General Seat Panda Terra

[Alixcompo]

Not a bad day. I drove to see Pandasport to show him the car. It only broke down twice on the way there and twice on the way home....!
Not bad for a journey of under 40 miles.
The problem is still fuel starvation and once home I reluctanly dropped the tank and............. pulled out a snot of silicone.
I think that is my fault. Bug*er. I wiped a little arounf the tank sender when I refitted it and a frill must have blobbed off into the tank as I bolted the sender down.
It must have been randomly getting sucked into the fuel pick up tube.
It was blocking the supply so well that I couldn't physically blow it back.
I managed the loosen the valve of the spare wheel and stuck the fuel pipe over it so that 30 psi could do the job.

To add insult to injury one of my 'new' driveshaft boots has split. The 'new' one came with the car and I wonder if they were nos (new old Stock) and were actually quite aged.


Other than that the car is doing ok as all the disperate parts bed in together.
The last time any 2 parts on the car were together was when the were manufactured in Italy............. Or was that Spain...?

 

[Alixcompo]

OK so now it's taking the p**s

Having put my hands up for dropping something into the fuel tank I have dropped, flushed, inspected and refitted the tank.
I also replace the split driveshaft boot that was a new one anyway. Did I say "it was so easy I could do it in the dark?"
Well I had to do it in the dark; and by torchlight
It wasn't easy at all. Those 3 bloody little silly bolts that you can get back in.................... Anyhow

So off I go today and the car is still the same. Stops if you go faster than 45 mph. Broke down twice in 12 miles.
Jokes over; it has to be the fuel line collapsing. so I replaced it.
I was visiting someone at the time. They asked me how I was doing and I said that now I had successfully sabotaged the little car so that I couldn't draw up any fuel at all..........!
After an hour I set off. Now I had loads of fuel but the engine was running like a bag of nails. Not only would it not tick over, pull without misfiring and not even achieve normal running temperature.
Classic air leak.
But if I wasn't breaking down I'd be damned if I was stopping..
Later (after stripping the carb for no good reason) I found that the blank I had fitted on the carb to air filter vacuum device (which anyone with an once of sense should blank off immediately) must have become dislodged in the replumbing excitement and was open to air.
Once blocked off with some petrol hose and a 13mm bolt; normal service was resumed.
Now for the leaking an rattly exhaust.

 

[VmanC]

You say your split drive shaft boot was new? Is it the early smooth type with the plastic bush by any chance, and did it split where it goes around that bush?

 

[Alixcompo]

You say your split drive shaft boot was new? Is it the early smooth type with the plastic bush by any chance, and did it split where it goes around that bush?

Yes and yes

 

[VmanC]

Yes and yes

:chin: I've had this twice also. How old was it exactly and who was your supplier?

 

[Alixcompo]

It came in a box of new bits for the car so I don't know.
I've replaced it with a used one.

 

[VmanC]

It came in a box of new bits for the car so I don't know.
I've replaced it with a used one.

Ah ok, sorry for the interrogation, it's just that both mine came from the same supplier and split in the same place after only two months, had yours come from the same place we would clearly have had an issue. The supplier says he's not aware of anyone else having this problem so I'm not sure what to think until I get further evidence.

Could be a good idea to change to the later bearing type though.

 

[Palio]

Ah ok, sorry for the interrogation, it's just that both mine came from the same supplier and split in the same place after only two months, had yours come from the same place we would clearly have had an issue. The supplier says he's not aware of anyone else having this problem so I'm not sure what to think until I get further evidence.

Could be a good idea to change to the later bearing type though.

Is one Casper? I'm intrigued how one can have gone if both were replaced, unless it was faulty?

 

[Alixcompo]

Or go for re-cycled ones.

The boot is in another garage just now (I swapped it onto the donor shaft) but I shall post pics when I get a chance. I bet it is identical to yours.
Very strange place to split as well.

 

[VmanC]

Is one Casper? I'm intrigued how one can have gone if both were replaced, unless it was faulty?

No not Casper, his isn't split in one place on an otherwise new boot, his is cracking in lots of places from old age.

 

[Alixcompo]

No not Casper, his isn't split in one place on an otherwise new boot, his is cracking in lots of places from old age.

I'm a bit like that. Cracking from old age:slayer:

 

[Palio]

No not Casper, his isn't split in one place on an otherwise new boot, his is cracking in lots of places from old age.

Ok thanks - if there aren't 2 new boots on there (which I supplied), I'm not going to be pleased with the person I paid to do it......

 

[VmanC]

Ok thanks - if there aren't 2 new boots on there (which I supplied), I'm not going to be pleased with the person I paid to do it......

O/s one is definately old, will try and remember to take a pic for you.

 

[Alixcompo]

No exciting news; in fact I haven't broken down for at least two days. (Probably until I said the words)
Modified the exhaust which isn't clanging against the sump guard any more.
Pretty much sorted; even got the speedo working...................... Which prompts a bit of a strange situation...........
The Panda Terra goes into store and the next project comes out.
Hmmn; what could it be....?

 

[Alixcompo]

You say your split drive shaft boot was new? Is it the early smooth type with the plastic bush by any chance, and did it split where it goes around that bush?

I bet this looks exactly like yours





Proper split ..............:yuck:

 

[VmanC]

I bet this looks exactly like yours





Proper split ..............:yuck:

Yep, identical.

 

[Alixcompo]

Can only be a dodgy batch:bang:

 

[Alixcompo]

The small neglected one soldiers on (that's like a bit of a pun as it's painted NATO green)

I changed the carb, manifold gasket and spark plugs to try and lose a 'Flat spot' which has become a little tedious.

It is definately the result of a slightly weak (fuel) mixture as a touch of choke and it's gone.

However the plugs are a perfect straw colour so the problem lies elswhere.

A compression test found only one decent cylinder so I'm guessing the valves would like a re-grind.

For the time-being I chucked in a dose of 'K Seal' which I had knocking about. So if there are any head gasket issue this will deal with them temporarily.

In the ,meantime I shall continue to run it around and see if the fuelling settles down at all. If not I'd better order a gasket set..............

The car continues to be highly amusing and provokes more interest than any cheap runabout ever should.

 

[Alixcompo]

Well the flat spot hasn't improved so I'll be findind a spare head to regrind and ordering a gasket set.

Being both a glutton for punishment and a very slow learner you may recall that I broke one windscreen on removal and at least one more on refitting.

A niggling problem has been a small water leak around the screen when it rains (ok so it would be hard to spot the leak when it wasn't raining..!!)

Nothing for it but to take the screen out.



I seem to have perfected my technique and the glass remained intact.
I didn't want to put sealer all over everything so I cover the windscreen 'Seam' with Gaffa tape.
I work on the theory that at least that can stop any moisture transferring from the outside to the inside.



I replaced the screen, again successfully, and a heavy overnight shower seems to have been held at bay. Rah:slayer:

My simple screen changing method is simply to use 10mm cord/rope around the screen seal. Push it in very firmly to remove the glass and pull hard to refit.

 

[firstcar-Y10]

I have also learnt the hard way that there are 2 and possibly three different types of wiper motor fitted over the production period.
The early ones has an intermitent delay relay fitted and the motor self parked every one sweep. So the delay gave it a pop and it wiped and parked.
Later models had all the clever delay stuff build into the motor itself. once it got a signal it kept going and going (and going) and used a regular switching relay to give a jab of 'Earth' contact to signal the motor to stop and park (I fried two of these before I found this out)
There seems to be a very late motor that only had two wires going to it but I haven't found out much about them yet.
In their wisdom the only diagram Fiat provided to all the manuals was for the early intermitent delay unit. There lies the problem.

I have another plan now........... It's very secret......... It will work and no bets on how many more wiper motors I can get through.

While ago now but can you remember the final conclusions on this? Grumbleweed was originally the separate relay type which hasn't worked right for years, but I have a later type sitting in the garage waiting to be fitted. I only have one so any hints as to how it connects up without doing any frying would be good