Technical EASY PLUS T-JET 120 High Speed Judder

[fasterstan]

My 3.5 year old Tipo has developed a severe judder when driving at 70 miles per hour+, which continues as you drop down towards 60 but is not really noticeable below that.

My garage has tried rebalancing the wheels, replacing the drive shaft on the passenger side (which apparently had too much play in it). It is still doing it.
They say they think it might be the differential and are suggesting they will need to get the gearbox out and send it for repairs (5 hours labour). I am not sure how confident they are...

The Fiat dealership has told me they will look at it, but because it is out of warranty I am liable for all costs.

It looks like there is nothing similar on these forums. But just in case, does anyone have any experience with anything like this?

 

[portland_bill]

Firslt I would suggest you need better expertise, so a different garage is needed. I hope you haven't paid for the drive shaft that did not effect a cure. Replacing components without being sure of a fix is poor service, and something the garage trade has been 'good at' since cars were invented.

Be careful that your instructions need to state that you want the vibration diagnosed and fixed. Do not instruct them as to how that should be done, therefore it is their responsibility for the decisions they make or recommend, and should stand by them. Hence no charge for the drive shaft. If the diff is at fault, it is possible that it may affect the driveshaft, but you need the cause addressed, not just the effect.

If they are suggesting that they need to send the gearbox away for repair, go find soomeone who can do the whole job, diagnosis, removal and repair. Expertise will be higher, and costs cheaper.

Despite there being few Tipos on the road, it is likely that some have already met their end. Ready to donate a gearbox. Perhaps a trawl of eBay, or register your interest with a local breaker. Breakers have a national database that can help track down such parts.
Make sure the gearbox is from the same spec car, as different power outputs may use different ratios.

Mk2 Puntos seem to break their diffs occasionally, perhaps the problem is not entirely fixed at Fiat's gearbox factory.

 

[fasterstan]

Thanks for the response.

For the benefit of those who have the same problem in the future...

The gearbox wasn't the problem, it was the flywheel. The Tipo has a dual weight flywheel and apparently this is a known problem with this type of fly wheel in other vehicles. I guess I might have been unlucky or this might become a more widespread problem with Tipos in the future.

And even once diagnosed it was expensive to fix.

Pete

 

[elmolfc]

Thanks for the response.

For the benefit of those who have the same problem in the future...

The gearbox wasn't the problem, it was the flywheel. The Tipo has a dual weight flywheel and apparently this is a known problem with this type of fly wheel in other vehicles. I guess I might have been unlucky or this might become a more widespread problem with Tipos in the future.

And even once diagnosed it was expensive to fix.

Pete

This was the same case with me but mine wasn't as severe as the judder you describe. Maybe I didn't notice since I don't do motorway miles. Mine had a constant rattle esp when the car turned was turn on. Fortunately I was just within the warranty period and fiat replaced the flywheel and also the clutch.

Out of curiousity, did you stick with fiat for the repair or third party?

 

[fasterstan]

This was the same case with me but mine wasn't as severe as the judder you describe. Maybe I didn't notice since I don't do motorway miles. Mine had a constant rattle esp when the car turned was turn on. Fortunately I was just within the warranty period and fiat replaced the flywheel and also the clutch.

Out of curiousity, did you stick with fiat for the repair or third party?

I used my normal garage. Wasn't prepared to pay dealer rates.

 

[Batius finkius]

My 1.6 diesel also had clutch and flywheel swapped on warranty (just before the warranty expired) symptoms best described as clutch judder/slipping when accelerating 60-70 on a motorway but would cruise happily at 70 up gradients with no problem whatsoever and had zero clutch slip at any other time with a normal biting point. I was informed it had gotten sufficiently warm to have blued the steel in patches around the flywheel.