ok guys i need your help. I have owned and maintained my 1995, barchetta for 5 years here in Spain. This year when i took it for its annual test it failed on high emissions. So i put 98 octane fuel in and a carb cleaner and blasted it around the Costa Blanca for a couple of weeks. When i took it back they said it was worse ???
I then took it to a local spanish garage but they said they coudnt fix it ??


I also have a 530D BMW, so i then took it to my other friend, German who has a Merc/ BMW garage and again i was not impressed with his response which was very Little.


So ive now been advised to take it to a Fiat dealers !!


So what is the problema, i have asked about changing lambda sensors, and cat converter but told NO, thats not the issue. So what is the issue ??


I dont like taking it to any garage and usually manage to fix things myself as you will see from my previous posts but im beat this time.


Does anyone know if the barchetta "head" is the same as any other fiat model of the 90s, say the Bravo or Punto. Id rather take the head off a scrapper and see if that worked than take it to a Fiat dealer.


Its cost me nothing so far as both garages did nothing


Ive not looked at the specific values of the emmissions but can do so if anybody needs them to give further advice. Im now 3 months with it off the road and its now cooling down here a bit in España, so time to be out in the B.
saludos Dave

Changing the head (cylinder head?) seems a bit drastic when its more than likely to be a sensor. I haven't had this problem but I would have thought it would be down to a faulty sensor. Maybe you could replace spark plugs, air filter and put some fuel system cleaner in it before maybe changing the lambda sensor. I believe the lambda sensor senses the O2 level in the exhaust (emissions) and the ECU adjusts the fuel/air mixture to keep within the limits.
Hope this helps.
PS I bet there's loads of info about this on the 'net

I found this on an RAC help forum. It might help you.


Took my car for MOT on 17th on it failed on emissions please see info below can someone shed some light on possible cause.

To try and rectify i placed a bottle of REDEX and 2 bottles of FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER on garage advice this made the output worse.

it passed the idle test and first idle test before placing these products in after it failed the idle test and the fast idle test and 2nd idle test.

engine runs sweet as no banging noises of any kind its a 1.4 zetech se engine.

fast idle test
engine speed = 3150 pass
co = 0.51 max 0.30 fail
hc =109 ppm max 200 pass
lambada = 1.047 max 1.090 pass

2nd fast idle
engine speed = 3150 pass
co = 0.57 max 0.30 fail
hc =109 ppm max 200 pass
lambada = 1.039 max 1.090 pass

natural idle test
engine 779 - 995 pass
co = 0.53 - fail

any input please...


Reply
The cat has failed. Additives are a waste of money unless you use supermarket fuel. If you use the branded names, the additives are already in them.


Reply
Just to follow up Cat was changed yesterday and the CO emissions on fast idle went from 0.51 to 0.04 and from natural idle from 0.53 to 0.03.

So it passed

I can't believe they're testing a 22 year old car for emissions. I don't know if you have them but try replacing your spark plugs with e3 plugs, they make a world of difference here in Canada.

arnietwo said:

Ive not looked at the specific values of the emmissions but can do so if anybody needs them to give further advice.

Click to expand...

This would help greatly as emissions can be failed not only on CO but also HC (Hydrocarbon) levels. HC levels are in ppm.

Your Spanish test, if it is similar to the UK test will have your test figures quoted alongside the PAS/FAIL test criteria so you can see what is actually failing the test.

Had our 'B' tested in July (every two years here in France), idle CO 0.15%,
accelerated idle 0.32% and Lambda 1.015.
Over all not bad for an 21 year old car with just shy of 230,000 kms on the clock.

thats amazing!!Here in Ontario, this is the last year for emissions testing.If a dash light is on while doing a certification the car fails and must be repaired or will not be sold (vehicles must be certified when changing ownership) no light, it's a pass. If you own the car for whatever length of time, as long as its mostly in one piece your good to go.Too many 57 Chevys and 69 Mustangs running around.

I have two fiat pandas that failed on emissions, change of spark plugs, ht leads , oil filter and oil, also sealed exhaust leaks for lampeta fail, and reduced all emissions to perfect pass.

I recently got my B through its Itv(mot) here in spain, having changed the idyl control valve, lambda sensor and the cat converter.
But now only after 2 months there is another problem. The carbs are flooding at low revs !!
So what causes the car to flood ??
Is it not enough air?
Why does it have too much fuel?
Why does it have the incorrect mixture ?
Or is it the injectors,
Do i need to clean or replace them ?
I put an injector cleaner into the fuel and went away in the car for the weekend covering 400km. But when i came back.problem is worse !

arnietwo said:

I recently got my B through its Itv(mot) here in spain, having changed the idyl control valve, lambda sensor and the cat converter.
But now only after 2 months there is another problem. The carbs are flooding at low revs !!
So what causes the car to flood ??
Is it not enough air?
Why does it have too much fuel?
Why does it have the incorrect mixture ?
Or is it the injectors,
Do i need to clean or replace them ?
I put an injector cleaner into the fuel and went away in the car for the weekend covering 400km. But when i came back.problem is worse !

Click to expand...

If you are ever struggling, then take the car to one of the mobile MOT stations, they are not as strict on the emissions (or anything else for that matter). I used one in Benissa and one in Calpe. They come every few weeks for a few days at a time.
Don't use Benidorm MOT they are really strict. Ondarra station aren't too bad.

Hi, Arnietwo , you don't have carbs its multiport fuel injected, remember? However if your running fat at low revs check your vacuum controlled fuel pressure regulator. very easy to do and a common problem with older rubber diaphragms .

Thanx but can u advise me where that is ??
Just wanted to add that the cars idling fast then after about 5 mins of driving i have to pull over and lift the bonnet and then momentarily disconnect the plug from the idle control unit. Then the revs at idle drop under 1000 and it stops pulsing !!

Hi, as no one else has pitched in yet, I would clean the idle control unit in that case. If I recall correctly, there are previous posts on cleaning the unit. Hope this fixes that problem.

Could it be possible that the throttle position sensor is sensing that it is further open than it is so it injects more fuel but then the lambda sensor is sensing not enough oxygen and so it opens the air idle valve to counteract the process?
If so the TPS is at fault.
Just a thought.

Since you changed the lambda and is flooding is fuel (running rich would be correct term) it sounds to you have vacuum leak, it make the lambda sense the extra o2 and injects more fuel to compensate.
Finding a vacuum leak is easy with a smoke machine, unplug one of the hoses in the around the intake manifold and flow smoke throw it and see if you see it escaping then u have a leak somewhere. I've seen people smoking a cigar and blowing it in.

Also clean the mass air flow sensor with electronic parts cleaner.

Thanx guys, first i have fitted a new idle control unit so it shouldnt be a problem but im not convinced.
Where/ what are the vacuum fuel pressure reg and the throttle position sensor ???
I will take a look/ renew if i knew where it is !!

the fuel pressure regulator is at the end of the fuel rail. you will see this odd shaped inverted cup with a vacuum line attached to it . it is held in place with a metal, press fit cover.

Found the fuel press reg ! If i take it off what am i looking for ??

Hi don't remove it . You can do a quick check by removing the vacuum line and starting the car. If any fuel leaks out the diaphragm is pooched and the unit must be replaced. if you have access to a fuel pressure gauge you can also check to see that the fuel pressure is holding steady. vacuum is highest at idle so the spring inside will be compressed. as engine speed picks up vacuum will drop allowing the spring to lengthen causing fuel pressure to increase. pressure comes from the pump, the spring controls a moveable valve allowing more or less fuel through the fuel rail.