Willys

Very close to beat my winter beater to DEATH..!

57 posts in this topic

OK, an update....on my vibration problem......I am sitting here with dunce hat on and holding my idiot stick firmly ....lol
I am a firm beleiver in admitting your mistakes so as other who think to do the same thing to their vehicle will hopefully learn from your mistake.

So, the reason I am having or had this vibration is I installed a 2" lift kit which I made for my car.  Yes it works well as a lift kit, no complaints there. BUT and I say this with a BIG BUT.....There also comes problems with it. The car is designed with very tight tollerances as in clearances between certain parts. I had two rub or contact locations that was causing all my problems. One i should have seen but didn't, it was obvious once I saw it. It was the exhaust bracket that attaches to the differential. It required notching to clear it. Once I did that the vibrations halved. I thought I had fixed the problem, but when it was still there I went after more mechanical issues which were not needed to be messed with. I built a leakdown tester out of an old injector. Complete with gauge, shutoff valve etc. I was going through this proceedure and saw the real problem! I had to turn the engine to close the valves to get the compression sealed to see it wasn't leaking . As I was reaching in to turn the crank bolt I happened to see the "X" frame resting firmly on the boss that holds the differential together. It was firmly resting against it. I notched out the area needed and now it's free from contact. Seeing as the first contact location almost solved the vibrations, I'm assuming this was, is the main cause of the vibrations. Fingers crossed.   I knew it had to be something simple, mechanical things do not go bad while sitting in a garage. They require help to do so. I helped it.....lol.

I am taking the day off tomorrow to recover from the afternoon's work, so will put it all back together thursday and let you know if that fixed it for good. 
So if you are thinking of lifting your car as I did, look for contact locations far out of the usual locations that you can see from underneath or above. I couldn't see this spot due to other things blocking the line of sight.  Don't let my mistakes stop you from lifting your car if you are thinking about it. The car does ride much better than the stock car for some strange reason? Far smoother as in ride, how it deals with bumps etc.  

So there you have it.....hopefully this is the end of my troubles and I can start driving it for the bad weather months!

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...also im not sure what you mean by "x frame" but if its those rear lateral bar type things  notching them sounds dangerous

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6 hours ago, LooseLugNuts said:

...also im not sure what you mean by "x frame" but if its those rear lateral bar type things  notching them sounds dangerous

Yep those things, but they will be coming off tomorrow and being guseted  to get the strength back in them....besides it wasn't that big of a notch...lol....but enough to make me think the same way.

 

Yes feels good to see the mistake and recognize what has been causing all my grief. I still haven't run it yet to confirm so....where did I put that wood...lol.  Touch wood....!

 

IF I do fit this all back together and it still is the same I'm sure you'll hear the blue language from where you are...!

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Better fitting standard Smart Roadster springs on rear to improve ride and increase height. 

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Here is a poor photo showing one of my standard rear Roadster spring fitted on my Cabrio. 

EA1211EA-32C3-46BE-BB65-D48C3BF40A6C.jpeg

Note there is ample clearance between buffer and bump stop. With standard 450 rear springs the buffer tends to ride on the bump stop. 

Above spring is KYB which was not my choice. KYB springs are bad and all have poor powder coating. Took photo only 12 months after fitting this poor KYB spring. Was not my choice as I had ordered Suplex. Supplier was out of stock of Suplex and sent me KYB stating these were a free upgrade. 

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You forget where we are....we didn't get any damned roadsters...lol...or i'd be driving one...but the idea is good....I thought about ATV springs but didn't have one to compare to an ATV spring  But now i do.....IF things were to turn bad.  I have more space than what you are showing for some reason between bump stops if i remember right?  But I do remember thinking it wouldn't take much to bounce them together. Normal driving will be fine I'm sure, I'm not planning any off roading. IF that were my plans I'd tear all the suspension out and install ATV suspension for sure.....but the engine doesn't have enough oomph to get the job done.....yes I have thought about it...lol.

 

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As usual it looks like tolsen's car lives in the North Sea.  Wow, talk about rust!

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2 hours ago, MikeT said:

As usual it looks like tolsen's car lives in the North Sea.  Wow, talk about rust!

It is all due to the infamous Scottish weather. Cold, wet and miserable 24/7 all year around. 

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Well been a slow day, quick to start as Glenn showed up with the rooster this morning....great to see him as usual....passed off a few welded exhausts ready for their new owners to enjoy the quiet sound.  Chatted for a spell, then back onto the beater....took the cross brace off, cut an even bigger piece out just to be happy then made up a strengthening gusset ......there isn't any strength in this thing as it twists all over the place stock, so the 2" angle I formed to it's shape will definately be stronger than the paper thin stock unit.  Although might have added a few pounds to the rear end...lol.  Just waiting for paint to dry, a very entertaining career...I must say!  My back is done now so going for well deserved steaming shower and then relaxing. I have to pick my mother up for Christmas tomorrow so no work done for a few days.  No snow in the forcast so no worries.

 

 

One note ...I made up a ESP  switch bypass....and have run my STAR without any issues.......just to let anyone know it doesn't effect it at all.  I was worried about that. You never know...?

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On 20/12/2018 at 3:46 AM, MikeT said:

As usual it looks like tolsen's car lives in the North Sea.  Wow, talk about rust!

Mine is less rusty than most Canadian Smart cars. Here is my proof:

2A899556-79F1-4D5C-88A9-8B80D502CC4C.jpeg

 

C6F27CC0-62B6-485B-8FC8-8F2FB35BB3D8.jpeg

 

B355E11C-7E6E-4E00-BFA6-0B3B2F1A4ED4.jpeg

 

D087B466-CAB4-435B-BF4A-1F19FB2A2C87.jpeg

 

93B7FC36-F20C-4F7B-9FB6-011AA09C8A90.jpeg

 

A2C828F6-FC74-476A-95A3-7DD6961C9DF7.jpeg

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Looks like a major oil leak ;)  You're the only one I know who has had to weld repair panels into their car's shell.

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8 hours ago, MikeT said:

Looks like a major oil leak ;)  You're the only one I know who has had to weld repair panels into their car's shell.

The first person to carry out weld repairs on his 450 diesel was a Canadian member of ths forum about 8 years ago.  I recall he posted photos of holed wheel arches in way of fixing studs for wheel arch liners.  Mine was holed there too plus had minor rust of door sills covered by the side skirts.  Suggest you all remove side skirts and rear wheel arch liners on yours to inspect condition and apply protective coating before it is too late or  you will soon have to weld in repair patches.

RedFoxRust.jpg

Non structural steel cut out of door sills on my Smart 450.  Might one fine day donate these to Tate Modern.

 

There is some oil sweating here and there on mine which is good rust protection.  Nothing major and I do not have to top up oil between oil changes.

Got a big hole in exhaust where inlet pipe connects to the box.  After 16 years I think it is time for a new one and I have therefore just ordered a stainless steel exhaust on Ebay for £193. Hope it is not too loud.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222593331703

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I also had to repair body shell just below door clasp on the driver's side as there was bad pitting and a few pin holes.....the person who owned it before Glenn must have been hitting that area with something and chipped the paint and did nothing to fix it before mother nature entered the picture.  No rust now.....so I'm happy.   I wouldn't mind having a zero rust such as Tolsens machine. I can deal with anything mechanical over cutting and welding bodywork now a days. In my younger days, it was the other way around....used to like doing bodywork....now I hate it!

 

My next point of interest is dropping the engine on the longer pins to get at the altenator and starter to freshen them up seeing as the rest has been dealt with now.  But won't probably happen until Christmas has passed.....must keep mother entertained and the wife happy......what's the old saying about two women in one house...???.....lol

 

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OH...I forgot.......I'm speakless.....lol

 

I went around searching for fan belts and fuel filter last week....with Nigel.   Couldn't find them without days and days ordering in and expensive I thought.   We were happening to get close to the dealership....stopped in and asked just to have a laugh!

My mistake, jokes on me.....They are the cheapest people around by far for fan belts and they had the air con belt in stock! The altenator belt came the next day!   Two belt were less than $40 I think....!!!!

 

So to get the altenator off vehicle and check things out, is why I'll be dropping engine on the lengthened bolts.

 

 

Damn, now I think of it, maybe I should deal with thermostat at the same time?  AUGH......!   More waiting for parts.

 

Edited by Willys

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cheaper at germanparts.ca

 

plus they are really really quick to ship...youd probably get them next day since youre closer

 

belts are $12 and $16

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Thermostat is on order.....is it here yet...??  now...???....lol

 

 

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OK, an update as I have started working on it again, neck and back was OK before I started...lol. Now not so much....

 

OK, things done, which took far longer than expected.,   took off altenater to check for issues...what a pain that was....I didn't lower the engine far enough and getting the power leads off the 10mm bolt was painful!  Took over an hour just to do that simple task!  My meat eaters simply are not designed to reach in these tight spaces...augh!  Disconected everything stopping me taking off the thermostat housing. Next will be draining fluid to save the bath! I will also remove the hosing that went to the EGR valve seeing as I blocked off the hose that it heats.  I am thinking of removing the air conditioner pump as I do not use the air much if at all. I prefer the open window effect. Also as it doesn't push much cool air anyway. Now can I simply remove the pump without it sending the car electronics into hyper drive failures...lol..? OR can I delete the air con using the STAR system?

Next is the wires going to the altenater....they must be lengthened to allow easier removal and I can only think reassembly!   Next time I will drop the subframe perhaps over taking it out this way if I can't lengthen these cables. There was also two smaller wires attached to the main power wire I suspect they are the starter wire to power solinoid switch and perhaps the aircon..?  I yanked the main power cable and these came with it, so any help in colour coding where they go would be great appreciated.  Perhaps if I remove the air con pump there will be enough space created to get the altenator back in easily...fingers crossed?  I was going to go after the starter at the same time but that is still deeply buried....I just may leave well enough alone.  Unless it's easily touched after air con pump is removed. I some how don't think it will be..?

 

So, any suggestions, on how to go from here?  I have altenator sitting out on my workbench ready for disassembly, cleaning and seeing where it gets siezed up. It spins nicely, zero noise and with very slight bearing drag as it should have, or wobble. Just filthy.  Probably from someone spraying WD40 into it ...lol

 

 

I also have a nice set of steel rims and snows waiting to go onto it as soon as the work is done. Thanks Steve.

 

Oh if anyone thinks of trying to do this without disconnecting the battery, you will learn things the hard way for sure.....I can't possibly see you being able to carefully getting the main power wire off the altenator without it or the wrenches used hitting the engine somewhere. No I didn't, I removed the neg and then started on the job.

 

Now sitting here with hands, forearms tingling from being beaten to death...lol. Gotta love O'Keeffe's Working Hands cream...great stuff for repairing skin from over use.

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If while you have the engine lowered a bit you take the time to clean up the starter spade connector and put some dialectic grease on it, you will save your hands from a real beating and hopefully avoid having issues with it not starting for want of a better contact.

 

Lonnie

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a/c is helpful in winter to dehumidify interior and defrost windows quicker

 

i personally would not remove it unless it was beyond repair

 

 

 

side note: last time i had an oil pan off it appeared to give plenty of access to alternator when off... (but i didnt actually try and remove the alternator that way)...oil pan removal is quick and easy

Edited by LooseLugNuts

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4 hours ago, LooseLugNuts said:

 last time i had an oil pan off it appeared to give plenty of access to alternator when off

 

agreed! 

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Well altenator is off, so is air con pump....that gave me serious grief!  but it's off and staying off. I'll keep the pump as a spare for the summer car. So far with summer car I have had zero issues with defrosting windshield. Fingers crossed. It also doesn't have a heat issue either. The beater also will have new thermostat and housing as that is sitting waiting to be installed now.  I need to buy some hose clamps to replace the old ones. I have also rebuilt the altenator...it was as close to toast as you could get! It spun perfectly when I got it out but internally it was seriously rusted up. It has been cleaned and spun on the lathe to slightly increase tolerances to help stop rusting from now on.  Housings sonic cleaned and the rest very carefully scrubed with soft tooth brush. Almost too good to put in the beater now...lol. 

I am going to take it to the altenator shop and get it tested before reinstalling just to be safe. Tomorrow's job. Hopefully. I think I may just remove the sump to rinstall the altenator just to stop the beating it takes to get it back in place. Even with air con pump out of the way it really won't be that easy to reconnect the rear wires.  When I service any of this stuff on the summer car the subframe will be dropped!  The amount of BS involved doing it in the car is rediculous...imho!

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Easier dropping subframe, remove rhs plastic wheel arch, then access alternator from right side. 

Rear alternator terminals can be accessed from the top if you have gorilla arms. I did that once whilst standing on layers of bricks.  Concluded it is much easier form wheel arch. Just need to get on top a couple of times or more to visually see what is on inboard side of alternator. 

Note there is now very good access to starter terminals. Not greasing up starter solenoid terminals now that there is good access would be very unSmart in my humble opinion. 

 

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I think the starter is new from the looks of it, everything is like new with very little dirt or rusty spots and the terminals are sparkling....but yes they all will get some greasey stuff before the altenator goes back in. I worked from the top and also lowered the righthand side of the engine to make as much room as humanly possible.....that is without removing the front engine mount. I removed just the right rear mount with helped somewhat. My biggest issue is I can't get my hands easily to the rear of the altenator even with it in this possition. My hands and arms look like I just jumped into a thorn bush ....ripped to pieces.!!

I did notice when thinking of lowering the sunframe the rear right bolt was siezed in place....that is why it wasn't lowered.....in the end. I thought the repair job getting a snapped bolt out of the box frame was more than I wanted to risk.   I should have risked it, by the amount of work it's taken to get at these items.

One thing I need is the knowledge of which wire goes to the starter ...as I was so frustrated I simply pulled those wires off blind after getting my hands stuck for a few minutes deep down in the engine compartment.....digging for the altenator rear bolt.  The thought of getting someone to help me get my hands unstuck was a serious worry...lol

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Also, will I need to reprogram my computer to tell it not to worry about me taking the air con out...?

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