Technical Dualogic fluid change

[Bergi NZ]

As I've posted elsewhere, we have a 2015 Panda Twin air Dualogic. We love it and have no issues with the driving sensation of the car at all.
However, I'm not unaware of the serious issues people have with the Dualogic and in an attempt to forestall the inevitable, I decided to change the robot fluid.
In the 169 Panda this was easy, not so in the 319.... The fluid reservoir has a baffle near the filler cap that prevents siphoning out the old fluid.
After much deliberation, I made a hole in the baffle in the reservoir and sucked out the old fluid with a cheapie suction pump.
Pictures show the steps.
My fluid has 70,000km and looked very dark but was not too bad when examined.
The tools I used:

Removing cable clips from reservoir shield

Top of shield cut and crimped to allow removal.

Reservoir with dirty old fluid

Reservoir cap removed, hole melted in baffle

Heating up the center punch to melt hole in the baffle

Long funnel and correct Tutela fluid

Old fluid on the left, new on right.
The job took about 2 hrs, half of that undoing undertray and reservoir shield bolts.....
I used a propane torch to heat up a center punch held in vice grips to melt the hole in the baffle. Stressful but worked well.
I am unaware of any other way of changing the fluid without removing the reservoir and re calibrating the robot?
I'll run the car for a few weeks and change the fluid again when the next oil change is due and the under tray is off.

 

[rogerbeattie]

Well done for posting this. I thought there were filters that required cleaning/replacing but I may be mistaken or confusing it with another model. All too new for me.

 

[Bergi NZ]

I've just completed a second Dualogic fluid change in conjunction with an engine oil and filter change.
For those contemplating a Dualogic fluid change following my "cowboy" method, a few tips:
Only perform the change with the system unpressurized and at rest, that way you can refill to the correct mark on the reservoir. I recommend taping the driver's door shut so you don't open the door and start the pump...
It's very awkward access... having the car on couple of blocks helps but be prepared to loose skin....
I used about 1.5 liters of Tutela fluid.
I glued and taped a few high powered magnets to the exterior bottom of the reservoir thinking they will hold metal wear particles in suspension as found in regular auto transmission oil pans.

heres a comparison between a genuine Fiat engine oil cartridge on the right and a Bosch one. Bosch has more pleating. Bosch has black top with o ring

clean fluid after 2 changes.

 

[Bergi NZ]

I've just completed a second Dualogic fluid change in conjunction with an engine oil and filter change.
For those contemplating a Dualogic fluid change following my "cowboy" method, a few tips:
Only perform the change with the system unpressurized and at rest, that way you can refill to the correct mark on the reservoir. I recommend taping the driver's door shut so you don't open the door and start the pump...
It's very awkward access... having the car on couple of blocks helps but be prepared to loose skin....
I used about 2.5 liters of Tutela fluid.
I glued and taped a few high powered magnets to the exterior bottom of the reservoir thinking they will hold metal wear particles in suspension as found in regular auto transmission oil pans.hereView attachment 481849heres a comparison between a genuine Fiat engine oil cartridge on the left and a Bosch one. Bosch has more pleating. Bosch has black top with o rinh.cleanView attachment 481852View attachment 481848clean fluid after 2 changes.

Here's the correct photo of the Bosch filter on the right compared to the Fiat one.