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Technical 2010 Ducato 3 Litre Engine Larger Fuel Tank Upgrade

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Technical 2010 Ducato 3 Litre Engine Larger Fuel Tank Upgrade

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Barryp45

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Oct 13, 2010
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I have just had my standard 85 litre ducato fuel tank replaced with the larger 125 litre optional tank.
Replacement went well at the dealers but I have noticed that the trip meter and fuel gauge bahave as if it still has the 85 litre tank.
Discussed it with the machanics involved and they say that the sending unit on the tank and the intrument cluster are the same part number for both tanks and this is not an issue.
They did a reset of the body computer but the readings on the instrument panel for range and fuel quantity still indicate that the vehicle thinks that it still only has an 85 litre tank.
Does anyone understand what the fix is?
Regards

Barryp45
 
I used the 'ask the expert' on the premium section of Fiat Camper Assist on your behalf. It will be interesting to see if I get any useful response, or indeed any response at all.

It is fairly obvious though that the fuel tank capacity is a parameter that is set in the ECU. My motorhome has the optional 60ltr tank fitted , presumably for weight purposes, the standard size for the chassis is 90ltr. The range and fuel gauge etc. work fine so it is obviously configurable.
 
It doesn't make any sense the sender is just a potentiometer. The floats are some kind of foam they have been know to lose buoyancy. I'd check the float for damage, it really awkward to get it in and out of the tank it could be damaged or the hanger may be bent.
 
Last edited:
Corkman, you are probably right. Not a sinking float but perhaps a bent hanger.

When the fuel gauge is on the start of the solid red section (empty) there is still 40 odd litres in the tank.

Range shows as about 125K!! which indicates it doesnlt know about the 40 odd litres.

Regards

Barryp45
 
Hi Corkman,
I passed on your comments re a bent float hanger to the mechanic at the local Fiat dealer who advised me that I should put two tankfulls of fuel through it and it would recalibrate the system and the fuel gauge reading would correct itself. This does not sound logical to me, what do you think?
I drained 80 odd litres out of the 125 litre tank and after draining the first 30 litres out the gauge shows just above half a tank, another twenty out or 50 litres shows 1/3rd of a tank and with another 30 out or 80 litres and it is down to the start of the solid red zone on the gauge. I think that these movements confirm your theory regarding a bent hanger.

Can you access the hanger through the hatch in the floor by unscrewing the outer retaining ring that holds the plastic body with the inlet, return pipes and the breather. Are there any tricks to doing it myself?

Appreciate your advice.

Thanks and Regards,

Barryp
 
I have received the following response from Fiat Professional:

"here is the answer provided by Fiat Professional:




The body-computer cannot be reset and hence the fuel tank cannot be replaced with a different size".:confused:

I am confused because my camper has got the optional 60ltr leisure vehicle tank fitted and trip computer fuel remaining and range work correctly for that size tank.

​
 
Hi Rayc,

My guess is that if the tank is replaced then the body computer should therefor be replaced as well with one with the proper software if it is hard coded.
Anyway in my case I took it back to the main maintenance base for Fiat commercial in Sydney and they took out the pump and float assembly. A dipstick showed that there was an 8cm depth of fuel (about 30 litres) in the tank but the fuel gauge was on the start of the red zone and the low fuel light was on.
Our fix at this stage was to bend the float rod slightly downwards. This has moved the fuel gauge up by about an eighth of a tank. (about 20 litres worth as the tank is fat at the bottom).
This fix will probably suffice as my main concern was knowing when I was going to run out of fuel, the top of the gauge range doesn't really matter. I havn't had a chance to check any inpact on range readings but I pressume that the tank sender is an input to the computer for the range calc.

Thanks and Regards Barryp
 
Barryp45 said:
Hi Rayc,

My guess is that if the tank is replaced then the body computer should therefor be replaced as well with one with the proper software if it is hard coded.
Anyway in my case I took it back to the main maintenance base for Fiat commercial in Sydney and they took out the pump and float assembly. A dipstick showed that there was an 8cm depth of fuel (about 30 litres) in the tank but the fuel gauge was on the start of the red zone and the low fuel light was on.
Our fix at this stage was to bend the float rod slightly downwards. This has moved the fuel gauge up by about an eighth of a tank. (about 20 litres worth as the tank is fat at the bottom).
This fix will probably suffice as my main concern was knowing when I was going to run out of fuel, the top of the gauge range doesn't really matter. I havn't had a chance to check any inpact on range readings but I pressume that the tank sender is an input to the computer for the range calc.

Thanks and Regards Barryp
Click to expand...

If the tank is irregularly shaped in the vertical then you'd have to get a non linear fuel card or change the function in the software stupid design really. Others contemplating doing this might be better off fitting a second plastic tank and a transfer pump it would work out a lot cheaper.
 
corkman said:
If the tank is irregularly shaped in the vertical then you'd have to get a non linear fuel card or change the function in the software stupid design really. Others contemplating doing this might be better off fitting a second plastic tank and a transfer pump it would work out a lot cheaper.
Click to expand...

My motorhome can have the standard 90ltr tank, or optional 60ltr or 120ltr ones. What would need changing in addition to the tank itself if the tank is changed with a one of a different capacity?
 
I've now got my second response from Fiat in which they say;

" The body-computer is set with the right parameters (including tank size) when the vehicle is produced and cannot be modified later".

 
Rayc,
Thanks foe the confirmation that this is the case.
As I mentioned in an earlier post the important issue to me is having an accurate empty indication on the fuel gauge.
Range will be understated (a conservative reading) but the range indication is usually pretty innacurate anyway as its driven by the fuel burn for the last few kilometres driven as well.
I havedrained my tank 20 litres at a time and plotted fuel qantity in tank to the fuel gauge with the bent float rod and the indication isb't that bad compared to the readings with the original 90 litre tank.
Stays on full for longer and at empty when the low fuel warning comes on in the instrument cluster there is about 10 litres in the tank. This is in line with the original 90 litre tank readings.
Regards
Barryp
 
rayc said:
I've now got my second response from Fiat in which they say;

" The body-computer is set with the right parameters (including tank size) when the vehicle is produced and cannot be modified later".
Click to expand...

Let me translate:

"There hasn't been sufficient demand to warrant the introduction of an examiner routine to change the tank parameters in the BSI. Maybe when a relative of a member of senior management encounters this problem in their expensive motorhome this will become a priority in the mean time ......"

COMPUTER SAYS NO

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