Ducato Dashboard Access?

[dandcj]

Hi there!
We are Newbies to this group, but have had our lovely old Hymer Motorhome (1995 model 644 - based on a Fiat Ducato) for over a decade!

We have recently had a small leaking under the dashboard, of blue water (antifreeze colour!) Nothing major but clearly we need to sort it!

Our question here is....how we best gain access to the problem! Is it from below/ behind the black heater box? If so, where is the first place to start, or do we approach it from above, nearest the windscreen? Again, how and where?

Would prefer to start at the right place rather than guess!
Thanks in advance.
DandCJ

 

[s130]

I'm not familiar with the Ducato heater/ventilation/air-con setup.

I suggest you initially approach this from a naive but sensible aspect.

You say the water is blue/antifreeze so we are potentially eliminating external climate weather ingress.

Get a good light and get you head under the dash. Look at the main (probably central) black box of the heater/air-con unit. Look for water drips / stain marks / etc. This may help to pinpoint a source. Also there may be visible hoses/valves on the side(s) of the main unit.

It could be that you find evidence on water/traces emanating from the lowest point of the main heater/aircon unit housing. This would potentially suggest that the internal heater matrix, or hoses to, have sprung a leak.

Not sure what else to add/advise than other to hand the problem over to a reputable and reliable 3rd party.

 

[aww5490]

I'm not familiar with the Ducato heater/ventilation/air-con setup.

I suggest you initially approach this from a naive but sensible aspect.

You say the water is blue/antifreeze so we are potentially eliminating external climate weather ingress.

Get a good light and get you head under the dash. Look at the main (probably central) black box of the heater/air-con unit. Look for water drips / stain marks / etc. This may help to pinpoint a source. Also there may be visible hoses/valves on the side(s) of the main unit.

It could be that you find evidence on water/traces emanating from the lowest point of the main heater/aircon unit housing. This would potentially suggest that the internal heater matrix, or hoses to, have sprung a leak.

Not sure what else to add/advise than other to hand the problem over to a reputable and reliable 3rd party.

hi
is your motorhome an A class and does it have a engine to habitation area heat exchanger? My 1995 A class has such a heater
which allows engine to heat cabin. Also in reverse can pre heat engine in cold weather from boiler. Can you tell if rad water is dropping?

 

[Joiner]

Sorry to be a doom merchant.

Few years ago a friend had a 2005 Ducato panel van with a leaking heater matrix.

Someone who knew what they were took hours and hours and hours to remove ALL of the dash to get to the thing, before having to then put it all back together, and after was said and done they thought it might even have been quicker to take the engine out and cut the bulkhead for access..............

Hope someone can tell you different.

 

[Shaundrew]

Hi I have just done mine today took 4 hrs in total full dash board has to come out and the matrix is inside the heater/fanbox it's a fiddly job once all the dash is out pull the main support frame forwards and the full box will be removable from the bottom