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Anything that crops up when its stripped would apply wherever its done. But even if the engine is shot its still cheaper to fit a good used engine than replace the car.
Technical Violent juddering
- Thread starter PuntoSS
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Technical Violent juddering
Just been on the phone to the guy at the garage.
He said he did a compression test and there doesn't seem to be any problems with the headgasket, the headgasket reported back as fine.
They did a diagnostics test and the faults that were coming back were "LOW BATTERY" and "COIL PACK 1 FAULTY", tested a second hand coil pack on it to no avail, also changed the spark plugs which cut out the juddering.
The Coil pack was changed by Fiat in November because their diagnostics system was reading the same thing. I asked him to try a different battery but the battery is only a year old which is really baffling.
He seemed pretty certain the headgasket was fine, though. I explained Nationwide did their tests and they said "headgasket" but he didn't seem to think it was. He said he could change the headgasket if I wanted but it could be a lot of un-necessary money spent.
Anyone got any further ideas?
He said he did a compression test and there doesn't seem to be any problems with the headgasket, the headgasket reported back as fine.
They did a diagnostics test and the faults that were coming back were "LOW BATTERY" and "COIL PACK 1 FAULTY", tested a second hand coil pack on it to no avail, also changed the spark plugs which cut out the juddering.
The Coil pack was changed by Fiat in November because their diagnostics system was reading the same thing. I asked him to try a different battery but the battery is only a year old which is really baffling.
He seemed pretty certain the headgasket was fine, though. I explained Nationwide did their tests and they said "headgasket" but he didn't seem to think it was. He said he could change the headgasket if I wanted but it could be a lot of un-necessary money spent.
Anyone got any further ideas?
I'd take his word over nationwide! He could have easily fleeced you telling you it was a head gasket but he hasnt! If compression is ok then head gasket is alright. Doesn't matter how old the battery is but if car hasnt been used much or alternator is faulty, or small journeys etc then the battery can easily be worn out and loose its charge!
Yeah. I use the car locally but I do a 12 mile round trip to work once per week which usually gives it a run. I've also done about 50 miles on Monday mornings the past couple of weeks.
The mechanic I spoke to was really baffled by it. But this still doesn't solve the problem of having no heating, juddering and cutting out/stalling.
Maybe it's time for a new ECU? Thoughts, people?
The mechanic I spoke to was really baffled by it. But this still doesn't solve the problem of having no heating, juddering and cutting out/stalling.
Maybe it's time for a new ECU? Thoughts, people?
Nah ECU least likely to be causing it! 12 mile round trip isnt much good! No heating can only really be an airlock then, sort that first and see if it cures any other problems at same time! Didi you try cleaning throttle body?
I didn't get a chance, but I will mention it to the mechanic in the afternoon, he asked me to phone him back. He's going to try a new battery, see if that solves the problem, otherwise I will mention airlock / throttle body and see what he thinks about that.
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Make sure he fully bleeds the coolant system. There should be no gurgling noises. Also see if you can borrow a battery and see if it helps stop the juddering.
Okay guys, he found the problem and resolved it for me. There was an airlock. He showed me the work he'd done and I was satisfied. Going to collect the car tomorrow.
Engine management light is still on... reporting "COIL 1 - FAULTY" and "BATTERY LOW" even though he has tried new coils and new batteries. I really don't know what's with that light. But never mind. Neither did Fiat.
Engine management light is still on... reporting "COIL 1 - FAULTY" and "BATTERY LOW" even though he has tried new coils and new batteries. I really don't know what's with that light. But never mind. Neither did Fiat.
Right. Just been to collect the car. Got in, started the engine and it was still vibrating like mad, the exhaust (which was doing it before as well) was also doing the same.
So the airlock fixed the heater but not this weird problem with the vibrating?
I went back in and told him it was still having problems and he came out and pulled out the (spark plugs?) one by one but to no avail.
He's cleaned the throttle body, flushed the coolant, got rid of the airlock, put a new battery in and he said it was running fine this morning.
I don't think it [the car] likes me. Whatever it is it's really putting me off Fiat big style.
Do you think someone could have put something right up the exhaust as a prank? I've been doing some research into things like tennis balls and potatoes, as someone suggested this could be what is causing the problem. Research suggests it would cause the engine to cut out.
What do you think?
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r20095141-Plugging-the-Exhaust-Pipe
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090413154204AAbVCDb
My engine does cut out, after revving at low speeds whilst the vehicle is vibrating.
So the airlock fixed the heater but not this weird problem with the vibrating?
I went back in and told him it was still having problems and he came out and pulled out the (spark plugs?) one by one but to no avail.
He's cleaned the throttle body, flushed the coolant, got rid of the airlock, put a new battery in and he said it was running fine this morning.
I don't think it [the car] likes me. Whatever it is it's really putting me off Fiat big style.
Do you think someone could have put something right up the exhaust as a prank? I've been doing some research into things like tennis balls and potatoes, as someone suggested this could be what is causing the problem. Research suggests it would cause the engine to cut out.
What do you think?
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r20095141-Plugging-the-Exhaust-Pipe
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090413154204AAbVCDb
My engine does cut out, after revving at low speeds whilst the vehicle is vibrating.
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Hmm throttle body cleaning cured it for me, is it ok when warms up still? If so Id check make sure there are no cracks, holes in air box and that filter isn't filthy or a hole in it? Make sure all air intake pipes are secure and tight.
Just take a look into the throttle body with engine off and see if you can see any dirt in there still!
All bit odd
Just take a look into the throttle body with engine off and see if you can see any dirt in there still!
All bit odd
I don't have the car, as it's at the garage, I only briefly saw it when I got back in it at the garage, but they're going to look after it and hopefully they can fix it on Monday.
I do hope they get to the bottom of it, though.
He said it was mis-firing on cylinders 1 and 4 again.
I might have to ring them and ask them to fill it up with Petrol, if they plan on test-running it more I won't be able to get it home!
I do hope they get to the bottom of it, though.
He said it was mis-firing on cylinders 1 and 4 again.
I might have to ring them and ask them to fill it up with Petrol, if they plan on test-running it more I won't be able to get it home!
Liason
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Hey im having a the violent juddering aswell, but only at idle as it seems to clear when im driving properly. Before this it had cut out a few times after revs fell on start up. However she runs fine and pulls fine when moving. Thinking this could be the throttle body?
Most likely yes
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Manifold air leaks do all sorts of odd stuff as they mess up the mixtures control. All sorts of leaks can happen in the pipes feeding into the manifiold including the brake servo.
Chafed wiring can upset things too. Often fine when its all still then rub when its running.
BTW has the cam sensor been checked - isnt that the one that's used to trigger the sparks
Chafed wiring can upset things too. Often fine when its all still then rub when its running.
BTW has the cam sensor been checked - isnt that the one that's used to trigger the sparks
Hi Ive just read thorugh all youre posts about the juddering and missfiring, and youre thread last year.
I have same problem and know youre pain! started nov 2009, when starting the car the engine shook violently and cut out, however I found that if I revved hard i could 'catch it' and it returned to normal although sometimes it just stalled. Engind fault light was on.
I took it to a local garage who replaced the battery and cleaned out the throttle body. This ciost me £145.00 and although the problem went away for a while it has returned worse than ever, and now fails to go when I start driving, the engine has very low power and sounds weird, although this is an intermittant problem. But today got even worse...and is no longer intermittant. My mate also has a Y reg punto, he had the same problem, a garage replaced the ECU with reconditioned parts, cost him £600, he says this seems to have worked...most of the time!! I dont know what to do!!!
Interestingly the problem is only there when it is damp...
I have same problem and know youre pain! started nov 2009, when starting the car the engine shook violently and cut out, however I found that if I revved hard i could 'catch it' and it returned to normal although sometimes it just stalled. Engind fault light was on.
I took it to a local garage who replaced the battery and cleaned out the throttle body. This ciost me £145.00 and although the problem went away for a while it has returned worse than ever, and now fails to go when I start driving, the engine has very low power and sounds weird, although this is an intermittant problem. But today got even worse...and is no longer intermittant. My mate also has a Y reg punto, he had the same problem, a garage replaced the ECU with reconditioned parts, cost him £600, he says this seems to have worked...most of the time!! I dont know what to do!!!
Interestingly the problem is only there when it is damp...
Wow, someone who has had the same problems as me! Do you find when you touch the accelerator it doesn't sound right? And you're right, sometimes when I floor the gas pedal it kicks in, but even then I'll leave it to idle and back comes the juddering!
Is the fault code coming up as "COIL PACK 1 - FAULTY" ?
Also, does the exhaust make a loud chugging noise? I'd describe the exhaust as sounding like a helicopter!
I'm in the same boat as well, if your mate said a new ECU solved it for him then it's got to be the ECU, as that's the only thing there isn't a test for and would explain why no-one is able to understand the bizzare problems and put them right.
Although as said earlier in the thread:
By all means do subscribe to this thread though, I'll let you know how mine gets on, hoping to have it back shortly.
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Alot of garages blame the ECU, fix the problem and charge you for an ECU! When it actually wasn't that!
I'm wondering what they clean the throttle body with and if it's possible to damage the sensor there. Been starting my car that had same problem, throttle body cleaned cured it and it does it again but I presumed it was to do with the cracked cylinder head this time! I don't drive the car and waiting to replace the engine but it's obviously throttle body linked somehow!
I'm wondering what they clean the throttle body with and if it's possible to damage the sensor there. Been starting my car that had same problem, throttle body cleaned cured it and it does it again but I presumed it was to do with the cracked cylinder head this time! I don't drive the car and waiting to replace the engine but it's obviously throttle body linked somehow!
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A new (or used if you know its ok) throttle body might help. But that's only guesswork.
Fuel mixture problem can be very weird - I had a 250 2 stroke bike that just wouldnt run right no matter what I did. 2 strokes are notorious for one adjustment upsetting all the others. I tried everything electrics plugs coils including changing carburettor jets, then one day it suddenly woke up and flew along then stopped - run out of petrol. All the time it had been set way too rich and as it ran out of fuel the mixture corrected.
A new carb totally sorted it. What was wrong with the old one? - not as clue it seemed fine, but it had been dumping the fuel in.
Maybe the throttle body has a fault that's doing something similar - way too much or too little fuel that's taking the settings outside anything the ECU can cope with so it trots out silly messages.
Its only a theory, but perhaps worth trying a new throttle body.
Fuel mixture problem can be very weird - I had a 250 2 stroke bike that just wouldnt run right no matter what I did. 2 strokes are notorious for one adjustment upsetting all the others. I tried everything electrics plugs coils including changing carburettor jets, then one day it suddenly woke up and flew along then stopped - run out of petrol. All the time it had been set way too rich and as it ran out of fuel the mixture corrected.
A new carb totally sorted it. What was wrong with the old one? - not as clue it seemed fine, but it had been dumping the fuel in.
Maybe the throttle body has a fault that's doing something similar - way too much or too little fuel that's taking the settings outside anything the ECU can cope with so it trots out silly messages.
Its only a theory, but perhaps worth trying a new throttle body.
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That's the difficult thing though, there's no test for an ECU so it's never possible to be certain that it is the ECU. Surely if it's a throttle body problem then it's staring them right in the face?
I trust the garage know what they're doing and everything but surely something like the throttle body would be obvious?
