General Panda (very) Hard To Start

[Hawklord]

Hello everone, i'm Hawklord,and i have the (mis)fortune of living at Britain's most westerly, which probably also means, i have Britain's most westerly (and possibly southerly too) Panda.
It's a 1990 750L, manual Weber choke, and features weird football wheeltrims, showing a tad under 62k, and was bought on eBay at the weekend, with a full MOT.
I drove it back 125 miles last night, and noticed it was spluttering and coughing, but, nevertheless, made it home ok.
Unfortunatly, when i tried to start it this afternoon, it took a very long time, and the battery was almost dead by the time it spluttered into life.
Had a scan in the bonnet area, and, then started reading threads on here.
The only dodgy thing i managed to find,was the vacuum advance pipe was split, which i have fixed, took it out for a blast over Goonhilly, and, no spluttering.
i have to get this started for the 25 mile slog to work at 6am tomorrow....is it likely to start from cold??....would the split pipe cause starting problems??

Thanks, and, Hi to everyone!

 

[zulu705]

Hi and welcome.

I think the split pipe would prob not have helped with the the starting so it should be better with it fixed. There are much more knowledgeable than me on here though.

Post up some pics of the panda is it an Italia 90 then?

 

[nitro_warrior]

You don't have much time to do stuff for tomorow! It sounds like it could be a weak spark. As it's a new car (to you) you should give it a service including spark plugs leads, distributer cap and rotor arm. In the meantime make sure all the connections on the HT spark plug leads are good and most importantly. Undo the distributer cap and clean the contacts inside, and also the rotor arm contacts, they should all be a nice shiney copper colour not black (except the sprung graphite contact in the middle of the cap).

As well as that, if it is a weak spark, it will almost certainly start well if you are able to hook up jump leads from another car.

In the long term the distributer position might be out a bit or the timing might be a bit slack (Can't remember if it's chain or a belt in a 750).

Hope you get to work on time!

 

[Hawklord]

Well, it did start this morning, fortunatly, and yesterday evening, i bought a load of servicables for it, new leads, condensor, points, air filter, etc.....hopefully it will prove to be as reliable as my last Panda, another 750L in a fetching blue colour.
It is a Italia '90, and here's a piccy of it!

 

[Hawklord]

Oops, it cost me the princely sum of £265, it has 5 months tax, and a full MOT (it failed on bulbs,tyre etc.... no rust underneath at all, with no advisory) .

Due to the nature of my job, i have to have a very low group car, im 35 and to insure costs £420.........( for a year, not a decade!)

 

[T14086]

do you know bob calvert

 

[Hawklord]

Robert Calvert?.....god rest his soul........a true musical legend.....

 

[T14086]

ahhhhhhhh a man of good musical taste I see

 

[Hawklord]

Saw the Hawks b4 xmas at Exeter Phoenix........at the time, i was the Master of the Universe.......zzzzz:slayer:

 

[T14086]

saw them in 79 & a few times in the early 80's with nik turner:worship: (was actually listening to space ritual saturday night for first time in years!)

 

[Plug]

Well, it did start this morning, fortunatly, and yesterday evening, i bought a load of servicables for it, new leads, condensor, points, air filter, etc.....hopefully it will prove to be as reliable as my last Panda, another 750L in a fetching blue colour.
It is a Italia '90, and here's a piccy of it!

Welcome!

Another Italia '90, they are rare beasts even by Panda standards. Fellow FF member Alan.D (mod of the Barchetta section) has one, which he's planning on doing up after buying it for a pittance. You and he may well have information to exchange

Cheers,

Plug

 

[Hawklord]

He may be welcome to the ridiculous wheeltrims, they are causing endless ribbing at work!
I never expected anybody to be as passionate about these little cars as folks on here.
I cannot see how anybody could need anything else, it has 4 wheels, an engine and 5 seat belts, and cost peanuts....why spend £xxxx on another car??.....
Prior to this, i had a Trabant.....i've always liked to be that little bit different..not many pandas left now, im going up to the scrappy at the weekend, there are 3 good ones within striking distance, im always willing to help folk out if i find one up there....i shall keep you all posted...

 

[JimMagill]

The wheel trims are worth more than the car!!!!

Jim

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

The wheel trims are worth more than the car!!!!

Jim

He right you know! I'd cable tie them to the car so they dont fall off or going 'missing' easily.

 

[Alan.D]

Looks like an excellent little example If you don't want the wheel trims I'll certainly take them off of your hands but I'm sure you would miss them as it part of the little car's character. Plus all those ribbing you I bet drive some mundane piece of characterless crap that no one would give a second look.

 

[Alan.D]

Oops, it cost me the princely sum of £265, it has 5 months tax, and a full MOT (it failed on bulbs,tyre etc.... no rust underneath at all, with no advisory) .

Due to the nature of my job, i have to have a very low group car, im 35 and to insure costs £420.........( for a year, not a decade!)

What job do you have? I bought a brand new panda 57 plate in Nov and have it insured buisness use (police/emergency services) and it's only £140 odd for the year.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

What job do you have? I bought a brand new panda 57 plate in Nov and have it insured buisness use (police/emergency services) and it's only £140 odd for the year.

So yours is a real Police 'Panda Car'

So what job do you do to need police/emergency service business insurance?

 

[Alan.D]

I am a police officer, so if going to court etc I need buisness insurance cause technically I'm on police buisness.

 

[Hawklord]

My job involves carrying other peoples goods around, in a van that i don't own, whilst avoiding Plod!

No, im not a burgular............ im a white van courier man.......a job that attracts more points than a Winmau dart board at Frimley Green.
I also used to own a 125cc Sooooped up Monkey Bike, a vehicle so crazy, you just have to "Monkey" around......which attracted a unwanted Jam Sandwich on very sunny aftenoon!.....and subsequent proscecution......
I have been very foolhardy of late, and have to pay the consequence of higher insurance premiums.

 

[JimMagill]

I know the feeling... Starting your panda in a Fiat dealers and then letting it tear driver less thou their show room hitting several brand new cars does not really endear you to insurance companies

'YOU DID WHAT????' is the usual response, lol!

Jim