Technical Major issue with 2.3 multijet engines in cold weather that can cause catastrophic engine failure

[Elcal]

We went skiing for the first time in our 2020 Adria Twin Motor home. It has done 12000 miles and is looked after impeccably.

After parking for for 3 coldish nights , perhaps minus 10, we tried to start the engine but it would not start. Called the RAC who could not start it and towed us to a local Fiat dealership.

They advised that the timing belt had slipped and may have done catastrophic damage to our engine. The van is now being repatriated to the UK.

On doing some research I see that another member of this Forum had the same thing happen to his van at minus 7 in the UK , and i have now found 2 other owners in the UK who have also had this problem.

Apparently water can get into the engine and drop onto a tension cog for the timing belt/chain , if cold it can freeze and smooth the teeth on the cog and cause the belt to slip on starting. There is not much worse than such an event and it has the potential to destroy the valves , rockers and pistons.

Our van is dry stored in the winter , and this is the first time we have ever parked up in cold weather. I repeat it is well maintained and had only done 12000 miles, it is almost new !!

I question how anyone can trust these engines , I cant see how we can ever use it to go to the Alps again or use it for Scandinavia as we had planned.

Has any had this issue , or know anyone who has had this issue??

Thanks

 

[camionpilot]

Known problem in cold countries with vehicles with exposed belts, thats why the locals garage there vehicles when not using for any length of time .

 

[Elcal]

Known problem in cold countries with vehicles with exposed belts, thats why the locals garage there vehicles when not using for any length of time .

I can understand storing the vehicles in garages if left for any length of time, but we had stopped in a campsite for only 3 nights !

If you cant park for 3 nights without this risk I cant see that these engines are fit for purpose.

 

[Steve928]

This scenario has been happening since the X250 was introduced in 2006/7.
Although the scuttle drainage on the current X290 is improved the 2.3 engine cover is a disaster and will actually direct water dripping down onto it from the wiper arms/brackets etc. down into the injector well and hence onto the timing gears.
The slipping, due to ice filling the cavities between cog teeth, is particularly prevalent on the German motorhome forums where they love to take their vans up to the ski resorts.

In this 2011 thread entitled 'Water, ice, timing belt, engine damage' from wohnmobilforum.de Fiat contributed 90% towards the repair:

Wohnmobil Forum

This is the description of the original damage in the thread linked from the thread above. There are other examples in both threads dating back to 2006.

So Fiat do know about it and have contributed towards repairs in the past.

 

[MSjoberg]

Known problem in cold countries with vehicles with exposed belts, thats why the locals garage there vehicles when not using for any length of time .

I live in a cold country and I do know of cases where Ducatos have been damaged due to water leaking in from above and then freeze, as described. But I’ve never heard of this problem for any other car or a general garaging practice related to it. Those who garage their cars do it for other reasons than fear of ”cambelt icing”.

 

[grahamt]

So sorry to here this. We've been abroad in our 2018 2.3 130 Globecar and had -10 C and not had a problem ..... but then it was bone dry air , didn't snow and didn't rain. Clearly I was 'lucky' !

 

[VinceS]

I assume it would require water to have accumulated around the engine and then get frozen for this to happen, so maybe heavy rain then freezing? Also I presume that most people camping in really cold weather would use an insulated cover over cab window and doors, which would normally overlap the bonnet and prevent water running over and through the scuttle? I leave one of these on when van is unused to prevent water leaking onto the engine.

So it might only happen in unusual conditions.

 

[Elcal]

I assume it would require water to have accumulated around the engine and then get frozen for this to happen, so maybe heavy rain then freezing? Also I presume that most people camping in really cold weather would use an insulated cover over cab window and doors, which would normally overlap the bonnet and prevent water running over and through the scuttle? I leave one of these on when van is unused to prevent water leaking onto the engine.

So it might only happen in unusual conditions.

I agree - but there are 000's of these vans all of Europe and Scandinavia - some motorhomes use full engine covers but I have never seen a commercial van parked up with one- nor have I heard this happen to any other type of commercial van - so while mitigation is possible it should not be needed . Our van was not parked unused for any length of time - we dry store it in winters ! it was parked for less than 3 days with us in it - I would not rely on mitigation to work - the catastrophic risk is just too high to simply hope a cover might protect it

 

[marcostig]

That's just dreadfull for a new van ..im running a 27 year old bmw never ever a problem..should never have problems on 3/4/5 year old vans costing many thousands of pounds..ive had my 2009 for 2 years now have sikaflexed scuttle panel to windscreen soon as i bought it and 2 10mm outer holes pulled 24" rubber tubes through so most of rain water now goes to ground and not all over engine.