Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping there's someone out there that can help me! my 1998 (S) HGT 147 has developed an issue.

The engine management light has come on, the syptoms are that at first start, when you press the accelerator the revs dip rather than increase, you have to put about 3000rpm on to pull away without stalling! Then as soon as I've driven off/the engine is warm, doesn't seem to bad, apart from a slight jerk/hesitation when you take your foot off the accelerator.

The temperature also doesn't raise past a quarter on the temp guage, this has only just started happening at the same time as the engine management light came on, would normally raise to half and quite happily sit there all day long.

I've taken it to an independant fiat garage but they are unable to communicate with the ECU, I've also had an independant mobile tuner, same thing couldn't speak to the ECU

Anybody with any ideas or troubleshooting tips?

Thanks for your help, in advance!

sounds like its gone into limp mode,
i had same prob with my ecu, but i changed a fuse, that was what caused my engine management light , and limp mode,
as for diag ive not had or needed 1 yet touch wood

Which fuse did you change? I haven't changed anything and I've checked the cabin fuses, not sure wther I should check anything else?

Power doesn't seem to be down when it's actually driving.

there is 2 red fuses side by side under steerin wheel (fuse box) thats what i changed, 1 does clocks the other does dash lights ie warning lights

seems wierd but it worked

depending on how stupid they were feeling that day, the could have been trying to talk to the ABS ecu.....

your looking at a temp censer in the thermostat, and or the thermostat has failed

They were definitely on the right diagnostic socket, in the engine bay on the passenger side.

Would the thermostat/temp sensor cause the stall at first start?

i doubt that..all that sensor will do is stop ya fan from kickin in when it gets hot.

could possibly be the maf???
unclip it with the engine running,see if ya revs race,..plug it back in to see if they settle..If the light goes out then its the maf at fault.

Also could be the Lambda sensor,that usually stops the car from idling and also stalls when coming to a stop.

Thanks for your advice guys, i think i need to get communication with the ECU first or it looks like i'm gonna be changing the thermostat/temperature sensor, lambda sensor and potentially still not resolving the problem.

Anyone got any ideas on the ECU, anywhere I can send it for test/repair or the location of the ECU so I can check everything is plugged in ok?

Where are you based?

Hi,

I'm based in Beverley, just above Hull.

Ah right, thers a guy in essex who is good with the 20v's. bit far for you though!

Has anyone triedhttp://www.ecu-testing.com orhttp://www.bba-reman.com/uk/index.aspx

I'm thinking that sending the ECU away to be teted/repaired is the first job......

Thanks for the suggestion Will, it is a bit far tho! Anyone know anyone up here?

There is some very bad advice on this thread

i doubt that..all that sensor will do is stop ya fan from kickin in when it gets hot.

"could possibly be the maf???
unclip it with the engine running,see if ya revs race,..plug it back in to see if they settle..If the light goes out then its the maf at fault. "

Thats wrong, your revs will not race, It WILL put the inject light back on. If the car can not get a reading from the MAF, or the reading it gets is out of range it will put a injector light on and default back to a base map, you will loose performance, but the car will idle and pull away fine

A temp senser will cause the injector light to come on and go in to a default safety mode and fire up the fans, mainly as if it cant read how hot the car is it likes to play on the safe side

anything to do with emissions control will also cause a injector light, this could be lambda

With your set of problems your looking at temp sensors or thermostat, If you can get to the Midlands area, I have a widget that will read ECU codes made specificity for the fiat coupe/hgt engine

The fans aren't coming on at all.....they normally would when the temp reached half way on the guage and would then kick in, would also normally kick in after I'd stopped the engine and car was parked (obviously depending on amount of driving)

Based on that, am I better off replacing the thermostat first or doin thermostat and temp sensors at the same time?

Where are the temp sensors located, I guess one i the top of the radiator (passenger side) is there one in the thermostat as well?

think 1 is located at bottom of the rad.
if none of your fans are kickin in,wire the fan plug to your battery see if it kicks in,if it does then you know your fan is ok.but in most cases it is down to the temp sensor.replace that first see how you get on.Think theyre around £5-10 from any motor factor,.

the rehastat (cant spell sorry) that controls the
high/low setting sounds like it playing up as well :S

You need to get it read to nail down the problem because at the moment if could be any one of about 4 problems

if you replace the stat, you may as well do the ECU temp sensor as well, its about 15 quid It would be silly not to do it wile your there

to go though the problems I have had

poor acceleration, stuttering at 4.5k = maf senser

poor idle, stalling when dipping clutch approaching = lambda senser

fans not spinning up at all till 110c = high speed, low speed rehastat switch

car not holding temp and not reaching halfway on temp, dropping cooler on motorway = thermostat (also replaced ecu temp senser

there are not many bits on this car I haven't replaced

Hi, Sam, how did you make the diagnostic reader? Is it something I can create myself with instructions and how much does it cost to make?

Fiat want £80 to read the codes and they'll still charge £80 if they can't!

Hi Matt,


For none FIAT Dealer diagnostics at stupid prices, Woodcock in Hull are your closest Independent Fiat specialists as advertised in the members discount sectionhttp://www.fiatboo.co.uk/discounts.htm however I wouldn't ever take either of my HGT's to them again.

The nearest place I would recommend ishttp://www.italiancarservices.co.uk/ over near Lincoln, they don't do BOO Member specific discounts but their prices are fair (£35+Vat for a diagnostic) & they know what they are doing!

Thanks Darren,

I normally use Italian Car Services tbh, just didn't want to drive the car that far when I don't know what the issue is, they've done all the major work on the car previously!

Last time I used woodcocks I got burnt as well, my car failed it's MOT first time until I insisted there was no issue with the power steering pump(which hasn't been replace 4+ years later) and then it passed it's MOT?!

But thought i have to find someone local!

You didn't used to live Lincoln way did you? Some years ago I happened to be making my way home from Hull & just after leaving the bridge another HGT in the same colour as mine came came racing up behind me. That bloke had recently moved up to Hull & recommended ICS.

Certainly was! lol, small world, I've bitten the bullet and booked it in to have codes read.....so will let everyine know the outcome when I've got it sorted, will probably be early next month now! I also have an Alfa to look after!