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Save the Panda - an ongoing thread of discovery


SmokinWaffle

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Hello!

I'll preface this by saying I've been wanting to learn more about servicing/fixing my own cars instead of leaning on a friendly mechanic - so this thread will be me doing that on this car (I'm also working on my BX with various things)

This thread is for me to learn, and keep me motivated so I don't get too overwhelmed - as I know you are a helpful bunch.


For the past few months I've noticed a very sad looking 54 plate Panda sitting by the side of a derelict house - but kept forgetting to knock- and never saw anyone living there, coming or going.

Fast forward a few months and on my way back from having lunch at home I noticed two big 'ol clearance vans outside the house. 

So obviously I swung around and gave them my number to pass to the owner. Later that afternoon I get a call - it's his step-fathers car and he is now in a home and they are in charge of the car/house and it's future. Had a chat, had a look at it. Inside mouldy, outside covered in stuff but sub 35k miles (he only used it to goto Aldi and back) and the engine was spotless. Offered £100 as a punt.

He had to chat to his sister as she is next of kin/legal ownership now given the circumstances, she comes back with £200, I goto £150, we agree on £175. 

Scrap is £130 or so - £50 for a punt is worth a shot.

I go back to collect the next day:

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PXL_20201006_161041385.thumb.jpg.c77647b2034bb9bc196fd1fb08abdf7c.jpg

 

Hooked up some leads to my BX, after about 25 seconds of cranking and spluttering, it started. Engine sounded quite sweet, but an absolute Christmas tree of warning lights and bongs as expected.

Drove it the 20 seconds down the road to the back of my house on very perished semi-flat tyres and it actually drove okay. Power steering stopped working as I was parking but TATDS. Assuming all gremlins due to low voltages.

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It's full of crap, and covered in just as much, hoping to get the battery charged and it running semi reliably - give it a wash, clear it out, service it and MOT it then who knows. It's got Air Con which is posh for a panda. I think it's quite sweet.

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Charged the battery for a couple evenings, just tried it again today and it doesn't start and moans about ABD failure - so refuses to start.

Reading up this is something to do with the ABS, can be caused by a bad earth or low voltages. I'm assuming it's the latter as the battery has sat dead since at least Jan this year - although it looks like a fairly new Yuasa....new battery or more charging do we think?

Removed all the ABS fuses just for a punt - no dice.

Couldn't get my bluetooth ODB2 to connect either for some weird reason. It lit up and stuff, but couldn't connect to the ECU, maybe the car needs to be on...

  

Just now, Aston Martin said:

Eleganza alloys 👍

It is indeed an Eleganza!

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1 minute ago, SmokinWaffle said:

Charged the battery for a couple evenings, just tried it again today and it doesn't start and moans about ABD failure - so refuses to start.

Reading up this is something to do with the ABS, can be caused by a bad earth or low voltages. I'm assuming it's the latter as the battery has sat dead since at least Jan this year - although it looks like a fairly new Yuasa....new battery or more charging do we think?

Removed all the ABS fuses just for a punt - no dice.

Couldn't get my bluetooth ODB2 to connect either for some weird reason. It lit up and stuff, but couldn't connect to the ECU, maybe the car needs to be on...

 

They like a decent fresh battery. 

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59 minutes ago, Aston Martin said:

 

They like a decent fresh battery. 

I'll see how much one will be and get it done. Hopefully then I can get it started again and get on!

58 minutes ago, Aston Martin said:

 

It looks Dynamic to me as you have black mirrors and no fogs. 🤔

 

Does it have an outside temp gauge on the dash?

 

Edit: yep, it does come up as an Eleganza online. 

Is Eleganza a decent trim level?

Had a weekend away with the other half in Sussex area, found some decent tyres for it local to there which was a bonus. Was going to pay £109 for some part worns on the bay, but that hurt me so I didn't. Got 4 x barely used Avon ZT5's for £40.

No photo description available.

From a well off chap with a Maserati and Caterham. He said they were on Harry Redknapps Caterham for 1000 miles or so as he did some close charity work with him. Lame claim to fame there.

Harry Redknapp's reward for getting QPR promoted to the Prem is a Caterham  7! Lucky bloke! | Caterham, Harry redknapp, Monster trucks

They're 185/60 rather than the 165/65 that's on there - but they should fit - just look a bit chunkier. Sadly all the tyres on it have seriously perished sidewalls and it'd probably fail an MOT - plus they don't look too safe.

 

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Just sold mine, they are a piece of piss to work on and are ace to drive. Cam belt is easy peasy if it's the 1.0 fire which it looks like. New battery will help and it should talk to a reader. Download a free copy of multiecu scan from here; https://www.multiecuscan.net/ onto your laptop, assuming you've a compatible lead (my VAG one worked).You cannot erase the codes but you can see what's wrong. It also tells you the Italian tune up method of erasing the eml light if there's no faults but it keeps flashing (as mine did when I bought it).

Enjoy, and we'll bought.

 

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2 hours ago, SmokinWaffle said:

Is Eleganza a decent trim level?

 

 

It's the top of the range, it has the auto locking doors above 15 mph which I like, but the climate control system can and will probably break.

 

I'm confused by the lack of front fogs on yours. Eleganzas should have front fogs, but a quick Google image search shows that some don't. No idea why.

Lack of steering wheel controls too. I wonder if early ones had a fog and radio pack or some such nonsense.

 

https://www.motors.co.uk/car-57694598/?i=3&m=sp

 

 

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53 minutes ago, Aston Martin said:

I'm confused by the lack of front fogs on yours. Eleganzas should have front fogs, but a quick Google image search shows that some don't. No idea why.

Lack of steering wheel controls too. I wonder if early ones had a fog and radio pack or some such nonsense.

Mrs @Craig the Princess has a 54 reg Eleganza without front fogs (made taking the bumper off to change the radiator easier!) or steering wheel controls.

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Good save on this one!  I have soft spot for these, proportionally they just seem right (for want of a better word).  With some time and effort, I think you'll have a good steed there.  I'd have been on that like a tramp on chips.

Still working on wangling a service job in your direction for dropping off parts from BX day etc.  Until then, have an image of the first thing I could think of when reading the tread title.

250px-WWF_logo_svg.png.430e783477d8f934eb526966e818fe87.png

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15 hours ago, busmansholiday said:

Just sold mine, they are a piece of piss to work on and are ace to drive. Cam belt is easy peasy if it's the 1.0 fire which it looks like. New battery will help and it should talk to a reader. Download a free copy of multiecu scan from here; https://www.multiecuscan.net/ onto your laptop, assuming you've a compatible lead (my VAG one worked).You cannot erase the codes but you can see what's wrong. It also tells you the Italian tune up method of erasing the eml light if there's no faults but it keeps flashing (as mine did when I bought it).

Enjoy, and we'll bought.

 

It's the 1.2 - which I believe is still the FIRE engine and it's non-interference from what I can gather.

I've got a Bluetooth reader and a copy of Torque Pro (which lets me clear codes) on my phone that normally works a charm - if not I'll get an actual lead.

What's the Italian tune up method out of interest? Might involve a long, loud motorway drive to the eventual MOT I imagine

15 hours ago, Aston Martin said:

 

It's the top of the range, it has the auto locking doors above 15 mph which I like, but the climate control system can and will probably break.

 

I'm confused by the lack of front fogs on yours. Eleganzas should have front fogs, but a quick Google image search shows that some don't. No idea why.

Lack of steering wheel controls too. I wonder if early ones had a fog and radio pack or some such nonsense.

 

https://www.motors.co.uk/car-57694598/?i=3&m=sp

 

 

Very posh. Exciting stuff. I did think it had a lot of gubbins for a Panda...

14 hours ago, CaptainBoom said:

Good save on this one!  I have soft spot for these, proportionally they just seem right (for want of a better word).  With some time and effort, I think you'll have a good steed there.  I'd have been on that like a tramp on chips.

I thought that too - they are such a neat little shape. Tall enough to be useful, small enough to park anywhere.

11 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

Brilliant save.

If you do roffle it, I'll have five at a panda ticket.

Cheers.

45 minutes ago, Ian_Fearn said:

These Pandas score on so many levels. 
I’d be interested to hear if the electronic heater control valve still works.

I think a new battery will sort the steering issue. I reckon a lot of power steering columns were replaced when only a battery was needed.

How would I know if it still works?

Hopefully - I'll get one ordered asap.

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Assuming it has the digital climate system then It’s the valve that controls the heater temperature. Not the blower, so if it goes hot and cold then it’s working. 
I’ve never played with one but I believe you can get your head down into the drivers footwell and actually watch it move.

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39 minutes ago, SmokinWaffle said:

What's the Italian tune up method out of interest? Might involve a long, loud motorway drive to the eventual MOT I imagine

Not quite. Get the engine running and ticking over. Then, within 30 seconds you have to rev it to between 5 and 6k rpm and hold it there for at least 3 seconds. Let it return to tick over and repeat twice more. When it drops to tickover the third time the flashing eml should* clear. Did on mine.

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The power steering used to stop working on Our Lass' first one about once a year. Turning it off and on always fixed it. As well as the other stuff - axle etc. - already mentioned I would check the state of the sump; I had to change the one on hers as it had rotted to the point of becoming porous... I know of another where the owner went to change the oil and had part of the sump come away with the plug.

 

That does look like it could be a bit of a bargain 👍

 

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Nice buy, have an eleganza myself with foglights but no button (someone's changed the bumper and wired them to the full beam). Heater has broken on mine and doubt I will be fixing it ( it's stuck on hot thankfully) I'm sure I've seen a company offer a repair for around £150. Also needs a better battery .

Despite all this I still like the thing and honestly don't know what I would change it for except maybe a newer one :)

 

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On 10/13/2020 at 2:08 PM, Aston Martin said:

Page 5 onwards shows some bits. Basically the white cog strips itself and your fucked in whatever position it was in last,

I didn't know the outer white toothed cog did anything. Just the other side of the cog to stop the motor from spinning, ie fully hot or fully cold?

What snapped on mine was the black plastic cross section shaft bit controlling the blend door. 

Also I have a Eleganza myself with auto lock n wipers that change 'n' all but no front fogs or radio controls on the wheel.

P.S Good look with the Panda I've gotten way too attached to mine. 

Edit: I can post some pics up of what I did If anyone's interested?

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8 hours ago, morrisoxide said:

What snapped on mine was the black plastic cross section shaft bit controlling the blend door.

Edit: I can post some pics up of what I did If anyone's interested?

As you say, it's the black cross section shaft bit that breaks where it goes through the side of the heater box.  The blend doors seem to be weighted (at least on Mrs Craig the Princess's) so they drop to the cold position when it breaks.  Hers is now fixed* to be permanently hot, but if your last comment regards this issue then I would be interested in pics of what you did.

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On 10/13/2020 at 10:22 AM, Ian_Fearn said:

Assuming it has the digital climate system then It’s the valve that controls the heater temperature. Not the blower, so if it goes hot and cold then it’s working. 
I’ve never played with one but I believe you can get your head down into the drivers footwell and actually watch it move.

....or fail to move😉 My Stilo with the dual zone climate control had quite the selection of these little servo'd flaps which mostly didn't work. I always prefer a chunky knob  with a physical connection to the flappy bit you're trying to get moving.

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14 hours ago, BeEP said:

As you say, it's the black cross section shaft bit that breaks where it goes through the side of the heater box.  The blend doors seem to be weighted (at least on Mrs Craig the Princess's) so they drop to the cold position when it breaks.  Hers is now fixed* to be permanently hot, but if your last comment regards this issue then I would be interested in pics of what you did.

I'll post some instructions in a separate thread when I've taken some more pictures and found the older ones ( also don't want to hijack this thread)

Also I've just noticed it has roof bars, they go for silly money on eBay. You cant loose out on £175. 

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Thanks kindly for the comments, all.

  

On 10/16/2020 at 2:05 PM, sierraman said:

I’d get it MOT’ed before spending a shilling on it. 

Needs at least new tyres and a battery before I do that!

Question to all: The old battery has been sitting for a year or so - I charged it for maybe a day and a half. It turns on the ignition fine but the aforementioned fault stops it from turning on.

Shall I stick it on charge for 3 - 4 days (this is the charger) and try again - or is the battery most likely scuppered?

 

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The battery might recover sufficiently to start the engine, but you may find you'll need a different charger.  That one you linked is only a trickle charger and a very dead battery will probably need a 'repair' cycle (where it is pulsed) by a smart charger, like a Ctek.  Even after all that, it might be kippered anyway... but worth a go!

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