Comfortmatic Fluid Changes (1 Viewer)

[MisterB]

Thursday, had the fluid changed on my 2018 van at AM Portsmouth. a very reasonable £58 +VAT

Chatting to the guy on reception who said he is inundated with vans having to pay £3 or 4k bills for the sake of a fluid change that takes 20 minutes and less than £60. Then pointed to three motorhomes outside that he's hoping to get to this week.

I managed to chat to the fitter who did my van who told me that the fluid in my van was very dark, and obviously had never been changed. It's made darker by seal degradation apparently. I asked if he thought I'd got away with it by changing the fluid now, and he winced and said "I doubt it; see you soon"

If you're having it changed every year (from your previous post) you can hopefully at least see if there has been any major seal degradation over the next 12 months.
If there is, is there an option to have seals replaced before any other damage occurs? That would be my plan of action if it's an option.
I'm beginning to wish I had asked the same question now .....

 

[CazPaul]

I wonder what the AM fitter thinks of the system if you ask him in private when he’s finished his shift.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thursday, had the fluid changed on my 2018 van at AM Portsmouth. a very reasonable £58 +VAT

I'm going to have to have a word with Simon I got charged £130 in. Vat, Simon wasn't there when I had mine done.

 

[WESTY66]

I'm going to have to have a word with Simon I got charged £130 in. Vat, Simon wasn't there when I had mine done.

Is it owt to do with being harder to do, being an A class? Just clutching at straws!!

Or maybe you have paid for mine up front

 

[Jim]

I'm going to have to have a word with Simon I got charged £130 in. Vat, Simon wasn't there when I had mine done.

I'll send you a copy of my Bill Lenny

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[Trev45]

Adams Morey at Portsmouth seem to have a strange pricing policy . LennyHB gets quoted £90 and ends up paying £130 for his fluid change. Bustup15 gets quoted £77-50p including VAT and Jim pays £58 plus VAT . Looks like LennyHB was well and truly shafted or is there a discount for right hand drive vehicle
owners ?

 

[Ditcha]

Adams Morey at Portsmouth seem to have a strange pricing policy . LennyHB gets quoted £90 and ends up paying £130 for his fluid change. Bustup15 gets quoted £77-50p including VAT and Jim pays £58 plus VAT . Looks like LennyHB was well and truly shafted or is there a discount for right hand drive vehicle
owners ?

Impossible Lenny shafted I'll here no more of this

 

[DDJC]

I have submitted an enquiry to Northern Commercials about this. Firstly to get their take on frequency and secondly for a quote to check and if necessary replace clutch and hydraulic fluid, then carry out a thorough bleed and recalibration. I doubt that it will be as cheap as Broken Link Removedprice AM Portsmouth, but then again, they are four miles away.

I do like the idea of a list of places that can do this service competently.

 

[Jim]

Might be something to do with Lenny’s being an A Class Left Hooker

 

[WESTY66]

Might be something to do with Lenny’s being an A Class Left Hooker

Oh bugger

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[Doobray]

I have my van in at Motus commercial in Glasgow next Monday so I will enquire while there if they do clutch and hydraulic fluid changes on the comfortmatic box.

Had mine in there 2 months ago. Didn't change mine nor would they update the software when asked. They said Fiat needs to flag for an update before they would do it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Had mine in there 2 months ago. Didn't change mine nor would they update the software when asked. They said Fiat needs to flag for an update before they would do it.

Adams Morey always do the updates I know most Fiat Professionals don't.

 

[lorger]

Had mine in there 2 months ago. Didn't change mine nor would they update the software when asked. They said Fiat needs to flag for an update before they would do it.

Was it in for a service? I asked them while I was there if they did clutch fluid and the hydraulic fluid, told me clutch fluid should be done at service when doing brake fluid.

 

[Doobray]

Was it in for a service? I asked them while I was there if they did clutch fluid and the hydraulic fluid, told me clutch fluid should be done at service when doing brake fluid.

Yes it was in for a service

 

[Mixyblob]

Had my oils changed at AM Portsmouth last Thursday. 2014 PVC, £130, 2hrs. Was told old oil was dark and discoloured, a sign the slave/master cylinder seals were deteriorated.
Aparently, requires clutch out, etc to rectify.
Got to wonder how many Ducatos with Comfortmatic are driving around the world with similar symptoms.

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[Fragle]

So we have an Adria coral 2.3 150 bhp 69 plate comformatic. Had from new and was going to have a full service when we get back in September.
I don’t remember them Fiat or dealer saying anything about so many oil changes gearbox fluids etc.

Seem to remember last time I checked they said service wasn’t required as every 2 years.
18000 miles so far and never a problem but I’ve mostly only read bad news on comformatic gearboxes. We love the van but it is the only concern we have in keeping it.

Now I read this thread and it makes me think that I should have the clutch fluid changed.

I’m thinking that AM Portsmouth are the only ones competent enough to deal with comformatic gearboxes.

Has anyone used dealerships in the midlands?

I’m thinking I’ll call them tomorrow with a plan to overnight at port Solent.
Book in for next day. Service and gearbox hopefully done in the day whilst I wait.
Seems like reviews on here make this the place to go despite the distance.
I’ll see what price they give

 

[Freo]

I had my van’s clutch done recently at AM Portsmouth. (It’s a small Rapido A Class, right hand drive.)
Purely for the clutch fluid change and the associated recalibration, it was just below £80 inc VAT.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

They saw Lenny HB coming and put a surcharge on for them being inundated. If he hadn't suggested them to me half the recent recommendations wouldn't have existed.

 

[markwilky]

I'd trust your local guy if he has the right software to run the clutch bleed procedure after the fluid change. It runs 15 cycles of the clutch open/close cycle with limited pressure to make sure any air in the system is bled. A normal gravity bleed would work without the software but a bit risky if there is any air left in the system and it also leaves a bit of the old fluid in the system.

If it's a Comformatic you should have the clutch fluid changed every 2 years and it's recommended the hydraulic fluid is changed at 4 years.

https://cdn.fbsbx.com/v/t59.2708-21...LLJO-dkVdueHsTRBwrS3NsqPMNrg&oe=64A3D9EB&dl=1
Think this may help

 

[markwilky]

I use a busy local mechanic who I trust to do cambelt changes etc, I know he doesn’t see many comfortmatic systems though and I want my fluids changed.

Are the fluid changes easy enough for competent independent mechanics or is it something that should be left to Fiat Professionals familiar with these machines?

https://cdn.fbsbx.com/v/t59.2708-21/14110393_10157452126065241_1115261093_n.pdf/Comfortmatic-130-150-180.pdf?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0cab14&_nc_ohc=XwfpnN3JVG8AX_Au6fT&_nc_ht=cdn.fbsbx.com&oh=03_AdQIiZcgEiH1zSTIsmLLJO-dkVdueHsTRBwrS3NsqPMNrg&oe=64A3D9EB&dl=1

This is the manual for the comfotmatic hope this helps

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[Kannon Fodda]

Those manuals apply to the Comfortmatic in the 250 Ducato versions. Later 290 versions have the Comfortmatic information integrated to the main handbook in which the fluid check / change intervals are more frequent.

 

[Fragle]

Called them this morning.
Nice chat with them and booked in for when we get back in September.
I’ll run down the day before stay at port Solent and be there for 8. They will be done for early afternoon.
Full service including comformatic fluid change. £700
They then mention that next year it will be 5 years so £800 cam belt change.

 

[the1andonly]

Adams Morey always do the updates I know most Fiat Professionals don't.

They absolutely refused to update mine when it was in for a cambelt change.(feb) "Bloody forums" came up during my conversation with a fitter.

 

[Fragle]

They absolutely refused to update mine when it was in for a cambelt change.(feb) "Bloody forums" came up during my conversation with a fitter.

Did you have the water pump changed as well or just cam belt?

 

[Bessy765]

Our 2019 2.3 150 comformatic hand book clearly states check at 2 years change at 4 years, but our local Fiat Main dealer has not a clue. When I took it in for its first (2 years) service they didnt even service it stating as it had only done 5,000 miles it did not need servicing??? Now booked into Adams Morley for the 4 years service including fluid change and as we hopefully will be away for the 5 year belt change having that done as well. Not cheap but cheaper than an engine or box??

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[the1andonly]

Did you have the water pump changed as well or just cam belt?

all belts no water pump (not required )

 

[Fragle]

all belts no water pump (not required )

I ask as was talking to someone today and they mentioned it. I called the place that I had the mot done and they also said they changed it as part of the cam belt change. Fiat said nothing


Just had e mail to confirm work to be done.

Just writing to confirm, we have booked your motor home in

for *** September for a full service, including comformatic clutch fluid change,

bi-annual brake fluid change, engine oil and filter, fuel filter, pollen filter and air filter change, and

service maintenance checks.

 

[mikebeaches]

All this negative press about the comfortmatic wonder if it affects the saleability bet non of you on this thread would have another one I wouldn't that's for sure.

Not had any problems with ours at 7 years old and perfectly acceptable performance.

I'd previously had a car with a robotised manual gearbox (semi-automatic) which was fine - in the family for 14 years - and appears to be still running at 17 years old.

Wouldn't hesitate to have another comfortmatic in preference to a manual gearbox, which we've had on the two previous vans.

 

[Mickey1]

Not had any problems with ours at 7 years old and perfectly acceptable performance.

I'd previously had a car with a robotised manual gearbox (semi-automatic) which was fine - in the family for 14 years - and appears to be still running at 17 years old.

Wouldn't hesitate to have another comfortmatic in preference to a manual gearbox, which we've had on the two previous vans.

we’ve had ours over 6 years and very happy, after reading this post I called our local fiat where I’ve had all services done, asked him about clutch fluid and hydraulic fluid replacement, he wasn’t too sure and will find out more and get back to me.

 

[the1andonly]

I ask as was talking to someone today and they mentioned it. I called the place that I had the mot done and they also said they changed it as part of the cam belt change. Fiat said nothing

Fiats position was the water pump is designed for life (200,000miles).
it can also be a pain to remove with studs siezing/ breaking. There is a contributor on the Fiat forum that ran a lease hire company that serviced hundreds of Ducatos and never changed a pump routinely, most vans were moved on at 230,000miles. It is good business to replace pumps when not needed (mustard on side of plate method) With Some cars it may be good practice not so with a ducato. Until recently Genuine Fiat kits did not have a pump, now you have the choice of genuine kits. Fiat just adapting to customer requirements.

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