Hi,
Can any one help ??
My 1.6 dynamic, when at idle is really unsteady, it sounds lumpy and is a bit hesitant.

I have changed all 4 coils and spark plugs,
new air filter and have just had cam belt and aux belt changed.

The garage that did cam belt change, said a Lambda sensor (post) had gone, so I changed that as well.......

Yet it still is the same:bang:

Any one got any ideas, what to do next ??:worship:

Cheers

Matt

If its a phase 1 car maybe it just needs the software updates doing..ecu and throttlebody ones..get it flashed at a dealers should only take half an hour..many garages dont have the software to do it on there machines and I found that one out very early on..

clean your inlet valve + retrain the car.. damaged oxygen sensor will cause your symptoms (though just swapping to a new 1 may not give immediate results)

Step1:
Disconnect negative terminal for about an hour -->hook it back up (spend that hour cleaning your intake + sensor - use alcohol based cleaner on the sensor and make sure it has dried before starting the car; use a carb cleaner on and around the flap).

Step 2: connect the battery -> turn key to mil position (don't start).. leave it for 2 minutes -> pull key out -> leave it for 2 more minutes (this will retrain intake flap.. in base terms) -> Start the car and let it idle till it reaches normal operating temp -> go for a drive

Step 3: if above does not help - you've some other problem (timing most likely or another lambda sensor - sometimes they like filing in pairs ;-) – scan it yourself and monitor signal from them sensors. Also have a loog at long term fuel trims

Step 4: check ground to engine and everything else (trace black cables from the battery)
Step 5: use search ;-) or repost here once above is done

It is really easy to mess up the cam belt change on the 1.6, giving the symptoms you describe.

thanks for all your replys so far....
I have already cleaned my inlet valve, but going to do it again.
It is a 2002 model which I was told does not need a software upgrade ??
It was behaving the same way before I had my cam done, so I don't think it was that ??................

mines the same mines a 1.2 though my car idles at around 950 but dips up and down from 940 to 970 and the car fills like its choking or somthin still have not found the issue yet the

It now has a engine fault on the dash

Any other ideas any one ???????

need to know what the fault is ..

Yes find out what the fault code is and maybe it wasn't the post cat lambda that was bad -which will have hardly any affect on tickover- but the precat lambda which is absolutely vital for good tickover.

Don't just buy one and replace it though, check it out, they're pretty easy to check electrically

Is there any way to check the lambda sensor (pre cat) whith out taking it to a garage....as they will be closed being easter week end .......???

Sure, have a look in the Stilo Guides for how to back probe electrical connectors. You'll have 4 wires on the lambda sensor connector, two will be the heater and the wire colour for them is usually grey or white for both.

For this you can continuity check for a circuit so set your mulitmeter for resistance and check there is no open circuit. Resistance should be a low 10ohms or so
Bad news would be an open circuit

The other two wires will be the sensor wires DO NOT DO A CONTINUITY CHECK ON THESE SO SET YOUR MULTIMETER TO VOLTS NOW


The sensor produces voltage once it's warmed up with engine running so back probe these wires often red and black but also in a variety of colours (but the black will always be the sensor live and not earth as you might easily imagine).

With the engine warmed up and on tickover the voltage should swing from around 0.1v to 0.8v every few seconds showing the mixture going lean then rich.
Bad news would be a flat line, slow response or no reading

cheers Deckchair, I will try that later today.......
Would this bring up an engine fault on dash ?? I have not got a code reader so can't check myself.... and garages closed today

Heater open or closed circuit should fire a fault but lambda has to be acting unusually or beyond expected limits and for long enough to fire a fault. I've seen flat line and sluggish response with no fault codes


With a bluetooth obd socket you can check your O2 sensors on your pda while you drive along which is kinda cool

Called the AA out today and had the car checked

Was told error code is P0130...... ??

Said thinks it is the Cat converter that is at fault

Is this a big job to replace and where would be best to get one from ??

Cheers again......

Matt

Aww what nonsense

P0130 is a pre cat O2 sensor malfunction. If you've been working on it then you may well have shorted it or open circuit - eg turned ign on with connector disconnected. If you haven't worked on the precat O2 sensor then it just proves there's something suspicious with it

Clear the fault code and see if remains all clear.

Cheers again Deckchair for your reply

When AA man looked at car, he said he checked Lambda sensor and it looked ok ??

Now when the car is running it does not drive properly and stalls, all **** comimg out of exhaust.......I still think its Lambda sensor ??? and code maybe comfirms this ??

I have just bought a Pre Lambda sensor (Bosch) on ebay, If I fit this once recieved would it tell me straight away if it was that ??

When AA man looked at car, he said he checked Lambda sensor and it looked ok ??
What did he do - look at the outside?

No, it's really difficult to say what you have causing your problems. Certainly, of course, if your lambda is gone then fitting a new one would cure it. Beware of adopting "bad garage" philosopy though of "Oh there's a fault code- change a component" as that's just throwing money at it. A fault code tells you the area to investigate

Lambda is really only noticeable for steady state engine rpm ie tickover or steady speed maximum economy so it depends what you mean by

does not drive properly and stalls

Have you been testing the lambda?
Did it look anything like the graph I showed you?
Does the car start and accelerate normally but just not idle?

The AA man checked the sensor with a mulitmeter, he did not shoe me the results, just said it looked ok.....
Out of the exhaust its a bit smokey and smells like petrol.....
It drives but you have to really keep revs up or else it will stall....

Yes your right don't want to just keep throwing money at it :bang:

But I don't have a reliable garage that I have found to take it to ..

And my Fiat Main dealer (Buckhurst Hill) is useless in every way...

So not sure what to do........

Thanks again Deckchair for your reply's

matt1976 said:

The AA man checked the sensor with a mulitmeter, he did not shoe me the results, just said it looked ok.....
Out of the exhaust its a bit smokey and smells like petrol.....
It drives but you have to really keep revs up or else it will stall....

Yes your right don't want to just keep throwing money at it :bang:

But I don't have a reliable garage that I have found to take it to ..

And my Fiat Main dealer (Buckhurst Hill) is useless in every way...

So not sure what to do........

Thanks again Deckchair for your reply's

Click to expand...

Hello did you fix the problem? Thanks

I have the same fault with a stilo 1.6 16v also the throttle body error p0638 and hardly any response to the throttle. the o2 sensor heater cct malfunction bank1 sensor2 comes up constantly (after resetting the error codes).
I have done the usual suggestions Cleaning connectors and the throttle body.
the throttle body has been checked by BBA REMAN and had no faults.
its my dads car (he's 68) and he lives in the sticks so is very stuck without his car and cannot afford to send it to fiat.