Joined the Comfortmatic failure club

[WESTY66]

Neither Comfortmatic nor Agile, but using OE Spec parts, my mechanic pal and I changed the the complete clutch kit and DMF on the Iveco Daily based Flair, whilts it was on our driveway, (with hydraulic levellers extended fully), and, all in just under 4 x hours. The warranted parts and his labour came to £800 in total.

Cheers,

Jock.

Yes but to be fair jock, yours is a “North to south” set up which are a hell of a lot easier than the “east to west” configurations.
If mine went it’d be straight to someone who knows what they’re doing, I bloody hate driveshafts!!
if it was north to south, I’d be getting my spanner’s out without hesitation! Prop off wires off pipes off, bell housing bolts off and you’re not far off getting it out and I dare say there’s more room to work than a fwd

Edit I was typing this whilst Lenny was answering

 

[JockandRita]

Prop off wires off pipes off, bell housing bolts off and you’re not far off getting it out and I dare say there’s more room to work than a fwd

Normally there would be Ade, but because the mounting brackets for the E&P hydraulic levellers were covering the gearbox cross member fixings, we couldn't remove the box completely, so not as straight forward as initially envisaged.

Whilst the gearbox looks a bit precarious on that jack and block, it was well supported by the cross member and secured at the other end.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[JockandRita]

Not all of us have the knowledge skills and the friends with the same. Unfortunately we have to pay

Very true, and I am fully aware that had it not been for my mechanic pal over our 18 x years of MH'ing, Rita and I would never have been able to afford to do it. He also knows how grateful we are to him.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[WESTY66]

Normally there would be Ade, but because the mounting brackets for the E&P hydraulic levellers were covering the gearbox cross member fixings, we couldn't remove the box completely, so not as straight forward as initially envisaged.

Whilst the gearbox looks a bit precarious on that jack and block, it was well supported by the cross member and secured at the other end.

Cheers,

Jock.

I don’t think any gearbox removal is straightforward, it’s just some are easier than others. As an apprentice i used to hate taking out the ZF box in the DAF 2800/3300 or any 8 wheelers for that matter. The 10 speed fullers in the T45 Roadtrains weren’t that much better!

But FWD is the work of the devil

 

[L' Hobo]

I don’t think any gearbox removal is straightforward, it’s just some are easier than others. As an apprentice i used to hate taking out the ZF box in the DAF 2800/3300 or any 8 wheelers for that matter. The 10 speed fullers in the T45 Roadtrains weren’t that much better!

But FWD is the work of the devil

I didn't mind taking gearboxes OUT, it was getting the bloody thing back IN again, I hated!

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[JockandRita]

But FWD is the work of the devil

I was lucky with the FWD Ducato based Hymer, as the only problem we had with that gearbox in 14 x years of ownership, was with the fifth gear packing in as we came away from the Dusseldorf Show.
I drove into my pal's yard at 12.00hrs on a Saturday lunchtime, and an hour later I was out road testing it. Like you Ade, he too is HGV experienced having worked for Royal Mail Workshops.

The Fiat price for the small 3 x part kit was eye watering, and more expensive than the full clutch kit plus DMF for the Daily.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Just smiffy]

I didn't mind taking gearboxes OUT, it was getting the bloody thing back IN again, I hated!

Yep…. And there was always a bolt or a nut left over…

 

[WESTY66]

Yep…. And there was always a bolt or a nut left over…

Or not enough and always left you wondering if it was in the bell housing

 

[pagey]

I don’t think any gearbox removal is straightforward, it’s just some are easier than others. As an apprentice i used to hate taking out the ZF box in the DAF 2800/3300 or any 8 wheelers for that matter. The 10 speed fullers in the T45 Roadtrains weren’t that much better!

But FWD is the work of the devil

Had the 16 speed box out of my f88 a couple of times and never on my Skania 111 but I did love that old 290 volvo .. I guy we new was nicknamed gearbox as all he ever don't was pull out the boxes on his fleet of leyland 8 wheel tippers happy days

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Yep…. And there was always a bolt or a nut left over…

I once rebuilt the engine in my Austin 1300GT when I was about 18 and had a load of bits left over it drove ok after though

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[Just smiffy]

I once rebuilt the engine in my Austin 1300GT when I was about 18 and had a load of bits left over it drove ok after though

They always did… it always made me think why did they waste money putting that in, sometimes had actual parts that never went back on and still drove ok….

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Sounds like BS, the KISS point needs to be reset after all parameters have been deleted and then the self calibration needs to be enabled. About 1/2hr on diagnostics if they have access to older versions of their software. They certainly shouldn't start changing things in the hope it cures the problem

No this is based on their diagnostics, which have gone beyond what the mulicuescan thingy could do. Bear in mind that by the time it left me there was no ability to connect to the comfortmatic electronics to even then attempt and diagnostics let alone calibrations. I've taken it to Adams Morey, Portsmouth as the reputation from other funsters is that they do understand what can go wrong, what is needed to fix, and it's not a trial and error process.
What they are seeing from their interrogation of systems, and their knowledge of the comfortmatic is there will be damage on the clutch / dual mass flywheel system.
I have also given clear instructions, knowing it may cost, that I want a belt and braces fix, not cut corners. If something seems not quite right whilst they have it apart, change it. It will be cheaper in longer term and I don't want a repeat if it can be avoided.

 

[pagey]

Deleted

 

[f6c]

I hope it all goes well.

 

[JockandRita]

I hope it all goes well.

As do we all Rob Kannon Fodda, and with the least amount of expense possible.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[dunnah01]

No this is based on their diagnostics, which have gone beyond what the mulicuescan thingy could do. Bear in mind that by the time it left me there was no ability to connect to the comfortmatic electronics to even then attempt and diagnostics let alone calibrations. I've taken it to Adams Morey, Portsmouth as the reputation from other funsters is that they do understand what can go wrong, what is needed to fix, and it's not a trial and error process.
What they are seeing from their interrogation of systems, and their knowledge of the comfortmatic is there will be damage on the clutch / dual mass flywheel system.
I have also given clear instructions, knowing it may cost, that I want a belt and braces fix, not cut corners. If something seems not quite right whilst they have it apart, change it. It will be cheaper in longer term and I don't want a repeat if it can be avoided.

Sounds very odd that MES can't connect to the Comfortmatic control module but the garage are pulling mechanical things apart but hopefully they'll quickly find a mechanical issue

 

[Nanniemate]

No this is based on their diagnostics, which have gone beyond what the mulicuescan thingy could do. Bear in mind that by the time it left me there was no ability to connect to the comfortmatic electronics to even then attempt and diagnostics let alone calibrations. I've taken it to Adams Morey, Portsmouth as the reputation from other funsters is that they do understand what can go wrong, what is needed to fix, and it's not a trial and error process.
What they are seeing from their interrogation of systems, and their knowledge of the comfortmatic is there will be damage on the clutch / dual mass flywheel system.
I have also given clear instructions, knowing it may cost, that I want a belt and braces fix, not cut corners. If something seems not quite right whilst they have it apart, change it. It will be cheaper in longer term and I don't want a repeat if it can be avoided.

Have they given any inclanation on how long ?

 

[Kannon Fodda]

They'll update me Tuesday afternoon. The cost above was ballpark worst case as they were getting ready to find a free ramp before surgery commenced.

 

[L' Hobo]

They always did… it always made me think why did they waste money putting that in, sometimes had actual parts that never went back on and still drove ok….

That reminds me of when I had a mark2 Renault Grand Espace.

Towards my latter business years, after I moved to E Anglia but still had my Coaching business in Surrey, every other weekend, I would travel between the two, early in the mornings, to avoid M25 traffic.

Early, one Sunday morning, when returning to Surrey, I accidently hit a Cock Pheasant and after dispatching it and examining the car, as nothing appeared to be wrong, I carried on.
By the time I was approaching my home near Weybridge, the oil light came on and on examination, oil was all over the engine from a small hole in the oil intercooler which sits in front of the radiator.

Monday morning, telephone Renault main dealers in Weybridge, who quoted me £1000+ to supply and fit a new one.

Instead, after coming to the conclusion that in this country, it possibly wasn't needed, I bypassed the intercooler with a hydraulic pipe I made.
While, slightly dubious if it would work at first, all it did was raise the rad heat by 1 click (still only just above normal) and the MPG improved by 2miles per galloon.

It continued to run like that, until I sold it, 2 yrs later and one has to ask one's self, 'Are all the stuff that are needed to keep these vehicles safe, from the Artic to the Sahara, REALLY necessary if it's just running around near the UK?

 

[dunnah01]

If you think gearboxes are a PITA to remove then don't go near transfer boxes. I've had to remove them from Jaguars, Land Rovers and Alfa Romeos and all were $h1t jobs

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

Years ago when I was younger I use to do the servicing and repairs to my excavators and other plant.
Had a call one day to say the dozer had gone down, arrived on site and it was parked belly up in mud
Had to dig under to get the belly pan off, that nearly broke my nose when it dropped as it had so much weight to it due to all the mud from the cab dropping down

 

[jongood]

I dont think the above referenced 9sp auto is the latest one as fitted in the series 8 Ducaro with the 2.2 lyr engine ?
This 'new' 9sp ZF auto is now the same one as used by JLR and numerous other Marques.
No issues reported so far as advised by my local Fiat Professional dealer.

They wouldnt tell you. They denied juddergate for years.

 

[Mixyblob]

Why on earth are they changing the gearbox and clutch? The price sounds more like labour and the parts will add a few more k once the bill lands

A picture of the current situation, no other details I'm affraid.

 

[Dutch 68]

It really is shocking how many of these go wrong, fiat should be coughing up for this, just on this forum which represents the tiniest proportion of owners of these vehicles there are just way too many poor souls who have to fork out enormous amounts of money to get something repaired which should have been designed to last a couple of hundred thousand of miles as a bare minimum.

 

[Ditcha]

A picture of the current situation, no other details I'm affraid.

View attachment 753361

Wow no front end left to take off that is it a 3.0L or 2.3L out of curiosity?

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[CazPaul]

It really is shocking how many of these go wrong, fiat should be coughing up for this, just on this forum which represents the tiniest proportion of owners of these vehicles there are just way too many poor souls who have to fork out enormous amounts of money to get something repaired which should have been designed to last a couple of hundred thousand of miles as a bare minimum.

Exactly what I think but we can only afford older vans and build quality/reliability is paramount.

 

[Mixyblob]

Wow no front end left to take off that is it a 3.0L or 2.3L out of curiosity?

2.3 maybe 2.8?

 

[dunnah01]

A picture of the current situation, no other details I'm affraid.

View attachment 753361

Wow - they are making a lot of extra work there - if it's a 2.3 then may aswell do the timing belt etc whilst the engine is out

 

[Kannon Fodda]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

 

[Howard B]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

Sounds like it could have been a lot worse Rob.
Maybe a lesson for all of us to check our manuals.

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