Technical power loss when warm

[craigalex40]

hi, new here and hope you can help.
i have a marea 1.6 sx weekend, 2001 y plate, and i realy like my car, not had any major probs in the last year i have had it....BUT. the last few days i hve been noticing that the engine is not responding to the throttle properly, it feels like it is being starved. i thought it would pass and left it for a couple of days but the problem has become worse. today i was stoped at lights and when i tryed to pull away it felt like it was going to stall so, foot on clutch and dabbed accelerator.... nothing, foot flat on floor... nothing, then after a few seconds revved up, pulled away but was wanting to stall and had huge dead spots in the power, nothing, nothing then back to norm. other symptoms include a chugging noise from engine when ideling, dropping revs to verry close to stall when ideling, although has not stalled yet. and the temp gauge was reading a little high, normaly dead center but now a but on the high side. have checked for oil in water and vice versa, nothing. thought it could be the fuel filter, but then discovered the marea dosnt have one, so topped up with optimax and redX, but its still doing it. have had two mates have a look, who used to be mechanics but they found nothing wrong. besides the symptoms dont show when car is cold, only after about 45mins.

please help!!

 

[dave]

welcome to here

cam sensors are a common fault on these i believe, not sure if they are heat related though, lambda sensors are iirc.
it must have a fuel filter who says it hasnt?

 

[craigalex40]

phoned a fiat dealership, they said it did not have an in line fuel filter, only a gause in the tank. which would be a big job to change, or even look at.

 

[horse]

had almost exact problem and fiat diagnostics said it was fuel potentiometer -
but beware as not cheap and didnt solve problem . since had recon ecu but still having problems. if i get to bottom of mine will let you know- please do likewise if you solve it as im sure weve got same problem

 

[craigalex40]

took it to the fiat dealership today, they recon its a blowing exaust manifold causing the lamda sensor to get wrong readings, sounds fairly plausable.
however they want £50 an hour + $65 for new sensor + £85 for new manifold to fix it so will be sourcing parts myself and getting my mechanic mate to do the work for the price of a couple of beers. will let you know if it works.

 

[polecat]

Check under the rear drivers side wheel arch for a removable panel. The fuel filter will be there if fitted.