Was quoted £2000 for a new actuator as garage said my fiat panda twin air might have been filled with the wrong oil. The symptoms are when you start engine it turns over then stalls after five seconds but will eventually start after a few attempts.This is getting more frequent now.Is the garage pulling a fast one.Its 2012 automatic with choice of manual gear shift but never use manual in this. Its had new spark plugs and clutch but the other day it juddered at the lights and ended up getting towed home where an oil filter was put in and oil change. Do I need a new actuator.Any ideas anyone to save me a fortune

It could well be the Multiair solenoid valve that's packed up.
It's not common, but it's not unheard of either.

The Multiair (Uniair) system uses engine oil as a fluid link to operate the timing of the inlet valves.
Alter the oil in this link (via the solenoid) and the valve timings obviously change.

I believe the cam is a "hot" profile as standard, so it's profiled for high load/speed running with the valves opening early.

The system then alters this oil link via solenoid to open the valves later for slower/lighter running.

Trouble starts when the solenoid fails and the engine will run very rough as it's valves are open far too early in the combustion cycle and you lose a lot of compression as it's now reverted to it's standard "hot" cam profile for high speed running.

You'll get similar problems if there's an oil pressure problem or it's lacking in oil to start with.

You'll need someone who's familiar with the system to check it out. I wouldn't be happy to fork out on a whim.

Mikemike77 said:

Was quoted £2000 for a new actuator as garage said my fiat panda twin air might have been filled with the wrong oil. The symptoms are when you start engine it turns over then stalls after five seconds but will eventually start after a few attempts.This is getting more frequent now.Is the garage pulling a fast one.Its 2012 automatic with choice of manual gear shift but never use manual in this. Its had new spark plugs and clutch but the other day it juddered at the lights and ended up getting towed home where an oil filter was put in and oil change. Do I need a new actuator.Any ideas anyone to save me a fortune

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Hi

How many miles covered..

Since last oil change..? and in total??

Where are you based..?

the fundamentals are relatively easy to check

Oil was changed about six months ago not covered that many miles really, car has done 70000 total based in Northampton

They are : can be fussy with oil

As it controls the fuelling

What kind of garage is this.. do they have the correct kit to plug in and see the engines settings?

Any hints as to what oil went in it last time?

Charlie

Mikemike77 said:

Was quoted £2000 for a new actuator as garage said my fiat panda twin air might have been filled with the wrong oil. The symptoms are when you start engine it turns over then stalls after five seconds but will eventually start after a few attempts.This is getting more frequent now.Is the garage pulling a fast one.Its 2012 automatic with choice of manual gear shift but never use manual in this. Its had new spark plugs and clutch but the other day it juddered at the lights and ended up getting towed home where an oil filter was put in and oil change. Do I need a new actuator.Any ideas anyone to save me a fortune

Click to expand...

I've a 4x4 TA and had a Uniair module failure at 50k miles; first up I paid £800 for the new unit fitted at a dealership... The new unit is (or was c£450 I think)

However, to be a bit more helpful, the symptoms were essentially "missing" on one cylinder and therefore half the power. It did not stall at any point. The symptoms you describe don't really match my experience. Is it a FIAT dealer or specialist that has made the diagnosis? I might be inclined to get a second opinion. I haven't had any experience of a stalling engine with the TA with a Volvo I have and it was a mass flow sensor and associated engine management issues.

The Dualogic and Alfa selespeed have their own idiosyncrasies too, I think you need a second view.

It occurs to me that the reference to an "actuator" might be the duallogic (selespeed) actuator, which indeed retails for around £1k, if you add in the pump too then £2k fitted is probably in the right ballpark (see https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=...=Fiat_500_0.9_Turbo_TwinAir_Clutch_Hydraulics )

I don't have any personal experience with dualogic systems but this might also jive with the comment regarding "wrong oil"?

Definitely go for a second opinion!

Panda IIs said:

It occurs to me that the reference to an "actuator" might be the duallogic (selespeed) actuator, which indeed retails for around £1k, if you add in the pump too then £2k fitted is probably in the right ballpark (see https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=...=Fiat_500_0.9_Turbo_TwinAir_Clutch_Hydraulics )

I don't have any personal experience with dualogic systems but this might also jive with the comment regarding "wrong oil"?

Definitely go for a second opinion!

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Good point..

But is there a fluid filter for them to change..?

My money is still on Engine

Symptoms don't really fit a Dualogic actuator problem (although "wrong oil" kills them too).

varesecrazy said:

Good point..

But is there a fluid filter for them to change..?

My money is still on Engine

Click to expand...

Googled around a bit, and can't find any specific reference to a filter. It does sound like its fussy about oil (fluid) and draining the oil sounds like you have to use diagnostic tool to initiate actuator pump plus there appears to be some bleeding necessary and a recalibration (software). Frankly I'm well beyond my specific experience and to be fair to the original poster I'm not going to speculate. I can't see how the Uniair module, down on one cylinder, would cause a stall however and my experience was that it did bring on the yellow engine warning light. By the same argument would the selespeed system cause a stall? unless it wasn't maintaining pressure when holding the clutch in?

Enough; I said I wouldn't speculate!

Mikemike77 Anyone ruled out battery and alternator, or the oil pressure switch?! Or changed oil for Selenia 0w 30 C2 and reset Uniair on diagnostics? Uniair ought to have fitted price of £1200 with a main dealer guarantee and warranty on the part. Don't last forever probably but would have assumed gearbox would be what made car uneconomical to repair by now.

I would definitely change the oil first, mine had similar symptoms just after I bought it, changed the oil and now runs fine, took a few runs before it had flushed the old oil from the system but now the issue is a distant memory.