Calling all diesel heads

Thorn123

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Subject:

Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #1

With a huge diversity of mh in existence, some of which could be 40 years old.
Coupled with the vast amount of knowledge that mhc members have gained, I thought it would be worth asking this?
What is the best diesel engine that has been produced for a 3500 kg motorhome?

Ally

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #2

The 2.8JTD perhaps.

Or even older the slow, noisy but very reliable 2.5 Fiat before 2001.

sprinter

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Subject:

Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #3

Quote by Thorn123

Based on my Sprinter I would have said THE 02/06. 313CDI 2.2 FOR RELIABILITY

Eamonn

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #4

The majority of MH's are Fiat based.
Prior to buying our MH I despised Fiats. I had a fiat Ritmo /Strada from new and saw it rust away to nothing outside its 5 year body warranty. Was unreliable and lived up to the reputation of Fix It Again Tomorrow.

We have our 2002 Ducato 2.8 for just on 3 years and, save for an unplanned battery replacement yesterday has been ultra reliable. I am a mercedes fan and would love a sprinter based (or bigger) in but they are in short supply and carry a premium. The Ducato doesn't get you into penalty points territory and gives an average of 25mpg over a year so, reluctantly, I'll endorse the Ducato 2.8jtdi.

eirebus

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #5

Have to agree with Ally the 2.5 older model and the 2.8 jtd had both engines and never did anything but a service

Gavster

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #6

For older motorhomes my mechanic says the 2.5td (Iveco built?) in older Ducatos is pretty bombproof. When listing my must haves and desirables before buying my Motorhome a minimum 2.5Td was top of my list. When researching other owners had told me they felt 1.9 is too small to be put in a larger Motorhome and you notice it on hills. Just don’t take it near any low emission zones!

mad max

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #7

Has to be the 2.5 tdi 5 pot in the lt35 vw,
It purrs away and seems to pull better with a bit of weight,

davidrory

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VW

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #8

VW 2.5 turbo 5 cyl.
It has been perfectly reliable, powerful enough to threaten any speed limit and gives about 32mpg on my three ton (fully laden) van. I could be biased, but I'd suggest it's an unbeatable engine for the 3.5 gvw class.

TommyS

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #9

Fiat 2.8JTD. 65000 miles in 16 years serviced annually, no problems bar a defective plug in tuning chip.

panda

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #10

I'm not going to mention how ultra reliable my Fiat/Iveco 2.8 idtd engine has been in fear of it blowing up the next time I drive it

JJF

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #11

2.8jtd for sure. It’s the last of the ‘good’ diesels, all since are a mashup of egr, electronics, DPF, dual mass flywheels and other associated computerized rubbish. The older 2.5TD 12 valve is reliable as it’s old diesel technology and pretty bombproof.
The newer stuff while OK when new(ish) but will never see the years the older ones did, simply too much tech and stuff to keep going and not reliable.

2424

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 13.05.2019 · #12

Another vote for the 2.8JTD (Iveco engine). My first coachbuilt was a 2.8JTD and after paying the deposit went home and read horror stories of problems with injectors and high pressure fuel systems which turned out to be untrue. The 2.8iDTD that went before it was also a good engine. MMM ran an article a number of years ago that listed all of the common problems in the various genres of Ducato and the 2.8JTD had the least number of issues.

CHAUSSON

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Re: Calling all diesel heads

· Posted: 14.05.2019 · #13

I can’t add much to this debate as only have / had two Motorhomes, each low mileage vehicles. The first a Chausson with the Ducato 2.3jtd engine which was totally reliable but very under powered,. if you didn’t drive it between 110km and 120km on the Motorway you would be constantly changing gears. The present one a Knause built on a Renault Master DCI 150 is a different animal, very powerful. A joy to drive and so far has also been totally reliable. One other work van I had was a pre sprinter Mercedes 410d with a 5cyl engine old school technology, might not be the liveliest but boy was it reliable.

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