Hi!

[Krasteff 8]

Hello to all, what a great forum full of useful info this is!

 

I'm an italian owner of a beautiful cdi 30kw puppy that I recently acquired and that I can't seem to stop working on to improve in hope to keep forever, it's like an obsession, what I've done with the help of this forum until now: engine and gerbox oil changed, upgraded to oil canister filter, replaced thermostat and fitted petrol one (thank you tolsen for that info, great improvement in heating), changed coolant, changed fuel, air and the damned cabin filter, changed brake fluid, blocked off egr with blanking plate, ccv vented to atmosphere, actuator and its rod lubed up and adjusted, I think that's all, it seems another car now!

 

Projects for the future are make windshield spray nozzles work again (probably have to change the pump, should be easy with the front panel off) and map the smart to get more low end torque and would be nice to get better shifting, it's revving a little high before gear changes now for my liking but I'm using the manual mode 99% of the time, KWP2000 already on the way arriving hopefully this week.

 

I feel so happy that this forum is so full of helpful and knowledgable people, the info I got from here are world class, hope to be able to help some but you guys do a fantastic job, much better than I could, thanks!

[Willys 741]

Welcome to the club and the best CDI Smart Car site on the planet...imho...that is....maybe I'm biased...lol
Sounds like you are looking deep into the future with your work already done so far. It's a fun car to play with once you accept the slow nature of it and accept the fuel benefits over power...and speed.
 

Again welcome.

 

[Krasteff 8]

Thank you! It's such an useful and different car, It's growing on me everyday, the fuel economy is out of this world and the fact that is so little and cute and that I'm not used to super fast cars even in stock map I don't feel it's too slow, sure not fast and not highway friendly but totally ok for medium drives so only positives for me, my dream would be to get a map that increase the oomph of the car and shifts sooner than stock in A, so the girlfriend can just use A and be totally happy, she too can't stand the eccessive high revving in auto before finally shifting so she uses manual and select auto only near roundabouts or alike situations. Thank you for your kind reply

[Willys 741]

I have a mild map in both of my cars and to be honest it doesn't feel much different?....but maybe I'm also used to it now?  I also never use auto at all. I shift up around 2500 and down never below 1600  I get the best fuel economy around the 1950 rpm range when on flatland areas. I also live closer to the country than city so I can easily drive like an old lady without upsetting many. I am focused on fuel economy now, just a thing I enjoy watching.....sort of feel like I'm beating the system as you say.
As for the thermostat change, we have also changed ours from the stock range from 180 to 195 if I recall correctly, could be wrong with exact numbers but it made a difference. 

[Mjolinor 85]

Changing to a canister filter is most certainly not an upgrade. It is the biggest downgrade that people do. It's right up there with shiny air piping.

 

The original filter can be inspected very easily when it is replaced and it costs very little. To inspect the element in a canister filter you have to cut it open and that gets very messy very quickly.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Mjolinor

[Krasteff 8]

Imo you are wrong, I mean of course i see that the original filter is much easier to inspect and cheaper (but that advantage is ridicoulous since the difference in my country is 2 euros or less) but a spin on filter has undeniable advantages like ease of installation (not big difference but nonetheless easier), bigger Surface area so the flow of oil will be slower through bigger filter hence better filtration with same filtration media, anti drain back valve for quicker oiling at startup, chance to have a fleece filter instead of paper filter gaining substantial difference in low particle size retention thus meeting MB spec for oil filter, easy way of adding oil capacity, debatable if really useful but more oil is never worse. 

If you want to detect problems on your oil filter media I guess just replace drain plug with magnetic one and you will retain almost as effective easy inspection but gain the benefits listed above, we are allowed to think differently on this but I'm convinced that "is the biggest downgrade that people do" is excessive to say the least! 

Edited November 21, 2022 by Krasteff