Mercky said:

How does the tank breath - through the filler cap?

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This is an interesting question.

I spent 27years in the RN, then after coming out into Civvy Street, had a job locally driving a van for a car parts company selling body refinishing stuff and panels etc ........... also fuel tanks.

One of the major headaches was getting the correct fuel tank matched up with the car. The repairer asked us for a fuel tank for a particular car, and we had to ask what tank it was because even in the same model year there were differences. Not the shape and size, but the connections and arrangement of the outlets and inlets. The repairer couldn't answer our questions until he'd taken the tank out and eyeballed it.

Basically, what I'm saying, is that modern fuel tanks don't just have a single fuel supply connection and breather through the filler cap like old fashioned basic cars, they have all sorts of bleeder/feedback/drain/supply connections. Maybe four in all.

I haven't a clue about a Fiat500 fuel tank, but I reckon they ain't a simple tank with a supply pipe and a filler cap. There'll be all sorts going on.

Regards,
Mick.

To add to Mick's comments, I'm fairly sure most cars these days have to control their petrol vapour emissions via evaporation. Quite a few using charcoal canisters to capture those vapours and then "rebreathe" them into the intake manifolds.

You're probably best off confirming the behaviour and then getting a dealer to investigate if under warranty.

Thank you both, I'm going to wait until the wife has used up this tank (unfortunately that'll take her ages) and then just stick a tenners worth of 98/99 in and see how that goes (maybe replicate what I think happened). If all good then I'll fill her up with 98/99 and if it goes back to normal (low end hesitancy) then maybe it's a breather type issue in which case I'll drive another one at the dealer to compare


To put all this in context, despite this annoying hesitancy, I've just test driven a couple of Suzuki Swifts (1.3 90 BHP) for my youngest daughter and my missus' 500 slaughters em

I've had my 85 TA for coming up to 2 years now (almost 13k miles), and it certainly feels looser to me, but not in a good way. From new it just felt tight in all modes, and now not so unless it is in sport mode.

The difference between ECO and Sport mode is like having 2 different cars however. It just MOVES when its not on ECO, and although I'm by no means a racey hot head (more driving Miss Daisy) it does rocket off from a stop when you get the clutch/gear timing right.
In ECO it sometimes feels like it's going to stall from a start (and it does turn on stop/start for a second in really low revs on occasion, reported on other threads) and I now make sure I'm always at around 2k revs just to make sure, although the feeling of having next to no power isn't that nice and is made more obvious by the fact the car is so alive, and an absolute joy, with ECO switched off.

My MPG is roughly 43 atm, and hovers between 42 and 45 and has done almost the entire time I've had the car (from new Sept 2013). I fill up every week or so almost to the top, however my daily commute is only 10 miles or so with a few mins on the A27 between Portsmouth and Havant, so the car never really gets a chance to spread it's legs.

In regards to the 105, I had planned on upgrading to one at some point soon, however as there still hasn't been any information regarding the possibility of the 'new' 500 in S format I'm holding off. If they don't do one, than I highly suspect I'll be finding my way to the Abarth dealership around the corner.

Mercky said:

Interesting, I noticed on my current tank from the new garage that the car dident seem as lively after I filled it up but as the tank emptied down it seemed to improve (yes i know it gets lighter!) Could be completely my imagination though. How does the tank breath - through the filler cap?

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Exactly this, ran the car down to less than 1/4 tank and the low down hesitation has gone. Booked in at the dealer next week. The Service manager reckons he's never come across this before.

105S said:

Exactly this, ran the car down to less than 1/4 tank and the low down hesitation has gone. Booked in at the dealer next week. The Service manager reckons he's never come across this before.

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probably never will get to the bottom of this persons issue.

I'm the relatively happy owner of a punto - 2012 with the 85 TA,
and am about to go and see a Mito 105.

there are / were upgrades along the way - it's a 2015 reg..

just wondering what people who've racked up miles have found over the months / years

I've covered 35K miles in my 85 , it's oil tight and gives 50mpg,

not expecting much different from a 105 unless it's been poorly bedded-in

Charlie

I had a mito twin air, the main issue I found was that the first gear was far too short and meant pulling out required thrashing and a quick change. I have an abarth 595 now and it's much better in lots of ways.

Same as my punto I suspect.
What age :spec.?

Mine would need cruise
and ideally reversing sensors too.

From what I remember of a well known car magazine that ran a Mito, cruise control could only be cancelled with brakes or clutch. Whether been improved or whether would get on your nerves am not sure.

Tbh..thats what I Do Anyway..

The only time the dash symbol has been off is after a garage service..

lsgraham_uk said:

I had a mito twin air, the main issue I found was that the first gear was far too short and meant pulling out required thrashing and a quick change. I have an abarth 595 now and it's much better in lots of ways.

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the 500's are all 5 speed and no cruise though..??

out of interest what year / spec of mito,

a guy at work has a 1.4.. but on a '10 plate.. so may not be a great comparison.. 2015 had an overhaul.. how deep IDK

My 105 TA is 6 speed.

sharpandroid said:

My 105 TA is 6 speed.

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In a 500...?

Yep, at least they are all advertised as having 6 speeds
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...t=sponsored&radius=50&postcode=rg456pe&page=6

Ok..thats good..as the earlier 85 TA 500s were all 5speed..AFAIK

varesecrazy said:

In a 500...?

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FromAutocar review.

Fiat 500 Cult 0.9 TwinAir 105

Price £15,000 (est); 0-62mph 10.0sec; Top speed 117mph; Economy 67.3mpg; CO2 99g/km; Kerb weight 940kg; Engine 2 cyls, 875cc, turbo, petrol; Power 104bhp at 5500rpm; Torque 107lb ft at 2000rpm; Gearbox 6-spd manual

The addition of a sixth gear means claimed extra urban economy improves by 2.2mpg to an impressive 80.7mpg, but the urban cycle uses around 15 per cent more fuel than the lower-powered car at 51.4mpg – a bit of a worry given our road test of the original TwinAir barely managed half its official combined economy figure. The 104bhp model also gets uprated brakes: newly ventilated discs up front and solid discs in place of the 84bhp car’s rear drums.

:slayer:

Werdna and scout Have TA 500's
Which are both 5 speed IIRC

Yep all 85’s 5 speed, 105 6 speed a la 1.4. Reading Auto Italia this month editor Chris Rees once again proclaiming 105 TA as best 500 of all including Abarths - and I would generally respect his opinions

varesecrazy said:

the 500's are all 5 speed and no cruise though..??

out of interest what year / spec of mito,

a guy at work has a 1.4.. but on a '10 plate.. so may not be a great comparison.. 2015 had an overhaul.. how deep IDK

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Mine was a 14 plate sportiva, it had 18" heels on so that didn't help with it with lots of things like ride etc. I had a bluespark box on it so it was probably around 120bhp but the gearing was just such an issue.


As for ta vs abarth their is no comparison, the abarth is capable of very good real world economy with 50mpg easy on a motorway. I went from 85ta to 105 ta mito to 595c abarth. With the tuning box fitted I get 30-70 in third gear in around 6.5 seconds which is accompanied by an engine that doesn't sound like a hornets nest has got caught in a chainsaw. Furthermore the cost difference is stupidly close (and insurance was cheaper than the mito)

I had a 500 Lounge TA for 6 years until last year, and loved it. I actually liked the engine's sound and character. But I was surprised when I looked up list prices just now that a 500s with the 105 TA engine is about £15300, when the Abarth 595 starts from £15500. If I was considering a new 500 now, I would try the latter before anything else. (My 500 was the 85).