Hi All
I'm looking for some help on various topics and I've read loads on here before posting this so if I repeat stuff that's been covered before then please accept my apology beforehand and point me to the posts and threads that relate if you can! I have searched for the topics on here and I've seen comments but no specifics regarding each one, let me just state for the record, I bought the Abarth for the wife cos I think they're a cracking car and was IMHO the next logical step up from the Panda 100hp. The Mrs does love the car and as I've owned Fiat's, Lancia's and Alfa's for the best part of 100 years, I''m well aware of their sometimes idiosyncratic problems and issues, NONE of which scare me or are beyond my mechanical abilities to fix myself - so here is the list -

1. Clutch and DMF - On the way to the airport on Monday evening on the M11 I put my foot down to accelerate in top gear only to see the revs build but no extra speed so of course the clutch is slipping. I had noticed earlier whilst decelerating and dropping down gears a weird metallic noise like a dry bearing. Anyway, has anyone attempted changing the clutch and if so is it easier to take the engine and transmission out totally? Any guides anywhere?

2. Whining noise from running gear somewhere! - I have to assume wheel bearings and I have the changed them before on the Panda but this does sound like it could be the front. Any historical info on the front bearings failing or could it be something worse?

3. Passenger side mirror not demisting and no current to the back of the mirror when the heated rear screen is on. The drivers side works but the passenger side doesn't. The fuse is intact, I haven't checked for broken wires further down the loom I must admit but I thought someone must've had the same thing?

4. Blue & Me connection to iPhone for iTunes - This one really bugs me, the car is a 2009 model, when I plug in the adaptor I had for my 2007 Punto the Blue & Me system just states 'no media found'. I can't get it to play music at all but the telephone bit works fine. Fiat at Slough just said that some iPhones are too advanced and don't work on the earlier systems but that's total rubbish cos how come my 6s worked fine on my 2007 Grande Punto but not on a 2009 Abarth? If it was the other way round I'd accept it.

Sorry to post such a long list but you guys are my best hope of a resolution to my problems.

Thanks in advance

Dave

Hi Dave.

The general way for a clutch is g.box down. Engine supported.

How many miles on the car..??
Spirited driving should on take the clutch..other ancilliaries should survive.
No chance of contamination..??other levels staying good..?

Mirror. Almost certainly wiring..

Charlie

Good morning Charlie, thanks for the response.

Glad to hear the lump stays put when changing the clutch, wasn't looking forward to lifting that lot out!!

The car has done 46k miles which is not a lot in the grand scheme but of course I have no idea if it was abused by the previous owners, if it was it was probably out of naivety and certainly not evident! There is no evidence of any contamination either, it's literally just been serviced with a cam belt change at the same time so all the fluids are at normal levels and were before the service.
The noise from the transmission happened once before when I was giving it large against some idiot trying to race me down the A38 but that was a couple of years back shortly after I bought the car. There hasn't been any evidence of the clutch slipping until now.

I can get a complete LUK clutch kit including the dual mass flywheel for £250 but I've read some horror stories about them whilst reading up on the clutch change. I was considering an uprated item. Any thoughts??
Whatever happened to Valeo??

Regards

Dave

Earlofdavetona said:

I can get a complete LUK clutch kit including the dual mass flywheel for £250 but I've read some horror stories about them whilst reading up on the clutch change. I was considering an uprated item. Any thoughts??

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On a lightly driven 1.2 you could probably just fit whatever's cheapest*, but for an essesse I'd want the best quality parts I could buy (which might not be the OEM ones). You're already saving quite a bit by doing it yourself and you only want to do this once.

*though on a lightly driven 1.2, you wouldn't be changing a clutch at 48k .

Wheel bearings do fail, and on a high performance model with wider/larger wheels, failure is more likely.

Hello Mr Kitching

Thanks for your response, is the LUK kit not OEM? I thought it was the std Fiat fitting for the car? If it's not, what is? I totally agree, on this car there should be no compromise on the parts quality so what's the best for this car? It really isn't a case of money cos I'm changing the clutch myself, I''m only doing so cos I trust myself to do it right and I resent paying main dealers for things I'm capable of sorting.

The wheel bearings seem to be an issue on a lot of Fiat's and Alfas I've owned and this will be about the tenth time I've had to replace some.
I'm struggling to decipher where the whining is coming from though.

Cheers

Dave

Mirror, no feed or no earth? Often fails just down from the end(where the water gets in), try checking further down the cable use a meter push a sharp knife blade through the insulation connected to one lead, that way you can see if these a hidden break and not cut into the cable?
Whine noise? Bearings usually have a shrill sound could it be CV joints? We sometimes get a shrill continuous note driving tap the brake and it goes so suspect caliper generally fine, I phone and blue and me are not good friends it seems.

Hey John, thanks for the response. I've put a multimeter on the cables on both the power and earth on both sides, the drivers side registered a voltage but the passenger side had zip. I''ll give your method a shot and see how I get on and report back.

I noticed the whine/drone a while back and whilst my daughter was in the back I asked her to tell me where the noise was coming from but she was unsure. Again driving to the airport with the wife on Monday I could hear something but it was difficult to tell where the noise was coming from due to the road noise at speed. On quieter roads it sounds like it's from the back of the car. I'm of the opinion now that I should just change both rears and go from there.

The Blue & Me is rediculous, what does my head in is the fact it worked perfectly on my old Punto but not this! I guess it answers why Fiat binned it.

Regards

Dave

Use a shallow angle with a craft knife..then youll not cut through..

Maybe ran car on axle stands..often youll feel it through the floorpan.

Earlofdavetona said:

Hey John, thanks for the response. I've put a multimeter on the cables on both the power and earth on both sides, the drivers side registered a voltage but the passenger side had zip. I''ll give your method a shot and see how I get on and report back.

I noticed the whine/drone a while back and whilst my daughter was in the back I asked her to tell me where the noise was coming from but she was unsure. Again driving to the airport with the wife on Monday I could hear something but it was difficult to tell where the noise was coming from due to the road noise at speed. On quieter roads it sounds like it's from the back of the car. I'm of the opinion now that I should just change both rears and go from there.

The Blue & Me is rediculous, what does my head in is the fact it worked perfectly on my old Punto but not this! I guess it answers why Fiat binned it.

Regards

Dave

Click to expand...

Stick the blade in length ways not across the wire
The rear bearings have a "NUTS" torque figure check you have the tools to do the job before starting 207 lbf ft 280NM unless "failed" leave alone?

Ok John, got it.

I may need a new torque wrench, I actually broke mine changing my Alfa156 rear hub bearings!
I'm not worried about doing the work and I have all the tools including a bearing separator but is that really the setting? I'm surprised but I'll bow to your greater wisdom mate.

Thanks again

Dave

Use a shallow angle with a craft knife..then youll not cut through..

Maybe ran car on axle stands..often youll feel it through the floo

OK Charlie, I intended to lift it up anyway so will go through the motions.

Dave

Hi Earl,whats the reg of this car please.

buster said:

Hi Earl,whats the reg of this car please.

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posts 4 weeks old now..,

better to link to Earlofdavetona

buster said:

Hi Earl,whats the reg of this car please.

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Sorry people, been off the forum for a while and been very ill for the last 2 weeks! Registration is EX09 DLD but why do you need to know?

Dave

Hi Dave,i part ex our last A500 at an Abarth agent.Thought it may have been the same one,had the same issues.That was MA09 OWE.

No worries Buster, I assume you part exed the car before resolving the problems then !! Dave

Swapped it for another new one,save any agro.I,d never have one remapped again either.