Hi guys,

Ive just bought a punto and it seems to have some odd idling problems.

Basically id idles fine, but as soon as something electrical is on the idling becomes lumpy and sounds odd .. It never actually cuts out though..

So if it starts, its fine, but if I turn headlights on, or city steering, or even move the wheel (etc, power steering pump) the idling becomes lumpy and sounds really odd.

Anyone ever had this or know what I may be?

Cheeers

James :slayer:

Might be worth while taking off the alternator belt and checking it ( the alternator) for stiffness and seeing if the problem with the idling is the same.Otherwise could be an earth problem dropping the system voltage.

Brendan W said:

Might be worth while taking off the alternator belt and checking it ( the alternator) for stiffness and seeing if the problem with the idling is the same.Otherwise could be an earth problem dropping the system voltage.

Click to expand...

So try running the car with the alternator belt off?

Maybe alternator is on the way out?

James

You should get some "reaction" from the engine when increasing the electrical load (power steering, fan coming on) but it should be slight and momentary.

it just seems to make a big 'juddering' difference, the more electrics the worse it gets, could it be the altenator is dying and not kicking out enough power?

you have a power lead going from
alternator to starter
starter to battery
battery to supplementary fuse box

i would be removing the connectors and clean brighting them before i condemmed the alternator
plus the earth connector on the battery tray
you dont say what readings you get on a fast tickover under load on your multimeter of course so this could be all country bumkin