Q: Hi. My wifes fiat 500 1.2 8v engine became weird on idle.

asked by on July 06, 2017

Hi. My wifes fiat 500 1.2 8v engine became weird on idle. When on idle with all electronic appliances OFF it idles fine. As soon as I turn heating or headlights or any other electronics idle messes up it sounds like its about to stall and back to normal at very precise every 3 seconds. More electrics on- more rattle. I have tested the battery and an alternator which appears to be fine. Parts replaced but no luck: solenoid valve, map sensor, spark plugs, spark leads, ignition coil, throttle body. Any ideas please?

My car has 54000 miles.

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First you want to be sure there is no air getting into the engine without passing through the Mass Air Flow sensor (MAF) check for any leaks around hoses or rubber boots connecting to the intake. After that I begin to suspect that there is some crud buildup in the throttle body around the edged of the throttle when it is closed. This buildup can be removed using solvents and a clean cloth, but the procedure can be tricky because you can damage the throttle motor by manhandling the throttle. If you want help with this you can contact Your Mechanic. They will send a technician to your home or office to check out your Fiat’s Idling problem and let you know what it will take to solve it.

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