Hi,

I have a 10 yo twinair that is very reluctant to start, but if/when it does it works perfectly.

On Thursday I had to call the RAC out and they could not start it so towed me to a local garage. The next day the garage said that they had got it started but the cost of repair would be about £1500 as the diagnostics showed "fault's detected relate to fault on phonic wheel, this could be due to a fault with the uniair module"

Does anyone know of this and why the engine should work perfectly if it does start?

I have noticed that the longer I leave it before restarting the harder it is to start. I left it over night when it did not start on Thursday, and when I picked it up on friday probably a few hours after the garage called me, it took a few turnovers to start, then started next time first time after leaving it for 10 or mins. This morning after not using it over the week end it will not start again.

Is there any bodge I can do to get it started as when it does start it works, I can not afford to spend this kind of money on a repair

Thanks
Jessica

Hi

Im not sure of the age of your TA

They started in 2011/12 in the UK


OK.. it relies on oil to operate the Uniair

Its possible its draining back.. and you need to wind and wind the motor to pump the oil back.

This isnt 'normal' though..

Got any oil leaks..or oil consumption issues

Is the battery great?


There are a few TA specialists around..

Where are you based?

Charlie.. near the M4

varesecrazy said:

OK.. it relies on oil to operate the Uniair

Its possible its draining back.. and you need to wind and wind the motor to pump the oil back.

This isnt 'normal' though..

Click to expand...

Uniair modules are known to be unreliable, particularly on the earlier cars.

£1500 sounds like main dealer money; an independent should be able to change the uniair module for less (if indeed it actually needs replacing).

Where exactly did you get that estimate from?

Not my speciality, but does anyone know if a blockage in that secret hidden oil strainer could be relevant here? Cleaning or even changing that will cost a lot less than £1500.

Also given the frequency with which uniair problems are reported here, I'd expect the aftermarket will someday be offering remanufactured units for a lower price.

And to the OP - one thing you can check for yourself is that the engine has sufficient oil. Insufficent oil, or the wrong specification of oil, is a well known cause of uniair problems.

£1500 may seem a lot (and it is) sadly when there is a problem with the uniair unit there is no work around to bodge it. The valves are opened by high pressure oil as described above and if it can’t get the pressure up because of a leak in the pump then it won’t be able to open the valves.

The part even with discount is ~£700 and I believe that most of the engine has to come apart to replace it. You could probably get the work done for less than £1500 but the price is likely to still be north of £1000.

It may even be cheaper to get a good replacement engine fitted, but then you have the risk of the same thing happening again ?


However a change of oil to the correct spec oil for you car and a change of the twinair oil strainer might help if the oil is old or the strainer has become blocked, there might not be enough oil getting into the uniair module.
There is also a phonic wheel relearn procedure that might help if the uniair module had lost sync with the rest of the engine timing

varesecrazy said:

Hi

Im not sure of the age of your TA

They started in 2011/12 in the UK


OK.. it relies on oil to operate the Uniair

Its possible its draining back.. and you need to wind and wind the motor to pump the oil back.

This isnt 'normal' though..

Got any oil leaks..or oil consumption issues

Is the battery great?


There are a few TA specialists around..

Where are you based?

Charlie.. near the M4

Click to expand...

Thanks Charlie,

Yes mine is an early version 2011, oil consumption has been high-ish over its life, but never noticed a leak. battery is in top condition. I will try a lot of starting and see if she fires, I will also check the filters and oil and described in other posts.

I am on the M4 Newbury/Hungerford

Jessica

Thanks jrkitching and AndyRKett I will look at the filter and change the oil

Jessica

I pass there regularly.. so could have a look and attempt a relearn if that suits you

( the mechanics from the old FIAT specialists are still based just south of Newbury.. if that sounds of interest)
Charlie.. Didcot

Thank you so much Charlie for the offer, I am going to see if the oil filter change will help then if no success then I will take you up on the offer

Thanks Jessica

Just note Jessica there is the normal engine oil filter, then separately there is a little oil strainer which is about £30 which screws into the engine but catches any large pieces of detritus that could damage the uniair unit.

AndyRKett said:

Just note Jessica there is the normal engine oil filter, then separately there is a little oil strainer which is about £30 which screws into the engine but catches any large pieces of detritus that could damage the uniair unit.

Click to expand...

Info here :

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii...-actuator-oil-filter.html?454649=#post4298715

AndyRKett said:

However a change of oil to the correct spec oil for you car

Click to expand...

Correct spec, this is especially important in the twin air, easily skimmed over when looking. Correct me if wrong the early twin air cars used a slightly different grade to later ones?

If it’s a phonic thing the MultiECUScan can do a phonic relearn. That’s most likely all it is. Sorry if someone has already said this.

John202020 said:

Correct spec, this is especially important in the twin air, easily skimmed over when looking. Correct me if wrong the early twin air cars used a slightly different grade to later ones?

Click to expand...

There was a change of grade.. yes

( possibly another @2017 )