What Did You Do To Your Smart Today?

[bilgladstone 13]

... or the roof in 5K.

Oh ye of little faith!

[deezle 0]

Bil, I guess you do realize that there is now less room under there for you to tinker. Might need to take up Yoga?

[briand 0]

In and out in about an hour. Here's the "wedgie" kit. Note it was originally made for the 451 and you apparently don't need the chamfered spacer for the 450.

And once again, "big ups" to Terry Schlecht at Kelowna Auto Care. His shop manager, Crystal, says "WHAT are you going to bring us NEXT!?" It's always something new and different, and Terry is always up to the challenge. Mind you, I haven't said the words "air conditioning" around there yet

Bil

Bil, these are amazing aren't they? I had Paul install them on my 450 at the Nationals event. The round washer with the bevel had to be bored out just a little bit to fit my 450. It seems our spline does not remain the same diameter from end to end like the 451's. Our spline "swells" in the middle (its a larger diameter in the middle than at either end) whereas the 451's spline stays the same.

Paul was happy to find out if it fit the 450 since he was being asked a lot about that.

I wish his engine mount would work on our 450. Sadly I believe it will not. Going to my garage to find my spare mount now to make sure.

[ianjay 6]

I cleaned the inside of my windshield with Stoner Invisible Glass - I can see again!I prefer changing front light bulbs!

[xakinedmonton 0]

locked up my A/C Compressor.. YAY failed A/C again!

[briand 0]

On 10 June 2010 I installed my new stereo unit:

Its a kenwood kiv-bt900. I also received the additional HD Radio unit but have not yet installed it. I also need to fine tune the placement of the microphone for the unit's bluetooth functionality.

I also emptied the catch tank for the first time since I installed it on 10 June 2010. It was already full by today! but

This is the oil (well technically condensed vapor) that came out of it:

Its actually half of what came out of the can. The other half ended up on the garage floor. I didn't think to use a funnel. I will next time! This catch can was pretty much full after only 5 days

Edited June 16, 2010 by briand

[bilgladstone 13]

I also emptied the catch tank for the first time since I installed it on 10 June 2010. It was already full by today! but This is the oil (well technically condensed vapor) that came out of it: <deleted>Its actually half of what came out of the can. The other half ended up on the garage floor. I didn't think to use a funnel. I will next time! This catch can was pretty much full after only 5 days

Amazing, isn't it!? That unexpectedly huge volume of condensate is what I have been battling along with good oil/air separation for several years. Hope I can get back after it in a few weeks...Bil

[Coast Steve 1]

Let the insurance run out

[MikeT 744]

I washed the green cabriolet. My kids use it a lot and never wash it. Poor car. It looks great now. For 161,250 km especially!

[briand 0]

Finished fitting the Brabus front splitter to the silver/silver 450

I also fit the black Brabus grill to my black/silver trid 450. The picture I took came out too blurry so I will take another tomorrow.

Next on my list is to come up with some sort of exhaust solution for my silver/silver. I am thinking of using bilgladstone's great pictures and parts list as a place to start. I think I want to go the center exit route.

Edited July 16, 2010 by briand

[Francesco 71]

Edited August 13, 2010 by SameGuy

[Coast Steve 1]

OOOHHH....AAAAHHH.

Slick!

[strawboss 5]

Very nice SameGuy, I left my rings dark did you paint yours or did they come that way?Now I wish I had painted mine silver to blend them in more, too bad they're such a pain to dismantle!

[Francesco 71]

LOL!

I've actually had a much-improved version of Smart-Mods' CCFL angel eyes ready to install since last November. The Smart-Mods version was just two fragile tubes and two ballasts; these ones have the tubes mounted to a solid plastic, highly polished reflector. I decided to wait for warm weather to install them, and in the meantime the LED version became available. The CCFL angel eyes are really very nice, and I debated long and hard over the last few weeks which to install. I ended up going with the LEDs because of our awful roads here in Quebec.

The CCFL kit is still available if anybody wants to install it. I will let it go for $40, shipped almost anywhere in Canada.

These LEDs are monkey-bright in almost all ambient lighting conditions and make terrific DRLs. As in Evilution's write-up, I removed the diffuser lenses from the turn signal pods -- I have returned the turn signals to where they belong, in the pods in the headlight cluster -- and cemented them in place. The wires pass through the main reflector via one of the holes where the lens clips, and I had to drill a small hole in the bottom of the headlight's outer shell, which I then sealed with silicone. Then I used Dang's DRL-mod how-to in order to use the LEDs as the automatic DRLs, switching to the low beams when I turn them on via the headlight switch. I had to modify the circuit somewhat after two pairs of relays didn't act as expected, but simply grounding each relay individually fixed it.

[Francesco 71]

My PCBs are actually white and I left them that way, but they look similar to the photos above and don't stand out more than the intended effect.

[bilgladstone 13]

Superb mod, Francesco

So you left the turn signal diffuser lens off, is that right? Just taken on it's own, is that a good idea or not? I guess they would be a lot brighter but the beam, being less, well, diffuse, would it be less visible?

Bil

[Francesco 71]

No, it works just as well -- courtesy of the pod's reflector. I swapped out the regular PY21W bulbs for Silverstars last fall when I got the CCFL eyes, and they increase the effect.

[strawboss 5]

I attached mine over the TS diffuser lens, I think now that a diffuser ring of it's own made of opaque plastic would look better in my case. I'll post some photos one day soon.I use mine as DRLs too, in fact it was the deciding factor in doing all this work but wired mine to the "hot" wire on my wiper motor harness so they come on with the ignition switch, the down side being there's no way to turn them off!

Edited July 17, 2010 by strawboss

[MikeT 744]

This is good enough to deserve its own thread. Did you document the procedure with photos?

[Francesco 71]

Uh, nope.

Kane's write-up here is very thorough, though, as is Dang's how-to for the DRL Mod. I can ask for permission to use their photos, but basically the install involves removing the nose and the headlights, opening the headlights and gluing in the angel eyes. They can be wired in any number of ways, either off the city lights or in place of them, or with the relays like Dang did. This way they are only on when the headlights are off.

[Francesco 71]

1400 Km showing on the service indicator, I did an oil and filter change today after my near-weekly 200 Km drive to the States and back. STrangely I had trouble getting all the old oil out. Added 2.85 L Royal Purple 0W40 (it normally takes 3.0 L) and a new K&N HP-1004 filter. Tomorrow it goes in for a variety of small issues, most notably the lack of cold air from the AC and a new clunking noise from underneath. I'll have them check the hand brake cable, too.

[MikeT 744]

Filled the tank and got the spritmonitor icon down to a still-unacceptable 4.3

[Francesco 71]

Whooboy....New ball joints. New left side bearing. New hand brake cables. New fuel rail return. AC recharged -- no "special program" and they deny it exists. The "flexible line" part has been deprecated since last year. The main clunking noise I'm hearing is my forward belly pan, cracked and loose. $188? No thanks, I'll fasten it myself when I install my air horns.

[MikeT 744]

The "flexible line" part has been deprecated since last year.

What, it's cheaper?

[gordo.bernard 1]

"I use mine as DRLs too, in fact it was the deciding factor in doing all this work but wired mine to the "hot" wire on my wiper motor harness so they come on with the ignition switch, the down side being there's no way to turn them off!"You could solve this by installing only one relay (a high beam relay that would stay closed when not energized)and a switch. Then activate this relay with the switch that gets its power source from the low beams.Now whenever you turn on your headlights on low beam, you could turn off the DRLs. As soon as you shut off your lights or select high beams when the headlights are on, the DRLs would come back on automatically. In other words, you would have control of the DRLs only when the low beams are on ...Gord

Edited July 21, 2010 by gordo.bernard