Deisel Fuel Pipes & Alternator

[Olly57]

Hi everyone -new to this but have been looking for posts and help on this site for some time and decided to join the fray.

I have a 2007 300c diesel (don't laugh - I like it anyway) and have just had to book the car in for what feels like major repairs.

The fuel pipe has a split in it (the elbow type above the alternator) and if you don't know what this means (like me) the garage have just informed me what the outcome really is.

I need a new modified pipe (only available from Chrysler (£75) and a new alternator as it has been drowned in oil and is broken (thinking of a more appropriate technical term for this - if you know what I mean).

I already knew that the brakes front & rear needed doing so in for a penny in for a pound

Total parts and labour for all the work is £1105 fully inclusive. After I had oxygen and a medic to help me recover the car is at the garage awaiting "treatment".

Have heard that this fuel pipe is a common problem - know by Chrysler all the time.

Main dealers in the UK are just not worth a light as they appear to have little or no practical knowledge about this and have to say although we know what the problem(s) are we need to see the car so we can price the labour costs to be sure where all the parts to be replaced are located. This doesn't really instil the greatest amount of confidence in an ever competitive market place.

If you bought one of these cars from new and heard this just what would you tell all the people you came across. Yes great car, great support, great customer care or as long as your car never goes wrong or breaks down you will be just fine. Thank god for the humble mechanic who needs to earn a living and help his customers as much as possible. I would recommend my local blokes to anyone.

Enough of the rant - I still like my 300c a lot

[paul@thecustom300cshop]

really sorry to hear that, once they put the new alternator on ask for the shield around £5. And a good indy mechanic is better that the dealer, unless you need starscan that it

[Olly57]

Many thanks for that didn't even know that was an option. I have asked the garage to put a heat shield in at the same time - quite right £5 for that and given the other costs doesn't really even register.

Hopefully this will help avoid the same thing happening again so once again thanks for good tip 😊

[Olly57]

Just heard from the garage repairing my car - as they were also replacing discs and pads all round. They say sorry but one the front pins on the calipa has sheared off and they now need to get the thing drilled so they can replace the pin so not ready for another day.

I feel a quite let down by all of this as they have had the car for 5 days now and think that as they knew this they have thought well we have the car for 5 days so we can take our time anyway.

They have said that the calipa pins for the front brakes are ONLY available from Chrysler - anyone know if this is actually true?

[badgx]

Welcome to 3CF from London UK

[Olly57]

Hi Folks - another update; went to the garage on Saturday to show my face just in case I was being led a merry dance.

As it turns out all was as the shop blokes had said, even get the offending calliper to show me the sheared off pin.

Had a look at the "Heat Shield" for the new fuel pipes. I really can't see this doing a whole lot of good, it just looks like a curved bit of plastic, that if there is a spill then the oil will just drip away a bit from the alternator underneath. I got to be honest I don't think that this "heat shield" will actually do any good in the moment of a future crisis at all.

Does anyone have any experience of the "Heat Shield" actually doing the job it was designed for or our Chrysler (UK) selling another pup. Mine is on a 300c 3.0 Diesel.

By the way have yet to come across a UK Chrysler dealership that actually knows anything about the cars they sell and service.

Always find that the independent garages and workshops are so much better.

[Olly57]

Next Up-date (Monday 05-11-12) on the longest repair schedule for an alternator, fuel pipes and brakes.

Chrysler (otherwise now as Fiat) sent the wrong pin for the front calliper - this even having been sent their own diagram with out line downloaded from their own website.

Please tell me that you have not suffered such incompetence from a main dealer - and they are only supplying the parts

The local garage team have been great and I do feel a little sorry for them as it is them (and me) that suffer due to a main company that is just pants (polite version)

When the main dealer was contacted to say they have sent the wrong part even though they had their own picture of the required part - they said oh sorry about that we must have picked the wrong part

Anyway - they are supposed to get the next replacement pin on Tuesday so lets hope they can get this one right - always a first????????????

[Olly57]

I have the car back from the garage now. Took a look at the Chrysler "Heat Shield" for the fuel pipes and yes it would stop the drips if the car is not moving The actual piece of kit looks about as much use a chocolate fire guard

Brakes; replaced and are fine, the fuel pipes and alternator are working as well but if the problem that causes the fuel pipes to split (perish) is not resolved by the heat shield then I guess I will be back with the same issues in the long run, Anyone know of a longer term solution - other than trading the car for a petrol version?

[royliz]

alternator shield does work but its more for oil spillage when topping up oil. engine takes 9.6 liters that could be a lot of spills lol.
welcome from SCOTLAND enjoy. Where are you?? most people on forum more than willing to help. it help if we know where you are.

Roy

[Olly57]

Many thanks for the tip about the guard and knowing that it makes more sense as it is only a small piece of plastic

I have been putting off replacing the brakes but like a lot of things once you have them done, what a difference and you realise that yes - actually they really did need doing

Due to the location of the alternator I don't think that anything can actually be done to prevent a leak into the alternator if the fuel pipes split again?

Anyone had their diesel remapped? Some say it is very difficult, some say brilliant but fuel economy goes down through the floor?

Any ideas of a price guide line? - any feed back about this would be most welcome

Live/Located in Bedfordshire