Panda (Classic) Charmanda(er) The Panda

VmanC · Nov 24, 2013

I fitted new exhaust manifold gaskets shortly before you bought her so the manifold bolts may come undone ok.

When you fit a new cam cover gasket make sure you put silicone in the corners either side of the camshaft bearing caps or it will still leak.

blu73 · Nov 24, 2013

is the cam cover like a cinq?? as in don't overtighten them - the 1108spi engines should be just over finger tight really or they just leak. Just thought i would mention as would be most annoying to do that, I found that out the hard way on my first cento.

Didge3 · Nov 24, 2013

Thanks for all the info guys

Exhaust bolts don't look too bad, oil leak appears to have stopped them rusting so might loosen off easily. I don't think I'll tackle it though as she's in pretty regular use and don't want to make anything worse. I'll source a gasket for the exhaust and do that after I'm finished at Uni in about 3 weeks ish so I won't be relying on the car as much...

Oil leak, don't like to do work on the head, scared of over tightening bolts etc and messing things up so I think I'll get someone to do that.... VmanC

blu73 · Nov 25, 2013

your gonna have to get your hands dirty some day Didge, may was well do something easy first, like this.. Worst that can happen is it still leaks, annoying yes but you'd be in no worse state than you are already lol.

Didge3 · Nov 25, 2013

blu73 said:
your gonna have to get your hands dirty some day Didge, may was well do something easy first, like this.. Worst that can happen is it still leaks, annoying yes but you'd be in no worse state than you are already lol.

But Vern is so near.... I'll see how exhaust gasket goes... To be honest, I like she's losing about 250ml of oil every 150ish miles so its hardly extreme, I've got about 3L of oil in the back now so can do tops ups anywhere

Most Easterly Pandas · Nov 25, 2013

blu73 said:
your gonna have to get your hands dirty some day Didge, may was well do something easy first, like this.. Worst that can happen is it still leaks, annoying yes but you'd be in no worse state than you are already lol.

:yeahthat:

Most Easterly Pandas · Nov 25, 2013

Didge3 said:
But Vern is so near.... I'll see how exhaust gasket goes... To be honest, I like she's losing about 250ml of oil every 150ish miles so its hardly extreme, I've got about 3L of oil in the back now so can do tops ups anywhere

I'd have said that's very extreme for a Panda tbh. Our Victoria had a weeping rocker gasket, but still doesn't require topping up of oil even when used daily.

Didge3 · Nov 25, 2013

Most Easterly Pandas said:
I'd have said that's very extreme for a Panda tbh. Our Victoria had a weeping rocker gasket, but still doesn't require topping up of oil even when used daily.

Ok well its not a very accurate guess, to be honest I have no idea, I topped up the oil after doing 200miles because she had appeared to have dropped just off the dipstick (the flat 'acceptable range' not the entire stick) so I put 1/4 of a litre in. But I'm not sure when the oil leak started....

Most Easterly Pandas · Nov 25, 2013

Ah right. No worries. Tbh from the pics it doesn't look too major.

Didge3 · Nov 25, 2013

I remembered I got a video of the exhaust leak, can't really see anything useful but you will notice the bolts looks pretty new and unrusty

(Unrusty is hereby forth a word)

I do warn you, turn your volume down as it's quite loud being right next to the exhaust....

blu73 · Nov 25, 2013

Didge3 said:
But Vern is so near.... I'll see how exhaust gasket goes... To be honest, I like she's losing about 250ml of oil every 150ish miles so its hardly extreme, I've got about 3L of oil in the back now so can do tops ups anywhere

Exactly, if something goes wrong, fret not - Vern is just over there to help

Dragon Man · Nov 25, 2013

i snapped the studs off my manifold replacing the missing gasket. now they have stainless nuts and bolts holding it together.

come at me rust.

Didge3 · Nov 27, 2013

Well shes thrown herself into a right old strop.
Went to go check her oil, start her up and give her a little drive because shes supposed to be doing a lot of miles this weekend.
She was a total pain to start and took several minutes in which I'm surprised the battery didn't die.
When she finally got going she ran on choke just fine, run her up to a decent temperature and then set off (still using a little choke though) got about a mile and she was at about 70C so I killed the choke, but then next time I stopped when I dipped the clutch she almost conked out

So went back and parked up, she won't idle very well.... At first I thought maybe the alternator is under a lot of load having to charge the battery up after all that cranking but she hunts for idle rather than just sits at a low RPM.
With a tiny amount of choke she runs fine but even up to full temperature (fan kicked in a few times) she's hunting for idle dropping to ~400rpm and pulling herself back up to 1200

I filmed it so you can see whats going on, I blip the throttle a couple of times and near the end I pull the choke out a tad which gets her at a steady idle.

Help!

Most Easterly Pandas · Nov 27, 2013

Didge3 said:
Help!

This answer will be taken one of two ways by different people

It's cold, damp, and dark out there - having breakdown assistance is pointless if you never use it

I'd be calling the AA / RAC out and let them have a tinker. Then again me and carbs don't mix too well

Didge3 · Nov 27, 2013

Most Easterly Pandas said:
This answer will be taken one of two ways by different people

It's cold, damp, and dark out there - having breakdown assistance is pointless if you never use it

I'd be calling the AA / RAC out and let them have a tinker. Then again me and carbs don't mix too well

Yeah I know little about carbs. I've got breakdown cover but nothing fancy like RAC or AA.

Went back out after posting, started fine since she was still showing 50C on temp, ran on a little choke till she showed about 80 then. Doing the same hunting for idle :bang:
Drove her for about 7 or 8 miles to see if she'd clear herself up or something but she remained the same, even cut out at one junction when the revs dipped so low...
VmanC any ideas? Could you have a look anytime soon?

VmanC · Nov 28, 2013

She's sounding pretty clattery on your video, like she's running on three cyls.

Could have a quick look on Friday if you can get to me.

Didge3 · Nov 28, 2013

VmanC said:
She's sounding pretty clattery on your video, like she's running on three cyls.

Could have a quick look on Friday if you can get to me.

She clatters when she dips below about 600rpm but she pulls well once shes going, doesn't seem down on power, she is a bit louder than usual due to the exhaust leak though.
I'll PM you.

Didge3 · Nov 28, 2013

I got a better video where I don't interfere as much. I let her do her own thing, don't touch the throttle or choke. Did switch the lights off at the end which brings the revs up to about 800 which makes her drivable (well she won't cut out anyway) but she still hunts around.

VmanC · Nov 28, 2013

Hmm, you may have got dirt in the carb. Have been low on fuel recently ?

Didge3 · Nov 28, 2013

VmanC said:
Hmm, you may have got dirt in the carb. Have been low on fuel recently ?

Nope, last time I put fuel in the petrol light had been on for about 10miles so not dangerously low. I really have no idea with this

definitely seems carb related, she runs perfectly with a tiny amount of choke on, no smoke from exhaust once up to temperature. Will have a look tomorrow when its light so I can see better.

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