Technical Oh NO ... Oil Lights on !!!

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Technical Oh NO ... Oil Lights on !!!

Oil light Marea

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Oct 12, 2004
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Please help me guys, I have today bought an 80k, R Reg Marea Weekend 2.0 5 cylinder 20 Valve for £650, what a bargain, when I first picked the car up and drove it for about 25 miles-ish, it drove and ran mint, sounded lovely and appeared ok on fuel!! I pulled up to get some dinner switched off and left the Marea for no more than 5 or so minutes, when I jumped in and started the engine the OIL LIGHT started flickering and after a few mins the top end started ticking!! I took it to a friends garage, got it on the lift and promptly removed the oil relief vave (by the PAS pump) blew it out, although it was clean etc, put it back together and the motor was OIL LIGHT free for about 4 miles!!! it gradually started flickering again and after about a mile was fully on!!! I have always wanted one of these cars and now I have one, and after the day I have had I'm feeling thoroughly peed off... could it be the strainer blocked??? - anyone please, any ideas ...
 
Hi and welcome to our forum :)
I have to agree that you have a great car. Sorry to hear you are having problems though.

Just a few questions, sorry if they are too simple.

What condition was the oil in? Clean, dirty or contaminated.
When was the last oil change? Quite a few members change the oil more frequently than the standard 12K, some every 6-7K. On a 'new' car I would normally give it a full flush out as well.

Do you get ticking all the time or just when the oil light comes on? It could be a sensor fault. You do get a bit of tappet noise on this engine.

One last thing, has the cam belt being changed? If not, do it now. We normally recommend a change every 40-50k. Some garages can now do it without having to drop the engine all the way out.

Good luck :) Let us know how you get on, or get back if you want any further info. Don't forget to post up a couple of pics.


Check the cam oil spray pipe for blockages.
 
Hi Dave,

The oil is a bit dirty and i dont know when it was last changed!! the engine starts to tick when the light comes on! I have been told today that the oil pumps on these engines can get a bit dodgy!! is this the case? I will be removing the sump and cleaning out the strainer etc as soon as possible, any other ideas/experiences anyone please mail me.

Ta,
Pete.

PS - has a new cambelt!!
 
Pete,
I'm not aware of any problems with the oil pump on the 2.0. There have been problems reported with the 1.4 pump.
Still it may be worth looking at if you are in that area.
I think an oil flush and change would be worthwhile as well.
Let us know how you get on.
 
Hi Dave,

Turned out the strainer was gooked up to death, so was the sump!! what a complete b*stard job to do. after doing all this, the oil light now goes out when turning the engine over BUT it will not start and we havent a clue why!!! theres petrol getting there and a good spark too (New Plugs) reset button under seat ok! I'm having a nightmare and to say I'm now thoroughly p*ssed off is a vast understatement! I now have to spend even more money to get an auto elec to put his diagnostic machine on it tomorrow... he will probably tell me I need some sensor, again, at great expense!!!

Not Happy ..... :bang:
 
Ok, aren't Fiats fun.
Fuel & spark there so check timing. Could you have disturbed timing sensor, are injectors pulsing?
Sorry you are still having problems, good luck tomorrow. My motor is back to the garage for an MOT retake, really worried that i'm going to have to replace both rear calippers.
 
The timming sensors is sounding like the problem.If its dirty or damaged the ECU won't reconise the mark on the crank pully and thus won't start the car. If you've had the sump off then you could have somehow disturbed it. did you need to remove the crank pully?

hope this prblem sorts out as they are very sound and underated cars so don't loose faith! (y)
 
hi,
you have the same car as me , keep at it, now mines sorted it is worth it.

good luck :bang:
 
Hello all who have mailed,
Thanks, its nice to know someone is there!! anyway we might just have found the answer to the engine not starting... it appears that when the car was on the ramp and I was working away with the ratchet at the back of the block (to remove the driveshaft mount) the cam position sensor wire runs past this area and there is signs of it being bodged in the past for some reason! (cut and taped up) so tomorrow it will be back on the ramp for a re-fettle of said bodged looking wire as it may have come undone inside the tape !!

Hears hoping!!! watch this space?

Pete. :idea:
 
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the 2.0 20v is known too do this, not long ago i did a hgt which was burning oil. the whole inside of the engine was plastered in thick tar like substance which was assumed too have once been oil, the car had not been serviced correctly and required a new engine.
 
WELL, WHAT A BLOODY MISSION THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE!!!
1st we do a major job doing the sump off clean up thing, then after replacing the cam position sensor wire (from Fiat) we attempted to start the engine... now the ignition barrel has collapsed internally!!! so, off to the breakers for a replacement, I got the whole column rather than trying to split it all etc, fitted it to the car this morning and then my mate who is an auto spark taped the chip from inside the original key to the top of the transponder ring around where the new ignition key (which has had its chip removed) goes in!! AND GUESS WHAT... It STILL wont start!!! he seems to think that because the battery has gone flat the key to ECU memory link has also died and will need resetting (If this type of ECU can be done) this will cost me 350 sheets which is supposed to be cheap! if the ECU man, who is coming tomorrow, cannot do it, then I really cant do any more as we are at a loss now - matches and petrol are now featuring strongly in my mind ;-))

Peed off :bang:
 
Anyone interested in a Fiat marea 20 valve Weekend ELX in very nice blue with Tax and long Mot, alloys, electrics etc but with an ECU issue, I'll flog it cheap as i really have had enough now... its got to go as i have now bought another car!!
I am serious by the way ...

Pete.
 
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