brinker said:

I haven't checked TDC yet - just finished my breakfast.. [emoji6]
Well it's reassuring that the spark isn't particularly strong, because that means mine should be okay as well.
I will go check TDC and if it's OK, I will do some electrical checks again, because it's pointing in direction of a new ECU, since everything else seems to be in order..

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Did you check your brake clean 'easy start' works on your fathers panda?

judderbar said:

Did you check your brake clean 'easy start' works on your fathers panda?

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My dad has a Giulietta, but no I haven't checked. But tbh, when I try to start the Punto it smells like petrol, so it is there.
TDC and timing definitively OK. Spark is present and fuel is present. I just swapped over with the spare MAP I have, but it makes no difference.
I can only do the final electrical checks, then buy a new ECU it seems.

brinker said:

My dad has a Giulietta, but no I haven't checked. But tbh, when I try to start the Punto it smells like petrol, so it is there.
TDC and timing definitively OK. Spark is present and fuel is present. I just swapped over with the spare MAP I have, but it makes no difference.
I can only do the final electrical checks, then buy a new ECU it seems.

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How about a Strobe check of the timing before thinking about the ECU? I made up a test LED with a resistor for checking the signal to my coil pack. Flashes nicely so presumably it would work fine as a strobe.

judderbar said:

How about a Strobe check of the timing before thinking about the ECU? I made up a test LED with a resistor for checking the signal to my coil pack. Flashes nicely so presumably it would work fine as a strobe.

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I have spark on all 4 cylinders and the wiring has less than 1ohm resistance. The cam sensor is new, and I tested a known to work crank sensor a few days ago. The only thing that can f up the timing when all sensors and wiring is OK, is the ECU.

brinker said:

I have spark on all 4 cylinders and the wiring has less than 1ohm resistance. The cam sensor is new, and I tested a known to work crank sensor a few days ago. The only thing that can f up the timing when all sensors and wiring is OK, is the ECU.

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And a strobe could tell you the timing is good.

Used ECU from ebay arrived. Since the car is 100km away at my parents place, I had my dad swap it for me and try starting the car.
It did start, though he told me it took a while. It has been charging all evening, since apparently the battery was dead. It cranked to life eventually, but did run very rough when cold - something that has been an issue for long, if it's sat around unused in winter, for more than a day or two. Come summer, it's no problem. He let it warm up somewhat, and it would idle fine.
So the old ECU was dead, but there's still an unsolved mystery. I'm thinking, maybe swap the coil pack (though it's only done 60000km). Leads are Magnecor and have been measured to be OK. Plugs have done 40000km (but are iridium, so have a much longer lifespan).
Any other ideas to solve rough idle in cold weather, is more than welcome.

Got a text from my dad this morning - he tried it again before work, car sprung straight to life and idled no problem. I'm picking it up on Saturday and taking it home - will see if I encounter any issues on the way home.

Been driving the Punto this week. Lots of misfires. Poor idle. Actually drives its best when it's bone cold.
Adjusted the valve gap. Warm compression test showed 100-110psi allover. Will get the high voltage output tested on the coilpack early next week. Need to check wiring to O2 sensors and need to check the output from the TPS. Otherwise I've more or less been through everything on this car, and yet it somehow still doesn't run properly.
Honestly not too positive about the outcome, as I feel like it's getting closer and closer to its retirement

brinker said:

Been driving the Punto this week. Lots of misfires. Poor idle. Actually drives its best when it's bone cold.
Adjusted the valve gap. Warm compression test showed 100-110psi allover. Will get the high voltage output tested on the coilpack early next week. Need to check wiring to O2 sensors and need to check the output from the TPS. Otherwise I've more or less been through everything on this car, and yet it somehow still doesn't run properly.
Honestly not too positive about the outcome, as I feel like it's getting closer and closer to its retirement

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100-110psi seems quite weak to me. The engine is tighter when colder. Not sure how that would translate into a poor idle though.

I think you have a fault there that explains everything and you just have not found it yet. For example it is not impossible the car could run ok with the fault fixed with the old ECU.

If the temperature sensor does not work the car defaults to cold start conditions and would not run well once warmed up so the temperature sensor cannot explain everything.

Have you put new petrol in it since it was at your dads?

judderbar said:

100-110psi seems quite weak to me. The engine is tighter when colder. Not sure how that would translate into a poor idle though.

I think you have a fault there that explains everything and you just have not found it yet. For example it is not impossible the car could run ok with the fault fixed with the old ECU.

If the temperature sensor does not work the car defaults to cold start conditions and would not run well once warmed up so the temperature sensor cannot explain everything.

Have you put new petrol in it since it was at your dads?

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I believe 100-110psi is good enough. Yes, it could be better, but it's definitely not what's causing misfires.

The old ECU is dead, I'm 99% sure. It couldn't even be push-started before, and my dad immediately noticed an audible difference when cranking, after swapping to the "new" ECU.

I'm assuming there's only one temp sensor though? Either way, it reads fine and within range 80-84° on both dash and OBD.

I filled it when I left there, so yes.

Anyway, I've decided to strip it for anything worth salvaging, and scrap the remainder - I'm kinda fed up with the issues I've had over ~98000km in 3 years. I picked up an Alfa 156 tonight, so staying Italian

100psi is low

Find out why
Valve issue or bore or hg?

When i say 100psi is low based on when i had poor idle / misfires / poor performance and high oil consumption

The other 3 cylinders had 200psi still but no1 was at 100psi which increased to 200psi when oil added

What was the wet compression figures?

Ziggy

brinker said:

I'm assuming there's only one temp sensor though? Either way, it reads fine and within range 80-84° on both dash and OBD.

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Sorry I got muddled up when you said TPS thinking you meant temperature sensor for some reason

Ziggy122 said:

100psi is low

Find out why
Valve issue or bore or hg?

When i say 100psi is low based on when i had poor idle / misfires / poor performance and high oil consumption

The other 3 cylinders had 200psi still but no1 was at 100psi which increased to 200psi when oil added

What was the wet compression figures?

Ziggy

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When you say wet, do you mean with oil squirted in cylinders? I never tried, so I don't know.
The engine has zero oil use, and never had. But from what you say, my issue is low compression?