Technical Ducato 2.8JTD Sluggish

[lanyon]

Great advice, I will check it out in the morning and no there are no lights showing. The fuel also sounds interesting. Thanks for your help.

 

[lanyon]

Checked all you said and low and behold I found the problem. On the turbo unit there is a plunger and arm which operates the flap on turbo when needed I suppose. Attaching the plunger arm to the flap is a pin and retainer clip. This pin has snapped off and therefore does not bring in the turbo when needed, hence the loss of power on hills etc. Problem is the pin is manufactured to the flap and impossible to attempt drilling and replacing this pin. Looks like to me the only option is to remove the turbo unit drill out the snapped pin and replace with a new one. I suppose this is cheaper than changing the turbo unit. Anybody had this problem before and any recommendations. Is it an easy job to remove the turbo unit and what would a garage charge to remove?

 

[corkman]

Thats the wastegate its to prevent the turbo overboosting when the turbo reaches a predetermined pressure a diaphragm pushes the rod to open the wastegate.

Are you sure the pin snapped off? The actuator is only held on by a tiny c clip which may have worn/ rusted through. The pin doesn't seem to be welded just rivetted on. If it broke off flush with the top of the wastegate lever you should be able to knock the rest of it through.

If theres a stub left you could epoxy a pin on with a small diameter pipe around it for strength or try and thread it an make a pin to screw on

If you really need to take off the turbo. Put some good penetrating oil on themanifold nuts and leave for a few hours or a day. Sometimes the manifold nuts / bolts can be seized and diyers and mechanics alike can snap them off. In the shop they put a torch on them and heat them to red or orange to break the rust bond.

Give a very good claning aroung before taking off the oil supply and return lines and plug the holes in the turbo and oil return pipe to prevent dirt entering.

You'll probably need to replace the manifold gaskets if you take off the turbo too.

 

[lanyon]

Great advice, I managed with copious amounts of WD40 to tap out the broken pin. As this pin was originally riveted as you mentioned the two holes are different sizes. Because it is so difficult to reach I ended up sawing off many drill bit shanks to verify the hole sizes (plunger 6mm and wastegate arm 4mm). A friend made a pin with each end machined to the sizes. Next problem was I noticed that the hole in the wastegate arm and the plunger did not line up and I could not pull the plunger to get a fit. I therefore undone the locking nut and turned the plunger arm on its thread until the holes lined up. Now I am afraid I might have done wrong as the power in the camper doesn't feel as responsive as it was previously. Does anyone know if this adjustment as effected anything and should I turn it back and try to force it to line up with the holes. Cheers.

 

[corkman]

Great advice, I managed with copious amounts of WD40 to tap out the broken pin. As this pin was originally riveted as you mentioned the two holes are different sizes. Because it is so difficult to reach I ended up sawing off many drill bit shanks to verify the hole sizes (plunger 6mm and wastegate arm 4mm). A friend made a pin with each end machined to the sizes. Next problem was I noticed that the hole in the wastegate arm and the plunger did not line up and I could not pull the plunger to get a fit. I therefore undone the locking nut and turned the plunger arm on its thread until the holes lined up. Now I am afraid I might have done wrong as the power in the camper doesn't feel as responsive as it was previously. Does anyone know if this adjustment as effected anything and should I turn it back and try to force it to line up with the holes. Cheers.

The spring is what keeps the wastegate closed you *have* to pull the actuator rod accross when you unscrewed it you've reduced the boost pressure from the turbo to almost nothing. It should be less than 20kg to pull the actuator rod accross. I use a small spanner 8mm or something behing the locknut as a handle to push the plunger accross takes a bit of welly at the angle you're working from. Screw the actuator end back to where it was, don't screw it too far as you don't want to be overboosting.

 

[lanyon]

Cheers my friend and thanks for the advice. I will do as you say on the first dry day we have. Thought it wasn't as powerful as before, I know understand. Cheers.

 

[lanyon]

OK, released the plunger from wastegate valve and screwed it back about 5 full turns. As previously, before I screwed it out, the holes half lined up so screwed it back the 5 turns. Used a pair of side cutters and praised the plunger forward until the pin lined up with the plunger hole. Tested camper and couldn't believe the difference in performance. Went up a very steep hill in 4th gear. I will keep an eye on the fuel consumption from know on as I was getting between 25 to 30 to the gallon depending on conditions. Many thanks to all supporting comments which solved what was a very challenging problem. Hope the comments can help others who may have a sluggish Ducato.

 

[corkman]

OK, released the plunger from wastegate valve and screwed it back about 5 full turns. As previously, before I screwed it out, the holes half lined up so screwed it back the 5 turns. Used a pair of side cutters and praised the plunger forward until the pin lined up with the plunger hole. Tested camper and couldn't believe the difference in performance. Went up a very steep hill in 4th gear. I will keep an eye on the fuel consumption from know on as I was getting between 25 to 30 to the gallon depending on conditions. Many thanks to all supporting comments which solved what was a very challenging problem. Hope the comments can help others who may have a sluggish Ducato.

Glad you got sorted. I don't imagine many people having the same problem. Its a nice torquey engine I live on top of a very steep hill, I can hear the neighbours transit coming from a mile away, ducato flies up it with a load on.

 

[bessacarr]

Hi, We have a bessacarr E745 yr2000 2.8idTD 3850gvw ,5500kggtw towing a trailer with bmw z3 on ,thinking of grearing down see Ian Blundle MMM page 186 august2012 kitgears 5vel 53x34 part no9463262988.

 

[Eddytea]

I have 2003 2.8jtd. In a frankia tag axle..Quantum remapped and pulls like a train. Just the other day pulling in 5th herd a crunch lost 5th. When i removed the cover it was stripped teeth. It has a 53x31 ratio..would it be faster with a 51x38 or 58x35 ratio..

 

[martyc5674]

There’s a huge gap between 51/38 and 58/35. Given 53/31 is original 58/35 is closest 1.71 v 1.65
If the 31 was on driveshaft in box(53 on layshaft) then you’ll get an increase in speed for a given RPM going to the 58/35 assuming it fits. (About 3%)
If they are the other way round you’ll lose speed... the other combination is so far off it’s not in the equation.
Marty.

Edited...

 

[martyc5674]

Sorry...58/35 gives the 1.65... that’s the one to go for ... circa 3% gain. (Phone!)