Hi,

The Map sensor has reported faults four times on my 2014 Panda 1.2. Apparently each time because of oil contamination. I was worried about why the oil was entering the manifold and now the car is out of guarantee. So I contacted FIAT UK.

They pressed my local garage who looked at it yet again. This time they've applied a software upgrade to the ECU.

Apparently there used to be a filtration system stopping oil entering the manifold. This was removed as unnecessary. Cost saving? The trouble is that the Map sensor is too sensitive to contamination.

The new software patch apparently removes the sensitivity to contamination. We'll just have to wait to see if they got it right on the forth occasion.

It does beg the question, why not retrofit the filter again. Surely that should be a trivial job.

Jonathan

I've noticed on these FIRE's and the model before that if you remove the airbox and look down the throttle body, there's always a little oil in the bottom of the throttle body from the crankcase blow by.
I've never heard it being a problem until now.

I've never been aware of a filter or oil trap between the crankcase breather and the airbox, perhaps there was some sort of baffle under the valve cover on the earlier cars?

If it's becoming a real problem, you could divert the crankcase breather away from the airbox/throttle body.

It's fairly easy to do and it's a common mod on some heavy breathing engines, like some VAG TDi's, though you don't want to vent directly to atmosphere and drip oil over the road, so run the pipe from the top of the valve cover to a catch can (see ebay), fitted lower down.

This will allow the oil to run down and condense, then from there you can either vent to atmosphere or plumb it back to the airbox.

If it's got a real problem of throwing out lots of oil, you'll be able to monitor it and measure it from the can.

The other, smaller hose from the throttle body to the airbox is the throttle body breather, it shouldn't carry oily vapour so shouldn't need diverting.

Simple answer is to fit an oil catch tank like I am doing.
There was a lot of oil round my MAP and I have had awful running issues.
The upstream Lambda sensor has also failed due to I would think oil contamination. I am actually wondering that when the airbox is removed to replace plugs or the air filter oil is trickling into the throttle body and suction is making matters worse.
There is not a lot of room for a catch tank and I need to get a bracket made up for the one I have so the fitting in the mean time is by cable ties and chewing gum!!!!
I really think this is an ongoing issue for 1.2 owners and really needs to be addressed.
Incidentally if going down the catch tank route get the smallest one as possible or even make your own from an old jar and modified lid, like I say room is at a premium but it can be done.

My past 1.2 FIRE Euro-5 engine had the same problem with oil from the crankcase blow by.
You would not believe the pollution it made in the throttle body that had to be cleaned at every service it got.
Everything got brown from oil residue and had it's effect on engine running.
I also had a K&N airfilter in it, that made it even worse.