Save up to 15% with Adrian Flux insurance!

Technical 2009 Doblo Mobility fuel leak Gowrings design error

Currently reading:
Technical 2009 Doblo Mobility fuel leak Gowrings design error

G

gordon123123

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2017
Messages
19
Points
54
If You Have or know someone that has a Gowrings Mobility conversion from 2009 14oo petrol please look at where the fuel filler pipe enters the tank. on mine (and I suspect all unless they fitted wrong tank to mine) the leaf spring easily hits the pipe on the corner hard when compressed eg hitting a bump or jacking it up on axle) polished at point where they touch! this is 13 mm before contact with bump stop and there will be more spring movement compressing the bump stop ! this of course means something has to give in and its the welded joint where the filler meets the tank and there is a crack where highly volatile PETROL gushes out!
I have asked Gowrings about what went wrong and there pondering it over at the moment
SO has any one else got this difficult problem? I don't think a bead of silicone and cut a bit out of spring is going to do it?
please comment if anyone come across this problem with the Gowrings Mobility Mod, this is not a Fiat issue
Thanks Gordon
 
Gowrings got back to me, its Fare ware and tear ! and can be fixed at my expense! so apparently A road spring constantly hitting a fuel pipe until it breaks is Fare ware and tear NOT bad design or build fault! on what planet is this correct? not mine and interested in how they can fix at my expense? a new tank of same design is still going to be hit by road spring, and new stiffer? springs dampers and bump stops are not going to stop it hitting , just make it a bit harder! I have reported them to VOSA so lets see how they explain it to them?
 
Is this a Gowrings by any chance? if so the fuel tank (which is smaller and Gowings made) is not well supported and moves to the left , then the fuel filler is hit by the road spring and cracks the weld where it enters the fuel tank and leaks causing fire hazard Diabolical design and build! and when I told Gowings about it the answer was "Fair ware and tear! !!
 
Thanks for your post.
I have a 9/2008 registered Fiat Doblo Dynamic 1.4 petrol, which also had a smell of petrol inside and after reading your post asked my reliable local garage to check over. It has a ramp for wheelchair access for a disabled relative.

As it happens, they said there was no visible damage to the area you mention, though they could not identify the source of the petrol smell.
They did say that a) petrol tanks are usually vented in different ways, and this might be part of the issue, and b) on previous similar vehicles they have seen the rubber used to join fuel hoses after these conversions is often of a grade that perishes and needs to be replaced.


In future I shall ask for the area to be checked every six months, just in case. Hopefully more Gowrings Fiat Doblo users will provide information here.
 
Hi, they need to look closely at fuel filler at tank 90 deg angle to see if the leaf spring hits it during its travels , if so it cracks the area where it joins the tank and when fuel slopping about or when full it leaks out of the fracture
 
Thanks for the clear explanation, going for a service a few weeks time, shall print out and ask them to check. Will post if anything.
 
Thanks for this Gordon, I'll check the tank on my wav doblo.

BTW anyone know what the capacity of the gowrings fuel tank is on a doblo?
 
Update...

Sure enough, the tank has moved about 15mm to the near side (see first photo) bringing the edge of the leaf spring in line with the side of the fuel tank fill pipe (seen between the spring and the tank on the second photo :eek: ) but not, I guess, as far as yours had Gordon?

Have asked a garage to move it safely back into position... and secure it!
 

Attachments

  • 2017-09-15 07.31.40.jpg
    2017-09-15 07.31.40.jpg
    2.5 MB · Views: 88
  • 2017-09-15 07.27.30.jpg
    2017-09-15 07.27.30.jpg
    2.5 MB · Views: 80
Hello there, I have a 2008 Gowrings doblo conversion, and I think I have the same problem as you've mentioned in this thread. Did you get anywhere with fixing it? Were Gowrings any help? Appreciate if you could let me know, kind thanks




gordon123123 said:
If You Have or know someone that has a Gowrings Mobility conversion from 2009 14oo petrol please look at where the fuel filler pipe enters the tank. on mine (and I suspect all unless they fitted wrong tank to mine) the leaf spring easily hits the pipe on the corner hard when compressed eg hitting a bump or jacking it up on axle) polished at point where they touch! this is 13 mm before contact with bump stop and there will be more spring movement compressing the bump stop ! this of course means something has to give in and its the welded joint where the filler meets the tank and there is a crack where highly volatile PETROL gushes out!
I have asked Gowrings about what went wrong and there pondering it over at the moment
SO has any one else got this difficult problem? I don't think a bead of silicone and cut a bit out of spring is going to do it?
please comment if anyone come across this problem with the Gowrings Mobility Mod, this is not a Fiat issue
Thanks Gordon
Click to expand...
 
Hello , yes i did get a new tank out of them and guess what the new tank filler still hit the leaf spring, Light bulb moment there at there workshop , slacken tank and push it to drivers side ! It can move quite a way and far enough to give some clearance, the tank must creep in its cradle to the left hand side then start hitting the spring .
I also screwed an angle plate to box section so the tank cannot move to hit spring ! Also ended up with new springs as they were knackered but that is not the answer , but knackered springs make problem worse !

So repair or fit new tank and move it as far to right hand side away from spring and screw a stop plate to stop it moving to the left

Good luck ,
 
Yes that's it, i fitted a bracket on to box section protruding so the tank could not go past it and filler hit spring again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Technical Fiat Doblo 2009 1.9 intermittent fault
Replies
14
Views
602
Angeradel
A
S
Technical Fiat doblo Fuel systems issues???
Replies
2
Views
829
STEVE ROB
S
L
Technical Fiat Doblo 1.3 multijet diesel leak help please
Replies
1
Views
537
RalphM
RalphM
I
Technical Doblo van
Replies
5
Views
476
steveras57
S
C
General Fiat doblo
Replies
1
Views
448
Vnessy4
Vnessy4
Back
Top