City to Adventure - Updated!

[lohithrao]

@Surya, i thought so:( grrr i guess its taking long for the fan to get activated. i will get to this issue the coming weekend.

[planet_rocker]

check it at home when the engine is hot - let it idle and see if this occurs. keep a tab at which point the fan comes on. let idle for atleast 10-15 minutes and check. check with load (headlights on) and without load. Donot use AC - as it will always run the fan at a higher speed.

[JVH]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Am thinking of changing the tyres, while Bridge Turanza tops the list am thinking of giving MRF a try...195/70/R14 is what the size am looking at, anyone has any inpurs on MRF please feel free to share.

If you get a chance to procure original Pirellis, nothing like it. Am surprised by the performance of XM1+. Didn't imagine they'll pose problems this early. Between, Bridgestone and MRF, my choice would be Bridgestone. Also, there are a few good reviews on Appolo Accelere, do check them out.

Originally Posted by lohithrao

lastly am presently using cielina(synthetic) oil which is used in TASS for the fiats earlier was using Mobil. do you guys suggest me to stick with it or try SHell?

Frankly, I've stopped believing in this Synthetic oil stuff. A few reasons for this. I become jittery once the oil crosses the life of 5000 kms even if it is synthetic (although it has a life of 15K kms) and end up changing it sooner. Besides am really not too sure of the Indian dusty conditions for the prolonged synthetic oil life. So, for now, have been using mineral oil. And I was using Mobil1 before.

Originally Posted by lohithrao

One more query to all the Palio 1.6 petrol owners...

In slow moving traffic or bumper to bumper kind the temp gauge goes up to 70-80% mark pretty quick but the moment i get some free road the gauge goes below 50%. now is this normal??

This is not at all normal. Surya's explanation is correct. The needle should never cross the halfway mark. I thought this was solved

[lohithrao]

Jayant,

Well XM1+ did shock me to the kind of terrain my adventures goes through not every tyre can take it. if i had just driven on good roads or in city am sure it would be been good but put it on highway and regular bad stretches this tyre will loose!

i guess i will settle with Turanza...

Agree with your thoughts on Synthetic oil, thats the reason i switched to Selenia this is affordable and service interval for older fiats was 700kms so i dont think would be very sensible to drag it to 15k kms...i personally have felt the engine get smoother with the synthetic oil so am managing with it

On the temperature issue, well the city i leave in needs to be blamed i hardly drive in city and bad traffic so i dint notice it till last weekend when i got stuck in the jam...
i hope to sort this out soon...

[anandpadhye]

I heard Shell has reduced prices of Helix Ultra (their synthetic brand) by 50%.
This was posted on a Skoda Supoerb thread some days ago.

Worth checking out...

[lohithrao]

About 8+months and about 6k kms though a bit early i felt the car needed a oil change, though i use synthetic oil but the oil change is recommended around 7k for Palio's. when checked the oil i felt the viscosity had reduced and even the color was black thought it was the right time...

Have instructed the SA to check on the heating issue and i hope we find the solution this time...

Was unable to open the door with the keys for long time and today when the auo cop fell sick had to get in from the ear door and unlock, am happy with the Fiat SA's they dont suggest replacement like what used to happen in Honda... SA has told he will try to fix it. also the headlights are crying wen it rains he has told will try to fix that too...

SA was pleasantly surprised when he found the engine very smooth and almost not possible to hear it, this reminds me of my Honda. have seen many Fiats which sound almost like a diesel.

@ Anand, i dint have the atience to check and moreover TASS dont accept oils which is bought from outside atleast in Mangalore so dint want to try. have thought of getting the oil change outside but am not too confident about the quality.

[lohithrao]

ahh "lower arm" might need a change :( just got a call from SA and he suggested for the change.

This was on card for last few thousand kms last time SA had told me to push it for some time, last week went into a bad pothole i think that might have done the damage...

[planet_rocker]

Front lower arm costs around 3600 INR - check attached file for reference. Do keep us updated on the current prices.

Changing the lower arms will help in correct alignment -> camber IIRC.

what damage?

parts-price-correction-Fiat-oct-2008-1-1.xls

[lohithrao]

Surya, all the bushes had worn out when had checked last time but this time the lower arm seems to have bent i guess the pot hole is the culprit:(

The price list should be helpful. thanks

[planet_rocker]

Any visible damage to the suspension? - keep us posted with pics, if possible.

Take care.

What did they say about the Over-heating issue?

[lohithrao]

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

Any visible damage to the suspension? - keep us posted with pics, if possible.

Take care.

What did they say about the Over-heating issue?

I was told that because of the bend they are finding it hard to remove the bolt.

On the heating it is yet to be tested, will update you.

[JVH]

What a coincidence! Even I have given my car for lower arms replacement. Didn't get time to update my thread. Will collect the car hopefully on Saturday and update.

[lohithrao]

Jayant, getting both changed? am getting just the right one changed.

mean while how many kms you have done since you picked the car?

[JVH]

If I'm not wrong, you need to replace both. It is recommended. In my case, it was left ball joint which was the culprit. And both the strut mounts were showing their age. So decided to change both.

Kms, you mean after the hit? Roughly around 2000 kms.

[lohithrao]

AM not sure about that, as per am aware if you need to change the strut then its recommended to change both but lower arm i dont think so. the right arm in my car was weak for sometime and i have ben pushing it

On kms i meant after you picked the car?

Originally Posted by JVH

If I'm not wrong, you need to replace both. It is recommended. In my case, it was left ball joint which was the culprit. And both the strut mounts were showing their age. So decided to change both.

Kms, you mean after the hit? Roughly around 2000 kms.