Cutting out

ShiftZZ

ShiftZZ

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Our Ducato occasionally cuts out, not for long, loses power and then recovers, it appears to happen once we have stopped for a break and we start off going up hill.
Then it's OK for 100's of miles, I suspect its a failing fuel pump, but that's my humble opinion.

We are hoping to get to our campsite in Lyon, booked for two nights, there is a fiat professional dealership close by,

Any suggestions, could it be the fuel pump or something else?
Big job?
 
Mine has been doing it for years!

Two slighlty different events occur/

1. When driving, at any time, not just after a stop. Cruising along in 5th and then hitting a hill, the engine management warning light comes on. No loss of power, just the red light. I either 'blip' the throttle or drop into neutral, and the light goes out.

2. When driving, at any time, not just after a stop. Cruising along in 5th and then hitting a hill, move to change gear and all power disappears. Rev Counter still indicates the same, no warning lights. Put it into neutral, 'blip' the throttle, and power returns.
 
I would have said my thoughts would have been the same as yours ShiftZZ (lack of fuel pressure after a stop) and then put it under maximum load (uphill)
however, the post above poo poo’s that theory somewhat.
 
In simple terms, the only things that make a diesel actually cut out , tend to be fuel, air & compression. Therefore, this should eliminate things like injectors, turbo etc. Failing or faulty pump timing would certainly add up.
I can’t think of an electronic reason why this would happen only under those circumstances.
My experience is all in heavy plant, but a Diesel engine is a Diesel engine at the end of the day.
Keep us posted.
 
Fuel intake at tank blocked by gung from diesel bug possibly. I think that's what caused a similar problem jn mine. It was left with little fuel and practically no mileage for the last year.

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The plan is to get to the campsite in Lyon. There is a Fiat professional garage not too far, I'll have a chat with them, I may need the help of yodeli if they don't speak good enough English.
If they can fix it all well and good, we need to stay somewhere,I know they may have accommodation at the site. We have frozen stuff, plus my medication requires to be kept in a fridge.

So that's the plan.
 
We are away for up to 3 months, may as well try and get it fixed..

Is replacing a fuel pump a big job?
 
If it just cuts power for a few seconds a faulty brake light switch or cruise control can also cause it
 
There will be filters to eliminate first. As Reallyretired mentioned, get all the filters changed first as they are relatively cheap.
The pump on a large machine can be changed in a couple of hours but that doesn’t have a motorhome wrapped around it, so can’t help you with timescale.
 
When they change the fuel filter, get them to check the fuel for metallic finings, can be done with a magnet. It might be the fuel pump failing.
It happened to me on a kango van and I ignored it for a while, it used to cut out for no reason under acceleration sometimes, and the engine warning light briefly indicated a fault.

It ended up blocking the fuel injectors which resulted in fuel tank removal and cleaning, all fuel lines cleaning through, new pump and filter and injectors reconditioning. If I had caught it earlier (as you seem to have done) it would have saved a lot of money! So it's a great idea to get it sorted asap and not ignore it like I did.

Hopefully yours might just be a bit of dirt in the fuel getting past the filter.
 
I’ve had this problem it turned out to be throttle pedal connection ,pulled it apart with a fine needle pushed connection in slightly put back together no problem since,the tip came from Fiat professional service manager Udo at MW Fahrzeugtechnik 06445 6120500 shufflegrund near Wetzler,they speak good English.
 
Jackd said:
Good god, we now have

Cruise control
Brake light switch
Throttle connection

For what “sounds like” a fuel related problem.
I know think that the modern Diesel engine is far beyond my capability ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
Click to expand...
The van is 15 years old, 3litre.
 
ShiftZZ said:
The van is 15 years old, 3litre.
Click to expand...
I’m gonna stick with fuel filter/pump related then. Best of luck regardless.

Ps. Take your breaks on the far side of the hill ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

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as said above it could be a fuel issue, being 15y old it will have an EGR valve ( exhaust recycling regulator) they recycle exhaust gases back through the engine when idling and when cruising, these valves have a habit of getting carboned up and can stick in the open position and this will cause loss of power, as it’s an early diesel you can blank the merc 3l diesel valve off which would sort the issue.
 
I read somewhere this can be caused by your foot drifting over and you were riding the brake just a tad. If the engine computer sees throttle and brake at the same time it'll pop into limp mode for a while.
 
Drove this morning avoiding the payage. Happening more often, atop start usually going up the gears up hill.. annoying..

We should be in Lyon I'm the morning, the garages will be closed, so I will write down the symptoms and see how they translate into French..
 
Jackd said:
Good god, we now have

Cruise control
Brake light switch
Throttle connection

For what “sounds like” a fuel related problem.
I know think that the modern Diesel engine is far beyond my capability ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:
Click to expand...
yes cruise & the brake light switch are inextricably linked. A dodgy ,incorrectly set switch will even be set off over a bumpy potholed road. i had that on a Kia Carnival.

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Jackd said:
There will be filters to eliminate first. As Reallyretired mentioned, get all the filters changed first as they are relatively cheap.
The pump on a large machine can be changed in a couple of hours but that doesn’t have a motorhome wrapped around it, so can’t help you with timescale.
Click to expand...
I agree with the filters. Had a similar experience with my boat (not hills!!) I was looking at fuel pump rebuild but was told to change the filters- it solved the problem and was a cheap fix
 
Hi Dave ShiftZZ

Whatever you need to be translated, let me know but for phone conversation it can be before Tuesday.
Mum staying at hospital with both lungs infected, and me totally knackered. So each time I get the chance to come back home I just try to rest before Tuesday..working time with the toddlers/baby.
Speak soon
Frankie xxx
 
yodeli said:
Hi Dave ShiftZZ

Whatever you need to be translated, let me know but for phone conversation it can be before Tuesday.
Mum staying at hospital with both lungs infected, and me totally knackered. So each time I get the chance to come back home I just try to rest before Tuesday..working time with the toddlers/baby.
Speak soon
Frankie xxx
Click to expand...
Thanks Frankie..
 
Can't be blocked filters or diesel bug as it runs fine for hundreds of miles.
If it was either of the above it would happen all the time.

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