Comfortmatic Fluid Changes

[Coastal Cruiser.]

If you go there be sure to protect your carpets/seats, dirty footprints on mine.

That’s the difference between UK and German garages.
Had mine serviced in Bamberg and the chap comes around with a little trolley then covers the floor and steps with paper and puts on seat covers!!

 

[Pausim]

That’s the difference between UK and German garages.
Had mine serviced in Bamberg and the chap comes around with a little trolley then covers the floor and steps with paper and puts on seat covers!!

That is what AM Portsmouth did for me both times they had mine.

 

[WESTY66]

That is what AM Portsmouth did for me both times they had mine.

I’ll let you know if they still do it

 

[dunnah01]

I think you are saying that the Comfortmatic clutch fluid can get contaminated by a different hydraulic oil found in the gear selection system. I recall you posting a diagram showing that the two fluids are both found in the slave cylinder, separated by seals. Have I got this right? If so it seems to make good sense to have the fluid drained and replaced regularly as advised by AM Portsmouth.

Pretty much right although the traditional clutch Master cylinder attached to the pedal in a manual clutch is replaced by a confusingly called clutch Master/Slave unit on top of the gearbox in the Comfortmatic setup. Both act on the traditional slave cylinder (in the clutch bell-housing) in exactly the same way. It's the Master/Slave unit above the gearbox that allows the cross contamination across the seals

 

[WESTY66]

Pretty much right although the traditional clutch Master cylinder attached to the pedal in a manual clutch is replaced by a confusingly called clutch Master/Slave unit on top of the gearbox in the Comfortmatic setup. Both act on the traditional slave cylinder (in the clutch bell-housing) in exactly the same way. It's the Master/Slave unit above the gearbox that allows the cross contamination across the seals

Can that be changed relatively easy then as surely the gearbox doesn’t have to come out, then refilled with the appropriate fluids, or is in an impossible place to get to?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[dunnah01]

Can that be changed relatively easy then as surely the gearbox doesn’t have to come out, then refilled with the appropriate fluids, or is in an impossible place to get to?

It can be replaced without removing very much but finding a garage that would stake their reputation on the concentric slave cylinder in the bell housing being ok would be near impossible so they would have to take the gearbox out to replace the CSC even if it's ok, And then change the clutch driven and pressure plates aswell as the dmf whilst they have the box out .. and on it goes. So really only a DIY job where you can at least find out if the other bits are ok or not before replacing anything too deep in the engine bay

 

[Minxy]

Anyone know if it's right to assume any Fiat Professional garage will be able to do it?

Not a chance ... most haven't got a clue as many postings on here and other threads attest to, we've also found the same with our 'poorly' MH, the garage who are fixing the issue which I suspect is the plastic bits on the clutch coming adrift, won't touch the Comfortmatic bit!

 

[Pausim]

I am so glad that the most convenient Fiat Professional for me is Adams Morey, Portsmouth. Perhaps that explains property prices around here.

 

[Colin McCourt]

Looks like AM Portsmouth are sick of doing this job hence £480.00 to keep people away, or be a mug. Bill

Quoted incorrectly for all three oils to change. Now reduced to £175.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I am so glad that the most convenient Fiat Professional for me is Adams Morey, Portsmouth. Perhaps that explains property prices around here.

Was down there today and judging by the Fiat graveyard around the back they have a very good revenue stream coming in
Even the workshop was full of them

Chap said they charge double for Carthargo owners coz they can afford it!!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Pausim]

Chap said they charge double for Carthargo owners coz they can afford it!!

We can afford it because we are not constantly having to pay out for repairs.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

We can afford it because we are not constantly having to pay out for repairs.

Not yet

 

[BILL 875]

Just a thought here, dangerous i know but then when the fluids are changed in the master cylinder and also the clutch kiss is adjusted as some call it at the same time which i assume must be due to clutch wear why are manual operated clutch systems not required to have a periodic clutch adjustments as they would also wear or do you just wait till they go bang. Bill

 

[WESTY66]

Just a thought here, dangerous i know but then when the fluids are changed in the master cylinder and also the clutch kiss is adjusted as some call it at the same time which i assume must be due to clutch wear why are manual operated clutch systems not required to have a periodic clutch adjustments as they would also wear or do you just wait till they go bang. Bill

A lot of manual clutches have self adjusting mechanisms in place

 

[Pausim]

Just a thought here, dangerous i know but then when the fluids are changed in the master cylinder and also the clutch kiss is adjusted as some call it at the same time which i assume must be due to clutch wear why are manual operated clutch systems not required to have a periodic clutch adjustments as they would also wear or do you just wait till they go bang. Bill

Your foot will do the adjusting if the point where it engages changes. I remember on my old Morris 1000, the clutch engaged half way up at first but with time it bit further and further up. Your foot and the engine tell you where the bite point is. The Comfortmatic relies on it’s settings.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[dunnah01]

Just a thought here, dangerous i know but then when the fluids are changed in the master cylinder and also the clutch kiss is adjusted as some call it at the same time which i assume must be due to clutch wear why are manual operated clutch systems not required to have a periodic clutch adjustments as they would also wear or do you just wait till they go bang. Bill

The Comfortmatic clutch driven plate self adjusts for wear just the same as the manual clutch. What it can't do quite so well is compensate for seals getting a bit meh. The manual system relies on the driver not really noticing how the pedal feel changes with time whereas the Comfortmatic has the KISS point adjustment in the software but sometimes it just gets a bit too far off Fiat's preset parameters and throws a wobbly

 

[Rodders1234]

Getting our comfortmatic fluid change in a few days at AM Portsmouth. Also getting their full service done at the same time as I thought it better to get a proper Fiat service for the first time.

Its a lot more expensive than I normally pay, total job about £775. Question for anybody who has had a full service at AM - does the full service also include a habitation service?

Claire at AM is on holiday this week and Jo did not seem confident. Thanks.

 

[Don Campbell]

Doubt it somehow! A Habitation service is a completely different animal to a mechanical service.

 

[Colin McCourt]

Getting our comfortmatic fluid change in a few days at AM Portsmouth. Also getting their full service done at the same time as I thought it better to get a proper Fiat service for the first time.

Its a lot more expensive than I normally pay, total job about £775. Question for anybody who has had a full service at AM - does the full service also include a habitation service?

Claire at AM is on holiday this week and Jo did not seem confident. Thanks.

They will only deal with the Fiat vehicle. You will need a separate service for the habitation including a damp check.

 

[Pausim]

Getting our comfortmatic fluid change in a few days at AM Portsmouth. Also getting their full service done at the same time as I thought it better to get a proper Fiat service for the first time.

Its a lot more expensive than I normally pay, total job about £775. Question for anybody who has had a full service at AM - does the full service also include a habitation service?

Claire at AM is on holiday this week and Jo did not seem confident. Thanks.

Adams Morey did my Fiat Service this year but the habitation service is a separate matter which I had done by Reliance.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[WESTY66]

Just had our clutch fluid changed and it has made a big difference when setting off in gear (forwards or backwards) had a little judder before, all gone now, so that tells me that the kiss point relearn does actually need doing. I should mention that it’s done 47k miles without ANYTHING being done to it before now, the fluid was clean and everything was reported to be spot on, nothing whatsoever of concern

 

[Chocy boy]

Iv'e just had mine changed plus brake fluid on a tag axle. £344.00 at a Fiat Professional garage. Not sure if it was expensive but after reading some of the bills if it goes wrong, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[G-RMPS]

Another £800 into AM’s coffers. Like Westy66 we are on 46000 miles with nothing but oil services and MoT work to date. Beautiful day (fortunately) wandering around waiting for the work to be completed. It took 6 hours including some work to sort dodgy windscreen washers and corroded light cluster mounts.

We had planned a “spare” day in case of techy problems, so now we can crack open a bottle of wine to begin our holiday properly. The drive from Perth to Portsmouth was unpleasant, though mostly uneventful.

 

[Rodders1234]

Interesting your service took 6 hours, our full service plus clutch fluid etc only took 3.5 hours and cost £654! They broke a brake caliber nipple and pointed out the dipped headlights are set to EU (MH has several services and mot’s since the headlight units
were changed and no issues until now!). Anyway its done now and I feel more confident the comfortmatic should be reliable.

 

[G-RMPS]

I was quoted £775. They charged me a few pounds extra to replace the washer bottle tubes.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Colin McCourt]

Adams Morey at Portsmouth are one of the few dealers who understand Comformatics.

Currently sitting there having mine done.

 

[Mleabon]

Interesting your service took 6 hours, our full service plus clutch fluid etc only took 3.5 hours and cost £654! They broke a brake caliber nipple and pointed out the dipped headlights are set to EU (MH has several services and mot’s since the headlight units
were changed and no issues until now!). Anyway its done now and I feel more confident the comfortmatic should be reliable.

How do you change the headlights to the EU setting? Is that on any Ducato or just the more modern ones?

 

[OldCodger]

How do you change the headlights to the EU setting? Is that on any Ducato or just the more modern ones?

Listens intently for the reply…

 

[dunnah01]

How do you change the headlights to the EU setting? Is that on any Ducato or just the more modern ones?

I think it's only on non standard headlight A-Class vans

 

[Colin McCourt]

Thanks to everyone for their advice for the service of my Comfortmatic gearbox. Visited Adams Morey today and had the work carried out. Friendly staff and efficient service. In and out in 45 mins and all for £135. Would never have expected a service on the gearbox (read the service manual but missed this) so all good for another two years. Quick 80 miles today and it appears sweet as a nut. I have always had a small niggle with the gearbox at times so it will be interesting to see if this makes that disappear.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}