MH full service - very happy with local Hull company

[jockaneezer]

I'd be tempted to go down there with my battery drill and endoscope, put a small hole in the bell housing and take a peak at the csc and if it's ok, stick a rubber blanking grommet in the hole !
How many manual clutches fail at 22k as opposed to hearing on here the amount of Comformatics that maybe flag up a fault because the oil needs changed or the Kiss point needs reset, but the garages don't understand them and start throwing bits at them, costing the owners an unnecessary fortune ?

 

[Lenny HB]

I'd be tempted to go down there with my battery drill and endoscope, put a small hole in the bell housing and take a peak at the csc and if it's ok, stick a rubber blanking grommet in the hole !
How many manual clutches fail at 22k as opposed to hearing on here the amount of Comformatics that maybe flag up a fault because the oil needs changed or the Kiss point needs reset, but the garages don't understand them and start throwing bits at them, costing the owners an unnecessary fortune ?

Problem with the Comfomatic is that if the clutch cylinder is not disengaging the clutch fully there are some paws/claws on the clutch that don't engage properly which in turn causes damage to the clutch assembly.

Even if the clutch isn't damaged you have to take the gearbox out to change the slave cylinder so might as well change the clutch.

 

[Marie-Claire]

Why did they ever change from the cs c on the outside of the bell housing pushing the fork that protrudes through it, would be a 10 minute job to change and bleed it and keeping the oil on the outside so it cant contaminate the clutch

 

[Lenny HB]

Why did they ever change from the cs c on the outside of the bell housing pushing the fork that protrudes through it, would be a 10 minute job to change and bleed it and keeping the oil on the outside so it cant contaminate the clutch

Concentric slave cylinders combine the slave cylinder and thrust release bearing in one. It gives a constant operating pressure. Also they are 70% lighter than a conventional cylinder and release bearing and shorter assembly time.

 

[Minxy]

Definitely ignore any codes then. Hopefully they checked the fluid level in the eggcup before any diagnostics were done and found plenty in there (If there was little or no fluid in there then the CSC has clearly failed and there would be no need any further diagnostics).
If there is fluid in the eggcup then the first thing to try would be the KISS point reset (including code resets etc..). You can get some quite alarming clonks and thumps if the clutch is out of adjustment and not engaging/disengaging fully. I'd also make sure that the wiring loom is fully attached to the bulkhead clips.
They should then run through the Comfortmatic gear selection and clutch operation routines to see if they are working properly (all via diagnostics)
Only after doing these should they start looking for any physical damage and start pulling things apart.

When I spoke to the chap I 'interrogated' him well (poor chap! ) so know they've checked the wiring etc. I also mentioned the 'egg cup' and other stuff funsters have mentioned as well as what I've found out on the web.

We're hopefully getting it back early next week so will give it a good going over ourselves for stuff we can double check but until then we can't really do anything ... I hate being in limbo like this although it's been useful not having it on the drive for a while as I was up me willow, holly and cherry trees the other day giving the latter a good seeing to cutting about 10ft off it's height so all the limbs were able to be dumped on the drive and cut up ... better make sure there aren't any spiky bits left as we don't want any punctures on top of everything else!

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[Minxy]

The manual has been updated sevel times over the last few years I only found out about the need to change the fluid on Fun.

Same here, no garages mention that it's not checked as part of a standard service either, assuming they know about it of course.

I was lucky as it was 6 years when I got mine done, had a chat with Simon the service manager at AM he runs a Comformatic and he changes the fluid annually on his and recommends to change it no later than 2 years.

Yup I know, bit late for us now though.

 

[Minxy]

It is ridiculous that these Fiat 'Professional' garages havn't got a person trained to do the fluid change and recalibration on these comfortmatic boxes.
We went to Adams Morey on Tuesday,job done in under the hour!

Totally agree, we were considering going to AM on our way out on our winter foreign trip due to not being able to get it done anywhere round here, obviously that's gone to the dogs now.

 

[Minxy]

The separate Comfortmatic manual has been dropped in favour of an updated Ducato manual. I am surprised your manual does not show the new schedule because your Compactline is about the same age as mine (2019)

No idea, unless it was because ours was built a little bit earlier than yours and thus had an earlier version of the manual.

 

[rb62]

Totally agree, we were considering going to AM on our way out on our winter foreign trip due to not being able to get it done anywhere round here, obviously that's gone to the dogs now.

I originally went to our local Fiat garage who knew exactly what needed doing and how sensible I was getting it done,but then quoted £262 apart from the fact they hadn't got a lift big enough for our van
so we spent some of the money saved calling in at AM on the way to the tunnel.

 

[Minxy]

Well he's back ... managed to get a local guy (Stewarts Recovery) with a large 12 ton sliding flatbed truck to bring him home, he's the only one locally who has insurance for up to £250k, lots of others but they only have £50k cover so no good and as a rule smaller recovery trucks.

Stewarts Recovery | Accident and Breakdown Recovery Hull

Vehicle Recovery Specialists in Hull serving East Yorkshire for Breakdown, Accident, On or Off Road Incident Recovery.

www.stewartsrecovery.com

We were quoted £128 by the AA and the chap (Bells) who took it away originally quoted £180!

The good news is the cost was only £60! Due to the height the chap had to do a longer route but he was quite happy rather than risk lowish bridges etc ... didn't want to 'dint' his insurance NCD ... nor our MH!

Here he is arriving back home. We had to manoeuvre him by hand a bit to get him where we wanted but he's now tucked up in his usual spot, safe and sound.

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[CazPaul]

So it’s going to be with you now a good month before the parts arrive?

 

[chaser]

Well he's back ... managed to get a local guy (Stewarts Recovery) with a large 12 ton sliding flatbed truck to bring him home, he's the only one locally who has insurance for up to £250k, lots of others but they only have £50k cover so no good and as a rule smaller recovery trucks.

Stewarts Recovery | Accident and Breakdown Recovery Hull

Vehicle Recovery Specialists in Hull serving East Yorkshire for Breakdown, Accident, On or Off Road Incident Recovery.

www.stewartsrecovery.com

We were quoted £128 by the AA and the chap (Bells) who took it away originally quoted £180!

The good news is the cost was only £60! Due to the height the chap had to do a longer route but he was quite happy rather than risk lowish bridges etc ... didn't want to 'dint' his insurance NCD ... nor our MH!

Her he is arriving back home. We had to manoeuvre him by hand a bit to get him where we wanted but he's now tucked up in his usual spot, safe and sound.

View attachment 823750 View attachment 823751

I maybe a bit thick here but why did it want bringing on a truck? I thought it was being mended.

 

[gus-lopez]

I maybe a bit thick here but why did it want bringing on a truck? I thought it was being mended.

^They will not start work on it without the parts.That could be 4 to 8 weeks as on back order.

 

[Minxy]

Oh, when I ring Jordans to pay for the diagnostics they done (they wouldn't release the MH without us paying understandably) I asked if the parts situation had improved but she said they'd be cancelling our parts as we were taking it away, I assume thinking that we wouldn't be using them for the repair despite our telling the staff including the service desk ladies exactly what we were doing! I immediately responded "No, no, no!!!!" and explained that he's going to be back to them once they have the parts in and been scheduled to be worked on so is just back home for in the interim period. She said she'd let the parts guy know as he was definitely going to cancel them!!!!

Phew ... can you imagine ... we'd be patiently waiting for a month then likely ringing to see if they'd come to be told they'd been cancelled ... don't think I'd have been able to resist going round and strangling someone!!!

 

[Minxy]

So it’s going to be with you now a good month before the parts arrive?

Yup ... then they've got to schedule the work once they have them, so could be 2 months before it actually get's it's bits messed with!

I maybe a bit thick here but why did it want bringing on a truck? I thought it was being mended.

Yup you are! ... see post #79

MH full service - very happy with local Hull company

Guys , I know no one on here takes the slightest notice of what I say but just this once, please instead of obsessing about every last percent of a volt in your lithium system, get to know your van , have a look under the bonnet at the important stuff. Just seeing a little less fluid or a bit of...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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[Dutch 68]

I'd be tempted to go down there with my battery drill and endoscope, put a small hole in the bell housing and take a peak at the csc and if it's ok, stick a rubber blanking grommet in the hole !
How many manual clutches fail at 22k as opposed to hearing on here the amount of Comformatics that maybe flag up a fault because the oil needs changed or the Kiss point needs reset, but the garages don't understand them and start throwing bits at them, costing the owners an unnecessary fortune ?

Exactly that, no matter the distance , it’s way cheaper to get the vehicle to someone like adams Morey if they make the correct diagnosis first time around , too many garages have no clue and start just replacing stuff until it works

 

[VXman]

We worked with a bloke like that . Owned from new & after 2 years he had no idea how it opened & someone else showed him to be confronted with cobwebs ,spiders everywhere.

Exactly .I check all mine evry day before going out & each time I stop when travelling

That seems a little over the top. Whilst I am mechanically knowledgeable I do understand that the majority of drivers are not and it is common for drivers not to do anything to their cars between services.

Oh, when I ring Jordans to pay for the diagnostics they done (they wouldn't release the MH without us paying understandably) I asked if the parts situation had improved but she said they'd be cancelling our parts as we were taking it away, I assume thinking that we wouldn't be using them for the repair despite our telling the staff including the service desk ladies exactly what we were doing! I immediately responded "No, no, no!!!!" and explained that he's going to be back to them once they have the parts in and been scheduled to be worked on so is just back home for in the interim period. She said she'd let the parts guy know as he was definitely going to cancel them!!!!

Phew ... can you imagine ... we'd be patiently waiting for a month then likely ringing to see if they'd come to be told they'd been cancelled ... don't think I'd have been able to resist going round and strangling someone!!!

Communication in these places is always their downfall. I have heard so many positive recommendations about Camper UK and yet when I had my van in there for some work I found them a nightmare to deal with on the phone. Calls not returned. Every time you got a different receptionist on the phone you had to explain again and then they'd disappear. They'd promise to get back to you and wouldn't etc etc. I asked them to give me a quote for some body work while it was there. 4 months later still waiting for the quote. I've given up now.

 

[Lenny HB]

Any updates Mel Minxy?

I was wondering how they know what bits to order if they have not stripped down, have they ordered everthing they might need and returning unwanted bits.

 

[Minxy]

Any updates Mel Minxy?

I was wondering how they know what bits to order if they have not stripped down, have they ordered everthing they might need and returning unwanted bits.

Yup they've ordered anything they may need, if not required then we won't pay but it means they should be able to get it sorted as soon as they start working on it. Just having to bide our time and dream if warmer climes.

 

[Minxy]

Hubby's run Fiat to see if they have any news ref parts ... not a sausage ... still waiting for stuff for the MHs/vans they already had in before ours! Christmas in warmer climes looks to be definitely off ... good job we got the frozen turkeys cheap from Farmfoods.

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[Minxy]

Early Christmas present!!!!!

Garage has rung to say the clutch kit is in so the MH is booked in on Wednesday for them to start working on it, should be sorted by early Jan ... might finally get away to some sunshine!!!!

 

[WESTY66]

Early Christmas present!!!!!

Garage has rung to say the clutch kit is in so the MH is booked in on Wednesday for them to start working on it, should be sorted by early Jan ... might finally get away to some sunshine!!!!

Have I missed something? When did that go Mel? Uncle Lenny mentioned something last month whilst I was down at his place but I haven’t seen it on here, what’s been the problem?

 

[CazPaul]

Have they given a price for the work, even an estimated one?

 

[Minxy]

Have I missed something? When did that go Mel? Uncle Lenny mentioned something last month whilst I was down at his place but I haven’t seen it on here, what’s been the problem?

Er ... read from post 2 onwards!

 

[WESTY66]

Er ... read from post 2 onwards!

Sorry Mel, I’d just seen this in the what’s new “happy with local hull company” and didn’t register the happy bit with the transmission gone, but as I hadn’t read the thread, which I’m just catching up on now

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[WESTY66]

Why the only reason I open the bonnet is to fill the screen wash.

You have a bonnet?? What luxury, I have a letterbox

 

[MichaelT]

You have a bonnet?? What luxury, I have a letterbox

Same here but its rather a large one

 

[Minxy]

Have they given a price for the work, even an estimated one?

Minimum £2,500 but could be well over £3,000 depending on what they find when they finally get in there.

They've had to do 4 of them in recent months and every one has been the slave cylinder at fault so something's amiss with them, eg faulty part/manufacture/seal etc, but whilst they're doing it they'll be replacing the clutch too as it's such an expensive job it makes sense rather than risk it having to be done again when the clutch definitely needs replacing.

Well be getting the parts back and then putting a claim in against Fiat to see if they will cough up.

Next year it's gonna be another expensive one as we need to get the cam belt changed ... hopefully nothing else goes wrong as I don't think my 'virtual' wallet months could stand it!

 

[WESTY66]

The manual has been updated sevel times over the last few years I only found out about the need to change the fluid on Fun.
I was lucky as it was 6 years when I got mine done, had a chat with Simon the service manager at AM he runs a Comformatic and he changes the fluid annually on his and recommends to change it no later than 2 years.

You might see me a lot more often then dad I’ll bring Val to help Mi with some further tips for the kitchen

 

[Minxy]

Well my 'baby' left home this morning, technically as it's now past midnight it was yesterday morning! He's now in the garage's yard and should be fixed by Saturday all being well but we won't collect him until next week as he needs taxing so no point in paying for December road tax for the sake of waiting a few more days, the bill's gonna be big enough already.

Once we've had a run out in him, maybe a stop somewhere if the weather improves a bit (!), we might then feel confident to book a ferry crossing and start frantically planning ... we haven't done any at all as we just couldn't get in the mood due to not knowing when he'd be sorted but being able to use him again will be nice.

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