Fiat x250 diesel leak again !!!!! (1 Viewer)

injebreck99

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I had a diesel leak on my 09 X250 Fiat M/H in August last year just before we went to Germany for a few days, fitted a new filter and seal as it appeared to be leaking from the securing ring which holds the filter body to the housing, made sure the marks were in line,lightly lubricated and properly tightened the ring, all OK afterwards.
Took the van out for the first time this year today for the MOT, no problems, arrived home, opened the drivers door, smelt diesel, hurriedly switched off, big puddle of fuel under the N/S of the bonnet area.!
Question is, I know that this is a common Fiat problem, does anybody know if Fiat are aware of the problem, is there a modified filter to fit to cure this problem, you feel you cannot trust the M/H anymore as it can happen at any time, when you are driving along, you would not be aware it was leaking.
Just to clarify, I was a time served mechanic until retirement, and have changed hundreds of fuel filters over the years, petrol and diesel, it was not fitted incorrectly, I know what I'm doing. :swear::swear::swear:
 
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injebreck99

injebreck99

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It's a 2.3 130 bhp engine.

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Jaws

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You get the same issue on the 2.8 pugs..
The filter housing is absolutely crap.

After about 10 tries and a gallon of liquid gold lost, I gave up and got a pug mechanis I know to come take a look

He tried about 5 times to get it to seal and then said 'gimme 10 minutes. I will be right back'

10 minutes later I see him under the bonnet.

He wandered round and started it up.. As I walked towards him he said there you go.. Fixed it

So what did you do then ?

Used a BIGGER PAIR OF STILSONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup.. 24" stilsons and a lot of heaving .. I have since spoken to another mechanic from a pug main agents and he confirmed they are absolute pants and they avoid changing the filters at all costs.. always causes trouble !! :Angry:
 

MikeD

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Mine's a 2012

It's a 2.3 130 bhp engine.


My Autotrail has the same engine as yours and have not had a problem.

But I have not let a dealer near it yet:thumb:

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injebreck99

injebreck99

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The thing I don't understand is why they run OK, then suddenly leak like f***k, I stood there all while the MOT was being carried out, emissions test done etc, called in a local shop on the way home from the garage, 2 miles later, peeing out.
I wouldn't want to put too much extra pressure on doing it up as the housing is only plastic, so easy to split something if you are too hamfisted.
I rang my service receptionist at the supplying dealer, said he'd never heard of the problem, so I politely suggested he was telling less than the truth, and find out what Fiat where doing about these fuel leaks, also suggested he check on the internet to see the extent of the problem, he promised to get back to me, nothing heard yet.! :Angry::Angry:
 

MikeD

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Only Fiat

Only Fiat would design a service item that needs to be completely removed from the vehicle and a £50+ ish gadget to replace a £2-50 ish filter!!!!:Eeek::Eeek:

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beachcaster

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I have a 3 litre engine 2009

yes you do need the right tool for the job.................if your dealer does not have a special cradle to hold the body and the right tool to apply the correct torque setting with the right special "spanner" then its going to fail...its very critical you cant just do it up "tight". Mine went and cost me a lot of money getting a new one .they are around £200 for a plastic pot with a filter inside...and I learnt quite a bit about this plastic component........which replaced the previous design a metal one which never caused a problem. Its a crap solution which is prone to crack if over tightened..and prone to leak if its undertightened and that presumes you have got the rubber O inserted right in the first place.

Its an expensive item..some dealers don't have the right 2 special tools.......I now tell my dealer................not to touch it .....its not something you need to do every service. I make sure they write this down.and I repeat it several times.

Just another "improvement" to what was a satisfactory previous metal design.

Apart from that I like the engine :)

barry
 
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rolandrat

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Fiat Fuel Filters

There are genuine Fiat filters and also factored filters, I know of people that have had problems with factored filters so it would be best to ensure that a genuine one is used. This can happen if a non Fiat garage carries out the service using factored parts. Its always a debatable issue,in particular with wheel bearings and brakes.

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injebreck99

injebreck99

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This is now the second time this has happened, the first was a few months after taking delivery from the dealer, can anybody who has had this problem before and sucessfully cured it please let us know the solution, is there one, or is it still happening on a random basis, I only want responses from 2.3 engine owners please.
 

beachcaster

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There are genuine Fiat filters and also factored filters, I know of people that have had problems with factored filters so it would be best to ensure that a genuine one is used. This can happen if a non Fiat garage carries out the service using factored parts. Its always a debatable issue,in particular with wheel bearings and brakes.

I agree with what you say.but the problem here is not the actual filter as much as the correct fitting of the filter housing which is a plastic pot with a lid.The lid needs to be done up with a special tool to the right torque level.

If not it will leak or break.

Ask your dealer to show you the special tools.........( a cradle and a special spanner ) if he cant show it to you ...don't let him touch your filter......... or its going to cost you over £200 at some time in the future when it fails and if it goes when you are in the middle of no where its going to take 2 days to get a new one from Fiat..........now that can ruin your holiday :)

Add to that all the fuel you are going to loose.......the fact that you will be dumping diesel all over the road ( or in my case ) all over a CC club site :)

It took the AA two trips over 3 days to sort me out.

Its a useless design solution.

Barry
 

hilldweller

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Its a useless design solution.
Barry

To a problem that did not exist.

I think I can see the reason, all the good old fartes that have been designing for 40 years are retiring, in come The Graduates who know olde fartes are out of touch and we can do better.

Now look at cars etc, so complex that a once out of warranty, so expensive to repair their residual value is negligible. I have heard horrendous stories, from inside the trade of poor software causing expensive problems yet they get the punter to cough up for the fix, which is a new computer with debugged software. I'm talking a Big German name here.

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injebreck99

injebreck99

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I agree with what you say.but the problem here is not the actual filter as much as the correct fitting of the filter housing which is a plastic pot with a lid.The lid needs to be done up with a special tool to the right torque level.

If not it will leak or break.

Ask your dealer to show you the special tools.........( a cradle and a special spanner ) if he cant show it to you ...don't let him touch your filter......... or its going to cost you over £200 at some time in the future when it fails and if it goes when you are in the middle of no where its going to take 2 days to get a new one from Fiat..........now that can ruin your holiday :)

Add to that all the fuel you are going to loose.......the fact that you will be dumping diesel all over the road ( or in my case ) all over a CC club site :)

It took the AA two trips over 3 days to sort me out.

Its a useless design solution.

Barry
How did your case get resolved, what did they do to cure it please.
 

beachcaster

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How did your case get resolved, what did they do to cure it please.

We were lucky in many respects........we had parked up at the CC site in the new forest.........and noticed liquid( Diesel ) pouring out under the engine.
The filter had failed and we had left a black diesel trail on the service road and grass for 50 yds.
We slung a washing up bowl under the engine......and it slowed to a trickle as the engine was shut off.
Wardens were brilliant and set about cleaning up........we rang the AA who arrived in the middle of the new forest in 15 mins.

The AA man removed the filter housing and tried a repair ........but it was bubbling out at the lid joint.......no cracks could be seen.
It was his opinion that it had been put back incorrectly........he decided he would get a new unit from Fiat...and later called us to say it would take 2 days..he would pick it up from Bournmouth and then come back and refit it.
Which he did.

The new unit is pre torqued and you don't have to undo it...just fit it. ( thank god)So its stays untouched till I decide I want the filter changed.

We had a car with us so we just continued our stay and the impact on our trip was minimal.

Also staying on site was a lovely guy who had a degree in engineering had an Autotrail the same as mine and knew every nut and bolt on the vehicle and its history..so he gave me the whole story about the dreaded fuel filter...........so that was that......its given no problems since.

The last fiat people to service the vehicle assured me they had not touched it ...and although its going in for a service next Monday.......I have given them explicit instructions NOT to change the filter or go any where near it .

There are rumours this unit is unfit for purpose and court cases in Italy..Fiat UK have not admitted that here.

I'm sure the filter unit itself cost me around £200 the AA sorted me out as part of my membership.

barry

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injebreck99

injebreck99

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Fitted a new Fiat fuel filter today ,leaked first and second times of fitting, fitted it a third time and so far all is well, very minutely examined filter body/ seal/housing etc, no apparent faults, fingers crossed that it stays OK, must say that my confidence in the van has taken a knock though.
 

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