Guinness

What Did You Do To Your Smart Today?

5,057 posts in this topic

Cleaned up the driver's side front brakes on the 451. Lubed the caliper slider pin as well. Pads had lots and lots of life left - near new actually since I got a proper look at the inside pad.... But, still have a very slight dragging/chaffing noise. And I do mean slight. Will investigate some more. More of an annoyance than anything.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Rust on the edge of the rotor?

Dust behind the dust shield?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Put another 450 kms on her today.....started hearing a new clanging noise.....looked at her when i got home.....saw plug and wiring for transmission gear selector motor hanging in the breeze.....I know what I'll be doing tomorrow...lol

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I put on a different wheel this morning, and left off the black center cap and wheel cover.... thought for a moment the noise was gone, but it's just quieter....

I will dig a bit more into it after breakfast.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 hours ago, smart142 said:

Rust on the edge of the rotor?

Dust behind the dust shield?

 

Rotor seemed ok, but will check it closer.

Could possibly even be the bearing starting to go maybe.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm sure this is a snooze fest by now for regular readers, but I took the 451 out on the road for a bit with the alternate tire on, and no centre cap or wheel cover. I had also inflated the tire about 6 lbs to make up for it sitting around for awhile unused..... anyway - noise appears to be gone entirely after a half hour of driving. Put on the former wheel that came with the car, with center cap and wheel cover, noise is back. OK. Well, going to take off the cover and center cap and try again. Suspecting something wrong with the tire. You know how hard it is to tell a sound with precision from a moving vehicle, LOL. Trial and error! Would rather be dropping coolant by now! :) 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OR changing your starter...lol

1 person likes this

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Searched all over t'interweb for some smallish in width arch extensions for all 4 arches. I can find brabus ones which are about the right width for my 205 section tyres but no equivalent for the front.

I read somewhere you can fit the rear brabus one if you swap the left and right over. But before I spend cash has anyone seen/done it or has some arches they no longer need.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, Willys - good on you for keeping that dino drinker running like a top!

 

As for the fender extensions - try flyingtiger.ca - there ought to be some available still for the front. Many a cdi had them installed.... but I am not up to speed on what the 451 had for it on offer.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Look what we have here - I located my 30mm spacers and 6 x 17mm lugs.... I am going to swap out all of the wheels for my skinny set.

 

So, the 451 will have the following on it:

 

Front: 135/70/15 on 3.5" (front) 450 steelie - which is the front tire size on the German 450 cdi

 

Rear: 155/60/15 on the 4.5 inch (front) 451 steelie - mounted on the 30 mm spacers

 

Going to wash up the wheels and verify the sizes/specs, as it has been awhile. https://www.evilution.co.uk/513 has most of the stuff listed....

 

Not going to use full wheel covers, just center caps. And probably will run 33 front and 37 rear for PSI. Need to run these tires for a bit as they have sat awhile (unweathered though - stored indoors except this last winter they were in a dry carport)

 

Should gain in fuel economy by perhaps 0.3 L/100 km

IMG_20190522_143915531.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've considered selling all of this stuff off before, but it has always come in handy for one reason or another. Even years later! :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Funny - 6 main open spaces on the front wheel, 7 on the rear wheel... 6x7 = 42.... nerd.

 

Hey I knew a guy who had a plate 6 X 7 and it was NOT me!!!

IMG_20190522_162110920.jpg

IMG_20190522_162103716.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Settled on 38 psi rear and 34 front, used the compressor in the smart so that was easier to 'gauge'.... lol

 

Mike T had cautioned about using the full size wheel covers when these wheels were all new, even in summer, but they aren't too too bad.... the marks in the wheel are evident though.

 

I noticed the 'rocker panel' cover on the passenger side is out of alignment. Will get the car onto ramps and see what's going on.

 

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Latest fill yesterday netted about 5.3 L/100km. Mostly with the old wheel set.

 

I am going to up the rear pressure to 42 and the front to 35. Also need to put a piece of black tape over the TPMS icon that illuminates on the display now that the wheels with the still working sensors have been removed. Not a fan of these in the wheel sensors, although the systems deriving pressure from the ABS sensors seem better.

 

Today, I decided to remove the light from the top... I stumbled a bit on how they had installed it until I realized at the end that the rear brake light in the hatch was way bigger than I thought and yielded the cavity I was trying to reach by other means, don't ask.... LOL

 

For the time being, I have triple taped up the now useless leads for the light until I remove the switch and wiring that operates it. There's three NEATLY created holes in the top bit of the hatch (covered with tape for now, and the hexagonal shape is a rubber gasket/seal compound that should come off with a bit of elbow grease/heat/goo gone or other appropriate fluid that won't make a mess of the top bit. That said - I may dig out the vortex generators that I still have in a box from LONG ago, and install several strips, which would cover over the offending area nicely. And if not, it'll be made as nice as possible without going to a wrecker for a replacement piece.... which would entail removing the hatch entirely to replace best I can tell. 

 

 

IMG_20190524_130512_01.jpg

IMG_20190524_130951_01.jpg

IMG_20190524_131534_01.jpg

IMG_20190524_133952_01.jpg

IMG_20190524_135752_01.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Friday May 23..... at Glenn’s.   Oil change + filter plus air filter, codes read and EGR emulator installed in the ‘05.

Drove like it had no remap until it got hot and was restarted, then was OK.  Codes indicated EGR.

Running great now.  Will monitor.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Saturday May 24.... had snows swapped for summers on the Michalacs.

St.Thomas Tire picked up the summers, I took car to their shop, then they delivered the snows back home.

No muss, no fuss.  Good people with good price.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This can happen when you retire and get old.

I just hope my mind outlasts my Smarts.

Then I can drive anywhere and not care about the day.  🤔

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Rolled it out onto the driveway so I could work on my bicycles in the garage.  Really not using it at all at the moment.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wet sanded with 1000g some replacement rear pillar covers, plastic primed then paint primed them. Just need another coat of primer, another wet sand, 3 Base cars of C50L then 2 coats of clear lacquer then fit.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Took Marcie in for her MOT test (mandatory annual inspection for vehicles over 3years old) and she passed with a small  advisory of a small section of rusty brake pipe on the rear axle. Happy dayz

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now

    Chatbox
    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More