Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg

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Sun 18 Mar 2007 22:37
Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg - Kirsty
Hi All,

I have some little problems with my first car which is a Punto 55 S 1996 (P Reg). As it is my first car I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to looking after the mechanical side of things yet!

Here goes...

Bought Car in January this year

Was all perfect until one morning taking my mum to work and I smelt some burning, then over heating light came on, I pulled straight over and my dad came to my need. There was no water in (But I had only checked my water 2 days before) So took car to a mechanic who found a leaky hose thingy and changed it (Its black and looks like a hose anyway)

Then I noticed my water was sometimes fine for weeks and sometimes disappears in days! and Oil not great either???

Then my car started doing bunny hops after a few minutes of running (Normally when I am entering the main road near to my home!) There is also a slight smell of petrol sometimes??

Then I was hoovering my car yesterday when I found my mats where soaking wet and both footwells have fluid in (Which my dad told me to taste to check to see if it was water or antifreeze. I thought he was taking the pink fluffy dice but he wasn't and it tasted very sweat!) Dad thinks it is heating matrix (He used to be a mechanic but like 15 years ago so he not totally up to date and does not have the tools anymore)

Can anyone advise on all or any of my little (hopefully cheap) issues?

Any help/advise will be greatly appriciated xxxxxxxxx

Kirsty


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Sun 18 Mar 2007 23:06
Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg - bell boy
you say you have sweat in the footwells?
are you harbouring a baboon up the back of the dash?
if you mean sweet as in sweety then you have a heater matrix leak
quite straight forward but unless you are willing to have the dash hacked then its a fairly long job to get to the matrix
if your dad used to be a mechanic then he should really relish the opportunity to get down and get under i would have thought?
plus only minimum tools are required ,its more labour than tech know how?
throw him the gauntlet and break the teapot out

good luck
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Sun 18 Mar 2007 23:07
Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg - Big Bad Bob
HI Kirsty your dad is spot on. it will be the heater matrix and yes the best way to tell is to taste it. not long term though not good for your guts hope this helps
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Mon 19 Mar 2007 10:15
Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg - Kirsty
Thanks alot.

Yes I ment sweet (Blonde me!)

Dad not looked at it yet so I will get him to look soon.

Thanks very muchly

Kirsty x
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Tue 20 Mar 2007 11:19
Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg - local yokel
Had exactly this in a P reg Punto. Bought a can of Bars Leaks from Halfords, followed instructions, and it worked.
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Tue 20 Mar 2007 12:41
Help needed with my Fiat Punto P reg - Chris M
And in the meantime, before your dad looks at it, don't let it run dry and overheat. Likely to lead to head gasket failure.
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