Fiat Panda awkward cold start, Ideas???

Last panda I worked on was a manual but the problem was in the carb, dirty jet (if i remember right it was the bottom one) also worth while cleaning all the jets and re-setting the floats as hey sometimes go off so to speak and don't level right.

HTH Martin

And check the vacuum pump is sucking properly while you're at it. Al

Cheers,

I'll check all that, must admit, never really worked much on a cab engine, most of mine have been fuel injected. Having dismatled the carb of the project car (Fiat 126) I have learnt a lot.

The Panda engine is probably the same as the one you worked on as it's the same one in the suto and the manual (1 litre though).

I'll probably take the carb off and clean it up and spray it through with carb cleaner, worked wonders on the 126. Oh, any ideas what the little cable that connects to the carb, near the bottom at the front? when we first got it (about a month ago) this dropped of and it wouldn't run properly until I found it and reconnected it, the haynes doesn't seem to mention it.

Tim

Sounds like the choke pull down diaphragm isnt working and its over-choking, so that needs checking, and possibly resetting and/or the diaphragm replacing. However once you have started the engine you should return the choke immediately to a point which gives just enough enrichment to allow the engine to accelorate smoothly when you demand it. - the choke isnt like a switch- its progressive. Try that first.

Tim..

Tim

That wire is of the idler switch if I remember its at the front of the carb - orange in colour (I think) I have the manual for this car if you should require any scans of it

Martin

Sounds like flooding. When you first start the engine, you do push the choke back in half way as soon as it fires, don't you? Despite what (seemingly) everyone says, flooded engines are best started in the manner you describe; with the chambers full of fuel, opening the throttle all the way will get loadsa air in there to balance it out quicker than just having a cuppa and waiting for the fuel to evaporate.

All of the above advice, and:

Check the wiring to the sensor in the dizzy if it's a FIRE engine. They fray and short out, and cause odd problems. Might be wholly unrelated, but it's worth checking out anyway. Drove me nuts for ages with my Panda until I figured it out.

Richard

Failing that it could be the points!

Martin