Hi,first start is very difficult with coughing and spluttering and it runs uneven until it just runs smoothly,,every other start up after the 1st is OK.Anyone any ideas,i just changed the plugs with no difference.thanks.

Might be the rpm sensor air gap is too wide. Do a search for that as the 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 are very similar

Sometimes a head gasket gone causes spluttering on first start up but don't go there just yet, do the easy stuff first

what about a temp sensor not reading right and the right amount of choke not being applied? Not sure how the stilo works this (other things seem to have filled my head!)

is this just on tick over or does it drive poorly as well?

if it drives poorly is this until its warm and up to temp? does it drive like a mis-fire (lumpy, missing power)?

it just does this for the first start up and only 20 seconds of coughing and spluttering and then all of a sudden runs like there was nothing wrong,in this first 20 seconds it even sometimes feels like the engine is running back on itself and you feel the starter motor struggling to get this thing going.

I hope I'm wrong but that does sound like coolant seeping into bores when engine cools. Rpm sensor symptoms are a compete no start and then absolutely fine.

ETS symptoms might be poor starting and continually running rough until engine is up to temp but it would most likely fire up a fault code for it

As you have good plugs then it does sound as if you have something non flammable ie water in the bores which then clear out soon after starting.

sounds like another Fiat nightmare for me then,is it true you need special Fiat tools to do the headgasket on a Stilo 1.4?.

You need special tools but you can very easily make them up

Check for other signs of head gasket failure, you might have any or a few of these
Coolant discoloured brown
Gurgling through heater pipes
Coolant loss
Wet spark plugs on first start
White smoke out exhaust after start up
Firing on just a few cyclinders to start with then gradually clears
Brown mayonaise looking scum in oil or when looking into oil filler cap hole
Coolant boiling over in coolant reservoir

If you know which cylinder it is then take a plug out when engine is cold and turn the engine so you can see top of piston and look for coolant

yes,looks like headgasket has gone,it's funny everyone I spoke to about this problem has had a head gasket problem with a Fiat or knows lots of friends who have had Fiat headgasket problems,so it's official Fiat is the new Rover (K-series nightmares).