I have a M-reg Cinquecento SX which has failed MOT on emissions. The car has a few obvious clues which may help to resolve my problem.

The engine revs up and down when idling

The red "Injector" light is burning on the instrument panel

The breather pipe from the rocker cover is split, exposing a valve inside the pipe

The engine is using oil (81 000 miles) although it does not smoke from the exhaust at all. Some oil is leakinf from this pipe.

I am told by the MOT tester that he suspects a sensor on the exhaust manifold.

Can anyone advise me what I can do to sort this out?

Thanks

Hi, welcome to the forum.

The oil breather should be fixed, as it will draw air into the engine and upset the idle. Bad emissions are probably caused by a dodgy Lambda sensor, these can be had for about £65 and are easily fitted.

Pete.
1242cc cinq,turbo cinq,Cinqs&Seis Yahoo group,Clubcento

Hi, Pete, thanks for the information....I will give it a go. Are Lambda sensors available only from Fiat?

James

No. Try NTK (NGK 's Technical Ceramics division) or I've seem these do them... http://www.sapmotorparts.co.uk

Arse

Ill think of something witty....just wait and see............wait I might not.

Thanks, A...,

I will give them a try.

James

In the good old days a red light on the dash indicated that something was seriously wrong and required the car to be stopped. If you don't know what the light signifies why keep driving?

I appreciate your concern, however, I ascertained that there was no safety issue associated with the red light. Unfortunately I never received an owners' manual when I purchased the vehicle, so was not immediately able to identify the nature of the warning being displayed. I tried to identify the symbol via the internet, but all I was able to find was various vendors of Haynes Manuals, but no information. I eventually went to a Fiat dealer when passing in one of my other vehicles and they indicated that it had something to do with the fuel injection system and was not serious...so they said.
Now that you know the circumstances, are you able to offer any constructive advice?

My car revs at 2k for about 5 mins, then will drop for a few secs, then raise up again when idling. It drops to 1k when running loads of interior gadgets, but thats understandable. I just want to know why it idles then drops, then rises again when the car is just sitting on the driveway with nothing being run from the inside?

Another day...another problem...

Could also be the idle stepper motor causing the erratic idling, just needs removing and cleaning



There's a certain satisfaction you get from driving over a Sleeping Policeman

Where is that part and it easy to remove/put back in? Any chance of damaging it?

Another day...another problem...

easy to do. as long as you don't use any abrasives, it won't damage it. it's on the throttlebody. can't remember off hand where on the throttlebody it is but a haynes manual will tell u



There's a certain satisfaction you get from driving over a Sleeping Policeman

Cheers, might do that tomorrow.

Another day...another problem...