Hey guys, this is my first forum post and I am a complete and utter beginner when it comes to cars so please bare with me!

I will try and explain my short history to try and get a good answer.

I bought an '03 Fiat Punto Active 5 door off a guy after my little Saxo decided to fail its MOT. The guy that owned it had it about a year and didn't drive it as he never had a license.

Problem no.1: Beginners mistake as I took a 90 minute round trip to Cornwall with out checking the levels and ended up with AA helping me with water and oil.

After this I topped up the oil and got the garage around the corner to look it over and check the water. There was no water in it again and it wasn't bleeding properly (he didn't see the second valve). Anyway he bled it through, changed the water pump and done the antifreeze etc. and run it for a couple hours no problem.

Problem no. 2: After a week the car was really juddering when idle and sometimes got the Engine Maintenance warning light. The light would go out and would stop juddering after I built up my revs. Another trip to the garage as the heater was blowing cold and he said it was an air lock in the system and just needed bleeding again.

SORRY ABOUT THE ESSAY!

Current problem[?]: The car has been running hot and was bouncing between 50 and 75% however now it is more holding between 80/90. When I park get out of the car the fan is spinning like crazy, I am paranoid the car may overheat. Heater isn't exactly blowing hot, more a cold or very lukewarm.
Is this related to problem no. 2? Any help is appreciated.

Other random nick: The last few times I have pulled away I press the accelerator and it slows down and pushes against me. Lift my foot and apply gas again with no problem

You need to get it code read really to see why the engine light is on. If the code is in the P0300 series then it's due to a misfire I.E. P0303 is misfire on No.3 cylinder, either way from the symptoms it sounds like the head gasket has gone.

I'd think head gasket, too. Compression test!

But it leaves the issue of why the HG went in the first place. You may have a water leak. Usual places are the water rail (the rail itself or the seal where it enters the water pump), or water pump leak.

Hi and welcome to the Forum:wave:

What happened to make you call the AA?
Do you have a temperature gauge and what is it doing?
You might only have a coolant leak. If the level is dropping it must be going somewhere. Check the hoses and look for leaks dropping on the floor when the car is parked. Favourite place as they get on is the metal pipe behind the exhaust manifold in front of the motor. If you look down the left side of the front of the motor you might see coolant on the oil filter.
The fan comes on if the coolant gets too hot which would happen if you have a leak. This will also cause the heater to run cool.
Juddering at idle coupled with water loss could be a headgasket. The best way to be sure is to have a compression test done.

Hey I guess this needs clearing up a bit, problems 1&2 are "sorted"?

AA was because I ran out of coolant and engine oil.

The Engine light and juddering was solved with the radiator bleed.

My question really lies around "current problem[?]" It is the engine constantly being at 80/90%. Don't think it's normal but then my last car didn't really tell me anything. Its hot and the fan is going mad when I stop.

Then there is the accellerator thing. There was apparently full engine maintenance carried out when the garage looked at the juddering.

Sorry forgot to say the result of that engine test was spark plugs.

If you're not now losing coolant and the fan is going mad it's because the car is overheating.

This can be caused by the thermostat not working properly, the radiator blocked up with gunge preventing sufficient coolant flow, the waterpump has lost a few vanes or the temperature sensor is defective or disconnected.
Is the fan running all the time or only after a while driving and are you getting any warning lamps on the dash?

Thanks for the reply Brendan,

I have only noticed it when I get out the car, dash has no lights just the needle is at the top.

trates of the punto are
Needle should sit smack bang on middle once warmed up and it should stay there!
The needle barely moves before the engine fan will kick in
They dont use water - no car should, using water means a leak somewhere, as the cooling system is a sealed system


A lumpy running engine that suddenly gets better with revs is possibly a set of knackered plugs, or because water isn't allowing it to burn

You seriously need to confirm a possible head gasket, as sitting at 80 / 90% up the temp guage is WAY WAY WAY to hot....

Ziggy

Thanks again guys, think that I need to take it to the garage again. It used to sit on 50. Just run the car and reved it a bit out of curiosity and the heater isn't running hot.

Come back and tell us what the diagnosis is.

Will do! thanks a buch guys, I knew these forums would be worth it

Basketballgaz said:

Thanks again guys, think that I need to take it to the garage again. It used to sit on 50. Just run the car and reved it a bit out of curiosity and the heater isn't running hot.

Click to expand...

Classic sign of
No flow
Poor flow
Air lock in the heater core

All which do point to a problem to why the cooling system aint working properly

It could be simple as a stuck stat - or a failed HG

Ziggy

Hey guys, verdict is that the head gasket is f****d.

Heres to looking forward to that bill!

Basketballgaz said:

Hey guys, verdict is that the head gasket is f****d.

Heres to looking forward to that bill!

Click to expand...

As the motor has unknown history and may have severely overheated the quote should have some indication that the flatness of the head is at least going to be checked and or skimmed.
There should be some reference to new bolts, thermostat, new oil and filter as a mimimum. Depending on where you go and how thorough they are you're looking at £300 - 350 ish.
If done properly there is no reason why the repair won't last for a very long time - life of the car.

Tbh - i'd be tempted to say stick a new water pump and belt in there
The belt will already have to come off, and the pump is so much more easier to change when its right there!

Ziggy

Cheers guys. Ziggy > water pump was only fitted a couple months ago.

I was going to say I don't have a radiator fan on and mines never over heats so that can be checked off