General How old is my Ducato?

[DrivenTemple]

Is there a way of finding out the manufacture date of a van? I'm thinking of cambelt changing time...

 

[varesecrazy]

Is there a way of finding out the manufacture date of a van? I'm thinking of cambelt changing time...

Hi

There are ways of estimating the date..

Week tyres were made

Month plastics were cast

Paper lables on looms and seat bases

If an older UK vehicle its 1st MOT test will be within days of being ON THE ROAD 3 years

But many commercials sit in stock for months between build and registration

Check the VIN plate too

 

[GreyNomad]

Not sure how it goes in UK
In Australia you can type your rego number into some motor factors websites, and they will tell you what years your vehicle was made.

If you are purchasing from EBay, then your VIN number will tell some sellers, what year your vehicle is

 

[RS3100]

I'm not sure if it still works, but if you register your van on Fiat's MyDucato site, you used to be able to access the build specification, which included the date of manufacture.

But comparing the dates on labels on a few wiring looms, trim panels (some have a moulded date grid on the back with the date indicated by punched dots) and other parts will show a consistency amongst a majority that should give you the date to within a month. Modern manufacturing plants are "Just in Time" production, so the parts are ordered from suppliers to arrive as needed and fitted to the vehicles within hours or days at most.

 

[rolandbrindley]

Just change it, it's one of the simplest routine jobs imaginable. If you didn't buy it new then you don't know what it's been through.

 

[DrivenTemple]

Thank you Everybody for the suggestions. The tyres date April 2017 and Converters date says June 2017 so it looks like new cambelt April 2022.

 

[rayc]

Thank you Everybody for the suggestions. The tyres date April 2017 and Converters date says June 2017 so it looks like new cambelt April 2022.

You can roughly tell by the VIN number. Mine is ZFA25000002Cxxxxx and according to the CofC was built in October 2016.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thank you Everybody for the suggestions. The tyres date April 2017 and Converters date says June 2017 so it looks like new cambelt April 2022.

Not sure I would go to five years with such a high incidence of inactivity..

Notchy idler bearings give belts a hard time

 

[maxoujmr]

You have to look on the windows of the car. On all French cars on a corner of the window there is the glass mark followed by a number

 

[varesecrazy]

You have to look on the windows of the car. On all French cars on a corner of the window there is the glass mark followed by a number

Less Glass in a van..

But yes another good place

 

[RS3100]

Less Glass in a van..

But yes another good place

As long as you know how to decode it. The n umber only tells you the year, not the month

 

[varesecrazy]

Probably near enough for a cambelt.. brake fluid etc

 

[theoneandonly]

Using Alfaobd demo
scanning the modules (my van)

Tested device: ABS Bosch 9 ESP (EP)
___________________
2020/11/07 12:16:47.122
DEVICE INFO:
Fiat drawing number: 71776589
VIN - Current:
Hardware number: 0265805162
Hardware version: 00
Software number: 1267993108
Software version: 0102
Homologation number:
ISO code: EC072F0D04
SINCOM:
Factory:
Serial No:
VIN - Original:
Programming date: 21/11/16

the programming date is also shown on the engine ecu and the number of reprograms
just adds to the data

 

[varesecrazy]

Using Alfaobd demo
scanning the modules (my van)

Tested device: ABS Bosch 9 ESP (EP)
___________________
2020/11/07 12:16:47.122
DEVICE INFO:

SINCOM:
Factory:
Serial No:
VIN - Original:
Programming date: 21/11/16

the programming date is also shown on the engine ecu and the number of reprograms
just adds to the data

Thats almost 3 years..

 

[theoneandonly]

The first date
2020/11/07 12:16:47.122
is when i did the test
the bit in red is the programming date
Programming date: 21/11/16

as an aside it was delivered to dealers may 2017 registered march 2018

 

[camionpilot]

For your own piece of mind ..change it .. saves a load of heartache and possible grief later on ..and get rid of that nagging feeling of " is it ok and gonna last " ??