New Uk Member

[Grumpyb 0]

Hi , Im a UK Smart owner and I have a converted 08 Passion with a 25 cell Lifepo4 pack and HPEV AC30 motor/ Curtis controller.For a living I support UK Ev users and this came my way as a development mule for a UK company that subsequently made a series of converted Citroen C1s.I actually purchased two of these, but one was totalled in a road accident last year. I still have its remains waiting for an appropriate priced 451 non runner to convert. Having caught the Smart bug, I bought a 451 CDI (2010) that was repossed by the finance company. No keys, 44000miles and lots of general wear. My wrecked electric has provided the replacement worn interior. To sort the keys the UK smatrt dealers wanted around £800 to replace the SAM, keys, lots of special costs for computer codes from MB/ Smart and £120 per hour to do the work. So I shopped around and the formal solution is the Smart one, as you have to have one key for the star diagnostics to programme another. However a nice clever Romanian has worked out how to get around it. And apart from a genuine remote a UK locksmith company who has the computer and kit, charged me £65 to programme one key fob. What a result. The car transmits a code, the key fob responds in a certain way, the std system allows codes to be adrift by a few numbers, to allow for you pushing the buttons away from the car and moving on from your code from the car. So they decode what the car is transmitting, using an algorithm they then create a non moving code chip to match. Put that to the key blade (Fortunately I had one of these) and the car now thinks its got an original key, you can then programme a new fob to the SAM. A brilliant piece of deduction. After a couple of uses of the fob the hard coded chip will no longer be any use but now you have a properly coded new fob.WIth the car functional, it then became obvious why the previous owner had defaulted, The turbo had seized and the shaft snapped. So I have a used turbo, but the original oil pipework was seriously clogged , I dont think they had ever serviced the vehicle. SO I dropped the sump and it was really dirty inside. I have fitted a sump plug, and having cleaned the worst of the muck out I ran flushing oil and a new filter through the engine, and replaced with nice fresh oil and filter. The car would not run for more than a few seconds. Diagnosis was a blocked particle filter. So off with the exhaust and out with the Oly acetylene burner, introducing heat and excess oxygen through the exhaust caused it to burn off the internal muck. More to come the EGR mixing system was almost blocked with greasy gunge, this was cleaned out but the car still goes to limp mode after a couple of minutes. Codes being P1408 and P1409. TAke out the vacuum EGR valve itself, it was not opening at all. Swapped for a clean one but I still have P1408. The moral of this, if the deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true. I wish I hadnt strayed from my Electric vehicles, but I do need one that will go a few hundred miles.Any thoughts on P1408?Grumpy-b

Edited January 12, 2014 by Grumpyb

[MikeT 744]

Welcome, that's quite the story, I've no idea about the code though.

[turbomar 13]

Welcome to the forum! Could you elaborate on the EV mod including pics in the EV section

[Grumpyb 0]

I didnt put a comment in the EV section as it appeared to be on the Smart /MB v3 rather than conversions.But I will put something on there in the near future.Grumpy-b

[josh9120 0]

Welcome to the club