Things don't always go according to plan

[Davecrawf]

We left home on Monday 3rd January to stay overnight in Portsmouth, then board the Galicia to Santander. However, after 63 miles from Newcastle the battery waning light came on and the engine started to overheat. We pulled over onto the hard shoulder and I quickly realised there was nothing I could do. I have often wondered how good the breakdown service from Nationwide would be, but never wanted to be in a situation to find out. When I called them someone answered immediately and the local breakdown service (Lowes) was with us within an hour. They were really helpful and got us and our MH back to our local garage, not far from Newcastle. It seems that the water pump had seized and then most of the coolant drained. There was no noise from the pump to warn me of the impending failure and the Fiat Ducato 3L Diesel has only done 30k miles. Brittany Ferries and the Caravan and Motorhome club were excellent, and we are booked to go from Portsmouth to Caen at the end of February, assuming France is open by then. I can highly recommend the Nationwide breakdown service now that I have had the experience that I never wanted to have. Our Cocker Spaniel had to stay in the MH throughout, and was quite stressed, but fully recovered in a short while of being home. However we now need a new Animal Health Certificate for February <Broken link removed>

 

[Flairy]

Good to hear when things go well hope you get away safely.

 

[jockaneezer]

Hope there's no further damage to your engine and you can get away again ?

 

[Davecrawf]

Hope there's no further damage to your engine and you can get away again ?

Thanks,
It looks like I stopped in good time, so hopefully only a replacement water pump to worry about. Moved away from the Fiat main dealer to a local garage a while ago. I have so much more confidence in them, and I will be looked after rather than ripped off.

 

[2bob]

do you need a new timeing belt as well as some work the water pump

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[SpeedyDux]

do you need a new timeing belt as well as some work the water pump

The 3L engine has a chain driven camshaft.

 

[nicholsong]

Thanks,
It looks like I stopped in good time, so hopefully only a replacement water pump to worry about. Moved away from the Fiat main dealer to a local garage a while ago. I have so much more confidence in them, and I will be looked after rather than ripped off.

Totally support that idea. The base vehicle is just a van or truck chassis and commercial garages have more experience of them than dealers. Ours here in Poland does all that is needed from inspection but leaves everything that looks good. On the other hand when underneath he spotted some surface rusting of the chassis so blasted it off and treated it - good man. Rates are cheap too.

Geoff

 

[Davecrawf]

do you need a new timeing belt as well as some work the water pump

Good question. The reason I stopped going to the main Fiat dealership was that they wanted to change the timing chain, and were happy charge me £3,000 for the 'unnecessary' job.
I think my garage will probably renew the drive belt as part of the water pump repair.

 

[Davecrawf]

Totally support that idea. The base vehicle is just a van or truck chassis and commercial garages have more experience of them than dealers. Ours here in Poland does all that is needed from inspection but leaves everything that looks good. On the other hand when underneath he spotted some surface rusting of the chassis so blasted it off and treated it - good man. Rates are cheap too.

Geoff

Good to hear.

 

[Davecrawf]

Hope there's no further damage to your engine and you can get away again ?

Everything good. New pump and auxiliary drive belt fitted today. Ready to roam another day.

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