Introduction
Pepe is my 2007 Fiat Panda Dynamic Multijet! He's Grigio Havanna and that's what really attracted me to him in the first place. He's my daily workhorse and I look forward to many more roadtrips with him!
So I've almost had Pepe a month now and it already feels like we've been together forever! This little Panda has really got under my skin
So far I've just been using him as the daily workhorse and enjoying every moment.
This weekend I serviced him for the first time in my ownership and he definitely feels better for it. The last recorded service was 2021, so who knows... He might have been very overdue!
While I had him on the ramp I got to check out the underside, and I'm very impressed! Little to no rust at all, and for a 16 year old Panda, that's not bad going! I cleaned up and rust treated the rear beam and rear suspension and then undersealed the whole underside. Just abit of added protection for when the worst of winter hits.
Long live Pepe my little diesel Panda
Thank you very much! I was actually going to ask on here when they should be changed. He's just ticked over to 93k, so I'll get it done ASAPIt's been said many times, the timing chain will last for 100,000 miles. I believe it's considerably undersized). Just change it around that mileage and do the same again.
So worth fitting a double row chain?My broken timing chain (I bought the car like that) was only part worn. But links had fractured. I believe Fiat messed up the design but left it too late to fit a double row chain or better a timing belt like they have on every other engine based on the original FIRE concept
NoSo worth fitting a double row chain?
Oh wow! Pepe is on 93k pretty good service history tooNo
With regular oil changes the OEM chain is good for 300,000 miles
Unfortunately with secondhand car it not normally possible to see if it been regularly serviced unless the it's been service stamped or receipts kept
Already posted a 320K on original chainThe OEM chain is highly unlikely to last 300,000 miles. Mostly low speed and town stop-start will dramatically shorten it's life. As said, my timing chain was hardly worn and both sprockets were good. There is no oil that can protect an under-spec chain from a side link fatigue fracture.
Amazing! Mine seems to have been pretty well looked after. Doesn't use any oil or water and pulls very well.Already posted a 320K on original chain
Here's someone's elese
I've just changed my Combo, I'm on my 4th one now, they've all been 1.3 CDTi's.
I guess it all depends how well they've been looked after but the one I have just got rid of had 279,000 miles on the clock. I've learn't from past experience that regular oil & filter changes are the key to getting a decent life out of your engine, especially this chain driven 1.3 Fiat engine. I do mine every 10,000 miles ish (which is half the recommended interval) and given the mileage I do that equated to an oil change every 5 or so weeks. I put 220,000 miles on that van and other than an alternator and glow plugs it never had any work done to the engine.
And there plenty of others if you look at the combi owners
CoolAmazing! Mine seems to have been pretty well looked after. Doesn't use any oil or water and pulls very well.
I do around 15k a year, so I'll be doing oil changes every 10k minimum
I think I will just for peace of mind. I do have probably 2/3 seconds of rattle on cold startCool
What normally happens is
The oil gets dirty
The chain stetches
The tensioner either runs out of adjustment or jams, usually there is an increased rattling noise for the first few second on cold start up
The chain rattles on a bit longer until the side eventually let's go
If the service is unknown it would be prudent to fit or have fitted a new chain kit for peace of mind, but you have to make that decision for yourself
All sounds very expensive!The chain on mine was not significantly stretched. A sideways curve test would suggest about half worn. Main bearings, bores, oil pump and valves are in excellent condition suggesting good lubrication. However rockers and lifter ball joints all had significant wear and some rockers had broken up needle rollers. Rockers hit by the piston were of course broken, but hardly mattered as they all had to be replaced anyway.
Piston oil control rings were full of carbon. Shorter oil changes (or bypass oil filter) would deal with that.
Judging by the general wear in my engine (very little on bearings or bores), I'm not sure the rockers would last much longer than 130K. The ball ends were worn out and needles had fallen into the sump. These cannot be changed without lifting the cams which means removing the cam chain so you'd be changing that anyway.