Fiat Punto diesel

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sat 2 Nov 2002 12:06
Fiat Punto diesel - Crinkly Dave
OK, so I bought one for the daughter despite HJ's description in the car-by-car breakdown. I had always thought Peugeot diesel was noisy when cold, but the Fiat makes it sound like a sewing machine.

Then I discovered you can't drain all the oil out of the engine, as nearly a pint is held in the oil cooler. This is cleverly situated just behind the front "bumper", so as to be handy for those five miles an hour collisions. And the rubber hose linking it to the engine, so conveniently placed to rot and fail.

Anyway, daughter loves it. When I borrowed it one day I noticed that the temperature gauge was only coming up about a quarter, and was liable to vary a lot when the heater was on (which seemed cold). I know the diesel will run cooler, but not this much. Recent radiator by the previous owner and full of antifreeze, so I diagnosed it was probably a failing thermostat. Years ago I used to take them out and test them before replacement, but you always lose some coolant, so I just decided to swap the thermostat. With £5 in my pocket (the Peugeot one was only £4) I popped down to Halfords. My suspicions were aroused, when they didn't start it, and weren't really willing to get one. I realised it must be like the later Cavaliers, where the thermostat was nonremovable from a simple housing.

My local motor factors agreed to get me one from Fiat. There are two types. £70 and £55.

I am testing this one!! Anyone any ideas of an alternative supplier. I may just buy the daughter a pair of thermal tights.
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