I wrote this recently regarding the Twinairs valve arrangement.

Goudrons said:

Obviously the system is reliant on engine oil, low engine oil and the valves/solenoids can't lift the valves and I seem to think there is/are "oil strainers" fitted to stop debris suspended in the oil entering unit.

Click to expand...

The oil strainer part had me wondering, could these be blocking and causing failures?

I've seem the 4 cylinder filter/strainer for sale and I read they are tucked up behind the cam belt.
https://newalfaparts.co.uk/home/506-multi-air-oil-strainer.html

Looks like this could be pulled out, checked and washed out if required.


But what does the Twinair version look like and where is it fitted?

Part number appears to be 71770205.
Number 8 here
https://www.fiatdalys.lt/en/catalog...9/CMBBZ/GDX/crankshaft-and-gear-timing-system

Oddly, this doesn't show it fitted and more strangely the image of the actuator seems to me to be upside down to the way it's fitted to the car!

A bit more digging and this does appear to be the right way up and the filter can be seen screwed in to the unit slap bang in the middle of the image.
http://www.ilportaledeiricambi.it/v...in-air-fiat-500l-0-9-twin-air-55257488_i66229

You can make it out here on an image of a nearly complete engine (cam cover's missing), in between the solenoids black connector and the cam chain/pulley.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attac...-turbo-twinair-engine-fiat500500ctwinair4.jpg

Now, is it accessible?
In the pic above of the used actuator, the whole unit appears to be quite oily, so it's inside somewhere?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-FIAT-PANDA-312A2-000-875cc-Petrol-2-Cylinder-Manual-Engine/272534344981?epid=1243483237&hash=item3f74501515:g:LlkAAOSwt5hYiLJO&vxp=mtr
This image seems to show the filter is under the cam cover, but there is an access plug over it.

I feel a task coming this weekend, I might try pulling it out and see if it's gunked up.

Nice bit of detective work.
Would be interesting too see if there is any restriction and gunk on a well serviced engine.
One thread to watch eagerly.

Replace it, every ~30.000mls, like I ( and many more) do on my 4 cil. MA unit, despite it's NOT mentioned in the service manual..

Can't find any images of the TA's actuator's filter, but found this from a 4 cylinder Alfa Multiair.
https://imgur.com/yZdK8PZ

Goudrons said:

Can't find any images of the TA's actuator's filter, but found this from a 4 cylinder Alfa Multiair.
https://imgur.com/yZdK8PZ

Click to expand...

That's the way it looks after many miles...

That filter looks grim.
So is the one in the picture from a badly serviced car, wrong oil, short runs and cool running or Fiat having an oil change interval of too many miles and long intervals.
A high tech engine like the TA in my mind should have oil and filter changes every six months or 6000 miles.

murphyv310 said:

That filter looks grim.
So is the one in the picture from a badly serviced car, wrong oil, short runs and cool running or Fiat having an oil change interval of too many miles and long intervals.

Click to expand...

I've not idea, I found the pic linked to a Alfa Forum.
I suspect the car may have had some use, but I'm guessing as they are on a forum they could be an enthusiast and perhaps not abuse service intervals.

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-giulietta/971946-ma-unit-oil-feed-filter.html

This is what a MultiAir ( TwinAir?) filter looks like after about 50.000 mls. with normal maintainance and quality oil....
So indeed, change oil more often!

That's what they look like after 50,000 miles and haven't been cleaned?

That's why you should change it, despite it's not mentioned in the service manual...!!

Hi
The Rover KV6 had a similar issue with the breather filters and port fitted into each cylinder head. Mine was clear as was many others. Those like myself that did more frequent oil and filter changes didn't have the problem. To be fair though oils have improved since the engine appeared in the Rover 800 many years ago. It does beg the question even after alleged improved oils why is this type of carbon build up still happening? Is it fuel quality, short runs or what?

Oil change intervals are way too long, and it is very important to use the correct specs. oil, for the MultiAir unit and the TwinAir unit as well.

Well I had my filter out for a check.
It wasn't anywhere near as bad as the one above, but then again my engine only has 18K on it and oil is changed every 7500 miles.

It's not that hard to get at, it's obvious by where and how it's fitted it is meant to be accessed.

Tools.
10mm socket and a small extension bar.
Some way of removing the cap in the cam cover, I used the extension bar of a 1/4 in socket set. (cam cover and filter cap are different on mine then the images I originally posted in the Ebay link)
15mm socket (fairly thin walled)
Magnet
Clic R pliers.



Remove the engine cover/airbox by flicking open the Clic R clip on the pipe to the turbo and undoing the three 10mm bolts (two on the cover and one on the air intake pipe to slam panel)



The cam cover and filter cap are different on mine to the ones I have seen on other images.
It appears to be some sort of hard plastic, along with the filter cap rather than the alloy one I've seen images of.



My cap has a large slot cut into it and has a couple of arrow markers stamped it to it that align with marks on the cover.




A 1/4 socket extension just fits into the slot and the cap opens by turning the cap 1/3 turn anti clockwise, it's not a screw fit, just a couple of tabs underneath holding it on, like a oil filler cap fitting.





Now the filter's head is exposed.




15mm thin walled socket is needed to fit in the hole and loosen it, it's not tight, just nipped up.
The body of the filter is alloy, but the centre (pressure relief valve?) is steel so a magnet will just about grab it to lift it out.



Dirty?
Not too bad, though there was quite a bit of gunk stuck up inside.




Cleaned, I used some carb cleaner, first squirted from out to inside to flush the gunk out the bottom.




Refitting is just working backward.
Screw the filter back in and refit the cap so the two arrows line up.

Make sure when you refit the engine cover/air box that you push the turbo pipe back in fully.
There is a small notch in the pipe that lines up with a bump in the stub on the aibox.

Clic R pliers are needed to fit the clip back in place.

Don't forget to uise some sealant on the tread, just in case.
A new filter has factory applied sealant on it...

The Twinair filter is a completely different part and appears to work in a different way to the 4 cylinder one.

Unlike the 4 cylinder filter, there's no evidence of sealant or thread lock on the Twinair version.

Again, unlike the 4 cylinder version, the Twinair one isn't exposed to the outside of the engine.

The Twinair one is actually fitted within the engine, inside the cam cover and by the looks of the valves centre, it's appears to be designed to bypass oil back into the engine/crankcase, it looks like there's some sort of pressure relief valve within it's core.

Applying sealant or thread lock might actually contribute to blocking the filter up in this case.

OK, I guess the washer AND the brown o-ring will seal the filter on a TwinAir...

Awesome work Mr Goudrons - top of the class for you Sir! I can entirely believe that if this filter gets progressively blocked then the operation of the TA unit might be impacted. And I wager that that Fiat Service don't know much, if anything, about this and if diagnostics say the TA unit is fubar, then they just say it needs changed.

Thank you very much

Fantastic thread!!

Looks like a job for me too on the Punto TA.

I searched on the twinair after reading a post by Peter Pickup about the Multiair filters vhttps://www.fiatforum.com/punto-evo/457269-life-span-1-4-multiair-turbo.html?457269=#post4320281

Has the twinair also got a strainer inline with the turbo oil feed?

Thanks for the guide Goudrons. Mechanic has used this morning checking mine. Seemed fine. Regular oil changes obviously way to go, done just under 32k.

I think I’ll give this a go over the weekend - almost at 90000 miles so I’ll see what sort of mess it’s in.