Northern Auto Tech - ECU and Blue & Me Repairs

General Panda9001100

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General Panda9001100

Maybe it's time to introduce myself again. It's been awhile I've been here :D . My name is Jacob and live in the Netherlands. Build in 1978 :) . Since I've mine driving licence in 2002, I've driven Fiat Panda (type 141).

Mine first Panda was form 1999, a green hobby with an 900cc engine. At the highway this wasn't good enough, while it's max.speed was 130km/h. In juni 2003 I bought a brandnew Fiat Panda hobby with the stronger engine 1100cc multipoint.
Few years later the red one form 1992 was bought also. It was meant to learn and make fun with it, while the green one was kept to be original as possible. The red Panda has also a lpg-installation in it (feul prices aren't funny in the Netherlands), but that was a bad mistake. The valve head was prepared for lpg, but the valves were worn off.
Through private circumstances I sold both Panda's and bought a diesel Grande Punto instead.

I realized I made a bad mistake and wanted the green Panda back, but it's was already sold. Sold the GP and bought a Renault Twingo. After 2 weeks I heard I could get the green Panda back.

This time I decided to find a good person, who can get a lpg-installation right his time. The diet of the green Panda changed in lpg at 115.000km. Now's it's aound 155.000 and still no problems with the valves. One year later de diet of the Twingo also changed in lpg.
Many people think I'm totally crazy I did this. Arguments like, the engine isn;t designed for it, should run at petrol, isn't worth the value of the car, etc. Even at the dutch Panda club :( .

I truly believe that lpg burns more clean than petrol and that's why the engine will last longer. And besides it's a lot cheaper then petrol, which is the mean reason to let the cars run on lpg :devil: .

I've put more extra's to it, but I tried to keep it original as possible. That means, it has to fit like the car has meant to be. Mine Fiat Panda in present state. More details and pic's will follow soon.

e2b_-_schoon_04-2013.jpg
 
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Lovely car - it's got all the bits I have on mine apart from the air intake cover :)

Except I'm on black steel wheels for a while longer and don't have a filler cap flap* ;)

I do like a green Panda (y)

*and clear side repeaters :rolleyes:
 
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Thx for the reply's. Today I bought a Fiat Panda selecta for my girlfriend. She's busy with her driving liscense and wanted a car with an automatic transmission. Pic's will follow soon.

Those lights in the grill, are running daylights. Only I made a switch between it, so I can turn them off :) .
 
There're soms rules how to install running daylights at a car in the Netherlands. The space between both lights has to be 60cm. It may 40cm if it's a small car, which a Panda is :slayer: .
There is an aftermarket grill with foglights in it. To keep it original as possible, I placed them there. I was stopped once by the police, because they were blinded in the mirror in the early morning. Well it means, they give enough light to been seen in daylight (y) . They were made for that, I guess.

It's also to show that a old Panda car can be updated with the new EU-rules.

Thx for the positive reply's. Many people who seen it, didn't like it.
 
Panda9001100 said:
There're soms rules how to install running daylights at a car in the Netherlands. The space between both lights has to be 60cm. It may 40cm if it's a small car, which a Panda is :slayer: .
There is an aftermarket grill with foglights in it. To keep it original as possible, I placed them there.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure on the UK regulation on DRL's but I'll look into it, I've seen the standard fog light grille on a few Panda's but mine is far from standard so not really going for the original look. (y)
 
Time for some more pic's.


The inside of the car. With a modern radio which has a build in carkit.


The engine is a multipoint 1100cc, but this one has a working temp.meter in it. It's connected beside the electronic of the car itself. If the engine is getting too hot, the temp.light will burn also.


The 70l big bomb in the back :D , good for 800km.


The car has a complete anti-rust-treatment. Als inside the doors is treated.


When you look closely, the car has cruise control.

And a pic of the second Panda, which is bought yesterday:

This is a selecta, for my girlfriend. We gonna call it the little black bear.
 
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Dragon Man said:
if i could find an LPG kit really cheap i would do it..
Click to expand...

You can probably make one up on the cheap with used parts John, however most insurers want a safety cert, which most companies won't produce against a kit they didn't fit themselves.

However should I ever go back to a Panda as daily driver I'd happily spend another £1k getting it converted like I did the Stilo :eek:

More than the cars value, but well worth it from experience :)
 
The problem with lpg is, you need someone who can install it properly or if you know how it works, you can do it yourself.
If the install isn't done properly, it can destroy (the valves of) the engine.

Here a pic, when the mechanic was checking the space of the valves.

At the left, the pump for the cruise control. At the right besides the sparewheel, the injectors of lpg. At the right of he bottom of the pic, a bottle of flashlube. This protects the valves, at least that's was is meant for.

When the selecta is in the way I want and my girlfriend is driving a lot in the future, this one is also going to run at lpg. It takes around 40.000km when the investation is paided back. At least for Panda's under the dutch rules of cars. Petrol costs around €1,70 for a litre and lpg €0,65 for a litre.
 
The second Panda has arrived. The garage is going to fix little things I can't do. Next week, I gonna start to clean and fix the other things.


Both Panda's next eachother at the Fiat dealer, where the green one is bought new 10 years ago.


And the proud owner of the little black bear.
 
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