Have joined the forum in an attempt to find the information.

I am considering purchasing a 1997 Fiat campervan with a 1.9 TD engine with 46000 miles on the clock.

The current owner doesn't seem to know whether it has a cambelt or not.

I have looked under the bonnet and can see that it has an alloy casing fitted to the front of the engine, does this mean that it does not have a cambelt, if not does it have a chain or gears? If it does indeed have a cambelt at what mileage should it be changed?

I have searched the internet but so far have not been able to find the information so would be grateful if some knowledgeable person could help.

Thanks in advance.

W

as the JTD is based on the TD engine i would hazard a guess that it has a belt

Yes, it's on the offside, it should look like a standard cam belt cover.
I have the same engine, on a motorhome.
Mileage - change at maximum of 60,000 miles, but as it's 11 years old, change it asap.
Do this and change the oil every 5000 miles and it should last forever.
Only other faults are they are prone to running hot as the radiator clogs up, and the radiator fins drop off, and 5th gear is a bit weak.
Mine is a bit underpowered for a motorhome, but it's a six berth coachbuilt.

Mike

mikey72 said:

Yes, it's on the offside, it should look like a standard cam belt cover.
I have the same engine, on a motorhome.
Mileage - change at maximum of 60,000 miles, but as it's 11 years old, change it asap.
Do this and change the oil every 5000 miles and it should last forever.
Only other faults are they are prone to running hot as the radiator clogs up, and the radiator fins drop off, and 5th gear is a bit weak.
Mine is a bit underpowered for a motorhome, but it's a six berth coachbuilt.

Mike

Click to expand...

Thanks Mike for your reply.

Yes I did appreciate that the cam belt cover was on the offside but for ease of describing it I merely said the front engine cover. Incidentally as it is registered in, and will be based, in France, it's not on the offside!

When you say that it "should look like a standard cam belt cover" the covers can be just a moulded sort of plastic or thin metal, so there is not what I would call, a standard cam belt cover?

The cover on this engine (which has an engine type of 230A3) is a cast alloy casing bolted all the way around, as if to contain oil, which is why I cannot help but think that it does not have a cambelt. As far as engine types go, I believe there is a different type of engine (XUD) which possibly has a cambelt.

Thanks for pointing out the other 2 points to take note of.

Hi,
I just been out to look at mine, it should be the 230A3, looking at it, the cover could be cast alloy, pressed tin or plastic at the front, certainly an alloy back, looked like the standard engine in the owners handbook, and the book only has the 230A3,or the 230A4 with a cat, as an option.
I must admit I never checked it has got a cam belt, but I was told it had been changed recently when I bought it, and as i know the guy I bought it from I didn't get the paperwork.
Not much information is out there is there, the only reference I can find is http://www.ahteknikk.no/klann/katalog/Chapter6.pdf
on page 42 they sell a locking tool set to change the timing belt. (KL-1682-18 halfway down).
Post back before I have to take mine off to find out 'cos this is going to bug me until I'm sure about mine now!
Mike

mikey72 said:

Hi,
I just been out to look at mine, it should be the 230A3, looking at it, the cover could be cast alloy, pressed tin or plastic at the front, certainly an alloy back, looked like the standard engine in the owners handbook, and the book only has the 230A3,or the 230A4 with a cat, as an option.
I must admit I never checked it has got a cam belt, but I was told it had been changed recently when I bought it, and as i know the guy I bought it from I didn't get the paperwork.
Not much information is out there is there, the only reference I can find is
************************
on page 42 they sell a locking tool set to change the timing belt. (KL-1682-18 halfway down).
Post back before I have to take mine off to find out 'cos this is going to bug me until I'm sure about mine now!
Mike

Click to expand...

Mike,

Do you know, I have spent hours trying to find out the info about this f*****g engine

In the Carte Grise (French for logbook) it is written 230BBMAB, which I think is the engine type. It also has ZFA2300....etc. which I think is the chassis no.

From memory, and I only had a swift look under the bonnet when I had a half hour look at the vehicle, the rocker cover is alloy and the front (cam cover) is also alloy. This, coupled with the present owner saying that he thought it had not got a cambelt, just has me worrying about whether it has, or has not got a cambelt. I don't particularly want to pay to have a cambelt fitted to it if I decide to buy the blooming thing. Like you, it is really bugging me that I simply cannot find the information on the internet, as on the face of it, it should be so simple.

I even did a hunt to find the telephone number of a Ducato dealer in the UK, who said the engine number was no help but was it the noisy engine, if it was it was known as the s****er engine....not a lot of help I thought.:bang:

weedonwite said:

Mike,

Do you know, I have spent hours trying to find out the info about this f*****g engine

In the Carte Grise (French for logbook) it is written 230BBMAB, which I think is the engine type. It also has ZFA2300....etc. which I think is the chassis no.

From memory, and I only had a swift look under the bonnet when I had a half hour look at the vehicle, the rocker cover is alloy and the front (cam cover) is also alloy. This, coupled with the present owner saying that he thought it had not got a cambelt, just has me worrying about whether it has, or has not got a cambelt. I don't particularly want to pay to have a cambelt fitted to it if I decide to buy the blooming thing. Like you, it is really bugging me that I simply cannot find the information on the internet, as on the face of it, it should be so simple.

I even did a hunt to find the telephone number of a Ducato dealer in the UK, who said the engine number was no help but was it the noisy engine, if it was it was known as the s****er engine....not a lot of help I thought.:bang:

Click to expand...

Hi,
the 230 BBMAB loooks like the bodywork version, that's the same style as the ones in the UK handbook, but it doesn't quite match, there's 230BCMAB, 230BBMQB, etc.
The ZFA loooks like the chassis number, a french one won't tie to to a UK database, mine is an Italian RHD import, and it's never listed anywhere. I have seen timing belt kits on UK web sites, but they don't have enough info to tie to the specific Ducato engine that we appear to have. The kit is about £90, if it's the right one. Fitting shouldn't be to bad, mine appears to be clear of engine mounts etc, it looks like you unbolt the cover, lock eveything, then swop the belt over, and put it back together.
So if you factor that in, is it still a good buy?
Good luck
Mike