Started the other day when I put the battery in, all was good till it started idling oddly. Looked around on some threads and I'm still not sure. Its a 55s so no rev counter so really only based on hearing it. So it starts fine and after about a minute it starts either dropping then recovering or getting higher then lower. Also occasionally keeps getting higher and higher till I hit the accelerator.

Any input would help

I think it's called "hunting"
Where the car doesn't idle at a constant rate.

I can't just think of the main causes on the 1.1 spi (55 s) at the moment, but knowing what it's called may help you when searching

Cheers, will start looking, not really affecting me at the mo due to it needing its MOT but needs sorting. No doubt I shall be back soon

Well went out disconnected battery and checked coils and plugs as they were the easy quick things I could do in dwindling light. Also may take the throttle body off to give it a clean tomorrow. I think it is hunting from the things i have been reading cheers again

(any tips on throttle body or is it just undoing bolts?)

I've never removed the Throttle Body of the punto to clean it, but i suspect it will be similar to the mk1 Panda, just a 2 bolts holding it onto the manifold. However you will have fuel and coolant hoses attaching to it.

When i clean the Throttle Body i just use some cleaner (Redex - mainly as we have some about) and a cloth, then once the airbox is removed pour abit of the redex in the Throttle body with the throttle closed as wipe it clean. (Walls and valve)


Then open the throttle and wipe just beyond the valve.
Finally with the engine running pour some redex down opening the throttle valve to force the redex down into the manifold.

This has always worked for me, not sure if it's the correct way to do it though.

Cheers going get some redex or something similar tomorrow and do that.

Well put the battery back in today and everything is fine started hunted for about a minute and then settled and not done since, cheers

That's a weird one. Was the car sitting unused for a long time? Sometimes the MAF or the lambda sensors get a bit of crud forming on them which makes them behave oddly for a while until they've got up to temperature to burn it off.


Even so, if you have some Redex, stick a right large portion into the tank next time you fill up.

If you don't have any Redex.. buy some paraffin/kerosene aka "Turpentine Substitute" ...(i.e. not White Spirit) - from Homebase etc. and use 200ml per tank of benzina. Does the same job.



Ralf S.