Hi,

I have just become the proud owner of a metalic green 2003 JTD Multipla with bright orange wheels which my five-year-old says I have to keep. On the way home the EML came on and it seemed to be running quite hot (4 bars on the dash + roasting heater. Radiator cold).

Cleaned out the EGR valve + bled radiator to no avail so decided to change the turbo boost solenoid valve on the basis this solved an identical fault described in another forumand I happened to have one to hand. Now the EML doesn't come on...

..but, the car still warms up very fast to 4 bars and perormance is slightly reduced when hot. Radiator still feels cold, fan does not kick in. It has had a new thermostat fitted by previous owner who said he had it done as the heating was poor.

Is this normal? I bought an ELM cable and tried to connect to the car's CPU but it says there is no response. I have no experience with these so perhaps I am not using the right software/ settings.:bang:

Could the rad be blocked/ the new thermostat be faulty or is this normal for a multipla?

Thanks in advance.

4 bars is normal.
If it warms up quickly that's amazing mine takes a while.
Leave it running with heating off and see if the hose to radiator/ radiator ever gets warm/hot, don't burn yourself.
If yours has aircon you may be mistaking the aircon condenser for the radiator , they look similar and are right next to each other.
It can take quite some time for the hose/ radiator to heat up.
If hose eventually gets hot check the other hose is warm but cooler.
You could leave it running longer and see if rad fan starts this could take a long time as jtd engine does not produce a lot of waste heat.
If the gauge shows full bars or over heat warning comes on stop engine because you have a problem.
Let it cool down before looking for cause.
There are a lot of air bleed points for when refilling system.
When I got my multi I thought was going to have to change the thermostat because took so long for top hose to get hot.

I bought a vag com cable and always have trouble trying to get multi ecu scan to see the interface.
Perhaps someone can explain how too?

facing multi with bonnet up- hose to rad from thermostat is on right, hose from rad is on left.
both hoses may get warm/hot until thermostat starts to open, only then will hose from rad get cooler than hose to rad. this is when cool water from rad starts to flow if things working as they should.

There is a slim black rubber hose connected near top of coolant header tank. With the engine running it should be possible to see coolant returning to the header from the slim hose. look at header without engine running then with engine running to see difference caused by returning coolant.


Remember to post what you find so that everyone may benefit from your experiences.

It's good to know four bars is ok. I did notice coolant returning to the reservoire when running the engine. Also noticed the condenser for aircon which sits in front of rad and is also cold (aircon was off though). Radiator has what look like stone impact marks but on the inside facing the engine which was a surprise. Will give the pipes a good feel tomorrow and let you know if one goes cold at any point.

I have tried different software and a different com port with the ELM cable but still no response from ECU. Is there a cable/ software anyone can recommend that works with a 2003 JTD?

Thanks all for swift and helpful responses:slayer:.

MulTim said:

<SNIP>

I have tried different software and a different com port with the ELM cable but still no response from ECU. Is there a cable/ software anyone can recommend that works with a 2003 JTD?

Thanks all for swift and helpful responses:slayer:.

Click to expand...

Multiecuscan www.multiecuscan.net is one of the best. You can try it and make sure it connects before you pay the registration fee.
Exactly what ELM cable (link to supplier or ebay item No.) do you have?

Robert G8RPI.

Have tried multiecuscan fre version and the software provided with my cable. Ebay item number was 121731866015 and it is called an ECU Super Scan.

Thanks for the help. Am off to give my pipes a feel.

MulTim said:

Have tried multiecuscan fre version and the software provided with my cable. Ebay item number was 121731866015 and it is called an ECU Super Scan.

Thanks for the help. Am off to give my pipes a feel.

Click to expand...

Hi,
in MES with the interface plugged in, of you click the settings button and then the scan for interfaces button does it show the interface you are using in the box?
If not go to control panel / settings/device manager / PORTS (COM & LPT and see what the COM port number is. The number in MES should match.

Robert G8RPI.

jackwhoo said:

facing multi with bonnet up- hose to rad from thermostat is on right, hose from rad is on left.
both hoses may get warm/hot until thermostat starts to open, only then will hose from rad get cooler than hose to rad. this is when cool water from rad starts to flow if things working as they should.

Click to expand...

I felt my hoses for a long time. They were both quite soft to begin with and slowly warmed up.The one on the left when facing the car (from rad to engine) was always warmer.

Then all of a sudden they both became much firmer but the one on the left was quite hot by this stage and remained so. I don't understand what this could mean. Should I have kept it running for longer to feel it cool (only gave stiff pipes a few minutes of feeling)? Or could there be a restriction between the rad and the engine? But if so how did the pipe get warm before the thermostat opened?

Help?

The one on the left is defiantly the return from rad, I was also puzzled by the left one being hotter to start with. For me it all made sense when I ran it long enough for thermostat to open which allowed hot water from engine to start flowing through right hand hose into rad , pushing

Cooler water which was in rad through left pipe.
The thermostat is not likely to open until help gauge shows 3 or even 4 bars.
Jtd doesn't produce lots of waste heat so this could take long time.

Your water pump is ok as you have water returning to header tank via the degassing hose.

MulTim said:

I felt my hoses for a long time. They were both quite soft to begin with and slowly warmed up.The one on the left when facing the car (from rad to engine) was always warmer.

Then all of a sudden they both became much firmer but the one on the left was quite hot by this stage and remained so. I don't understand what this could mean. Should I have kept it running for longer to feel it cool (only gave stiff pipes a few minutes of feeling)? Or could there be a restriction between the rad and the engine? But if so how did the pipe get warm before the thermostat opened?

Help?

Click to expand...

This sounds normal to me. The usual problem is the thermostat stays open and the sytem never gets to normal temperature.

Robert G8RPI.

The thermostat does not open till around 80 degrees , someone can post exact temperature.
When feeling pipes don't hold on to them then all the time engine running , you will be burned. Periodically touch gently for short times.

Ignore last post. I hadn't read Jackwhoo's comment properly. Took car for a drive and the hose from rad to engine was noticably cooler on return. All is working as it should.

ELM cable still not working. I have checked the port settings and it is on COM1. Just no reply from ECU. I have tried an Android bluetooth one with pro-Torque and this connects but gives obviously false readings (e.g. coolant temp 215°C and rev count way off). Is it just that I am buying cheap readers or is there something else I can try?

Thanks again for the help so far.

MulTim said:

<SNIP>
ELM cable still not working. I have checked the port settings and it is on COM1. Just no reply from ECU. I have tried an Android bluetooth one with pro-Torque and this connects but gives obviously false readings (e.g. coolant temp 215°C and rev count way off). Is it just that I am buying cheap readers or is there something else I can try?

Thanks again for the help so far.

Click to expand...

Hi,
What is on COM1? Are you sure both the operating system (control panel) and MES are set to COM1? Sounds like you may have a port assignment error.
What do the "Scan for interfaces" and "test" buttons in MES /settings / interfaces show?
Cheap interfaces <£15 tend to be troublesome. They suffer from various things such as poor drivers, fake USB interface chips and resistors across the CAN bus that should not be there.

Robert G8RPI.

I am so pleased that your Multipla has turned out to be normal
thank you for posting what you found.

if the fan did'nt kick in, its that square thing switch inside the fuse box beside battery. without it the fan only work on high-speed. fan should on two speed mode.
on my multipla i have to permanently not cover tbe switch box as that switch thing got burned easily. sorry cannot remember the switch name

now i remember, it called relay switch

I bought one of these from this seller some time ago:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALFA-FIAT...574443?hash=item25a6ffd6ab:g:xXsAAOSwGOZTxWZ2

It's worked with MultiEcuScan without a problem whenever I've used it, though I admit I haven't had need to try all of the adaptors that came with it.