Help please. My 1999 punto 60s coolant is disappearing somewhere (no leaks apparent), the heater only works sometimes, one spark plug insulator was cracked (all plugs and leads now changed) missing and kangarooing at low revs.

Are these symptoms all related?

welcome to the forum
seems like your head gasket has gone most likely or 2 seperate things a coil pack and heater matrix leak if its the last thing the coolent will be coming out bottom of heater in the car and there will be a fishy eggy smell.

Thanks Dave. Don't notice any dampness or smell in the car but the windows do steam up badly in wet weather.

Also noticed today that the breather pipe from the rocker cover to the airbox was chocked solid with greasy stuff and also some around the top (inlet) side of the carb. There was some traces of water too. Does it still look like the head gasket??

yep sorry,

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. Is it likely that the head will need skimmed?

hi guru here
yes the head will need a skim it's about £45

Thanks very much for your input. Does anyone happen to know of a similar type of website for fords as I am having problems with my escort TD as well?
Thanks.

hi guru here
we will try to answer for ford as well

Thanks guru.

The punto is now in at the local garage for the head gasket and skimming work.

With regards to the escort - it's a '94 1.8TD and its pretty hard to start from cold, turns over for about 6 - 10 seconds (after giving it heat 3 times) before firing and runs very rough until a good few miles have passed. Quite a lot of whitish smoke too until warm. Power is very low especially on a hill. Heater plugs are new, injectors have been tested and are perfect, new battery fitted all filters are new.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

i know a petrol car, white smoke can mean the turbo is shagged. not sure on a diesel tho.

cant see why that'd make it struggle to start tho

with regards to head skims, depends where u go - was £25 to get mine done

sounds like worn rings, get a compression (sp) test

hi fiat guru here
it sound like it could be a fuel pump problem :bang:

kinedders said:

hi fiat guru here
it sound like it could be a fuel pump problem :bang:

Click to expand...

i not to good on diesel, how would that cause white smoke?

Would that be the injection pump as opposed to the lift pump?

I suppose a compression test would be an idea though, the engine has done 126k and the only history is since I bought it 3 years ago.

White smoke from a diesel when cold is mainly caused by poor combustion ( not hot enough in the combustion chamber ) which could be generally worn pistons and/or cylinders ( poor compresion ) or either the heater plugs or the heater plugs control unit is not functioning properly.

The heater plug control unit is normally atmospheric temperature sensitive so the colder the outside temperature the longer the heater plugs are kept glowing

As the engine gets up to proper operating temperature and things expand to take up wear the the combustion process improves an the white smoke gradually disappears.

So unless the head gasket is leaking water into the cylinders then I suggest a compression test then look to the heater plug control unit

Thanks for the help on the diesel problem. Will be getting the compression tested soon.

Got the punto back from garage today. New head gasket, head skim and pressure tested, oil, filter and anti-freeze. £232.06. Running like a dream now (and the heater is good).

hi fiat guru here!!!
Well it would of been cheaper to have the fuel pump checked before the engine had been stripped.
As the fuel pump controls the amount of fuel going into the cylinder, and also check pump timing,
Because if it was rings it would be burning oil aswell which would cause blue smoke

BLACK SMOKE - OVER FUELING
WHITE SMOKE - UNDER FUELING
BLUE SMOKE - BURNING OIL :