AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

VANS

12th March 1998, Page 34
12th March 1998
Page 34
Page 35
Page 34, 12th March 1998 — VANS
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IMPRESSIONS

IVECO TURBODAILY

Price as tested: 222,408 (ex-VAT). Includes 220,250 for the basic vehicle; 2923 for the automatic clutch; 2948 for ABS; and 2287 for the translucent roof.

Engine: 2.8-litre, charge-cooled, direct-injection diesel, 122hp (90kW).

GVW: 3,5004 Payload (with 75kg driver): 1 ,050kg. Fuel consumption (laden): 24.3mpg (1 1 .61it/1 00km).

The 1 veco Daily has for many years been considered as the definitive gaffer's motor. But to some extent its durability and attractive pricing have been achieved at the expense of driver appeal and payload.

In a move to redress that balance lveco has created the two-pedal Daily Free, with an electronically operated clutch mated to a conventional fivespeed gearbox. This system is available on all two-wheel-drive Daily models.

The Daily has made frequent appearances on these pages; most recently when we subjected a 35.10 High Roof panel van to a full test ((,M8-14 May 1997). The Daily Free is identical to that model, except for its 122hp (90kW) charge-cooled engine, so

this report will concentrate on the transmission changes.

From the driver's point of view the Automatic Clutch System (ACS) comes in two parts. First there's a "smart" gearknob which disengages the drive when pressure is applied to change gear. If you're in the habit of resting your left hand on the gearknob don't worry: the pressure needed to operate the clutch is relatively high.

The second part of the system disengages drive at engine speeds below 1,100rpm (fickover is set at 800rpm so there's a safe margin to protect against unintended acceleration). Electronic systems are used to inhibit starter operation when in gear, or with the door or bonnet open.

A warning bleeper signals reverse gear engagement, and another warns of potential abuse of the system such as attempting to drive in too high a gear. If there is a system failure, drive can be permanently connected by removing a fuse. There is no torque multiplimtion, as would be provided by the torque converter of a conventional fully automatic box.

The operating instructions advise gradual application of power when starting off. That's good advice, because flooring the throttle will result in a couple of seconds of clutch slip. Whether your average urban multi-drop van driver will exercise the necessary restraint is open to question, but the unusual nature of this setup is reflected in our 0-80krn/h acceleration time of 18.5sec, which is disproportionately longer than a 5-80krn/h figure would be.

Our best times were obtained by starting in second gear; firstgear attempts took about a second longer.

The auto clutch also made itself known when reversing, which is particularly tricky. With drive fully engaged at 1,100rpm road speed feels rather fast, so the driver's instinct is to throttle back. This causes drive to be lost, requiring more revs, and starting the cycle again. We never fully overcame this characteristic, and reversing usually took the form of a series of jerks.

The lack of a manual clutch also affects engine braking. Say the van was being driven downhill on a snow-covered hill. As the engine speed dropped past the 1,100rpm mark drive, and therefore control, would be lost.

• PRODUCTIVITY The accommodation of the 12.3m3 van is unchanged from our previous encounter, except we were pleased to see that Iveco has listened to our comments about the lack of rear door stays, which are now fitted as standard.

The laden fuel consumption figure of 24.3mpg (11.61it1100km) recorded on a windy day around our Kent test route reinforces our earlier opinion that the 122hp (90kW) engine is more frugal than its 103hp (761070 stablemate, which returned 23.9mpg (11.81it/100km).

• ON THE ROAD

Initial impressions of driving the Daily Fre.e were rather frustrating. Attempts to drive in a mechanically sympathetic way usually resulted in jerky up-shifts as the clutch appeared reluctant to break the drive before moving out of the lower gear. However, increased familiarity led to a technique of applying pressure to the gearknob very slightly in advance of actually moving the lever. After a short period of doing this consciously it became second nature.

This does indicate that drivers new to the Daily Free would benefit from expert tuition if they are to reap its potential benefits. Down-changes were achieved from the outset with no trouble.

The ACS was at its best in typical M25 stop-start traffic, where the Daily Free could be left in second gear for most of the time. The benefits in more normal urban use are harder to quantify, as the gear lever still has to be moved from gear to gear.

The gearbox behind the ACS is probably the least pleasant available in the van marketplace today The dog-leg first-tosecond change means that few drivers will bother using it unless they have to, while reverse is unpredictable. Our previous tests have made the point that the Daily is beginning to show its age in many respects. Nowhere is this more true than the front suspension, which is even worse than that unhelpful gearbox. Even minor imperfections in the road surface set up a crashing through the whole body; every stone on the road could be felt through the cab floor, and on a few memorable occasions the front dampers just seemed to give up the struggle for control.

Handling, however, was perfectly acceptable on good surfaces, while the combination of disc brakes all round and ABS remains outstanding. The handbrake is still barely reachable; a fact made worse on this example by the lack of reserve travel on the inertia-reel seat belt. By the way, has the person who decided to mix bouncy suspension with a suspension seat and bodyshell-mounted seatbelts ever tested the result?

The latest turbocharger installation has deprived the Daily of its ability to impersonate emergency vehicle sirens in the distance. The charge-cooled engine is adequate for the task but, like much of the van, feels rather left behind in comparison with more recent designs.

In-cab noise levels are good, no doubt helped by the fullheight steel bulkhead, but the window in the bulkhead was partly responsible for an unexpected irritation during night driving: the view in the interior mirror was dominated by a reflection of the view through the windscreen, which caused some confusion when trying to establish if the approaching lights were coming from ahead or astern. The external mirrors were no better as they both contained a perfect reflection of the instruments!

• SUMMARY While the Daily Free undoubtedly saves the driver's left leg from a lot of avoidable exercise, the true benefit of ACS will depend on the vehicle's use.

As a first step towards fully automatic transmission in midrange vans, it's a move in the right direction. But as a means of eliminating stress for Daily drivers, we feel that 'Nem might direct its energies to other aspects of the vehicle, starting with that front suspension and moving on to the level of refinement of the whole package.

A smart clutch on its own is not enough to bridge the gap between sow's ear and silk purse. E by Colin Barnett MODEL lveco Turbo Daily Free 35.12 High Roof Panel Van.

ENGINE

lveco 8140.43 four-cylinder direct-injection chargecooled diesel.

Capacity: 2,798cc. Maximum net power: 122hp (90kW) at 3,60Orpm.

Maximum net torque: 210Ibft (285Nm) at 1,80Orpm.

TRANSMISSION

Iveco 2826 five-speed allsynchromesh manual gearbox with Automatic Clutch System.

WEIGHTS

Load volume: 12.3m3. Axle design weights: Front, 1,800kg; rear, 2,600k9. GTW: 6,500kg.

RIVAL TESTS

Citroen Relay 1800: CM 11-17 Dec 1997. Volkswagen LT35: CM 1016 July 1997.

Ford Transit 230 High Cube: CM 8-14 Aug 1996.

Tags

People: Front, Colin Barnett

comments powered by Disqus