and the spring gets lost into the back of the seat.... so leave head rest in place and struggle with the seat..its not really that hard. The other important thing to do is make sure all the safety and other recalls have been carried out. Any main Fiat dealer can check this easily from the Fiat online computer records, and should also be marked up in the service book, but not all dealers mark up the book and of course is not obvious what has not been done, only what had been done. Hope this is not too boring to read, and is of some use to some readers. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 Re the timing belt, I believe it is replaced at 72K miles or every 5 years for all diesel ducatos 2002 to 2006. My tome above is also for same 2002 to 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 20, 2007 Author Share Posted October 20, 2007 Thank you for taking the time and trouble ,Brambles . I have made a list and shall set to work on the things I can do which you have so kindly mentioned, I feel if I,m fore warned of any niggles / problems it wont come as such a shock, you always think your gear is in top condition ....Untill.... Many Thanks Corky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjphillips Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I think you may find that the speedo reads about 8% higher than the actual speed so make sure you use the gearbox well ,so many people have 5th gear failier problems which I'm sure is a result of using it at too lower speed.I did see a write up on a Ducatto not so long ago where the tester was saying how well it pulled away from 20 mph in 5th thats absolutely stupid in my opinion.Once I 've lost a bit of speed say down to 50mph I always change down before attempting to accelerate again depending the nature of the road.So far mine has covered just over 60,000 kl & touch wood the 5th is still ok & most of the time I lived in Devon & pull a trailer with a car on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfw Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 We have had Fiat Ducato 2.8 for approx 5 years, 5th gear went this year, we had this replaced at a Fiat garage. Three months later the replacement 5th gear disintergrated and caused the gear to be stuck in 5th gear. My stepson was driving it at the time and had to come all the way home on the back of a low loader. Garage said the replacement was defective and replaced FOC. The only other problem we have had is the turbo hose blowing off as we are driving along. Brilliant vehicle other than that. jfw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 23, 2007 Author Share Posted October 23, 2007 Thank you for your input, My way of thinking is the same as yours ,I to tend to think 5th gear is not being used as it should IE as a top Gear,not an Economy gear to save fuel in the lower speeds, as you say Below fifty, Having been a Heavy goods vehicle driver for a number of years, I listen to my engine ,and I do not allow it to Labour in to high a gear, and Thank you for the tip on the speedo reading I will bear that in mind. I,m more at ease with collecting my Motorhome Tomorow , Long may your Wheels turn and long May you ennjoy it, Thanks again Corky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 23, 2007 Author Share Posted October 23, 2007 Thank you jfw, Its good to hear that you have had yours for the time you have and even with the fifth gear failure its not Dampend your enthusiasm, and perhaps there is a leason in 5th gear failing when someone else is driving,( not blaming anyone ) we all drive differently,I shall check the turbo hose connections as soon as I get it home, Thanking you, Corky. Long may your wheels turn and Long may you enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Its worth a wander around the Fiat / Ducato site. http://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/ As with any Forum, take moans and groans with a pinch of salt. Its not that they are not valid, its just that they probably only apply to 1% of the Forum contributors. The other 99% do not have a problem but just like reading about them. Had 2 Fiat Ducato 2.8s One was orrible, ( Later found that some of the snap connector crimps were crimped to the insulation and not connecting to the internal wires. the occasional make and breaks caused all sorts of problems with the ECU) The other just the opposite and a joy to drive. Luck of the draw and day of the week it was built. rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjphillips Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 One more point I forgot to mention,reading the the last comments reminded me.A lot of the electrical wires are connected together with those stupid cone shaped things where you twist more than 1 wire together & screw this cone onto them,my heater connections were connected this way instead of the old spade type we normally use in this country.The result is that its possible that the thinnest wire doesnt get gripped so tight as the others & makes a bad connection causing all sorts of problems,in my case burning the wire.Ive replaced the ones I could find.Mine were red & yellow so easy to find.Worth checking to see if they still use these!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Thank you for the Fiat web site Tonyishuk, I will be touring around it as soon as I can, I collected my M/h today from Discover (was Barons) Nr Darlington, Staff absolutley Brilliant to deal with, will put into practice everything I have learned from the very helpful people within the forum, Must admit the Fiat drove like a dream all the way home (165 miles ) it took a quarter of a tank of derv, yet to learn the capacity of the fuel tank , Thank you again , Regards, Corky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Thanks bjphillips , thought those twist conectors went out with the ark ,its all down to workmanship an economy,with the Fiat Co, not enough of the fore and to much of the Later, I,m hoping everything will be ok as it had a forty point check (PDI ) before I collected it today, only time will tell, Ill keep you all posted, May I Say a Big thank you to all who contributed to my passage into Fiat ownership, you really did help me a lot, Long May your Wheels turn and Long May You Enjoy it, Regards Corky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Corky 8 - 2007-10-19 10:00 PM Thanks Sshortcircuit, I dont collect it till wednesday so will ask Barron ,s Now called Discover about Cam Belt as its only done 8,500 miles from New ? and any more info from anyone will be most welcome , CheersI wouldn;t worry too much about the cambelt at 8500 miles, as for age I have a Toyota Supra which has original belt and it's 20Yrs old. But if the dealer will change it for free then go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Peter, How many miles has your toyota done on this 20 year old belt?...My mind is boggling at the thought. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Corky 8 - 2007-10-24 8:40 PM Thank you for the Fiat web site Tonyishuk, I will be touring around it as soon as I can, I collected my M/h today from Discover (was Barons) Nr Darlington, Staff absolutley Brilliant to deal with, will put into practice everything I have learned from the very helpful people within the forum, Must admit the Fiat drove like a dream all the way home (165 miles ) it took a quarter of a tank of derv, yet to learn the capacity of the fuel tank , Thank you again , Regards, Corky Well Done, and congratulations on getting your new Motorhome. Good luck and many an enjoyable holiday in it. I am sure you will list a pile of new questions to ask so fire away and plenty people here will be more than pleased to offer assistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted October 25, 2007 Author Share Posted October 25, 2007 Thanks Brambles, I spoke to one of the snaggs guys (the ones who sort out any problems on PDI) and ask him to join the forum on MMM,s web site ,I said he would be a boon to the Forum, I cant repeat his answer on line,enough to say he has his work cut out for him at work . Its my intention to have my Forum Name Corky 8 on the front wings of my motorhome (bought from Boatnames .co.uk ) so if you see me give us a Wave, Much Obliged for the help and I Intend to watch and hopefully contribute to the Forum in the future , Regards Corky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 Hi Corky, I shall keep a lookout. I am thinking of having Brambles plastered across mine but want a decal printed at rock bottom prices. Everyone thinks because you have good looking Motorhome you have pots of money, saddly not always the case especially when self employed as I am these days. You wil also find me on the Motorhomefun forum at times as well, I jump between the two and mainly stick to replying to any tech questions if I know or can find the answers. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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