Fiat Ducato scuttle - too many holes!

[UFO]

To replace the windcreen wiper motor I had to take the off-side scuttle (drain below the windscreen) off.

As well as the main drain hole, which dumps the water below the engine, there are other holes through which the water will drain into the engine bay.

The photo below shows the holes, on the off-side, around the wiper arm. Only one has a bung, as shown in the right hand photo.

Below is the near-side, two holes and no bung.

The question is why so many holes. I don't see why they can't be sealed.

Any thoughts?

 

[r4dent]

Two thoughts
1) The holes may be used in the LHD version and having both means the same part can be used
2) Once the water gets to where the holes are it is going to end up in the engine bay hole or no hole.

 

[Fazerloz]

Make sure you keep those drains clear or water will get into the wiper pivot point and it will seize up and snap the pivot bush leaving the arm and blade dangling. If you are lucky it will not damage the bodywork and not happen to you on the M1 in heavy rain like it did me

 

[trevskoda]

Extra holes are for LHD wipers.

 

[Fazerloz]

This is what happen to the pivot point.

 

[trevskoda]

Should of bought a real van, old or new.

 

[UFO]

Make sure you keep those drains clear or water will get into the wiper pivot point and it will seize up and snap the pivot bush

Yes, this makes sense. But I would have thought the water would be drained away from the engine bay, not into it. Perhaps Fiat hopes that the main scuttle drain will take away most of the water. The hole under the wiper spindle, the one without the bung, is tiny so could easily become blocked. Overall a poor design.

 

[YeoBlade]

£$%^ design that allows water into engine bay causing rusty injectors and throttle body actuator failure.......and more

 

[UFO]

Just found this - wiper spindle deflectors, 'designed to battle against water leaking onto your engine bay'

Fiat,Peugeot,Citroen Motorhome Wiper Spindle Deflectors 3D Printed (pair) | eBay UK

Condition is new. Designed and 3D printed solution to battle against water leaking onto your engine bay. Fits Ducato X250, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Relay 2006-2024. Enough to do 1 vehicle. Supplied in black only.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Wooie1958]

Many vehicle shells are built to be either RHD or LHD and very often have blanks in the unused holes.

This Renault Trafic we have now i swapped the double passenger seat for an as new LHD drivers seat which was very easy to do.

The pre-drilled and tapped holes are already there but have blanking bolts in them, take out the bolt and put it back in the vacant hole to close it once you`ve moved the seat.

Wifey now very happy because she has full lumber / seat height adjustment and armrest instead of the crappy basic double passenger seat

Plus we can access the rear now from the cab however it`s a bit tight for a big daft lump of my size

 

[Wooie1958]

Keeping the scuttle drain holes clear is a vital job that the majority of vehicle owners will never have even thought of and is not included in a service.

Our 2 latest vehicles when bought ( VW Golf SV 3 years old ) and ( Renault Trafic 5 years old ) both had the scuttle drain holes blocked solid.

In can be a lengthy job to clear them but is possible with care and now the water runs freely and away from the bottom of the wheel arch.

 

[Fazerloz]

One thing I do miss aboutKeeping the scuttle drain holes clear is a vital job that the majority of vehicle owners will never have even thought of and is not included in a service.

Our 2 latest vehicles when bought ( VW Golf SV 3 years old ) and ( Renault Trafic 5 years old ) both had the scuttle drain holes blocked solid.

In can be a lengthy job to clear them but is possible with care and now the water runs freely and away from the bottom of the wheel arch.

I certainly learned my lesson on that one and always clear leafs before leaving a parkup.

The pivot after I had welded it back together. One thing I do miss with retirement is not having full workshop facilities available anymore. Now its throw it in the bin and buy another, it just seems so wasteful to me.

 

[trevskoda]

I certainly learned my lesson on that one and always clear leafs before leaving a parkup.

The pivot after I had welded it back together. One thing I do miss with retirement is not having full workshop facilities available anymore. Now its throw it in the bin and buy another, it just seems so wasteful to me.

View attachment 150483

Pack the spindal with water proof maine grease.

 

[marchie]

Keeping the scuttle drain holes clear is a vital job that the majority of vehicle owners will never have even thought of and is not included in a service.

Our 2 latest vehicles when bought ( VW Golf SV 3 years old ) and ( Renault Trafic 5 years old ) both had the scuttle drain holes blocked solid.

In can be a lengthy job to clear them but is possible with care and now the water runs freely and away from the bottom of the wheel arch.

On the list for each wash and/or pre-trip check - pour a litre jug of water down each drain channel and listen for the sound of gushing water - if not gushing, repeat the flush as necessary ...

Steve

 

[wildebus]

£$%^ design that allows water into engine bay causing rusty injectors and throttle body actuator failure.......and more

There is another common point that allows this to happen and has not been mentioned in thread

On the X250 model (Model from 2006 with the big headlights), the plastic scuttle below the windscreen is made in two pieces that have a centre overlap.

This overlap is not sealed in anyway (or if it was, it is not done very well) and allows water to drain onto the engine and fill up in the recess where the injectors are.

I didn't really realise about this until Andy (of Andyjanet/Sidders) pointed it out to me, and while I was doing some work on his Motorhome, he did some on mine to address this issue
The silver metal plate in the photo below that he fitted deflects any water coming in from that centre join away to the front to drain away. Where before I had water always pooling in the injector area, now it remains totally dry. I just wish I (and the previous owner) knew about this years ago!

The Facelifted X290 Model has a one-piece scuttle now and I bet the water ingress in the middle join is a significant reason why!