I've had a 100HP for a little over a year, and it's a great little car, guaranteed smiles.

So it came as a bit of a shock to me when, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself filling in the little green "New Owner" section of a V5C.

Friends and Family couldn't understand why I wanted another car, especially another Fiat Panda 100HP. They didn't know it was a 100HP once owned by shakey_hand_man, and he puts a turbocharger on everything he owns.

I've done about one hundred miles in the car now, and if a standard 100HP puts a smile on my face, then this one is like being on laughing gas.

There's a few things that I'd want to do to the car, and I'll try to use this thread to document those items.

PandaHP

I do notice the lack of mid range oomph on the 100HP and the gear shift is not snappy enough to keep it on the boil. The turbo should "solve" that quite nicely. :devil:

First mod with all the power = 500 back axle.

The ARB and 500's softer springs seriously improve the road holding. HOWEVER it wont work with 100HP wheels. You would need to cut the wheel spindle hangers and move them inboard by 25mm each side. Suitable jigs could be made with angle iron.

Hi,


I have a very bumpy test track, err I mean country road near by and the standard 100HP with low profile tyres is just hopping around. The Turbo is much better at the front, but the rear is jumping like a rabbit. So yes, I think the 500 rear axle is a sensible mod.Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm still getting used to the car, but fixing the leaking vac pipe that runs to the boost gauge seems to have fixed my low speed stalling issue. I can reverse it into the garage without stalling five times. No idea what the neighbours where thinking..


PandaHP

I only got one key with the car, and it's always useful to have a spare. There was no way I was going to Fiat for this, as I'd heard about the cost. So I nipped down to the local Timpson's in the Tesco car park.


The bloke was on his own, and was a bit reticent to encode the key, as he'd have to step out of the shop. Especially as I'd parked at the other end of the car park.


I looked outside, and there was a tiny gap between the 'shop' and the drop off area. I said "look it's a tiny car, if I can get it in that gap will you do the encoding?" A nod was all that was needed.

After a bit of faffing around with the encoder, and piggy backing the transponder, we were all set to go.


Timpson: "I need to test if the key will work, do you mind if I start the car"
Me (in passenger seat): "No, not at all - just knock it out of gear"
Timpson: (turns key, engine starts)
Both: High Five
Timpson: "Errr. What type of Panda is this?"
Me: Smiles.

PandaHP

The car has a Cusco oil catch can, so a simple thing to do was empty it. I decided to remove the whole thing to make it a bit easier, and the attached picture is what came out.


It's a rather yucky mixture, which stinks to high heaven, and of course, as I put the can back into the car the dregs of it dripped onto my shoe...

I guess there was about 200ml in there, and I have no idea when it was last emptied, so I'm going to keep an eye on it. Which should be easy as there's an inspection pipe on the side - apart from the fact that some one has replaced the clear pipe with a black one...

PandaHP

The car has had another engine installed at one point, and (I'm guessing) due to space issues the oil filter had to move location, and if you're doing that you might as well add an oil cooler.

That other engine skipped a tooth on the timing belt, so the original engine was re-installed, but without the remote oil filter and cooler connected. I may well connect it at some point in the future, but I'd have to move the oil feed for the turbo. In the mean time I've removed the oil rad, filter mount and all the pipes.

Having added a turbo you really do need that oil cooler.

Yup, the oil cooler will be being "re-installed" I'd like to get an oil temp sender and gauge in there as well, so I can see what's going on.

Since my last update Panda Turbo has been on holiday! I had a two week getaway to the island of Ireland planned since the beginning of the year. This was originally going to be with the Blue Panda 100hp, but it kinda made sense to use it as a shake down test...

Almost 2,300 miles later I can report no major problems with Panda Turbo. From Dublin to Giants Causeway, Sligo to Killarney and onward to Wexford.

Due to the deeper profile tyres, the ride is much less 'crashy' than Blue, and the Turbo just gives a extra little bit of woosh. The 500 seats are an improvement as well.


I can report that there is NO Super unleaded to be found in the Republic of Ireland (although it does exist in Northern Ireland) - so the bottle of octane booster in the boot got a lot of usage.


I didn't keep a total list of fill ups, but the few I did showed that I was getting 43mpg, and I wasn't being too light footed. The paperwork that came with the car gave dire warning of the correct spark plugs, super unleaded, and oil use of 1l per 1000 miles. it used a bit more than that, but nothing too excessive.

...in other words I'm a happy punter!

Octane booster makes a lot of sense. The standard engine will only make its rated power when running on 97 RON or better fuel. Mine fells like the hand brake has stuck when running 95 RON.


The old leaded 4 Star was 97 Octane. 2 Star was 95 Octane. When unleaded first came in, the only option was 95 RON leading to older cars having problems with valve seats. Some of that was lack of lead to protect the seats but it was mostly due to the later timing spark (to avoid knock) causing hotter exhaust gasses which the seats were not built to cope with

Interesting, I thought that Super was 99o - so I was worried that my Octane booster (that said it could add 2o) wouldn't get the 95 anywhere near what was needed. But if Super is 97o then I need not have worried! Of course most of the unleaded I found was E5.. but that's another story...

I'm aiming to get the oil cooler back on the car, but I'd also like to get a oil temperature gauge installed so I can see what's going on.

The oil filter mount has two blanking screws - and one is already in use as a oil feed for the turbo, so I want to use the other to add the temp sender. The correct hex key got the blanking screw out and it seems to be an M18.

However I can't seem to find a Temp Sender at that spec, they all 1/8 NPT (what ever the heck that is) am I missing a trick here?

The sensors use the NPT pipe thread which is measured by nominal pipe diameter. They are usually tapered and sealed with PTFE tape as is used by plumbers on some brass pipe fittings.

You may be able to get an adapter on eBay or get an NPT tap and make an adaptor.

PandaHP said:

Interesting, I thought that Super was 99o - so I was worried that my Octane booster (that said it could add 2o) wouldn't get the 95 anywhere near what was needed. But if Super is 97o then I need not have worried! Of course most of the unleaded I found was E5.. but that's another story...

Click to expand...

All of the standard Petro in the UK is 5% ethanol as well only higher octane fuels may or may to have it added it will soon more the likely all be 5% no doubt

chris3234 said:

All of the standard Petro in the UK is 5% ethanol as well only higher octane fuels may or may to have it added it will soon more the likely all be 5% no doubt

Click to expand...

Well I never. I guess I haven’t had to “care” about this stuff before, so just had to remember “use the green one, use the green one!”

We run both of our Pandas on Tesco 99 octane. Its about 5p per litre more than plain vanilla 95 RON, but miles per £ are about the same and possibly slightly better. On 99 the cars feel like they want to drive whereas 95 makes them feel like the hand brake is binding.

All cars are power specded on 97 RON so if your "60bhp" Panda will only have that if you run higher octane or even posh petrol.

DaveMcT said:

We run both of our Pandas on Tesco 99 octane. Its about 5p per litre more than plain vanilla 95 RON, but miles per £ are about the same and possibly slightly better. On 99 the cars feel like they want to drive whereas 95 makes them feel like the hand brake is binding.

All cars are power specded on 97 RON so if your "60bhp" Panda will only have that if you run higher octane or even posh petrol.

Click to expand...

Really? The real difference between 95 and 99 is the temperature it'll self combust. And that will only happen with a high compressionrate. Then the knocksensor will change the timing and you'll loose (some) power.

gr J

DaveMcT said:

We run both of our Pandas on Tesco 99 octane. Its about 5p per litre more than plain vanilla 95 RON, but miles per £ are about the same and possibly slightly better. On 99 the cars feel like they want to drive whereas 95 makes them feel like the hand brake is binding.

All cars are power specded on 97 RON so if your "60bhp" Panda will only have that if you run higher octane or even posh petrol.

Click to expand...

I think you find most cars are designed to run on 95 as that what the stand grade in in Europe and in many markets Asia Africa the fuels are probably often lower grade then that

I can't find the source but while they will all run on 95 (and often much lower), the power spec is done with 97.

So a car that claims to be 100HP (98bhp) applies only on 97 RON fuel. It will be a good bit less on 95 RON and less still on 91 that's often sold in France. The energy content is the same but engines with knock sensors can make better use of higher octanes.


Turbos confuse the issue. They use the hot exhaust gas and lower octane fuels put more heat down the exhaust, but the higher compression needs a higher octane to avoid detonation.

DaveMcT said:

I can't find the source but while they will all run on 95 (and often much lower), the power spec is done with 97.

So a car that claims to be 100HP (98bhp) applies only on 97 RON fuel. It will be a good bit less on 95 RON and less still on 91 that's often sold in France. The energy content is the same but engines with knock sensors can make better use of higher octanes.


Turbos confuse the issue. They use the hot exhaust gas and lower octane fuels put more heat down the exhaust, but the higher compression needs a higher octane to avoid detonation.

Click to expand...

I've never heard that said ever before as far as I'm aware 95% of cars are specd to run on 95 as many don't have the compression needed to make more power from more then that

..and I guess that's why Panda Turbo is only interested in Super Unleaded, as it's Frankenstein ECU doesn't have the knock sensor connected or maybe it can't advance or retard the ignition.