Does Redex or similar really work, is it worth putting in the petrol of the Panda (which is taking rather a long time at the moment to warm up) with the choke needing constant attention to prevent the thing stalling?
Bill
|
Have you checked the thermostat is working ok? If it is stuck open then that could explain why the car is taking longer to warm up and why it is worse when cold. I used to use the pukka aerosol carb cleaner on my old fiat and that seemed to make it run better for a while. You can also squirt the cleaner all over the carb and listen for a change in revs which would indicate an air leak. Saved a lot of diagnosis time for me more than once!
teabelly
|
|
If non-catalyst have you checked mixture is at specified CO. Are plugs light brown or white if mixture too weak.
|
Andrew
I borrowed a Gunson CO meter off a friend and its set to about 1.5 based on that. When I first tried it, it was at 0.6. I changed the plugs for NGK Rs any way and gapped to 28thou which was reccommended by the local Fiat agent, the old plugs where some Uniparts with over 40 thou and where too white, the engine ran on as well.
Bill
|
|
|
|
Spray carb cleaner and an old toothbrush. Take the carb off if you can and do it on the bench. Clean the venturi and butterfly VERY GENTLY with a little brasso, especially round the edges that form the (very small) throttle opening at idle. I do this every year on the throttle of my injected car - it makes quite a difference to the economy if its not done.
Personally I won't touch Redex anymore - never had any positive results with it, even gummed up vacuum lines with it.
|
|
|
Redex never done anything for me either, I thinks its a complete waste of money and a con to sell tiny bottles of paraffin for £5! Maybe it had some effect on early 70's motors without ecu's and cat's, but I've tried it on my previous cavalier many times and didn't do anything for me. Also tried slick treatment in the oil and gearbox, another waste of money!!!
Simon
_____________________________________
SVPworld (incorporating PSRworld)
www.svpworld.com
|
I poured neat redex into the intake on the Rover and it noticably smoothed out a slightly hesitant tick over.
Now I know it's parafin I might find a cheaper source though.
--
Parp, Parp!
Note: All Toad posts come with an implied smiley.
|
Hi Toad !
"Now I know it's parafin..."
No disrespect to Spyworld, but could we have his qualifactions as an industrial chemist please.
Red X has never claimed to be a carburettor cleaner - it is an upper cylinder lubricant, designed to lubricate upper piston rings and valves.
Certainly sounds like the Panda has a carb blockage or an induction air leak. Bill, have you checked the distributor vacuum unit - this is a common failure and results in a major air leak beck to the manifold at all times, as it is a direct supply , not ported (which would only supply vacuum when throttle is partially open)?
Regards, Adam
|
Adam
What is the best way to check for a leak?
Bill
|
Hello again Bill.
To check vac advance unit, pull off the black pipe and attach a similar a sized piece of pipe to the unit. Blow down the pipe. If you feel a solid blockage the rubber diaphram should be OK. If you can blow through the unit, it is faulty and needs to be changed. Fiat part 9939936. This is a "known failure" item.
To change, you will need to remove the distributor. This has an offset key, so it is not be possible to put it back in the wrong place. However, to be on the safe side, note the rotor arm position on removal and do not allow the engine to be spun over whilst distributor is removed.
Suggest check timing and condition of cap and leads at this time.
Static is 2deg BTDC.
Rgds, petel@clara.co.uk
|
Pete
Thanks I will check it this weekend, kid and wife permiting. The daft thing is I know these things but don,t have the correct data to check to make sure they are OK. I'm just to tight to buy the Haynes manual.
Bill
|
Hello again Bill.
This and a lot of other things, you will not find in either of the Haynes manuals.
Rgds, Pete.
|
|
|
|
That reminds me of a dumb thing I can admit to after 20 years...
When I was a student I had an old Maxi 1500. In my ignorance I decided one reason it might be slow was it could do with a decoke. So I poured Redex through each spark plug hole, put rags in the holes and turned the engine over. I really hadn't thought this through (I was only an engineering student after all). This resulted in the car parked in front of mine being liberally sprayed with Redex. Sorry.
|
Svpworld says that redex might be useful in early 70's engines.
I've got a few early 50's motoring magazines. Redex was a cure all then, according to the adverts. Considering the small amount you get for your money, they're probably still using the original barrel of oil.
|
|
|
|
