Won’t rev above 2750rpm Fiat Ducato X290

[Abgs]

2018 150Bhp Fiat Ducato X290.

It was all working fine last week, but today, drove out of the yard and then realised it won’t rev over 2750 rpm.

Visually checked under the bonnet. No leaking fuel lines. Took air filter out, no evidence of rodent invasion.

Filled with diesel last week and driven about 50 miles since.

Learned friends …. what do we think are the most likely issues to cause this?

I’ve ordered an OBD2 code reader from Amazon - can’t believe I don’t already have one of these!

Also - should my air intake have some sort of grill over it - this is just asking for a rodent to crawl in.

 

[Yorick]

I love meatballs.

 

[Podney]

I don’t know what the revs are when they go into “limp mode”,but that could be the answer. But I think it’s lower revs than 2750.
Could be the fuel was dodgy, but I doubt it. Had it stood for a long time before starting up? If so maybe crud in the fuel,or in the fuel filter.
Someone who knows more than me will be along soon I’m sure.


Edit: perhaps a rodent has already crawled in!

 

[Abgs]

I don’t know what the revs are when they go into “limp mode”,but that could be the answer. But I think it’s lower revs than 2750.
Could be the fuel was dodgy, but I doubt it. Had it stood for a long time before starting up? If so maybe crud in the fuel,or in the fuel filter.
Someone who knows more than me will be along soon I’m sure.


Edit: perhaps a rodent has already crawled in!

It had been stood for a week - did maybe 150 miles in it in the few days leading up to that.

There is no rodent evidence in the air intake - the filter is undamaged - so nothing has got in and past the filter.

The code reader should be here tomorrow...

 

[olley]

Mines got a stalk on the lefthand of the steering wheel that operates the cruise but it also has a function where you can limit the revs, have you inadvertently turned that on?

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[Burgo]

Floor mat rucked up under accelerator pedal?
No warning lights on dash (for water in seperator for example) ?

 

[Hagstrom]

Check the air intakes' Jubilee clips haven't loosened.

 

[Clivefog]

Any smoke?

 

[Abgs]

Any smoke?

No smoke.

Check the air intakes' Jubilee clips haven't loosened.

Had a look at all the air intake system pipework and can't see anything amiss.

Floor mat rucked up under accelerator pedal?
No warning lights on dash (for water in seperator for example) ?

No warning lights and accelerator pedal goes all the way down so nothing stuck under it.

Mines got a stalk on the lefthand of the steering wheel that operates the cruise but it also has a function where you can limit the revs, have you inadvertently turned that on?

I thought it might have been the cruise so checked that whilst driving up the road. I don't think it has a limiter function - though I've never read the manual - should do that next ! My Merc has a speed limiter function on the Cruise stalk but it regulates speed rather than revs.

 

[phase3begins]

Googled your title and there are quite a few answers. Too many to list the links but it might be worth a quick look

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[TerryL]

Sounds very much like the engine has gone into limp mode - but you should get the amber engine warning light on the dash.

The code reader should give you some idea I would think. Let us know please?

 

[Larby]

Could be related to turbo. On my x250there is a solenoid centre top above engine. Possibly jammed or pipes split / leaking

 

[Two on Tour]

I have had this on two occasions with other vehicles, one was the EGR crudded up and the other was the catalytic converter needed a regen

 

[Nixdorfer]

Manual or automatic?

My Audi wouldn't rev over 3000rpm the other week and turned out to be the clutch pedal switch was faulty so it thought the clutch was down and limited the revs. Didn't flag a code up as ECU thought it was working ok

 

[Abgs]

Sounds very much like the engine has gone into limp mode - but you should get the amber engine warning light on the dash.

The code reader should give you some idea I would think. Let us know please?

Will report back!

Could be related to turbo. On my x250there is a solenoid centre top above engine. Possibly jammed or pipes split / leaking

Pipes all look OK but will check for leaks using the soapy water method.

I have had this on two occasions with other vehicles, one was the EGR crudded up and the other was the catalytic converter needed a regen

I guess the code reader should tell me if these are the issues.

Manual or automatic?

My Audi wouldn't rev over 3000rpm the other week and turned out to be the clutch pedal switch was faulty so it thought the clutch was down and limited the revs. Didn't flag a code up as ECU thought it was working ok

Manual - will check this. I did read on another site that that could be a problem.

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[Abgs]

Mines got a stalk on the lefthand of the steering wheel that operates the cruise but it also has a function where you can limit the revs, have you inadvertently turned that on?

I have learnt three things today.

1. My Ducato book pack is all in German
2. The google translate app on my iPhone can roughly translate text from an image.
3. I do have a speed limiter along with my cruise control!

 

[Gellyneck]

I have learnt three things today.

1. My Ducato book pack is all in German
2. The google translate app on my iPhone can roughly translate text from an image.
3. I do have a speed limiter along with my cruise control!

Don't know if it will be of use to you but just loaded the handbook for X290 Ducato up to Resources. It's in 4 parts.

X290Ducato Handbook

The handbook for FIAT Ducato X290.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Gaston aires]

I had a similar thing happen once. It turned out to be a loose jubilee clip on the turbo intake.

 

[phase3begins]

Is it fixed?

 

[Vipar]

I thought it might have been the cruise so checked that whilst driving up the road. I don't think it has a limiter function - though I've never read the manual - should do that next ! My Merc has a speed limiter function on the Cruise stalk but it regulates speed rather than revs.

Usually when you switch off the engine. Cruise control and speed limiter switch off automatically.

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[Abgs]

Is it fixed?

I'll get back over to it tomorrow - my code reader has arrived though!

I had a similar thing happen once. It turned out to be a loose jubilee clip on the turbo intake.

Thanks - I'll check that tomorrow. I'm sure it's something simple.

 

[Abgs]

Don't know if it will be of use to you but just loaded the handbook for X290 Ducato up to Resources. It's in 4 parts.

X290Ducato Handbook

The handbook for FIAT Ducato X290.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

That's really handy - cheers My German is pretty much non existent! I've downloaded a copy to my iPhone as well as my PC.

 

[royw]

Speed limiters are just that and not rev limiters. If the vehicle goes into limp mode you will have a engine light appear, we had a duff EGR at 6k Miles on a Pilote Mercedes very limited revs and had to not only limp home but crawl on hands and knees.

 

[Canyon904]

If it is an HDI, there are many sensors that control fuel input and injector pressures, I have a Sprinter that has done this twice, 1st cost £360 with Mercedes, 2nd fixed myself. Find all sensors, unplug and clean with electrical contact cleaner, find ECU and do the same, wet and warm winters make connections furry, the slightest resistance will effect the fuel system.

 

[Ridgeway]

Mine ran up to about those revs, can't remember the exact value and that was "limp mode" caused in my case by a Pine Martin chewing through a turbo vacuum hose, cost about 50p to repair.

My point is that there are loads of things that case limp mode and a 2750 rpm limit sounds about right. Get that OBD2 reader on and see what comes up, most codes are easily searchable.

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[royw]

Mine ran up to about those revs, can't remember the exact value and that was "limp mode" caused in my case by a Pine Martin chewing through a turbo vacuum hose, cost about 50p to repair.

My point is that there are loads of things that case limp mode and a 2750 rpm limit sounds about right. Get that OBD2 reader on and see what comes up, most codes are easily searchable.

Agree on multiple causes for limp mode but did you have a warning to say something was wrong ? OP has not indicated if this is so ?

 

[Ridgeway]

Agree on multiple causes for limp mode but did you have a warning to say something was wrong ? OP has not indicated if this is so ?

Yes good point and forgot to say that as i tend to drive ours with low revs any way it took me some time to release that i actually had this fault at all, i'd driven about 450km before a long hill on the autoroute and it was only at this point that it was clear all wasn't well. And the reason i hadn't noticed it before was because the dashboard lighting on Ducatos is so poor that i did have an engine warning light on but i just could see it/hadn't noticed it as it was too faint. Once i'd realised there was something wrong then i could just make out the light coming on after engine start up, practically impossible to see it unless inside a tunnel though.

Al Bondigas could it be that your engine warning light is on but it's just hard to see it ?

 

[Abgs]

I'm going over there this morning armed with a code reader, contact cleaner spray, a new inspection light and ideas from everyone's helpful suggestions - will update later!

 

[royw]

I'm going over there this morning armed with a code reader, contact cleaner spray, a new inspection light and ideas from everyone's helpful suggestions - will update later!

Was there an error light displayed ?

 

[Abgs]

Was there an error light displayed ?

No error light on the dash.

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