General Fiat punto 2002 1.2 16v One bar gives me 10 - 15 MILES!!!!

[OsamaBinLadin]

Hi there, I have a fiat punto 1.2 16v 2002 car apart from the fuel issue, there's nothing wrong with the car.

For some reason, one bar on the fuel gauge goes down to another bar or on it's reserves with only 10 - 15 miles on 30/40 mph roads.

this saturday gone I've just done a service, spark plugs, air filter, oil change etc but nothing seems to have changed.

It's really frustrating when your 18 and you have to keep on refueling like everyday!!!!

Does anyone know the possible problems? I know filling up from the top of reserves and £5 at a time isn't a good idea but i should be getting atleast 30 plus miles per bar!!!!

I can fill up a fuel tank but don't want to if i'm not going to get my money's worth. Want to find the cause of problem.. first.

I'll get some of that fuel system cleaner but I don't think that will do any good.

Faulty fuel gauge? Petrol leaking? I could smell a burning smell a couple of weeks ago but not anymore..

thanks

 

[Brendan W]

How much juice (litres) are you putting in per week and how many miles are you getting per week? tbh a fiver is not worth the time stopped at the forecourt.

 

[OsamaBinLadin]

I ALWAYS go morrisons, very rarely go to other's and I put like 5 - 6 pounds in and I can't remember I think I got 4 - 7 litres for the money I'm paying (sorry! can't remember)

I usually put around £10 - 15 in per week.

It's really pissing me off. mate got the same car yet his runs great on fuel. 6 previous owners on mine and I think the car was left untouched for a couple of months before I bought. Doesn't look like the car has been well looked after..

I'll get some of this

STP 99100EN 250ml Service Pack for Petrol Engines (Pack of 2): Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

taking it to kwik fit tommorrow morning, see if they can have a good scan over the car/under the car to see what the shiz, is going on!!

 

[Brendan W]

Snake oil. Save the money and get some good numbers , liters and miles first. Kwik fit, leave that out as well until you have some good numbers.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Snake oil. Save the money and get some good numbers , liters and miles first. Kwik fit, leave that out as well until you have some good numbers.

:yeahthat:

And only £5-6. Seriously? Can't even fill half a jerry can for that. Brim the tank and start recording your fillups on www.fuelly.com to be able to see what your car is doing with its fuel

 

[fingers99]

Yep. Stay off the snake oil, record brim to brim mileage.

Most common causes of poor fuel consumption (aside from heavy feet) are:
binding brake(s) (see if opne of the wheels gets abnormally hot)
thermostat stuck open (effectively causes the car to run as though it's on "choke" (remember carburettors?) almost all the time

 

[Arbarf]

Wow thats low!!!

 

[L2cifer]

Could be a faulty) lambda sensor causing it to run rich? I think you should get around 10p per mile which on £5 isn't far...

 

[homeward]

I think you should get around 10p per mile which on £5 isn't far...

I get anywhere between 10.5 and 18.3 pence per mile (and usually less than 15.0 pence: which equates to only 33.3 miles per fiver; but over 400 miles per tank...) in mine (a CVT automatic): depending on conditions, driving style (e.g. town vs. motorway vs. following a tractor...), etc..

Mind you, fuel around here seems quite expensive, compared to where my parents (north-west of England) and parents-in-law (north of London) live. [Real-world average consumption is in my siggy, below....]

I really think brimming the tank -- which, in the long-term, won't cost any more... -- is the only way to get a true value for the OP's mpg. [I use an app called Road Trip HD on my iPad....]

 

[L2cifer]

Very true! 10p was probably back when petrol was around £1.15 a lt.

I agree with filling right up! I always fill to the top, you might as well just be done with it.

 

[homeward]

Very true! 10p was probably back when petrol was around £1.15 a lt.

(1) In them days we was glad to have the price of a cup o' tea.
(2) A cup o' cold tea.
(4) Without milk or sugar.
(3) Or tea.
(1) In a cracked cup, an' all.
(4) Oh, we never had a cup. We used to have to drink out of a rolled up newspaper.
(2) The best we could manage was to suck on a piece of damp cloth.
(3) But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor.
(1) Because we were poor. My old Dad used to say to me, "Money doesn't buy you happiness, son".
(4) Aye, 'e was right.
(1) Aye, 'e was.​

 

[OsamaBinLadin]

the car recently had it's flexi changed also which i'm guessing effects fuel econonmy?

I'm going to kwik fit shortly, will post back on the issue found.

 

[Ziggy122]

a flexi pipe exhaust or brakes?
exhaust should make it better if it was blowing before

as for putting in tiny tiny amounts it last 5mins

fill it up and brim to brim it record the miles and.that to work out if
a the car us at fault
b ur at fault (lead foot)
c winter is making it hungry
d.the fuel guage is lying

ziggy

 

[OsamaBinLadin]

a flexi pipe exhaust or brakes?
exhaust should make it better if it was blowing before

as for putting in tiny tiny amounts it last 5mins

fill it up and brim to brim it record the miles and.that to work out if
a the car us at fault
b ur at fault (lead foot)
c winter is making it hungry
d.the fuel guage is lying

ziggy

I do put my feet down a bit, but not often.

I will fill the car to the brim, when that fuel system comes.

If the fuel guage is playing up, how will I know? Will a kwik fit garage have the equipment to check it out? Is it worth getting a new one?

what you reckon of this aswell?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seafoam-M...403&pid=100041&prg=1010&rk=4&sd=120991827412&

thanks

 

[kostas013]

probably you need a new lamda sensor

 

[Brendan W]

the car recently had it's flexi changed also which i'm guessing effects fuel econonmy?

I'm going to kwik fit shortly, will post back on the issue found.

Sometimes the lambda sensors or the wiring to them gets damaged or forgotten about and left disconnected when tricking around with the exhaust.

 

[Ziggy122]

Sometimes the lambda sensors or the wiring to them gets damaged or forgotten about and left disconnected when tricking around with the exhaust.

but that will put the EML on?

did op say it was on? (cant find out)

Ziggy

 

[Brendan W]

but that will put the EML on?

did op say it was on? (cant find out)

Ziggy

yep , you'd think it should......

 

[OsamaBinLadin]

Hi guys, just went to kwik fit but the man said he was busy it was just him there so come back tommorrow/wensday..

THERE'S NO ENGINE Management Light on.

Took the car to another garage, revved the engine said it sounded alright.

Then said, get some of that fuel system cleaner, (which I already have ordered) and don't fill the tank up, just put another £5 in and put the whole system cleaner in, go on a motorway/dual carriage way and keep it in 3/4th gear and rev it - which will hopefully do the trick.

Went to another garage who replaced the exhuast/flexi and service and I mentioned the lamdba sensor and he said he can hook the car up onto a computer and he can check which one is giving the problem for £15.00!!! After the money I gave him!!!!

He said a lamba sensor is expensive, £70 each? I'm sure ebay does them for around £30+++ upwards brand new?

 

[fingers99]

Drink the snake oil, it'll do you more good than the car.

You can get cheap, crappy, universal lambdas for £30. They're a bastard to fit and (etc.) If you really want a real one, ring Big Mick (Fluffy the Impaler) at eurocarcare in Derby. Mention the forum, mention me, and you might get some extra discount.

If no EML, it's unlikely to be the lambda.

£15 is cheap for a code read.