My 2013 Ducato maxi 3 litre motor, with automated manual transmission, makes a loud bump when starting - almost like the exhaust hitting the chassis or the motor itself hitting something - quite a heavy sound. The bump occurs as the motor fires and the starter disengages. It is most prominent when cold. Less so when warm. It has done this from "new". The vehicle sat unsold from mid 2013 to Feb 2015 with small trips to shows. It has only done 4000km since.
I have had the unit to a Fiat dealer a couple of times. Fiat suggested that it was a dual mass flywheel problem and the dealer replaced it. If anything, the noise when cold is now worse.
Fiat is arranging for a technician to examine the vehicle next week.


Has anyone had this problem and, if so, what was the cause and remedy. I would like as much info as possible before the Fiat man calls.


Thanks for any assistance.


Ian.

Starter motor could be issue
I just changed mine on 62 plate 3.0 maxi
Felt like engine was being ripped from its mounts sometimes when starting
Bad earth strap too could cause bad staring (gearbox to chassis, behind/under air filter housing)
I changed strap still same, new starter, fires up like new

rolopolo said:

Starter motor could be issue
I just changed mine on 62 plate 3.0 maxi
Felt like engine was being ripped from its mounts sometimes when starting
Bad earth strap too could cause bad staring (gearbox to chassis, behind/under air filter housing)
I changed strap still same, new starter, fires up like new

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Interesting thought. Starter sounds fine and seems to operate well. Just a big "bump" when it disengages and the motor fires.

So did mine mate, after reading another members similar but slightly different hot/cold start issues, he took advice from a dealer or van specialist who said starter and it fixed his, mine having done 230000+ miles I thought well why not try one as I'm sure one day it will need one, job sorted
I did notice Bosch replacement had more chamfered teeth than original, may be a modification giving better less harsh contact with flywheel

Ps
Also try removing wires from starter (disconnect battery) and clean and refit, they corrode

rolopolo said:

So did mine mate, after reading another members similar but slightly different hot/cold start issues, he took advice from a dealer or van specialist who said starter and it fixed his, mine having done 230000+ miles I thought well why not try one as I'm sure one day it will need one, job sorted
I did notice Bosch replacement had more chamfered teeth than original, may be a modification giving better less harsh contact with flywheel

Ps
Also try removing wires from starter (disconnect battery) and clean and refit, they corrode

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I'll make the suggestion and see what sort of reaction I get. Thanks. Be great if it did fix it.

Our 2008 3.0lt with 16k miles on the clock also thumps when starting from cold, never once the engine is warmed up.


If it does turn out to be the starter motor, can someone explain why some starter motors are c.£70 with no exchange and others are £200 plus exchange? Do you get what you pay for?

Watching this thread to see what the outcome is. Strange if it's the starter motor as this would explain a lot things with our non-starting https://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/424191-160-manual-non-starter-sort.html

Would suggest at the price range, as you say, get what you pay for, on my old 07 2.3 we were supplied 2 before correct one came, looked and fitted but when starting the drive gogs didn't connect with flywheel teeth!

Hence why this time just plumbed for Bosch,
Only issue I had was middle mounting bolt seized and snapped off (reminds me I must pop the new bolt in!)
Also more chance of the cheaper ones not being modified (if they have been over time in line with fiat modifying theirs) and you could end up with same issue..,
There was a definite difference on the drive teeth on the new one, on connecting edges the teeth had say a 45 degree (approx) angle cut compared to 10 degrees (approx) which lets them slot into flywheel teeth smoother

Hi oigle,
I have a Dec. 2011 euro 5 180 model with no noise problem.
Some other Ducato owners here in Australia do have however.
May I suggest you look at www.aussiemotorhomers.com - under the heading 'bump on engine start up'.
I think it may be some clarification as to your problem.

JCT said:

Hi oigle,
I have a Dec. 2011 euro 5 180 model with no noise problem.
Some other Ducato owners here in Australia do have however.
May I suggest you look at www.aussiemotorhomers.com - under the heading 'bump on engine start up'.
I think it may be some clarification as to your problem.

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Thanks mate but it was me that started that thread on the Aussie Motorhomers forum and I haven't yet found the solution. Am awaiting a Fiat tech calling to have a look/listen. Will come back with a solution if and when they find the problem.
Is your motor the 3.0 litre?

oigle said:

Thanks mate but it was me that started that thread on the Aussie Motorhomers forum and I haven't yet found the solution. Am awaiting a Fiat tech calling to have a look/listen. Will come back with a solution if and when they find the problem.
Is your motor the 3.0 litre?

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Sorry I did not look at the names on the aussie site, I am Colin on that site.
Yes my Ducato is the 180.
Hope you get a satisfactory solution soon.

I've got this on my 2013 N+B motorhome - 3.0 Comfortnatic. Had the van 6 months and it has always done this when starting from cold. Bought at just over 2000 miles, now about 4750 miles. Think I'll get my starter checked out as it is disconcerting!

my motorhome is the same I was thinking it was the exhaust or something
its done it for 4 years now

If they all did it, I wouldn't be too concerned but there are some that do and some that don't so has to be a fault somewhere.
Hopefully a Fiat tech will be checking mine out sometime soon. Will advise outcome.

wouldn't hold my breathe with fiat techs in Australia mate never had 2 come up with the same result yet all they seem to do is throw parts and time and lots of your money at the vehicle wave a magic wand at it and hope the problem and you disappear there is a total lack of training over here its becoming more and more commonplace with the trade nowadays anyways best of luck Cheers Adam

adlarplant said:

wouldn't hold my breathe with fiat techs in Australia mate never had 2 come up with the same result yet all they seem to do is throw parts and time and lots of your money at the vehicle wave a magic wand at it and hope the problem and you disappear there is a total lack of training over here its becoming more and more commonplace with the trade nowadays anyways best of luck Cheers Adam

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You are probably right - the first "diagnosis" was a DMF. Got it done under warranty and - no difference. I'll go via a trusted mechanic if I have to and then see if I can get them to agree.

The thump on start up is a characteristic of the 3ltr 60bhp model and will not cause any detrimental effects according to Fiat. The 2.3L 130bhp model suffered from the same problem but Fiat replaced the engine mounts as the part 1 fix of the reversing judder modification. This fixed the thump on start up.The reverse gear judder problem was primarily driven by motorhome owners and Fiat were receiving a terrible press together with the scuttle water leaks. By resolving the 2.3l problems most owners were satisfied. Fiat decided not to implement the same modification for the 3l as there were a lot less units involved plus for technical reasons they could not increase the size of the reverse gear as they had done for the 3l.
The various motorhome forums were full of reports and discussions in 2007 & 2008.

rayc said:

The thump on start up is a characteristic of the 3ltr 60bhp model and will not cause any detrimental effects according to Fiat. The 2.3L 130bhp model suffered from the same problem but Fiat replaced the engine mounts as the part 1 fix of the reversing judder modification. This fixed the thump on start up.The reverse gear judder problem was primarily driven by motorhome owners and Fiat were receiving a terrible press together with the scuttle water leaks. By resolving the 2.3l problems most owners were satisfied. Fiat decided not to implement the same modification for the 3l as there were a lot less units involved plus for technical reasons they could not increase the size of the reverse gear as they had done for the 3l.
The various motorhome forums were full of reports and discussions in 2007 & 2008.

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I'd be happy to go with that but for the fact that only SOME of them do it. To me, that says there is something that can be fixed. I also hear that it is more common on vehicles that have been unsold in stock for a length of time which happens to be the case with mine. I was initially pointed to engine mounts sagging but have not had them replaced. Maybe I need to go back to that premise.

hi all. mine did it for 4 years from new x250- 2008- 160 m/h parked up a lot of the time then all of a sudden it was gone ( about 18.000miles ) with no work undertaken it took me a while before I realised it was no more it sounded as if the big end was come through the block it would shyt me up on starting

syldale said:

hi all. mine did it for 4 years from new x250- 2008- 160 m/h parked up a lot of the time then all of a sudden it was gone

( about 18.000miles ) with no work undertaken it took me a while before I realised it was no more it sounded as if the big end was come through the block it would shyt

me up on starting

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Be great to know what changed. Fiat tech due next Monday to check mine out. Fingers crossed....

Symptoms as described do strongly suggest mountings - but that's such an easy thing to check on the ramp it's hard to believe any mechanic couldn't find it in a minute with a lump of wood.

In olden times ignition locks/switches had no interlock to stop the driver from energising the starter solenoid repeatedly. Nervous learner drivers, being a bit shaky releasing the key, sometimes scared themselves titless doing just that. Massive thump sometimes

Is it possible that a fault in one of the control systems could cause the solenoid to be double-hit like that?

Hard to believe the pinion would last long though, so I give up.