cdi fuel filter revisited

[wyldkarma 0]

I jacked the Smart today and put it up on jack stands, dropped the bottom panel and found only 1 inline fuel filter under there. It is located just to the front of the rear passenger side tire and directly under the fuel cap inlet. I could not find the filter/separator unit described in other areas of this site?

Is the fuel filter/water separator under the front panel, I haven't dropped the front one yet? Or is the filter/separator something unique only to the Canadian model fortwos? Mine is a 2005 Passion cabrio cdi that came over direct from Germany without mods or conversions.

Here are a few pics of what I found today, pics at the url and below. http://www.austinstructural.com/photos

I'd like to change all the filters but only found the one small inline filter.

Edited August 10, 2008 by wyldkarma

[bilgladstone 13]

Ah..... German car..... The German CDi doesn't have the water separator combi-filter. The one you found is all there is on your car.Bil

[yolanda 0]

Why does it look like snow behind your car? Where do you live that you have snow in august? Argentina?

[wyldkarma 0]

Ummmmm, that's the tarp under the car to keep the driveway from getting messed up. Snow in Texas.....I wish!

[NJV 1]

Ah..... German car..... The German CDi doesn't have the water separator combi-filter. The one you found is all there is on your car.Bil

Without the water separator does he have room for the 33L tank? Why would German CDi's not have a water separator? I thought all diesels needed them.

[bilgladstone 13]

Hey, you're probably right, Nathan; I think there IS enough room for the big tank!Vater zeparator? Ve dunt need no steenking vater zeparator :hilarious:Bil

[NJV 1]

Maybe zey dunt. But they designed our CDi as well didn't they? So why give us one, and not themselves? Man it would be sweet to have another 200+ kms range on a tank.

[bilgladstone 13]

...So why give us one, and not themselves?

Our fuel is crap compared to EU. And our climate varies from -70C to +40C, so more opportunity for water accumulation.Plus, with a larger tank, fuel economy suffers in hauling around the extra 35Kg of fuel..................... I reckon

[NJV 1]

I agree on the crap fuel over here, that makes sense. The tank is only 11L bigger, that can't be and extra 35Kg, considering pure water has a mass of 1kg/L, and diesel is less dense than water. So an extra 11L would be an extra 10kg over a full 22L tank? My car is already 1080kg fully loaded with luggage, 2 ppl, and a full tank, so another 10 wouldn't hurt that much. And it would mean being able to make a bathroom stop in between fill ups. Instead of doing both every time, making each stop longer. I'm just saying, I don't think I'd actually go through the trouble of changing the tank.

[bilgladstone 13]

My bad. Yes.... 0.9Kg/L ..... x11L = 9.9Kg = 21.82lbs won't hurt.

[wyldkarma 0]

Received the new cdi fuel filter today and finally got the chance to repair my Smart. After completely draining my fuel tank of what I believe to be bad biodiesel and putting in the new filter and some fresh dinodiesel the car started right up. Before starting I turned the key to position 1 a few times to prime the new filter. Drove around and accomplished a few errands with no further "check engine light". Seems to be back to normal. Time will tell.I found that my small pump that I use to drain my oil worked quite well at removing the bad gas from the tank. The oil pump came with a very long extension tube which came in very handy.My German Smart did only have the one inline filter and came out quite easily. No tools needed to replace the filter as the gas lines at both ends were spring clips that easily pushed in and released the fuel line from the filter. There was also a push pin electrical connection at the top of the filter. I have no idea how that works on a fuel filter, but it was easy to replace. I did remove the rear fenders and valance to have easy access to the wheel well where the filter was situated behind.This pic was posted by Smart142, but mine is the same setup but w/o a water separator. New_Picture__1_.bmp

[smart142 605]

There was also a push pin electrical connection at the top of the filter. I have no idea how that works on a fuel filter, but it was easy to replace.

That is a ground wire.