# Fiat engine thump



## Dukeham (Feb 3, 2009)

*Hi.
I have an 08/09 3ltr Aviano. Have we found out what causes the engine to thump when starting yet please ? Mine has always done it !
Thanks.
G.*


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Mines always done it too. I think engine mount upgrades help with this.

steve


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

May be a good idea to pm Fiat_UK and ask them why it does it- and let us all know what they say :wink:


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## Dukeham (Feb 3, 2009)

*Hi.
Its going back to Southdown Motorhomes at the end of this month for this & some minor snagging.
If I can get some answer I will re/post !
Many thanks.
G.*


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Is it something to do with the dual density flywheel ie one part of the flywheel whizzes round till it clunks up against stop on the other part. I'm no technician but that's what it feels like to me.

What I can't understand with these X250 transmission issues is that some real expert transmission specialists haven't come on here and explained exactly what the propblems are.

we get Fiat weirdo Italian, don't admit to anything speak and we get any number of theories from well meaning MHFers who are not trained transmission engineers but speak from experience and we get motorhome journalists who suffer the problem, argue our case but shed little technical information.

There must be qualified transmission enguineers who own X250 variants and who whince every time the thing bangs or shudders. Why haven't they come forward?

SDA


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

As a MH owner, I will in the future have to buy another MH, it's not looking good for Fiat MH's future sales, and willn't do, until they come up with the goods, the alternatives to Fiat these days are far far better than they have ever been, Ford, Mercedes, VW, to name but a few.

I would not be surprised to see Nissan and Toyota etc starting to figure in coach built MH's as at the smaller end, as their medium sized vans are very popular now, I'm not sure but I think Toyota Dyna, and Hiace, have a reasonable GVW, Mitsubishi have been used to carry broken down cars for years.

It is only a matter of time before these companies look to the MH market to increase sales, they've done it in every other field of transport, and they too must be feeling the pinch, if all they have to do is fit 2 single seats, leave the back off the cab to get in to this market and maybe tweak the ECU, and fit bigger springs, they'll do it, and they'll do it right, and they'll do it quick. we're next.

Fiat take notice and listen, while you still can.

Kev.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> Its going back to Southdown Motorhomes at the end of this month for this & some minor snagging.


Sorry to disillusion you Dukeham but you'll get the usual tripe from Dealers-ie Fiat are aware of the problem and are working on it :roll:


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Kev_Behr said:


> I would not be surprised to see Nissan and Toyota etc starting to figure in coach built MH's.......Kev.


Oh I wish. Having owned Jap bikes and cars since the early 70's and knowing how reliable they are my initial thoughts on buying a motorhome were to buy something Japanese based. When I found out it was almost certain to be French or Italian I was very disappointed to say the least.

JohnW


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

I would expect any transmission specialist NOT to buy a Fiat!!!


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## gm6vxb (Nov 3, 2007)

Put very simply, the thump is due to the bottom mount, and possibly but to a lesser extent the engine mounts.
Basically on startup the engine will jump and the thump is due to mountings bottoming out.
If you put the van in neutral, you should be able to rock the engine (for and aft). Any noticable movement will give you the thump.
Have a look at Andy Stoddarts engine thump, gearbox disintegrating, and clutch smoking thread, it describes all of the possible symptoms.
If your van is out of warranty it may be work having a word with a good engine and gearbox tuning/modifying company who may be able to sort the mount for you.
Martin (with a modified bottom mount and no thump)


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## papatone (Jun 19, 2007)

*Another One*

My 3ltr Aviano, also thumps when starting. Ours is 09 model from Timberland, I will ask them to investigate. Maybe to fit engine to chassis stabilizers,Like minis used to have to stop engine rocking excessively


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## 122743 (Apr 24, 2009)

Hello , after speaking candidly with some friends in the FIAT repair industry , the problem appears to affect Motorhomes , especially ones with long overhangs , much more so than Panel Vans.


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## ICDSUN (Oct 10, 2006)

Dukeham

I have had the new stiffer mounts fitted as part of the on-going fix for judder, it has removed the thump on start up which was evident on ours from day one (2.3 6spd), I don't think they can fit a stabiliser bar as someone suggested, it would probably invalidate the safety/type approval on the chassis, it would also act as an amplifier for engine noise to the attched point so increased noise would also be very likely

Chris


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Mk1GolfGTI said:


> Hello , after speaking candidly with some friends in the FIAT repair industry , the problem appears to affect Motorhomes , especially ones with long overhangs , much more so than Panel Vans.


With respect I think there's a certain amount of misinformation and urban myth within the Fiat service network.

Most Fiat dealerships seem to get their information from local Fiat reps. In my experience they actually know very little, probably less than the average van or motorhome owner, about the problems and tend to tow a 'Fiat is blameless, it must be the owners' line to try and boost their own and Fiat's credibility.

What Fiat and these people have failed to realise is that you can't get away with such attitudes in an internet world. Sites like MHF disseminate information and bind owners together in a way that couldn't happen 10 years ago.

Some vehicle makers have realised that they have to up their game in the new environment, but Fiat aren't one of them.

As somebody said in a different thread earlier today, 'Italy has been economically bust for years, but the difference is they don't care'. The same attitude seems to permeate Fiats total management structure.

I can see no good reason why the powertrain of chassis cab based X250's should act in a different way to a panel van powertrain.

Whilst some engines are different, some are the same and so is the rest of the powertrain. A long (or short) overhang of the body built on the chassis can surely make no difference to a powertrain that drives the front wheels from a front engine and who's rearmost point is the exhaust which terminates just aft of the cab.

SDA

Editted for PS

PS or is the thump and judder the result of the much puffed 'special' development of the X250 as a motorhome base vehicle? If so I'd rather have a base vehicle that hasn't been 'specially' developed thank you.


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## ICDSUN (Oct 10, 2006)

Mk1GolfGTI said:


> Hello , after speaking candidly with some friends in the FIAT repair industry , the problem appears to affect Motorhomes , especially ones with long overhangs , much more so than Panel Vans.


I can't see how the length of a vehicle can impact or be relevant on this problem, it's simple physics, Fiat fit soft mountings to reduce engine vibrations but a side effect is the ease of engine movement on start up, they probably thought it an equitable trade off.

Your Fiat people may be referring to the juddering which does seem to affect MH's more than White Van Man, but there are several owners on here of PVC units who have severe judder on standard MWB & LWB vans

It's quite novel to hear of Fiat staff that know anything about this problem, for over 12 months they denied it existed and it seems some still do:lol:

Chris


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

And with Fiat on temporary shut down and 2 years worth of chassis cabs lined up in the surrounding fields it will be some time for any permanent fixes of known problems appear in new Fiat based motorhomes.

How the heck can they therefore be in the frame to purchase Vauxhall/Opel ??

C.


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Don't ask questions like that Clive, or you'll find yourself in bed with a horses front end one morning. 8O 

SDA


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