Hello,

Car had been sat for... three... four days tops whilst away on hols, on return the car started fine and ran fine.

However, a couple of days later, the car's started playing up - juddery when starting up, erratic "chuggy" idling, but seems OK when driving - no noticeable difference.

The car's done 53k, 5k since it's last service (about 10 months ago).

Also, there's a pronounced constant buzz on the power steering - presumably the electric power steering - but the steering's started to rattle as well (on top of a hideous squealing noise when reversing from the steering column when the steering wheel's on full lock)

Even if it's one by one - anyone any experiences, ideas of where to start looking???

TIA

Just got my hands on the car to see what it's doing (all has been done from descriptions before)

When starting, it's incredibly sluggish - almost as if there's dirt in the fuel line or a slight blockage somewhere. The car does start first time (I should be grateful, I suppose), but it's idling in what I can only describe as a 'chuggy' manner, and it sounds a lot noisier than 'normal' (ie what the owner's used to).

I wondered about lambda sensors - although I know nothing about them but have seen them mentioned a lot, maybe the mixture settings need adjusting (can't think why seeing as the car's been fine until the weekend), if I can borrow enough tools I'll change the air filter.

Checked the usual things - oil, water etc, no mayonnaise and no weird sounds from the rad when idling so I don't think it's the head gasket.. but I'm stumped.

Compression test? Would that be a way forward?

TIA

What type of engine is it? EFI/CFI/SEFI (did FIAT do a SEFI?) or carb? If you're not sure, the Carb/CFI engine will have the Air Filter on the top of it with what I would describe as snorcle coming from it, else it's an EFI where the air filter is attached to the fule rest of the engine with a black hose (quite thick probably goes around the engine... ya cant miss it)...

Another thing, it could be the Cat, do you experiance ratteling when pulling away or accelerating, possibly also movement in the exhaust manifold/down pipe

Yep, it's the carb or CFI one with the cahoosive air filter case on the top...

It's not the cat - there's no major rattle, and I had a cat go on my Civic last year and would be able to match the tell-tale signs up!

I'd check the compressions, it may be the head gasket after all,I'd check the compressions, it may be the head gasket after all. Have you checked the O2 sensor? Possibly also the throttle pos sensor (if it has one... don't know the engine that well)

I am guessing that you have the CFI engine since I don't believe that FIAT made a punto with a carb.

As I'm not that efficient when working under the bonnet (although I'm not afraid to look!) the car's going in for a compression test in the latter stages of the week.

Will update when I know more - if we still have the car! (grrrrrrrr)

Idle control valve knacked?

That sounds like a sensible sggestion... Don't ask me how to change it though I have a sefi engine!

Please check the coil packs if one of these fail your engine will run awful,lack of power etc. Basically two cylinders stop working giving you very similar symptons you desribe

the 1.2 8v is very similar to the cinqs 1.1 8v, so the threads about the mysterious problems with my car may help.

https://www.fiatforum.com/showthread.php?t=14034

https://www.fiatforum.com/showthread.php?t=14912

and finally https://www.fiatforum.com/showthread.php?t=15643

Thanks for all your responses - the car's off to the garage tomorrow for some diagnostic checks.. I'll mention the ideas banded around here and see what comes out of it all. I'll post back when I know what's up.

I'm just hoping that it's nothing too expensive...

One head gasket gone... 'caught early' said Mr Garage man.

Am I to be dubious?? Didn't see any mayonnaise, didn't have the thing overheat, but coolant was a mucky brown this morning, and when revving, bubbling could be heard from under the bonnet.

Was quoted £430, but am in a bit of a pickle as car is needed urgently so have said to go ahead.

That's the last FIAT we ever own.... (and I'm sure those words have been said before). Next car's a Honda Jazz.....

eeeeew honda jazz ... eeeew


£430 seems very expensive just for headgasket,

mayo type stuff wont be there for a while dont think, however if there is oil mixed in with your coolant then head gasket probably has gone

Hey, don't knock the Jazz, best car in it's class, and one of the best engines underneath the bonnet. I would say that, I've had a Civic for 4 years and I'm amazed by the thing.

I'm in a bit of a daze post-phonecall to the garage, he said something about having the head skimmed. I thought that £430 was expensive... but I'm not sure of the full breakdown of the job.

How will I be able to tell (apart from the obvious smooth-running of the car) that the job's been done properly? What new shiny bits under the bonnet should I be looking out for, and where?

If you are getting bubbling in the coolant then air is getting in somewhere. Had exactly those symptoms on my MK1 Punto 55s and the head gasket was a £130 job. If it's been caught that early I wouldn't have thought the head would need skimming but then I'm no mechanic.

Does sound expensive when you consider that head-skimming is less than £100 (usually £40 - £70).

i did the headgasket swap on mine myself. took a few days, but its not too hard tbh. here is what i replaced, and what it costs:

head skim £30
gasket set £33
timing belt £13
alt belt £ 6
time belt tensioner £20

for £430 confirm that they are actually replacing the timing belt and tensioner and the alternator belt as well.

you're not going to see anything really shiny and new under there - unless they replace things like the oil filter as well.. which they should.. again £430 does sound a bit steep tbh.

regardless of how long the gasket has been leaking, i think a head skim would be a great idea. it might have warped slightly.. why waste all the time and money if theres a chance it could fail for a £30 job?

i took my head to a machine shop in blackpool, and was told £25+vat to skim it.