Brand new Fiat 180 hp euro 6 engine completely failed after 1hour.

[Ceetee]

We recently picked up our brand new Carthago Chic C-line A class motorhome from the agent, driving it for the first time my wife and I both commented how quiet the engine was and how smooth the 9 speed automatic gearchange was. After about 1 hour of driving on the M5 the engine suddenly made a fairly loud pop, clouds of steam streamed out of the back, I thought at first that I had got a puncture and it was smoke.
We then spent hours waiting for emergency assistance. The motorhome was taken back to the agent and we are told that it needs a new engine. I can't get any information from the agent as to what was the original problem, they have told me various contradictory reasons for the failure. It is now two months since I last saw my motorhome.
My concern now is, is the latest Fiat engine 180hp up to the job? or are they trying to get too much out of this engine?
My previous motorhome was a Swift Kontiki 649 which had a 3 ltr fiat engine and never had a problem with it.
I understand that the 180 hp version of this engine has a stronger steel crank shaft and beefed up pistons.
Has anyone got one of these engines in their motorhome without problems?

 

[Old Gibber]

I was thinking of fiat!

Ah! Now I understand. My new Fiat broke down within 2000 miles.

 

[Guigsy]

Vans are designed for 3yrs / 100,000miles.

Beyond that then !!!!

My 2015 transit's rusting underneath - need to get under and paint it!

My previous van was a 2007 Ducato with 90k miles. It spent a couple of years as a work van before it was converted.

No rust on the chassis. Had a minor rust bubble on the sill under the drivers door. Some of the brackets in the engine bay like the one holding the washer bottle were pretty orange. The after market towbar was flaking. But everything else was still solid.

The throttle body had been replaced. It had new rear leaf springs. But very little other work done.

 

[gus-lopez]

On mine it was running down between the windscreen and the scuttle. I fixed that with mastic between the windscreen and the scuttle.

yes that is how it gets to the wiper motor holes ,down screen & under scuttle where it would still run out either end if it didn't have the holes for the wiper motor so it ends up around the inmectors

My 2015 transit's rusting underneath - need to get under and paint it!

my 2007 transit is like new underneath & that is even though the 1st owner parked it next to the sea for 12 years. .My last coachbuilt was a Talento(Ducato) 1989 & there was not a spec of rust anywhere. It was as new underneath. You need to move somewhere it doesn't rain & not much road salt used.

 

[Jamesh]

yes that is how it gets to the wiper motor holes ,down screen & under scuttle where it would still run out either end if it didn't have the holes for the wiper motor so it ends up around the inmectors

my 2007 transit is like new underneath & that is even though the 1st owner parked it next to the sea for 12 years. .My last coachbuilt was a Talento(Ducato) 1989 & there was not a spec of rust anywhere. It was as new underneath. You need to move somewhere it doesn't rain & not much road salt used.

Southampton build transits were probably better built than the newer Turkish built ones??

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[Roger20]

Fully documented in the manual, explained by the dealer and even the first service is called the ‘running in check’
As said, this is motorcycle not car.

I also have a BM motorbike and followed the same running in procedure. I think this is because the first fill is not fully synthetic so running in for the first 6/800 miles allows the surfaces to bed in better than using fully synthetic. If you were to thrash it from new with semi-synthetic it would be to the detriment of long life.

So those that are saying that modern diesels don't need running in are probably correct because too gentle use with fully synthetic oil could result in glazed bores and the engine will never get properly bedded in. Probably explains why Fiat engines only start to properly feel free at 15-20,000 miles.

Race engines don't get run in but as Hettie's Crew says, they are properly warmed up, as all engines shoud be, before working at high revs. However, long life with a race engine is never the ultimate consideration.

 

[2GB Racing]

Totally agree with the above comment, Many race engine builders first run a fresh built race spec engine on Mineral oil especially if on an engine dyno or the vehicle is being mapped ( ECU program being written ) on a rolling road where full control of load, revs, temps, pressures etc can be monitored.
The mineral oil allows bearings and rings etc to bed in in about an hour of running under controlled load then changed and onto fully synthetic oil etc.