Hi,

My panda 4x4 intermittently losses power... I will try to describe the symptoms as best as possible. Hopefully someone has had the same problem or might be able to shed some light on what might be causing it. I have only just bought the car. It was fine when i picked it up and drove it home, always the case, but now it's started to play up...

Symptoms:

I haven't had much of a chance to drive the car yet but it only seems to happen once the car has warmed up. When it starts from cold with choke it is fine.

It will drive for less than 5 minutes at slow or fast speeds and everything is fine. Then all of sudden the car will start to misfire and lose all power. I pull over and try to keep it going but it may stall on me or misfire as i rev it trying to keep it going. If it stalls when i start it up again it continues misfiring. I will try to limp it home while it misfires. I find giving it about 1/2 choke seems to keep it going but it still misfires and runs rough due to the strong mixture. I park it and leave it for a while. Then i come back and it starts with no misfires.

My thoughts include:

Earthing problems with Marcelli distributor
Sticking float ( Weber ) or blockage in fuel system.
Worn points

I had a similar problem with another car and it was an electronic "module" on the side of the distributor. Not sure exactly what the "module" is...

Any ideas where to start?

Cheers,
Ben.

vacuum thing on dizzy is common problem on these

If its the Vacumn advance then it's usually pissy from the word go, not just when it's warm....

The panda 4x4 uses the same electronic ignition as the Uno (4x4s don't have points) and they both have a history of failing when getting warmed up.

but as we found in the other thread about the engine rattle we where all quoting that the poor wee panda was in its last death throws and in fact all it was, was a loose heat shield.

It's really hard to tell over the net....

Hope that helps in some way

Jim

Do you mean the vacuum line from the intake manifold to the distributor? Or the actual vacuum advance on the distributor?

the advance on the dizzy has little belows on them that fail and mess up you timing

the way to check is to take the feed off the carb and blow down the tube towards the advance unit. You shouldn't be able to get any air down the line but if you can then you need a new unit for about 14-18 quid from a fiat dealer

Jim

vacuum advance thing, cant remember if it suck or blow that its not supposed to do when its fine, its one of the other to test it.

You don't suck... Gawd knows what you'll end up with in your mouth! :yuck:

Jim

or £12.17 + vat and p&p from www.shop4parts.co.uk










* resists camping up the thread

Thanks Jim, i will try what you said about the vacuum advance unit.

It's worth trying but as Jim says your symptoms don't match that of the advance mechanism. So sounds more like the module which is the alloy block with cooling fins on the opposite side to the Advance unit. It has been mentioned very recently on here so have a search....

My god, you'd think I know what I'm talking about to hear you, lol!

Jim

Your slowly but surely becomming a Panda tech, but with sylvia you have had plenty of practacle experience BTW are you available for a call?

Hi Alan.D,

Thanks for the info about the electronic ignition module. I've done a few searches on this site and it seems to be a common problem.

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-classic/108834-fuel-vaporisation.html
In this post it has the same symptoms and replacing the module solved it.

I think i will also replace the vacuum advance unit as a precaution as it also seems like a common problem.

Thanks for your help. I will let you know on the weekend if i could fix the problem.

Cheers,
Ben.

No problem were all here to help, good luck and looking forward to hearing how you got on.

There's another link here simmilar problem...

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-classic/140441-acceleration-problem-2.html?p=1500440

e505jpy said:

You don't suck... Gawd knows what you'll end up with in your mouth! :yuck:

Click to expand...

I.... must.... resist.... from.... making.... a.... smutty.... comment....

1986Uno45S said:

I.... must.... resist.... from.... making.... a.... smutty.... comment....

Click to expand...

I was wondering how long it would take, lol!

Jim

Hi Everyone,

I've been ringing around for prices today on a new distributor ignition module. Prices vary between £30-£45.

At the same time i was going to get a new cap (~£8-£15), rotor arm (~£8) and vacuum advance unit (~£20). All up the parts come to nearly £80. I was quoted £96 (ex-vat) for a new distributor.

I've tried shop4Parts but they don't deal with the public. I rang a fiat dealer but they don't have the parts in stock and would have to get them from a supplier. I also tried a few more i found via google searches.

I don't really want to spend £100+ on a new distributor or nearly the same in parts.

Does anyone know where i can get these parts cheaper? Or does someone here have some known working secondhand parts or new parts i could buy?

Cheers,
Ben.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DISTRIBUTOR-F...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

What about this?

hrpanoben said:

I've tried shop4Parts but they don't deal with the public.

Click to expand...

zulu705 said:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DISTRIBUTOR-F...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

What about this?

Click to expand...

There are two types of module be carefull you don't buy the wrong one or your panda won't work.