stickman007

Finally got Tolsen's restrictor plug in!! Wow, those A/C lines really get in the way...Here's my all natural garage!

I had a very similar issue!! Mine only occurred when it was wet/snow...I crawled underneath the car and found that 2 of my actuator wires were chaffed, I was able to see the copper wire underneath. I figured that it was shorting out and the actuator was causing the ESP to be confused. After I re-insulated the wires, the problem has not happen again...yet (its been over a month).Good luckIzzy

I find that doesn't matter if your car is big or small, human beings (or at least a good number of the population) by nature are just in-secure and feel that they need to "prove" themselves. I use to own a Subaru STI, and doesn't matter what the road conditions were or speed I was going, I got plenty of unwanted "attention"

Thanks guys! I will bare the pain and reinstall it :(Some photos for funThe Car is sitting on the stands nowThe oil leak is not from puncture, but the oil that leaked out when I loosen the clamp while removing it

Thanks Glenn, alway provide great simple ideas! Is that lower plastic housing necessary? The reason why I broke it was because it was caught between the transmission and firewall, (I tried to squeeze it through...after swearing for 10mins). I suppose when I lower the engine it'll go back in easier...but if not necessary, I prefer just to leave it.Izzy

Removing the stupid plastic housing was even worst!! I spent another hour trying to wiggle that pieces out, and ended up breaking the lower housing...Is the lower housing important at all? I can repair the lower piece, but I dread when I have to put the metal clips back on. Can I just leave it off? Would it affect performance or function? Any thoughts?Izzy

Zerostart Series 8000 1000w from CanTire Izzy

Bil: my car has around 110,000km on it now! Bought the car with 83,000km! I will be deleting the EGR coolant hoses...from what I see now (will drop engine down a few inches), I can just remove the hose that goes to the EGR cooler, cut the one that goes to the matrix shorter, and hook it up directly back to the thermostat housing. The circulating block heater will be tapping in there too. As to our discussion a few months back, I will be keeping the check valve in mine. Proposed routing:Tap into the return line from the radiator (supplying the circulating heater)Tap into the heater matrix line at the thermostat housing (output of the circulating heater)With this proposed setup, I need the check valve in, so that the coolant will not bypass the radiator. I didn't want to hook it up inline with the heater matrix because I theorized that it might restrict the flow too much => loosing heat in the cabin. What do you think?Alex: Yeah, those emission stuff never really made sense to me. Can't remember correctly that early GMs had air pumps to dilute the exhaust? or the new diesel particulate filters that "need" to be burnt off?Izzy

I now have new appreciation for people who were able to remove the intercooler! Took me almost an hour just to wiggle it and twist it out not including time removing the intake hoses! I followed instructions from evolution: http://www.evilution.co.uk/index.php?id=656 "It is secured by four plastic clips on the top and bottom of each side. You need get a thin flat bladed screw driver and carefully press it in to the centre of each clip to disengage it from the plastic housing, gently pull it forward. As with the cooling fan, pull the top of the intercooler forward and away from the rear housing first. You can then lift the intercooler up and out of the engine bay. Be careful not to damage the semi rigid diesel fuel return line or any of the wiring loom parts as you remove the intercooler." This actually sounds so simple! In reality, it was a PITA!! Also, I had to remove one of the EGR coolant hose in order to make room, (not in the instructions anywhere). Are the coolant hoses only found in the Canadian CDIs? The the hose (going to the heater matrix) was crossed on top of one of the harness and if I didn't remove it, there would've been no way I can get the harness out of the way for the intercooler to come out. Turns out, I caught mine just in time! It is almost rubbed through, but not quite yet...going to clean and try epoxy tomorrow and mod the plastic shield. Any tips on how to get it back in? Izzy

Never thought of that! Awesome idea!

Yanked my ECU out and mailed to uncle Glenn for a remap! While the car is down, pulling intercooler scoop for mod, installing tolsen's restrictor plug and mod, lube starter connector, deleting EGR coolant hoses, and plumbing in a circulating heater!

I definitely agree with you guys that we're facing a generation of incompetent "mechanics," but the reality is that most customers don't want any diagnostic charges on their bill... It seems that they only want to pay for the part that is wrong, (ironically most of the time it is not the part!)... I remember when I worked at a John Deere dealership, customers would argue why they were charged 30mins of diagnostic time when the part was only $5...most didn't realize that I probably saved them hundreds of dollars by not replacing a major part (soldering a new connector rather than placing the entire piece).Excellent job by the way Dom! I enjoy reading your car adventures!Another rant about dealerships, they usually get the apprentices to do the dirty work, when they mess up, they blame it on the owner.Horrible dealership where I worked...happy to say I'm no longer there!

Thanks for the clarification Tolsen,Its one of the most confusing programs I've ever used! Takes forever just to find out simple information on WIS, (maybe I just suck at this). On another note, is the diesel 451 engine/electronics almost identical to the 450? I've read somewhere that it uses essentially the same engine.Izzy

I'm still learning how to use my MBStar package...here are some info that I was able to pull off WIS, hope they'll help you.Wiring_diagram_for_electronic_diesel_transmission_control__EDG_.pdfComponent_description_for_the_glow_output_stage.pdfCDI_starting__function.pdfComponent_description_for_glow_plugs.pdfGood luck, I'll try to find some more this weekend if this stuff helpsIzzy

Are you looking for wiring info? http://www.evilution.co.uk/index.php?id=522 Have fun!

A while back, I saw one of the owner home build a double din fascia...he's a professional installer i think...don't think there are any commercial available double din fascia out there. I think pics are in the topic "what did you do to your smart" try searching there.I installed a single din touch screen on my 450...when the screen flips up, it gets really close to the wiper stalk, (if wiper is down, it will come in contact). I just bought a single din fascia on eBay.Good luck,Izzy

DIY...too cheap to buy from europeI only use mine to mount my bike rack

Late night spelling error! "Voila" LOL

1) I purchased a cheap heated seat pad from CanadianTire on sale for $20, and gutted the pad to pull out the heating element.2) Pulled out the foam/cover as per evilution instruction (mine cover wasn't glued to the foam, but held in place with clips)3) I cut the clips off to remove the cover4) Position the heating element and use zip tides to tighten the cover in place of the clips (cut off using side cutters)5) route the cord and folia!It runs off the cigarette outlet, but I hope to wire it in eventually. Total time under 30min.IzzyLet me know what you guys think!

There will always be a portion of the population that thinks the world owes them...I don't think you did anything rude at all. He asked for your expertise, and you gave it to him.Izzy

Hi Peregrine48,I've described my findings on post#12. A possibility that one or two of the wires going to the actuator was exposed causing a short in wet conditions. My problem hasn't come back yet :)Good luck with your findings! Let me know what you find!Izzy

I understand that you can use a shoe, or a throttle stick to achieve this, but I want a switch! I'm aware that our throttle pedal has 2 potentiometer that the ecu reads. Curious if this will work if I have 2 of them setup?Not sure what the resistance I would need to drop the voltage for the ecu to get 2000rpm...but thought I'll run the idea through you gurus out there first :)I'm assuming that the lower the voltage the more the rpm increase? Can somebody confirm that?IzzyPS: Sorry for posting in the wrong forum, Mod please move it if necessary

Thanks Tolsen!I actually have some 1.5mm terminals left over from my ESP disable switch...ordered 50 pieces and only used 1. Thanks for the part #s though, it's an adventure every time talking with a parts person at my nearest dealership. Izzy

Arite, reporting back to what I've think I've found...I removed my actuator and wiring, (because it was cold, I snapped one of the clip on the connector - don't think its too big of an issue, will get another one from the dealer eventually). The clutch fork actually looks like its in good shape, no excessive wear noted - put a dab of grease on the pivot point where the rod meets. I squirt as much Lithium grease in the actuator as much as I could - until it leaked back out before putting the actuator back on. I think the shifts are smoother now, although that could just be a placebo effect.Two of the wires that goes to the connector (smaller ones) showed evidences of chaffing from the protector sleeve tube thingy - I was able to see copper on one of them. I suppose when driven in wet conditions, an electrical short could've taken place causing the actuator to malfunction. Once input rpm is messed up, the ESP gets a fault. This still doesn't explain why the clutch does not drop when ESP is off. Maybe just lucky that it doesn't do it when I turn it off? Either way, I wrap electrical tape over each wire going to the connector carefully insulating it a bit more to prevent water from getting in, and double wrap it again bundling the wires together up so that the protector sleeve wouldn't wear on the wires again.Since my Star diagnostic is down till I figure out why, and this problem is only intermittent...I'll have to see if anything changes in the next little while. If it does it again, then I'm going to check the connector/wires on the ESP pump. The ABS reluctor rings look clean - don't think my problem is from them, ABS light never turned on.If my problem doesn't come back this week, I'm hoping to make a trip down to the Vancouver area to do some visiting. Anybody with a Star diagnostic willing to do a scan (for stored codes) for me? I'm dirt broke so I won't be able to pay for a shop to do it, but I'm willing to buy lunch.Izzy

Not yet...this afternoon if I can find a warm garage. I honestly don't know what to think now. It only happens when its wet, and with the ESP on. I have no ABS light. If indeed it is a clutch fork or wiring thing, when why would it stop when ESP is off? It is tough to pin point the problem without a Star diagnostics. Living at the puddle sucks too, cuz nobody knows anything about these cars. Its most likely a wiring issue of some sort. Will have to do some good old troubleshooting with a multimeter...