My 2011 Fiat Panda 1.2 8V Active was parked on level drive and unused for 2 weeks while I was away on holiday.


After checking that engine oil level was ok I switched on the ignition and waited for the dashboard warning lights to go out and turning the key to operate the starter motor.


Immediately the engine fired up there was an unusual noise for 2 seconds only before the engine ticked over normally. The noise sounded as a loud grating but thereafter the engine was a sweet as it has always been.


Has someone any experience of a similar incident and, if so, was the brief fault diagnosed?
thanks in advance for any guidance.
Regards
Norman


PS engine oil & filter has been changed every 12 months at Fiat dealership and current mileage is 42,000 miles

My 1.2 also sounds a bit rattly for a couple of seconds when it has been unused for a week or so at a time. Always has.
I've put it down to more of the oil draining back to the sump than when it has only been left overnight.
Hasn't got any better or worse however recently the oil was changed.
I use the correct oil and genuine Fiat filter, so I just accept it as normal.
Would be more concerned about mine if it rattled every morning.
irc

Mines did this on Friday after being warmed up and all.. We thought it was a starter problem but over the weekend it has stopped. Will keep an eye out and report if I have further problems. I'm sure it's the same as you describe, two second scrape like noise then it's gone

fstormin said:

My 2011 Fiat Panda 1.2 8V Active was parked on level drive and unused for 2 weeks while I was away on holiday.


After checking that engine oil level was ok I switched on the ignition and waited for the dashboard warning lights to go out and turning the key to operate the starter motor.


Immediately the engine fired up there was an unusual noise for 2 seconds only before the engine ticked over normally. The noise sounded as a loud grating but thereafter the engine was a sweet as it has always been.


Has someone any experience of a similar incident and, if so, was the brief fault diagnosed?
thanks in advance for any guidance.
Regards
Norman


PS engine oil & filter has been changed every 12 months at Fiat dealership and current mileage is 42,000 miles

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Hi, having similar issue which im told is when the oil drains back into the sump past a seal? When engine starts I get a 'tapping' noise for about 2 seconds max then it stops as the oils begins to circulate again. Engine is fine and not burning oil so not overly worried. Showed this to a mechanic who said as much an his suggestion which worked for him was to use Castrol? magnitex. The oil 'sticks' to the moving component parts so the oil doesn't entirely drain away leaving some where it should be. Well im up for an oilchange soon any way so will try that suggestion out as ive nothing to loose apart from the cost of the oil? I have some very expensive fully synthetic oil which may be up for grabs if this works


Current mileage is 40,000 on a 05 plate 1.2

My 1.1 sounds a bit "tappety" when I start up after being away at work all week. I use magnatec oil and it seems to be doing the job. If you look inside the rocker cover via the oil filler there still seems to be a coating of oil over all the parts even after being parked for a couple of weeks.

I use Castrol Magnatec too. It was used by Fiat at my service for older vehicles they use it even over the original Selenia stuff. Widely believed as one of the best brands of oil on the market. Whilst they're 'all the same' quality wise, the likes of Magnatec does have patented additives to help older engines which personally I [want to] believe

FASTMOGGY said:

Current mileage is 40,000 on a 05 plate 1.2

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Very low mileage there! Mine is the same year but almost triple the miles - 115K miles.

SB1500 said:

I use Castrol Magnatec too. It was used by Fiat at my service for older vehicles they use it even over the original Selenia stuff. Widely believed as one of the best brands of oil on the market. Whilst they're 'all the same' quality wise, the likes of Magnatec does have patented additives to help older engines which personally I [want to] believe

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Well i'll report back when ive had my filter and oil change. One word of caution I got was not to use engine flush when preparing to change the oil.
Last time I did this to my corsa I found a slight oil leak straight afterwards and just before the mot .
has anyone used engine flush on their pandas and what results ?

Fiat offered to do the flush as well as lots of other Similar products at my service for about £20 each.

I said no thanks as these items aren't part of the cars service schedule and there's many a Honda owner who's got to a million miles religiously following the schedule with no problems missing the 'flushing'. Wanted to avoid the risks personal

FASTMOGGY said:

One word of caution I got was not to use engine flush when preparing to change the oil.

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I'd concur with that; use of engine flushing oils is generally deprecated and is a relic from the days before detergent oils were in common usage.

I've heard it said that, on a car under warranty, use of engine flushing oils will void it.

Save your money.

If I'd bought an older car with an unknown service history and suspected the oil hadn't been changed in a long while, I'd just use an in-spec oil & change it (and the filter) again 1000 miles or so later.

Breaking open the old filter can and examining the element can give a useful, if somewhat messy, insight into the condition of the engine.

jrkitching said:

I'd concur with that; use of engine flushing oils is generally deprecated and is a relic from the days before detergent oils were in common usage.

I've heard it said that, on a car under warranty, use of engine flushing oils will void it.

Save your money.

If I'd bought an older car with an unknown service history and suspected the oil hadn't been changed in a long while, I'd just use an in-spec oil & change it (and the filter) again 1000 miles or so later.

Breaking open the old filter can and examining the element can give a useful, if somewhat messy, insight into the condition of the engine.

Click to expand...

Thanks for replying, Just wondering if the engine flush would make a good weed killer? Well at least it didn't cost too much...£3.49!