Technical Panda not starting on all cylinders.

[beermouse]

After an hour of motorway driving, I stopped for a few minutes to shop. When I tried to start the car again, it shaked badly, ran unevenly and sounded strange, and pretty much all dash lights stayed on. I let it cool for 20 minutes and tried again - this time it ran smooth, no shaking or strange sound, but the yellow engine light stayed lit. Since it wasn't a red light, I drove the last km home, and all felt as it usually does.

Looking under the hood, I noticed what might be a leak in the breather hose:

Could that give those symptoms, or is something else going on? Is it something easily fixed? I'd like to know before I give a mechanic direct access to my bank account

 

[koalar]

There will be a clue here

and pretty much all dash lights stayed on.

But we need to know which lights remained on

but the yellow engine light stayed lit.

Read the code would be a first logical step

Looking under the hood, I noticed what might be a leak in the breather hose:

Worth checking if the MAP sensor is covered in oil

It's only held on but one bolt, you can leave the wire connected normally

 

[beermouse]

There will be a clue here

I know, but memory fails me as I turned the engine off quite fast

But we need to know which lights remained on

Today, after having started it about 5 times, no lights are on, it runs smooth, and there doesn't seem to be anything coming out the crack in the hose

Read the code would be a first logical step

I don't have access to an ECU scan, unfortunately

Worth checking if the MAP sensor is covered in oil

It's only held on but one bolt, you can leave the wire connected normally

That would require me taking the air filter and box off, right? From what I can google, it seems the MAP sensor has been in a bit of places over the years, as has the design of the breather hose - mine is the 60 HP from 2009.

Could a temporary fix be to wrap the hose with some TESA selfbonding tape or such? My main objective is to keep the Panda running until MOT in October, and have it fixed properly then if everything else passes.

 

[koalar]

No you don't normally have to take the air box off, especially if it's on the left side, if facing the the engine, electronic throttle body

It's on different sides of the inlet manifold, depending on whether electronic throttle body or cable

 

[beermouse]

No you don't normally have to take the air box off, especially if it's on the left side, if facing the the engine, electronic throttle body

It's on different sides of the inlet manifold, depending on whether electronic throttle body or cable

Thank you - I found it, and it looked good I think? - a thin layer of oil, no build-up of anything.

Yesterday the car started fine when cold, and very rough when hot - today, again fine when cold. I taped up the crack in the hose with TESA self-bonding tape, and it has now started fine twice when hot. Is that pure luck, or could I have found the reason? And if so, is it possible it will last until October?

 

[DaveMcT]

Engine good cold but rough hot is often a coil issue. It has two coils each firing two plugs at the same time. A weak coil will often drop one plug before it finally gives up. You need to get an OBD scanner to read the codes. They are not expensive.

If you need them, new coils are about £30 a pair** from Shop-4-Parts. https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Product&ProdID=987 Ask them about the coil seal.

** Fit a pair, because the other coil will soon fail.

I remove the battery box and ECU because it gives much better access. But you "can" replace the coils without doing that.

 

[koalar]

. Is that pure luck, or could I have found the reason?

Only time will tell

And if so, is it possible it will last until October?

As long as it stays air tight it's fine, done similar myself until part arrive and been fine

When it's running rough will it still drive up a slope


Does it fail when diving and gets hot, or only when restarted from hot

 

[Mike1alike]

Engine good cold but rough hot is often a coil issue. It has two coils each firing two plugs at the same time. A weak coil will often drop one plug before it finally gives up. You need to get an OBD scanner to read the codes. They are not expensive.

That's true. And if the coil is bad you need to replace it as soon as possible otherwise it can damage the ECU. Bad coil makes shortcut inside and that can toast the ECU transistors, ECU being just upstream coils.