Hi,

I've just bought a 1990 Panda 4x4 and must say I am loving it. I am going to be driving it across Europe and Asia this year and so am hoping to revamp it as much as possible and make it as durable as I can for the journey. I've been watching the forum a while and everyone sounds really helpful. I'll be asking a few questions to start with - but hopefully will be providing a few answers once I get myself up and running.

Hello, hope you find the site useful and friendly, Asia eh, sounds like a mammoth trip!

Hello there. Welcome to the forum. What's the reason for such a long trip and why a Panda!?

Well I've a tonne of holiday saved up so fancy an adventure. I've been to Africa and America, but never to the East. So many places I'd like to see. To be honest the panda was the cheapest 4x4 I could find as I'll be doing the whole thing on a bit of a budget. Also being new to the world of cars I wanted something that is engineered in a 'simple' fashion lets say.
Having driven it rounda bit for the past 2 weeks - I'm really loving it, it goes surprisingly well given how old it is. I'm building up a little snag list of things I've got questions about - but won't blurt them all at once!

Welcome to our world. Hope we can help in your questions m8

Having driven it rounda bit for the past 2 weeks - I'm really loving it, it goes surprisingly well given how old it is. I'm building up a little snag list of things I've got questions about - but won't blurt them all at once![/QUOTE]

Hi and welcome.
How about a bit of Panda fun?
Can we guess the snags before you ask?
One guess each!
1st guess: Has it got third gear crunch?
Happy Pandering.

Hello and welcome !

Russ! this game's much too easy!
Still, here goes:
"Are you having problems with some of the electrics ?"

Agreed:

my handbrake doesn't work very well....

It keeps catching fire on a regular basis!?

Steve C......you have a problem!..........

Re: New and loving my panda (with snags Q's added)

Hello everyone. An active forum I see!! Thanks for your welcomes and replies.

Either these Pandas are predictable beasts - or you guys know your stuff!

In response to your snag guesses, 'our survey says'........

@ Stevey C "it catches fire regularly" - 1/2 point. No - but there is clearly some kind of fuel leak which may soon end in a fire. I think a corroded and damp tank...but possibly connection or lines..I'm no expert - but the drips are landing smack underneath the tank. Best price for a new tank I can find is £60+VAT - any ideas for cheaper?

@ John H "handbrake" - 0 points. All well there - though thanks for placing the hex on it, though!!

@ pandafan - "electrics" 1/3 point. Not as such - all of the electrical items seem to work BUT what the hell is going on with low beam headlights??? The initial set of headlights were not very light at all - so i've upgraded to either 60w or 100w - I can't remember. The lights work on low and full beam. Full beam is actually good and effective, but low beam only emits enough light 'to be seen' - but certainly not enough 'to actually see'. Any ideas, is this just pandas or might there be a fault?

@ rrockettman - "third gear crunch" - 1 point - yes sir! and seemingly a bit of a transmission oil leak as well. 2 questions regarding this: (1) where do I top it up in the panda (4x4) - from in car or under bonnet? and (2) what usually causes the transmission oil leak in a panda?


Only other snags are seemingly 2 slow punctures in the front tyres - but they're yokahama S&M (snow and mud - not kinky!) and run flat with no bother at all.

Now then, How does that song go? Y'know............the one by the Carpenters.
Ah yes, that's it ! This is dedicated to you, our new friend:

"You've only just begun........."

Re: New and loving my panda (with snags Q's added)

egobirchy said:

Hello everyone. An active forum I see!! Thanks for your welcomes and replies.

@ John H "handbrake" - 0 points. All well there - though thanks for placing the hex on it, though!!

@ pandafan - "electrics" 1/3 point. Not as such - all of the electrical items seem to work BUT what the hell is going on with low beam headlights??? The initial set of headlights were not very light at all - so i've upgraded to either 60w or 100w - I can't remember. The lights work on low and full beam. Full beam is actually good and effective, but low beam only emits enough light 'to be seen' - but certainly not enough 'to actually see'. Any ideas, is this just pandas or might there be a fault?

@ rrockettman - "third gear crunch" - 1 point - yes sir! and seemingly a bit of a transmission oil leak as well. 2 questions regarding this: (1) where do I top it up in the panda (4x4) - from in car or under bonnet? and (2) what usually causes the transmission oil leak in a panda?

Click to expand...

My "hex" would be 12mm A/F, then - for the gearbox oil filler plug




IME, regarding the lighting - the wiring and switches (including the ignition switch, which is in circuit for the headlights) are just up to the standard 40/45 watt bulbs. If you want to get the best out of higher wattage bulbs, and have the switches last, you need another power source, and a couple of relays.


Regards

john H

Hi again.
In answer to what causes loss of transmission oil, check the inner drive shaft boots, next to the gearbox, for perishing, holes and loose clips.

Thanks for the help and the pic - is there a way of assessing if the level is too low, or do you just top up until oil overflows?

And can anyone recommend replacement oil to use? Thanks.

egobirchy said:

Thanks for the help and the pic - is there a way of assessing if the level is too low, or do you just top up until oil overflows?

And can anyone recommend replacement oil to use? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Fill until it starts to come back out again.

The issue of gear oil for Pandas isn't straightforward - I'll try and come up with a sensible answer later.

I'd be interested in that answer as well John.

Right - we've been here before
February last year in this thread - Click here!

Here's the gist of it, courtesy of cut and paste, with a bit of a tidy up:

The correct FIAT oil is their own "ZC 90"

There have been a number of discussions in the past about what (else) is suitable, as Haynes suggests you can use engine oil.

The FIAT stuff is GL1 (very early gear oil specification, with little in the way of additives, apart from something for "anti wear").

According to the site, here, there are different viscosity numbers for the same grades of oil depending on if it is rated as engine oil, or gear oil:
gear oil numbers are higher - 90 is around the 20(W50) mark as an engine oil, so one up for Haynes.

You don't want a gear oil which is designed for hypoid (back axles) use as the sulphur additives can eat bronze parts in some gearboxes...

IMHO, you don't want the latest specification (GL4 or 5) gear oil as the antislip additives will stop your synchromesh from working properly: it needs some friction to get the bits to run at the same speed and not get a crunch (especially into third - but if it's crunchy now, an oil change is unlikley to bring the synchro back to life).
There are many who use GL5, and say the results are wonderful...


So I suppose the short answer is:
FIAT stuff is the best for the job, but (relatively) expensive in the UK.
Some 20W50 engine oil would probably not do any harm - as per "Haynes" - but you don't have the "antiwear additive".
"Wilko" (Wilkinsons) sell Comma branded (GL4) at 2.09 UKP litre in 1 litre tubs - you'd need 3 for a complete change of oil, and still have some left over.
Or, you could go to one of the Countrywide Farmers shops here and get 4 litres of Q8 branded gear oil (GL5 though), and some engine oil too, for about 10 UKP a tub. The last basic, 15W 40, engine oil I got there (20-01-2005) was just over 6UKP for 4 litres.


And if you really want an early night, have a look here


Still awake?
Give it a gear oil change anyway - it doesn't last forever - and the results might pleasantly surprise you.

John H - thanks very much for digging out the comprehensive answer.
I'll try to make time to do the change this coming weekend - and to suss out where that leak is coming from. I'm very much a novice, but hopefully with a combination of Haynes, Porter and the knowledge on this forum I'll get to grips with this Panda.

Thorough as ever John. Thanks.