Wondered if anyone could give me some advice.

My 2005 1.3 multijet is having an intermittent issue, started a week or so ago.

At times, after starting from cold, it won't rev past 2.5k rpm

Idle is nice and smooth, and revs up to 2.5k are fine. But, put foot to the floor, and it won't go past 2.5k, and engine is stuttering and running rough.

Very slowly rpm will creep up, then around 3.5k rpm, it's like something suddenly clears and it revs freely.

The first couple of minutes driving after this happens, can feel a slight surging in power, but then totally fine.

So far only happened when engine cold, but not every time. Fired straight up at 5am this morning and drove to work fine. Parked up for 8 hours, then this lunchtime did it again.

No engine lights, new MAF and MAP fitted within last 3 months.

Has anyone got any ideas?

Sound like a few other posts

Sounds like the drip... Open your bonnet. If you check the black plastic part under where your windscreen wipers are, there is a screwhole in the middle just above your airbox. Apply some silicone to this to seal it properly. Water drips down here and your lack of power is most likely to be your Panda clearing its throat per se.

Drip hole has already been done. Airbox and MAF dry as a bone.

Now changed fuel filter and given the turbo actuator a tweak back and forth a few times to make sure it's not sticking.

Wait and see what happens.

You have probably seen this. https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/462686-egr-injector-maf-3.html

Though yours sounds like the turbo is not spooling up or it's over-boosting and the ECU drops the pressure so you lose whatever boost its built up.

So far so good, will see how it goes tomorrow.

Intake manifold and EGR are pretty clean for a 90k miler, took it off to check when I bought it a couple years ago. Now every 6 months when oil changed, put in a bottle of fuel cleaner and a can of EGR cleaner through the intake.

Thinking it may be the turbo actuator. All started after it was sat at airport for 4 days after a massive rainstorm and driving through lots of water. Maybe actuator got wet/bit rust etc and started to stick.

If it happens again will tweak actuator and see what difference it makes.

It was so far so good until today, when it did it once again.

Definitely only running on 3 cylinders on startup.

Gave it some revs, and once it hit 3k rpm, it cleared again and ran back on 4 cylinders.

Checked the fuel pressure in the rail using diagnostic kit, and that was fine. Compression on all 4 cylinders fine.

New glow plugs fitted last weekend, and all heat up properly.

Will check all the connections to the injectors next....and run some injector cleaner through the system. Thinking possibly sticking injector?

Check the pump for leaks.

Check the fuel filter isn't clogged or the housing leaking.

I seem to think these might have a lift pump in the tank, worth checking that out.

Try a leak off test of the injectors, you should be able to rig up some pipes and four small bottles rather than buy a kit.
See if one injector is spilling off more fuel than the rest.

This is for a Mondeo, but you get the drift. (second and third from left don't look great)

So today the "insufficient egr flow" fault popped up. Comes up when driving at light constant throttle.

Checked it a couple of years ago, and looked fine....still no loss of performance etc while driving....thinking maybe an issue with the solenoid.

I'll run another can of egr cleaner through the intake, but may look at fitting a new egr valve. PITA to get to, but new valve is only £50, so might as well fit a new one and clean out manifold at the same time.

Have you seen this? https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/462686-egr-injector-maf-3.html

Cinq999 said:

... I'll run another can of egr cleaner through the intake...

Click to expand...

Never known a can of anything cure a clogged or faulty egr yet ... but faith might move mountains!

Sweetsixteen said:

Never known a can of anything cure a clogged or faulty egr yet

Click to expand...

The world is full of folks who believe you can fix broken things by pouring a can of the right liquid into it.

They are the snake oil seller's natural prey.

jrkitching said:

The world is full of folks who believe you can fix broken things by pouring a can of the right liquid into it.

Click to expand...

It didn't work with George Best!

Cinq999 said:

So today the "insufficient egr flow" fault popped up. Comes up when driving at light constant throttle.

Click to expand...

Just because the computer shows that symptom, don't assume the problem really is the EGR. That thread I linked to shows an inlet manifold full of black goo. Who knows what symptoms that was throwing up.

My guess is the turbo is over-boosting so the ECU keeps dropping the air pressure. Result = no power until it eventually gets itself sorted.

jrkitching said:

The world is full of folks who believe you can fix broken things by pouring a can of the right liquid into it.

They are the snake oil seller's natural prey.

Click to expand...

Aye! that's a fact, in some cases I've seen/heard people making things worse in an engine by pouring their chosen can/bottle of snake oil either in with the oil or with the fuel. At best they have just wasted their money.

You cant beat breaking an egg into the radiator.

DaveMcT said:

You cant beat breaking an egg into the radiator.

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That brings back a few memories!

Along with sawdust to quieten gearboxes and diffs, newspaper stuffed into rusty sills before respraying, petticoat wire (if you're old enough you'll remember the hooped skirt fashion), P38 for stuffing leaking radiators, etc.

And more ... what it was to be young and broke!

I also think that the problem is in the EGR.
My Stilo MJ 150 Hp suffered the same symptoms, and the MIL lamp did not complain at any time.
Cleaners sprayed from the outside do not help. Perhaps they help to delay the appearance of scale but will not solve the problem.

Yo tambien pienso que el problema está en la EGR.
Mi Stilo MJ 150 Cv sufrió los mismos síntomas, y la lampara MIL no se quejó en ningun momento.
Los limpiadores rociados desde el exterior no sirven de nada. Quizá ayuden a retrasar la aparición de incrustaciones pero no solucionarán el probelma.

Sweetsixteen said:

That brings back a few memories!

Along with sawdust to quieten gearboxes and diffs, newspaper stuffed into rusty sills before respraying, petticoat wire (if you're old enough you'll remember the hooped skirt fashion), P38 for stuffing leaking radiators, etc.

And more ... what it was to be young and broke!

Click to expand...

Aye, I can still remember, you could buy a banger for thirty quid or so with your mates & drive around for long enough without too many questions being asked.

Sweetsixteen said:

That brings back a few memories!

Along with sawdust to quieten gearboxes and diffs, newspaper stuffed into rusty sills before respraying, petticoat wire (if you're old enough you'll remember the hooped skirt fashion), P38 for stuffing leaking radiators, etc.

And more ... what it was to be young and broke!

Click to expand...

Cars rotted so fast, that buying anything without a half decent magnet (to look for dodgy filler) was asking for trouble. I had a 1275 MG Midget on of the last with chrome bumpers. It looked ok, but when I got it home realised the wheels on one side were different to the other side.

One day the seal belt pulled off the floor!!! It was rotten both sides on inner sills and structural box section behind seats. I learned to weld on that car. At least all the damaged areas were all flat sheets.

The the engine was smoking so it got a new set of piston rings and (while in there) fitted new big end and centre main bearing shells. It would not turn over. Jump leads still nothing. Tried to bump start it - wheels locked up. Sump off again and one-by-one slacked the big end bolts. One was tight and locking the engine. I fitted a new big end and all was well.

It went on to do at least 10,000 with me but there would have been lots of stuff about to crumble. They were built rusty.

I had a copy of Dave Vizard's Tuning the A Series & souped up a spare cylinder head. But never did get around to fitting it. A friend put it on a Metro and that thing really flew. In those days there was so much junk metal in cylinder heads you could do a lot with a die grinder and a good book.