# 2.8 JTD Ducato  5TH gear



## oldpolicehouse (Dec 7, 2012)

Hello
I was talking to the proprietor of C & M Auto Services Lancaster the other day. He used to be the workshop foreman at the now closed down T B Turbos. They specialise in the service and repair of motorhomes so he knows a lot about Fiat based motorhomes. As I am in the process of changing my motorhome from a low profile to an A class I asked  his opinion of the pre. 2007 2.8 engined vans. His reply was ''the engine is bombproof'' (his words) but some people have had problems with the 5th gear. He went on to explain that the 5th gear was an add on and relied on a poor oil drip feed from the main part of the gearbox for its lubrication. The way to avoid failure of the 5th gear was to drive about 10 miles before using 5th gear. 

I wondered if any of you owners of said 2.8JTD based vehicles had heard of this and do any of you follow his advice ?

Blue Skies


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## yorkslass (Dec 7, 2012)

hi, a friend of mine was an AA man and he said to use fifth gear only when you reach 40mph. given the current state of trafic on most roads i guess it would take 10 miles to acieve that speed.


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## maingate (Dec 7, 2012)

oldpolicehouse said:


> Hello
> I was talking to the proprietor of C & M Auto Services Lancaster the other day. He used to be the workshop foreman at the now closed down T B Turbos. They specialise in the service and repair of motorhomes so he knows a lot about Fiat based motorhomes. As I am in the process of changing my motorhome from a low profile to an A class I asked  his opinion of the pre. 2007 2.8 engined vans. His reply was ''the engine is bombproof'' (his words) but some people have had problems with the 5th gear. He went on to explain that the 5th gear was an add on and relied on a poor oil drip feed from the main part of the gearbox for its lubrication. The way to avoid failure of the 5th gear was to drive about 10 miles before using 5th gear.
> 
> I wondered if any of you owners of said 2.8JTD based vehicles had heard of this and do any of you follow his advice ?
> ...



I doubt very much if it is a 2.8JTD with the 5th gear problem. In 2002 a new gearbox was fitted when the JTD engine was introduced. From around 1994 to 2002 the 5th gear was just an add on to the old 4 gear box. At first it was a 2.5 engine then a 2.8 but NOT JTD. There was a TD and an iTD before the JTD.


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## wints (Dec 7, 2012)

As Maingate says, it was the pre 2.8 JTD that had a few 5th gear malfunctions.  It's well documented on the fiat forum.

Ducato - The FIAT Forum

The 2.8 JTD has had it's own probs, mine had the injector wires replaced for longer ones, a well known fault, and it suffers occassionally with the padlock symbol staying on at ignition which means the immobiliser will not disengage.
But, the engine pulls well and it does approx 27 mpg which isn't bad at 4000kg.

regards
Allen


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## Wooie1958 (Dec 7, 2012)

I think you`ll find it`s the " Pre-2002 " gearboxes that can have a problem with 5th gear.

The 2002 - 2006 gearboxes on the 2.8 JTD where actually built with 5 gears and aren`t a problem.

Just make sure you change the oil regular. I do mine every year when i do the service.

It has not got a level plug and once drained you re-fill with 1.85 litres of 75W80 Gear Oil.

It has a breather on top of the Gearbox which is also the filler, you need to remove the Air Filter Box and the
Air Ducting to the left and you will then see a Little Black Plastic Cap on top of the Gearbox.

This pulls off and that`s where you re-fill the Gearbox then make sure the Cap clicks back on.

Hope this helps.


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