(T) Panda 4x4 TA Cross, power issue!

After 72,000 problem-free miles in 40 months since new (January 16) Ive encountered a power issue with my TA Cross.

A couple of weeks ago going uphill the power (so good with the turbo) went pretty completely. I managed to limp up to the house (500 meters) in first. I switched the engine off. Re-started the car and it was ok, the power back in the engine.

I then duly forgot that it had occurred!

Last Thursday it got lovely big premium service and new front brakes and the car has been running really sweetly. After 250 miles I have been motoring up a steep and long hill today and the power went again, especially concerning in 2nd gear. It was like switching on the eco mode but worse. As it happened I was collecting a friend from a garage a few miles on, switched off the engine on arrival, switched it on and once again the turbo is firing ok and we drove back up hill and down dale flawlessly. Phew.

However, although I am no engineer this is a symptom of a problem, I suspect with the turbo or the mapping or something, and I will contact my Fiat garage in west Wales to discuss but wondered if there is any wisdom among fellow forum members that might illuminate! I would be grateful for any suggestions!

Pete

MES by the way is a diagnostic software specific to Fiats. I paid £126 for the software on a memory stick and a license and all the wires to connect to the cars ECU. I have used it at least half a dozen times to good effect saving between 200 and 300 on diagnostic checks. You can look at a demo of the software free I think they are at Multiecuscan.co.uk

The sellers are very friendly and helpful too. In addition you can access a forum with further useful info.

MES could tyell you a lot and you can watch sensor readings live and graphed for you if connected when you drive the car.

Bought my daughter a Panda recently and it saved me a huge sum when I added a new remote key to the system. This was easy to do and took seconds. I usually take the kit with me if I am going away. It is amazing how things settle down when the little beast knows you have it cornered!!

There's lots of, I'm sure, good advice on this threads re turbos, but... I would also consider whether the uni-air module is mis-behaving. My experience with a 50k miles TA was as you describe, power loss, feeling of running on one cylinder etc. My specialist (not dealership) garage in the end had to throw their collective hands in the air and apologised taking it to a dealership for the diagnosis.

The uni-air module provides the variable valve timing that gets this engine buzzing and effectively producing 100+ horses per litre which back in the day was every mini tuners holy grail! The module bolts onto the head and uses the engine oil to vary valve timing and lift hydraulically; thus making oil changes and grades, and indeed levels, absolutely critical.

A new unit was in the order of 800GBP fitted

There's quite a good supplier's technical briefing linked elsewhere on this forum or search for INA variable valve timing or similar.

Good luck

Fingers crossed for a rubber hose or the like...

Assume the oil level is ok? Not the easiest dip stick to read, but use a clean piece of tissue and lay the business end of the stick on it immediately on removal - tissue absorbs oil indicating level. If you can see the oil because its black; change it pretty damn quick as they say!

@Peter Rawlings hope they lend you the Green Panda TA 4x4 66 plate they've just got in....

Fingers crossed for a rubber hose or the like...

Assume the oil level is ok? Not the easiest dip stick to read, but use a clean piece of tissue and lay the business end of the stick on it immediately on removal - tissue absorbs oil indicating level. If you can see the oil because its black; change it pretty damn quick as they say!

There's lots of, I'm sure, good advice on this threads re turbos, but... I would also consider whether the uni-air module is mis-behaving. My experience with a 50k miles TA was as you describe, power loss, feeling of running on one cylinder etc. My specialist (not dealership) garage in the end had to throw their collective hands in the air and apologised taking it to a dealership for the diagnosis.

The uni-air module provides the variable valve timing that gets this engine buzzing and effectively producing 100+ horses per litre which back in the day was every mini tuners holy grail! The module bolts onto the head and uses the engine oil to vary valve timing and lift hydraulically; thus making oil changes and grades, and indeed levels, absolutely critical.

A new unit was in the order of 800GBP fitted

There's quite a good supplier's technical briefing linked elsewhere on this forum or search for INA variable valve timing or similar.

Good luck

I guess if there was a uni-air module fault it would show up on the diagnostic? My recent diagnostic revealed nothing though...