Tuning Doblo 1.9 diesel engine - is it really crop?

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Tuning Doblo 1.9 diesel engine - is it really crop?

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Mar 17, 2006
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Stafford
Hi all

I bought a 2002 Doblo 1.9 diesel van last week :) to find this week that the head gasket has gone:cry: .

The van has done a genuine 35k miles with FSH.

My local Fiat dealer says that "from their experience" they will likley not replace the head gasket. On asking about pressure testing and skimming, it was his 'opinion' that they would only look at replacing the head in it's entirety.

That message says a lot to me and whilst I am in negotiation with the Dealer that sold the van I am very concerned about the longevity of this engine.

Has anyone got a 1.9 diesel that has gone around the clock as yet please and equally has anyone also got any bad experince of this engine?

I love the van but if it comes to the push I will have to reject it unless someone can convince me that the engine is any good.(n)

Thanks very much in anticpation.
 
hi mine is the one with windows and i have 140000 on the clock starts first time and run great(y)
 
Is that a 1.9TD or a JTD?

My Marea JTD is pushing the 100,000 mark.
My Tipo TD had done 136,000 when I scrapped it. Engine fine - just tired car.
Tipo before had done close to 300,000..

The Fiat 1.9 diesel engine is about as reliable as they come. Very underrated especially compared to a peugeot. Horrible clunky things.
 
shellmast said:
hi mine is the one with windows and i have 140000 on the clock starts first time and run great(y)

Sorry I seem to have caused confusion here.

I am trying to to confirm the point about the 1.9 ordinary diesel engine - is yours the ordinary aspirated 1.9 engine or the JTD?

at this point I am only after the experience of owners who have had the ordinary 1.9 engine.

I now know that the JTD is a better engine, I am assuming the Fiat built the JTD becasue the ordinary 1.9 was underpowered as compared to the opposition and I suspect that there was problem with the cylinder heads on the basic 1.9. What I am trying to do in this exercise is establish whether anyone has a good word for the ordinary 1.9 diesel.

I hope that helps;)
 
I guess yours is a common rail non turbo?

The physical block and head are unlikely to be any different between the turbo and non-turbo models.

As I've said before you must be unlucky to get a bad one as the Fiat diesel engine is a very reliable and robust unit.
 
I've had mine now for about 5 years but it only has 43,000 miles on the clock. I have never had any engine problems but have had quite a few other faults with the car but fortunately non since being out of warranty or since Fiat no longer service it.
I to have the same anxiety about the longevity of the engine considering it's only 63bhp & only does 20mph per 1,000 revs.
Have a look on the Doblo forum I am sure all your questions will have already been answered in the past.
 
Hellcat said:
I guess yours is a common rail non turbo?

The physical block and head are unlikely to be any different between the turbo and non-turbo models.

As I've said before you must be unlucky to get a bad one as the Fiat diesel engine is a very reliable and robust unit.

Thanks for the input everyone.

Just to clarify my engine is neither a turbo or fitted with common rail. I am told by Fiat people (and others) that there is a world of differnce between the two engines. As yet I have not found who made the 1.9 (non turbo) engine (a suggestion that it was made in Brazil) but I undertsand that the JTD was developed by Fiat and has been sold to other manufactures which proves the point that it is an excellent engine with few faults.

Do we have any anoraks (y) on this subject within the forum please? - if so will they step forwards to reveal the secrets of this matter. On my last car forum the battle went on for years and is still going but as is ofetn the cae getting no where - the manufacturers are untouchable:bang: .

Thanks for the tip Doblo re searching (still finding my way around the forum) - it looks as if the point has been raised before but seemingly no-one has come up with a positive answer - pity Fiat will not come clean over the matter but then they are no different than any other maufacturer. We need the 'lemon' laws from the states bringing over although I am (fingers crossed) hoping to return mine to the seller and look for a JTD.
 
Does it look anything like this..?

attachment.php
 
Hellcat said:
Haha get the camera out!

I tried :D

I will - but then need someone to load the picture (not my 4tay) so it's likely to be tonight at the earliest - soz about that but in th emeantime I will surf to see if I can find a picture on the web. I'm now wondering what is under the bonnet:eek:
 
mines a 2002 1.9d just got the mpv body same engin as yours 140000 changed altinator wishbone wheel bearing and brake pads and shoes(y)
 
shellmast said:
mines a 2002 1.9d just got the mpv body same engin as yours 140000 changed altinator wishbone wheel bearing and brake pads and shoes(y)

Thanks shellmast for that (y) - I think that makes you the first to write in with good news on the 1.9 non turbo engine that I can find, everyone else seems to be on the JTD which we know is the best engine of the two.
 
doblo said:
Mine is the 1.9 non turbo, as I said before look at previous posts on the Doblo forum.

Hi Doblo

Following your earlier tip (y) I have been searching on every 'permutation' that is possible in the Doblo forum (I wish people would title their inputs with some thought :bang: ). The best I can get is probably 7 complaints of head gasket problems on the 1.9 non turbo engine.

Would you say from your understanding of the situation that that is about right please? My local dealer has replaced several over the years but cannot say how many engines are operating let alone the number in this area likely to want to use that garage in the event of problems.

Any thoughts are much appreciated.:worship:
 
Yes I think the head gasket- cylinder heads are the main problems with these engines. Maybe that is why the previous owner got rid of the car.
I've had mine from new so I know its history & faults, but to be honest I would be very reluctant to buy a 2nd hand non turbo Doblo having read this forum.
If I had problems with mine & now that its out of warranty I would keep well away from Fiat garages.
I normally keep my cars for approx 100,000 miles but this head gasket problem makes me wonder if I should just get rid of it before I get any major problems.
Another problem with the non turbo's is that when you come to trade it in nobody wants to know you because it isn't listed in Glass's "Bible".
 
Herewith a picture of the engine in question.......sorry it has taken so long to post - (I needed help!)
 

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my 05 plate doblo has 105 k on the clock and has never given me any problems .only fault is heater switch wont work on positions 1 and two.and no one can tell me if it will run on biofuel or if it can what precentage to use
 
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