Fiat Punto questions

[briwire]

Just bought a 3 year old Punto 1.25 for my wife. It seems to have been looked after on the outside. It has done 23000 miles and the service history shows it had a service at 13000, a little late but not too bad. In the handbook there is no mention of a time interval for servicing, just mileage (eg nothing like 12000 or 12 months whichever the sooner).

I intend changing the oil this week. all parts look easy to get at. Is there anything to watch out for or anything to make the job easier? I see that the drain plug is a socket. Is it 12mm? I intend using Magnetec 10-40.

When I got the car home, I noticed that the coolant level was about an inch below the min level. I topped it up using a 50% mix of good quality red Ford antifreeze that I keep ready for topping my one year old focus. However, when I delved into the handbook I saw a warning about only topping up with Paraflu UP antifreeze, saying it doesn't mix with others. Is this a marketing ploy or is it likely to turn to cement or something nasty like that?

Is there anything else to keep on top of with Puntos. I've heard about the head gaskets blowing, but has that been resolved or is it still a problem?

lastly, on my focus, the coolant max and min are in a header bottle well above the engine level, so if the level dropped below min, there would still be coolant in the hose feeding the engine. On the Punto, it is at the side of the radiator. Does this mean that the level shown is exactly level with that surrounding the engine.

 

[^neo^]

Use genuine filters, and whatever oil is recommended in the handbook.
As for the antifreeze, i'd do a full drain and change with what is supposed to be in it, not something you have laying around in the shed

 

[Stivino]

The sump plug is indeed 12mm. I think there are two filters for that car (I take it that it's the 8 valve 1242cc). The most common one is the smaller diameter of the two. Your dealer should give you the right one.
Is the plastic filler neck on the radiator not marked high and low?

 

[briwire]

The oil filter looks very small compared to say a Ka filter.

Yes there are marks on the filler neck for Max and Min, but that's not the issue. I was wondering if the level that is seen in the filler neck is at the same height as that across the engine block, radiator and heater, as opposed to a Ford where the place where you fill is a header bottle that fills and drains into and from the engine as the temperature and pressure of the coolant changes.

My main question is whether accidentally adding a cup full of top quality Ford antifreeze (50%) would cause problems when it mixes with the Paraflu already in there. There is a note in the handbook (not easily seen telling you to only use Paraflu, but this could just bea marketing ploy as it also tells you to use some make of oil that I have never heard of). When you go into Halfords there are lots of types of antifreeze labelled Universal, mixes with everything. All the antifreezes that I know contain ethyl-glycol so surely they can't be that different from each other.

 

[Stivino]

I think the upper lever on the filler neck will be the same level as the upper water lever in the cyl head.
As long as the anti-freeze is the same specification it'll be ok to mix it, check the spec on the side of the bottle. If you're not sure drain the system and re-fill with A/F of the recommended spec.
I think the oil recommended by FIAT is Selenia, again just use one of the same recommended spec.
http://www.selenia.net/it/auto/intro4.asp

 

[captain_scarlet]

buy a punto new from a dealer you should get a spare engine included in the deal since head gaskets are a problem and the steel sumps are good for corroding and turning porus. core plug next to the t.belt water pump area is a good'un for leaking as well. don't worry if t.belt snaps though because valves dont hit the pistons so no damage.
clutches not too good either but at least the newer model puntos have good steering and suspension thats doesnt give much trouble. brakes can sometimes be a pest by uneven wear on the brake linnings front and rear and for some reason brake prices are farely high compared to other cars.
hope that doesnt put you off too much, some people just dont have any of these problems at all. pot luck i suppose.

 

[briwire]

Crikey, I'm worried sick now. The Punto is my sons who is 6 foot 4 and 19 years of age. We were limited with what he could buy due to insurance costs and his long legs, Fiestas, Corsas and Kas were too small.

Has Fiat managed to iron out a few of these faults recently. I'm hoping that a 3 year old car should be reliable for a couple of years at least.

 

[captain_scarlet]

try not to dwell on what could happen to that car of yours. every model of car has its list of problems, some more than others. a punto head gasket and clutch is a lot cheaper to do than say a corsa or escort/focus/fiesta so in one way repair costs are cheaper IF and WHEN they occur. best thing to do is just use the car, they dont like being stood still its bad for them.
just as well you didnt get a corsa, especially one with one of those 3cylinder engines. they really are pants engines and expensive to repair. ford ka, bullet proof engine but rubbish suspension and i've seen some fairly recent ones with rusty sills.
hell it almost makes the punto look good.

 

[libby lou lou]

Stay away from puntoe's

 

[bigears121]

maybee an old post but i must reply!!had 3 punto active sports 2 8 vakve,and 1 16 valve the last 1 was the newest,the sump went rusty after 2 years but got it changed via fiat,clutch replaced 3 times!! sold it with 28k on the clock,and upgraded to a mini cooper,cost me 10k for the mini,the build quality is fantastic.... but the little punto was a ace little car,all cars have there problems,but fiats are cheap and a cracking car!! look at the new 500,its going to be big.